Best PHD settings for QHY5L-II

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Hi all. I just got myself a QHY5L-II (Mono) camera as a guider, and planetary imager.

I was out last night giving it a test run. I see that it is not directly supported by PHD - I need to select it as a WDM camera before it will work correctly. Im a bit confused about how I can use the ST4 port on the camera in this case?

Im assuming that I will need to use a direct connection to my mount, via a USB-DB9 connection the hand-controller, and get PHD to control it via ASCOM? (which I tried, and it works fine, but I thought I would check from the collective)

Also - what are the best camera settings to use? Initially I was presented with a horribly noisy screen, but after doing some adjustments to the camera settings, I was able to at least see some stars. Im not sure what I changed though :shrug:

Any thoughts would be useful :D

[Tandum]

Tim, Install the ascom drivers and connect to it as an ascom camera.

I believe the current PHD supports the QHY5 II directly and the next version will have the QHY5L II in the list.

It looks like the ascom driver now supports 12bit images.

[alistairsam]

Hi Tim,

as mentioned, ASCOM drivers should work. I remember seeing something about this on the qhy forums.
Did you try this on a guidescope or an OAG?
I'm interested to know how sensitive it was given its QE of 74%.
a screenshot of phd with the stars would also be good

Cheers

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I installed the ascom drivers, and used it as an ascom camera, but I was never able to get an image out of PHD. WDM was the only option that seemed to work.

If I use ascom, does that mean I can use the ST4 port of the camera? (and more importantly, will that be a better solution than using a USB serial connection to the hand controller? (I have a celestron CGEM btw)

[Tandum]

I guide with maxim and only use phd as a backup. But I just plugged this camera into phd via ascom and I see it is trying to produce an image, it gets dark when I cover the camera if I knock exposures back to .05sec. PHD version here is 1.14.0 and the ascom option is near the top of the camera list. I also go to properties for the camera in ascom and crank gain up to about 70%. The option to enable 12bit images should be there as well.

I don't know if the CGEM driver does pulse guiding so can't help there.

Also don't use the drivers on the cd that comes with the camera. If you did, uninstall them all and get new drivers off the internet. They seem to update them weekly. http://qhyccd.com/en/top/download/

[alistairsam]

Hi,

Did you try the ASCOM (late) camera in phd?
for ST4, you need to choose "On-camera" for the scope setting and then plug the ST4 cable between your mount and the camera.
as for the hand controller, I'm not familiar with the CGEM, but I don't think phd or the guidecam has anything to do with it.
if you want to use pulse guiding, then you choose ASCOM and then your mount as the scope in phd, that way, phd will use pulse guiding and you won't need the st4 cable.
But if its ST4, all you need is the guidecam connected in phd and "on-camera" chosen in phd.
see here for the 5L-2 related issues
http://qhyccd.com/ccdbbs/index.php?PHPSESSID=30b17e52536837a 602c69585154c8995&topic=3585.new

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Thanks for all your help guys :thanx:

[rogerco]

Thanks also, with this help I have picture working in PHD, will try guiding on another night.

Thanks :)
Roger