PHD guiding is now at V1.9

[h0ughy]

I have copied the history listing so you can see what has been updated since 1.5..


link to download here (http://www.stark-labs.com/downloads.html)
History
1.9.0
- Added timestamp to log file when logging manually enabled
- Poor star box changed to dotted line and good star green brightened to better see w/red lith. Other color / red-lith tweaks as well.

1.8.6 (7/17/08) - Pre-release
- Updated color scheme to make osc-index visible
- Updated dithering code for Neb2-RC1

1.8.5 (7/9/2008) - Pre-release
- Updated star-finding routine for enhanced precision in the face of noise
- Color of RA line changed in graph so it will show up with red lith over screens
- Set to flash a very dark red instead of a bright red when star is lost to show up better on red lith-covered screens
- Server log will only show up if "Enable Debug Logging" is selected (and can only appear when the server is started).

1.8.4 (only released with Neb2 betas)
- Graph set to have dark background
- Enable Server entry set to save/restore across sessions
- Default exposure duration set to 1s on startup
- Can now go directly from Loop to Guide without hitting Stop
- Distance criterion set to max-out at 25 pixels
- Default Calibration step sized increased to 750 ms from 500 ms
- Default Minimum Motion dropped to 0.15 from 0.25
- Updated to latest Atik / Artemis code (3.13) and bug fixed with connecting to these cameras with other FTDI devices present.

1.8.3 (4/2/2008) - Pre-release
- Support added for SXV / SXVF cams including the Lodestar. Both Mac and Windows.
- Setpoint.exe bug fixed -- Most DLLs set to delay-load. Users of the SAC4-2 will still have issues if running setpoint.exe. This is a camera driver issue, not a PHD issue.

v1.8.2 (3/16/08)
- Graph log bug fixed (1.8.1)
- Meade DSI III driver updated

v1.8 (3/12/08)
- Graph of recent history added (Tools menu)
- Opticstar PL-130 and Meade DSI III support added (Opticstar is on Windows only)
- Updated to new libraries for Fishcamp Starfish
- Updated docs
- Debug logging mode put in (Tools menu)
- Server mode (for link to Nebulosity v2) in place but not very functional

v1.7 (12/4/07)
- Leopard-compatible
- The Imaging Source (TIS) camera fixes (Windows) to support more models
- DCAM / Firewire fixes (OS X) to support more models
- Manual Guide moved to new Tools menu
- Various overlay options added (bullseye, coarse grid, and fine grid) in Tools menu
- Button added to take (and use) dark frames and Tools entry to clear dark frame
- QGuide code updated with version 1 of a horizontal line remover algorithm
- Max Cal Step Duration increased to 10s
- Tools menu item added to clear dark frame
- Fixes to recording of RA_Dist and DEC_Dist in logfile

v1.6
- Full Vista compatibility (no longer need XP SP2 mode) - v1.6.1
- WDM (webcam) handling altered for more intelligent handling of dropped frames vs. dim frames
- Noise reduction modes added (2x2 mean, 3x3 median)
- Atik 16 series support added (Windows)
- Option for subframe / ROI download only on cameras that support this (So far: Atik, SBIG). Subframes will be shown when a star is selected (Shift-click to clear selection)
- CCD Labs QGuide code altered to use new drivers from Tom Van den Eede. This driver must be used if you use a QGuide now.
- Audible alert added when guiding and guide star lost
- Dialog added to let you manually move the scope (at guide speed). See Mount menu.
- QGuide code updated for better stability
- GPUSB code updated on Macs to work with newer GPUSB adapters
- MagZero MZ-5 support added
- DCAM / Firewire library on Macs updated
- Long-exposure parallel ports can now be reconfigured prior to connection

[RB]

Excellent, thanks Dave.
Downloading it now, can't wait to try it out.

:thumbsup:

[Matty P]

That's great news, I'm downloading it now as well.

:thumbsup:

[Astrod00d]

Already tried it, and yes, it is good.
PHD 1.9 talks to Nebulosity 2.0, allowing dither to improve stacking resolution as well as the option to disable the guide cam image download. This reduces USB traffic and can reduce download errors in some ccd imagers.
I think I read that Craig has improved the targeting algorithm as well, for more accurate subpixel placement.

Cheers,

Rob

[AlexN]

downloading... Cheers for the heads up David.

[g__day]

Pleased to say 8 of those improvements come from my suggestions! :)

[leon]

Ah, now that is better works much better and calibrates in half the time.

Leon

[RB]

Which guide camera did you use it with Leon, did you get the Orion to work or did you go back to the web cam?

[h0ughy]

top stuff:thumbsup:

[pjphilli]

Thanks David
I have just downloaded it and been looking at improvements. It just gets better and better!

Hi Rob
What is dithering and how does it improve stacking?

Cheers Peter

[Astrod00d]

Hi Peter,

I'm sure many could explain it better but here goes...

According to Stark-labs, 'dithering' is to slightly offset the guide position (say 0.5 pixels) from frame to frame. What is the advantage?
Say you have a dim star that unevenly illuminates only a few pixels. Even when several frames are stacked the star may appear out-of round. Now, if we 'dither' several frames by a random amount, the star will create a slightly different pattern of pixels for every frame.
When these frames are aligned (they must be aligned) and stacked, the uneven illumination should average out and the star should appear rounder.

It's worth mentioning that poor seeing, soft focus and inaccurate guiding can result in rough 'dithering' as well! I usually achieve dithering by these very methods. :sadeyes:
However as my guiding accuracy and focus improves I am noting dim stars that illuminate only 3 pixels, so I'll be using PHD's dither feature soon enough.

Cheers,

Rob

[leon]

Andrew i have used the Orion StarShoot Camera, and have to make a confession, I think it's performance was due to something I was not aware of, but have no rectified, my own fault I feel :rolleyes:

I have it fitted into the end of the WO 80mm and when I focused it the first time it seemed fine, and I felt that the focus was pretty good, and it actually performed.

However last night I had so much trouble in finding a guide star, and the star kept dropping out, something was definetly not right.

So decide to check out the entire set up, maybe the balance was out, maybe it was catching on something :shrug:

Anyway to cut a long story short, I found that the adjustment of the guide scope was out by at least 30mm :scared:, yet that much, but it puzzles me why it still worked so well, on all of those nights previous :doh::ashamed:, I still can really believe that, and just wonder If someone had fiddled with the knobs. :shrug:or maybe I just had bright stars, not so in the Helix area, boy are they hard to find.

Anyway Andrew it dose seem to be functioning Quite good, so I had best retract my earlier disappointment. :whistle:

Leon :thumbsup:

[pjphilli]

David - sorry that I may have caused your thread to move off the point a bit but as they say "one thing leads to another". Still, Rob's explanation of dithering is still somewhat relevant to the never ending PHD story!

Rob - thanks for your lucid reply. This has been my experience exactly. After I got my HEQ5Pro mount I now find that I can guide very accurately but then I started to get lots of colours in the small stars. Since I usually stack I found that stopping the imaging occasionally and moving the guide star slightly I am now getting better minor star shapes without strange colouring. I have been doing dithering without having a name to give to it!
Did you say that PHD can do this dithering? - if so what settings in PHD do you need?
Cheers Peter

[RB]

Thank you Leon, that's a relief, good to hear. :thumbsup:

[h0ughy]

no problems Peter - made it more interesting.

I am never on topic anyway.....

[Astrod00d]

Hi Peter,

Dithering in PHD is controlled by Stark Labs' Nebulosity2 image capture software, that is, Nebulosity2 sends commands to PHD. We need to enable 'server' in PHD, then select the dithering options in Nebulosity2. I'm not sure if other imaging utilities can send dithering commands to PHD.

I was using a webcam and Guide Dog for guiding until recently, when I started using a QHY5 guider I had to change to PHD. Now that I'm using PHD I know why it's so popular.

Cheers,

Rob

[vash]

I've downloaded it just have to update it to the laptop along with a few other programs, as longs as it work I'll be happy.

[pjphilli]

Hi Rob
I am imaging with a Meade DSI II and using the Envisage capture software that came with the camera. However, I will have a look at Craig's Nebulosity 2 as it if is anything like PHD its quality will be high. Meanwhile,
my PHD stop/shift/start technique seems to be doing a pretty good job.
Cheers Peter