DSI arrives!!!!

[ballaratdragons]

Today I went up to our General Store/Post Office (we don't have any mail delivery) and picked up my new DSI!!!!! :) :) :) :) :cool: :cool: :cool:

Now the learning starts again :lol:

Thanks to Roger at Bintel for getting it to me so fast. He posted it Friday and it arrived today (Monday). :thumbsup:
and thanks Bert for a great Birthday present :thumbsup:

And wouldn't you believe it, it is pouring rain with Thundrestorms forecast for tonight, and rain until Thursday :lol:

Sorry to the guys in this part of the world :P

[h0ughy]

but you need the water KEN to clear the air:whistle:

[ballaratdragons]

Not at night I don't :lol:

Let it rain during the day!

[h0ughy]

well I can see photon holes opening up down the snake valley area real soon............do M83 to start with Ken!!

[DJDD]

looking forward to seeing your photos.

do you know if the AutoStar Suite will guide non-Meade mounts?
is that even the correct question? :shrug:

I had a look on the web (cloudynights, etc.) and there were mixed responses.
no that i am up to this stage but just checking...by the time i do get that far there will be another solution...


cheers,
DJDD

[[1ponders]]

Good onya Ken. Good luck with it. :thumbsup:

DJDD I think you will find that the answer to your question is - negative- however there are plenty of free autoguiding software available that will use the DSI and autoguide non-meade mounts. PhD Guiding and I think Guidemaster and MetaGuide and of course there is the non freeware K3CCDTools

[ballaratdragons]

I asked the same question in another thread.
It looks as if it won't. :sadeyes:

Oh well, I will go back to trying to get my mount to talk with Cartes du Ciel.



Dunno what target I'll hit first. I haven't thought that far ahead yet. I'm still trying to get my head around the Meade online training videos :lol:

[[1ponders]]

Two seperate issues here DJDD. Camera and Software. Yep the DSI is fine for autoguiding with, in fact it does a bang up job once you get used to it's ideosyncracies and don't try to rush it (it is a 16bit camera so there is a delay time between capturing the image and displaying the full data on your screen), along with 'non-standard' control features.

The software "Autostar Suite" however is another story. It was designed for the Meade range of mounts and while it can be modified for other mounts (rather modify the mounts for it) it hardly seems necessary when there are many excellent planetarium programs which will do the job very well and are free.

[[1ponders]]

Whoops, you deleted your post before I was finished :lol: I'll leave it anyway as someone else might want it at some point down the time track ;)

[Omaroo]

Excellent Ken - looking forward to your results!

I notice that the DSI II is now back up to $849 again at Bintel - the low price is over by the looks of it.

Cheers
Chris

[[1ponders]]

Whew, just as well. One can only fight temptation for so long.

[DJDD]

people are too quick on this list.
I thought I was the only one avoiding work. :lol:

[[1ponders]]

Don't swear!!!! And it's not avoiding ****. We like to call it a mental health break. :innocent:

[DJDD]

thanks for the reply. i think you have just cleared the whole topic up for me, maybe:

DSI for autoguiding = yes, interfacing with other software
AutostarSuite = use for processing images from the DSI


I like gadgets, hence my many questions/comments. :)


DJDD

[leon]

Ken I hope you realise you are responsible for this weather we are coping now, it's been beautiful and clear for nights on end, and now look... :lol:

leon :thumbsup:

[avandonk]

Just enjoy Ken!
If you do half as well as you did pushing the poor old ToUcam. I will not be at all surprised!

Bert

[middy]

That's great news for you Ken. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Bummer for me though. That means I missed out on this batch of DSIs and have to wait until the next batch arrives. :sad::sad::sad:

Lets hope the world doesn't run out of DSI cameras before my order is filled.

[Astroman]

Good stuff Ken, be good to see the results mate. Thinking of getting one to use as a guide camera, but still few things to work out yet....

[mill]

Great Ken.
I picked mine up on Thursday and it is an great camera.
Now only learning to use it :P
Envisage locks up sometimes and i have to restart it to work again.
But once it works it does its job.
Have fun with the camera :)

[jjjnettie]

I'm very happy for you Ken.
I hope you have a ball with it. You know, the learning process is half the fun don't you think?

[radu5er]

So YOU'RE the one responsible! :lol:

'onya mate...we need the rain. Maybe we should all coordinate our purchases to provide the necessary precipitation for this area.

Looking forward to your outstanding results, as usual! :D

[Tamtarn]

Congrats on your new camera Ken.

I'm sure you will get the maximum from it and we are looking forward to all your new images. I think Bert has done a great thing in getting the camera for you and will surely enjoy the result with a sense of pride in what he has done.
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Lee]

From what you got from a toucam - I'm expecting SBIG results from the DSI now! :D

[acropolite]

Great news Ken, can't wait to see the results.:thumbsup:

[ballaratdragons]

Well, sorry to inform all of you that are waiting for images, but I can't use the DSI.

I loaded the program into my laptop, and sometimes the program started and sometimes it didn't.
Finally, when it started I tried to fire up the camera only to find that I can't get to the controls to make it work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHY? Because the laptop only has a screen res of 800 x 600 which means that the controls to turn the camera on aren't available at that res. They are out of the picture, and I cannot expand or move the window to get to them :mad2:

So I tried a spare PC I have. No go. It is a small old slow Windows 98, and it won't install :sadeyes:

Next trick was to load it into my guiding PC! Nope, even though it is XP, the pooter must be too slow and too old too. Half way through installing it stops and tells me it can't install.

I am not in a very good mood, and after the last few hours tearing my hair out, I have given up.

Looks like the DSI will be sitting around for a long time coz I can't get the program to load into anything :(

[sheeny]

Oh, Ken!

that's bad news...

Take a break, have a breather... surely we can work something out...:shrug: We gotta get you going on the DSI, mate!

I was all set to start running a book on how quick you'd wear this one out!!!;)

Al.

[Ric]

Hi Ken, congrats on the new DSI. Sorry to hear you are having some setup problems.

If I can be of any help let me know and I can compare it with my system, my DSI runs fine with my laptop/Vista and desktop/XP.

What version of Autostar suite do you have, is it the "Software and Installation Disk Version 2" or better or is it the "Astronomers version" which is incorrectly packed by Meade sometimes.

Cheers

[ballaratdragons]

On the disk it says 'Software and Installation Disk Version 2.0'

I read in some forums and reviews last night that lots of people had problems loading the program, or once loaded it wouldn't work. They got a 'Patch' from Meade.

What's a 'Patch'?

[matt]

Congrats on the cam, Ken.

Sorry to hear you're having a few probs.

I'm sure you'll work it out with help from the good folks around here.

Just keep trying different things and reporting back.

By the way, a 'patch' is pretty much what it sounds like. It's an additional bit of software designed to fix glitches or gaps in the original software:)

[ballaratdragons]

Hmmmm, just read an article in Anacortes about the problems with DSI.

One of the main ones is the PC or lappy HAS to be USB2.

The 2 pooters I tried are only USB1. And my lappy is only USB1 as well but I use a USB2 card in it. That's why it loaded into the lappy. But still won't behave, and I can't get to the controls coz of the res size.

I'm snookered unless I get another computer with USB2!!!!

[mill]

Ken
I installed version 2 on a slow laptop 455mhz P2 and it worked straight away after i installed the upgrade.
Go here for the upgrade.
http://www.meade.com/autostar/update/
By the way it is not a patch but an upgrade.
To get the program to work you first have to connect the camera and then start envisage or start dsi imaging from within autostar suite.
You can also use the camera from maxdslr if you have it.
Sometimes envisage can lock up and ypu have to close it and disconnect the camera and restart envisage after that.
Once it is running properly it will work ok.

[mill]

Just reading your last post.
I have an dual pcmcia usb2 port in my laptop and the camera works well on it.
My laptop is an armada v300 (talking about old :P)
I can run on at least 1024*768 or higher.
Did you install the latest display drivers on your laptop?

[ballaratdragons]

No Mill, I don't have maxdslr.



:shrug: I don't know anything about computers.
All I know is that this laptop (Compaq Armada 110) has a max res of 800x600.

[mill]

Hmm that is an pentium3 850Mhz laptop with an 12.5 inch screen and that screen can only do 800*600.
The one with the 14.1" screen model can do 1024*768.
I use my 19" external wide screen lcd with my laptop because the screen on the laptop isnt working.
Maybe time for a better laptop?
Or use an external screen.

[ballaratdragons]

and the card I use in the lappy is a 3 USB2 port PMCIA slide-in card.

[ballaratdragons]

I use an external screen. I use a CRT. But that doesn't change the Res, only the size of whats on screen.

[Ric]

Hi Ken, getting the upgrade to version 4 could help a lot also upgrading your Microsoft.net to version 2 or better could be helpful as well, this may help with your using USB 1.1.

Cheers

[ballaratdragons]

:shrug: sorry Ric, ya lost me.

Version 4 of what?
and what is 'Microsoft.net version 2 or better'?

[mill]

Maybe if you switch on dual screen in the display properties then you could make the resolution of the external screen higher.
Hard to explain thru the forum but i will send you an pm tomorrow how to do this.
these are the specs if you use an external display.
Display (External)16 Million colors supported640 x 480, 800 x 600, 1024 x 768 or 1280 x 1024 up to 60-, 75-, 85-Hz refresh rate

[ballaratdragons]

That would be good if I could make my external screen higher res!!!!

[mill]

Version 4 of meade autostar suite -->>http://www.meade.com/autostar/update/
That is all you need Ken, you do not need miro$oft net 2 or higher.

[ballaratdragons]

Thanks Mill, and everyone else that has tried to help :thumbsup:

When Cheryl gets off the lappy I'll give it all a try. :whistle:

Because I gave up on it, she took over the lappy for the night and is talking to her overseas friends :lol:

[Ric]

Sorry Ken, It was version 4 of autostarsuite. Mill has a link to the Meade site in post #31.

The Microsoft.net download can be obtained from here. I not fully sure of what it does but it's a type of communication package to help software talk to each other better.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0856eacb-4362-4b0d-8edd-aab15c5e04f5&DisplayLang=en

Cheers

[ballaratdragons]

Oh, by the way, when I download the update version 4, will it automatically upgrade the already installed program or do I have to do things. If I do, that's where I get lost :ashamed:
As I said, I know nothing about computers.
Darren always has to fix up all my mistakes when he visits :P

[ballaratdragons]

I better not click on that one Ric. I'm not connected to Microsoft :whistle:

[Ric]

Hi Ken, Autostar will download as a 5mb zip file just open it and double-click on the exe file and it will self load.

Cheers

[ballaratdragons]

'5mb zip file', 'exe file', Whatever they are. They sound like diseases :lol:

I'll try it and see what happens :thumbsup: :scared:

[ballaratdragons]

OK, updated the Program to Version 5.2.

It is finally working, but the camera isn't. Either is the screen res.

I changed over to split screens but the highest res it allows for an external monitor is still 800x600.

And the camera will not operate in the USB2 card. I managed to load it and get it working in the USB1 slot in the back, but it only took 2 frames then stopped working and a window popped up and said 'Insert device into USB2 port'.

I cannot get it to load or operate in any of the 3 USB2 ports. The icon down the bottom of screen says it's connected, but the program says it's not :shrug:

[ving]

my heq5 runs off cartes quite well, and more accurate than snyscan by its self no less :) you should be fine with that ken.

congrats on getting your dsi :)

[ballaratdragons]

Nope, even Darren the computer Guru couldn't get Cartes and my mount to talk to each other!!! :shrug:

Thanks about the DSI. If I can get it to work :mad2:

[ving]

are you calling the mount a celestron when you are connecting it to cartes ken? i cant remeber my exact settings but i'll have a look tonight and post here tomorrow if it helps...
:)

[ballaratdragons]

Yep, all done correctly. We think it may be the cable. But that is the least of my worries. I can live without PC control of GoTo. I can't survive without getting the DSI working though.

[ving]

yeah the cable needs to be wired correctly... i have 3 cables at home that done work cause the wires are around teh wrong way.

[ballaratdragons]

As for the DSI camera, I have uninstalled and reinstalled several times and rebooted the lappy many many times. I have installed the DSI through the supplied Meade disk, through the 'Add Hardware', through the 'Camera' section in Control Panel. I am totally out of ideas as none of them will allow the DSI to work in the program.

When I double click on the device icon down the bottom right of screen (where all the little icons are) a window opens and tells me what devices are in there. I click on the DSI and it tells me it is working fine :shrug:
Then why can't the Invisage program find it???

[ving]

i had problems with my lpi too. maybe its a meade thing. can you run teh camera thru any other program (like k3ccd)?

[ving]

ok i have read more of the thread now :P
should have read page 2 before posting :rolleyes:

try this:
1. dont install everything on teh disk, just the drivers for the camera. (uninstall everything else if you can)
2. run the camera thru a different program like k3ccd (is dsi compatible) there is a trail version avaliable for use and it is quite cheap to buy should youi want to keep using it
link: http://www.pk3.org/Astro/index.htm?k3ccdtools.htm

[[1ponders]]

Ken, do you have an external powered USB hub? One of the continual problems I had with the DSI was insufficient power to the camera. Hooked it up to a powered hub and away it went. The camera can also be very "fussy" when it comes to the quality of the cable, though the meade ones "should" be good.

[ballaratdragons]

I have tried the trial of K3CCDtools and I absolutely hate it. Sorry, but I find it an atrocious program for me.

[ballaratdragons]

No Paul, no powered hub, no unpowered hub. Nothing. Just the PCMCIA card.

[ving]

that might be the case ken, but did it work?

[ballaratdragons]

I didn't try it with the DSI. I tried it months ago with the modded Toucam.

It is waaayyyy to confusing for me, and even after reading tutorials, I still had trouble with it. I'm afraid I am one of those people that 'if it isn't simple, forget it'. :P

[ving]

oh and i meant version 3 not the free one (ie vers 1)

[ving]

fair enough :)

[acropolite]

Ken, re your screen res, have you tried the adapter settings, before you go :doh: , right click anywhere on a blank portion of your lappy screen, then select Properties, Settings, Advanced and Monitor and see if the section is there make sure that "Hide modes that this monitor cannot display" is unchecked. You may well find there are additional higher res modes that will be available after unchecking that option. Be aware though that if extra modes are available they will need to be set and reset on the external monitor before switching back to the lappy screen.

[ballaratdragons]

Phil, the tick box and 'Hide modes that this monitor cannot display' is there, but in light grey text, not black, and isn't clickable. Fortunately it isn't ticked.

[ballaratdragons]

Hmmmm, it sounds like Paul is right about using a powered hub (even though I don't know what one is). I'll go googling to find out what one is.

See here: http://www.weasner.com/etx/astrophotography/2005/lpi-dsi-usb.html

[mill]

Ken look at this about maxdslr, it might work better than envisage:
http://www.cyanogen.com/products/maxdslr_main.htm
It should work with 800*600 screen resolution.


System Requirements

Windows® 98, 98SE, ME, NT 4.0, 2000, or XP. (Windows 2000 or XP is strongly recommended. Windows 95 and MacOS/SoftWindows are not precluded, but are unsupported configurations). Pentium or equivalent, or higher 512 MB minimum RAM recommended for processing DSLR images 20 MB Disk space for installation 1024x768 video recommended (800x600 minimum), 16-bit color (8-bit minimum for monochrome images only) Internet Explorer 4 or higher to display Help
Mouse

[Astroman]

I am doing a bit of research atm, to see about getting one to use as a guide cam. I was told by a user of the DSI that you really need to use a powered Hub to run it, because it needs the full amount of power from the USB port to work. Something to look at Ken.

[mill]

That is weird.
I use it from the usb card in the laptop and it works flawlessly.

[xelasnave]

Hi Ken great news that it has arrived ..i fmy two ever turn up will you be my expert advisor...

I have read a lot but forgot most of it already..I do recall someone saying a powered hub and a card...number two I think...anyways its working you say now so where are your photos... even a day light shot of some ants up a tree ..

Great stuff.. are you going to put a cooler on it???
alex

[mill]

Alexander the problem is that it is not working on Ken's computer :(
It works very good on my computer and my laptop but not on Kens higher spec laptop.

[ballaratdragons]

OK, you may kick me know. When I opened the link supplied by Mill to MaximDSLR, it looked familiar!

I just went through all my disks and found that I already have MaximDL. I have had it for about a year and stuck it aside and forgot about it. Oops! :ashamed: :P

Now to just get the powered hub to make the camera work :thumbsup:

I will get on top of this yet :) I am starting to feel a bit better, this thing had me feeling very down.

[Ric]

Hi Ken, I use maximDL as well. My DSI II works well with it.

Hope you sort it out soon, I know you will.

Cheers

[[1ponders]]

If Ken only has USB1 on his machines then he will need a hub, I think even if he uses a pcmcia card he will still need to either power it independently or still attach a hub. Most of my issues with the DSI have been power related. I couldn't run it on my old T20 think pad until I independently powered it, even with a "USB2" pcmcia card.

[ngcles]

Hi All,

As I'm interested in entering the imaging side of things (and being a ludite), I'd love to know in a week or few how you rate this CCD in terms of "ease of use".

Let us all know.

Les Dalrymple

[mill]

Good onya Ken i hope you get it to work with maxdslr :)
If you have any problems just post any questions:thumbsup:

[mill]

Les the dsi is very easy to use and i made some pictures the first night out and i am an beginner in astrophotography :)
One pic here:
Not so good but acceptable :)

[Karls48]

Did anyone got their DSI from Bintel Sydney yet? I'm stil waiting for my DSI Pro.

[DeanoNZL]

Hi Ken,
This will do the trick!
http://jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=XC4823&CATID=20&keywords=&SPECIAL=&form=CAT&ProdCodeOnly=&Keyword1=&Keyword2=&pageNumber=&priceMin=&priceMax=&SUBCATID=842
Good luck.

[ballaratdragons]

Thanks Deano.
I have one coming from Melbourne. Darren has ordered it for me. :)
Thanks Darren.

I'll be up and going soon :thumbsup:

[taminga16]

Ken, The darker it gets the better the viewing.

[I will get on top of this yet :) I am starting to feel a bit better, this thing had me feeling very down.[/QUOTE]

Regards Greg.

[Glenhuon]

I got my colour DSI from Sydney Bintel on Tuesday. Arrived while I was on a fishing trip, no fish, freezing wind and rain. Sound familiar ? :lol:
Got 4 inches in the tank though.
Haven't fired it up yet, but after reading Ken's problems think I'd better get started, clear sky this morning.

[Glenhuon]

Just tried it, can't load software, disk is corrupted :(
Replacement on its way from Bintel, excellent service as always.

[ballaratdragons]

Yeah, none of it seems as straight forward as advertised!!!

'Great Images on the first night out' after spending several days getting the thing to load properly, buying more gear (powered hub, better capture program, etc), then several days practice at using the program :lol:

After all the hassles, I am looking forward to using the DSI.

At least this thread may help others in the same boat. :thumbsup:

[middy]

What this really translates to is:

'Sky conditions will be Great for getting really clear Images on the first night you decide to go out visiting friends instead'

:rofl: