Help with Meade DSI1

[Radioman12]

Hoping someone can assist .....

Picked up a used DSI recently, but having trouble getting even any hint of an image through a 10" LX200 GPS, regardless of what I do with focusing or software settings etc.

Attached is what I'm seeing on screen in Envisage.

Running this through a powered hub, but the result is the same just with the supplied 1.2m USB cable, or any combination of extension cables.

I'm fearing the worst - anyone experienced anything similar?

Many thanks


Craig. :(

[bmitchell82]

looks like dark current. im not sure i havn't used that ccd before, though have you done dark subtractions?

[Ric]

It looks like amp glow to me Craig. As Brendan said make sure you are taking darks and checking the "subtract darks" box before imaging.

There should be the manuals with all the instructions for doing this on the software that comes with it or they can be downloaded from the Meade site.

Cheers

PS. take at least 20 darks per exposure setting to obtain a good average.

[Radioman12]

Thanks for the responses. I tried the dark frames, but didn't help.

I may have picked up a dud. More experimentation needed, I guess.


Rgds


Craig.

[[1ponders]]

What exposure lengths are you trying Craig, and what are you trying to shoot? Have you tried during the day to take some shots of distant trees or powerpoles? If you've not tried during the day then I would strongly recommend it.

Do you have a wedge or are you using the DSI track and stack method? What general photography experience do you have? Are you aware that @ f/10 you will require an exposure time of 4 times as long as a scope at f/5 to achieve a similar "brightness" level for you shot?

[Radioman12]

Paul,

Yes, I tried during daytime initially - just to get a feel for the camera, but same result. I would have thought that I would have at least some sort of image visible on screen in daylight. I'm a keen amateur photographer of many years, both film and digital - but the DSI has me beat (so far!).

It could well be related to the combination of USB leads and extensions I'm trying to use, though nothing obvious apparent (have tried a powered hub). The device is intrinsically problematic in that I have to reinstall the driver every time I plug it in to the USB port - and had to disconnect my webcam from another port to get even that far.

No wedge - track and stack is the methodology, but no hint of a discernable image. Perhaps I'm missing the obvious - though the person I bought it off seems to have gone to ground, hence my suspicions of a faulty device!


Craig.

[renormalised]

Get a new USB cable and update the drivers. Don't go through a powered hub, that will probably cause interference to the signal. Might pay to get a new USB cable extensions as well. Check out your connections first before you goto the serious stuff with the camera itself.

However, your suspicions about a faulty device and a dodgy character who sold it may be correct.

If you still have trouble after new cables and updated drivers, and it is the camera itself, ditch it and grab a new DSI II off Bintel...for $499.

[[1ponders]]

I had problems when I first started to use the DSI. Cables were definitely and issue, but only getting the laptop to recognise the camera. I had to use the short USB cable and it much preferred to be plugged directly into the laptop. When I upgraded my laptop I had much fewer problems though I still had to make sure I only used a short USB cable into a powered hub.

However that doesn't seem to be your problem as your computer is finding the camera and it is powering up. My old meade software was a pig to use at times. Do you have the original software or have you upgraded to Envisage? If not try to download it from the meade site and see how that goes.

Does your DSI still have the original small windowed IR filter installed. If so unscrew the 1.25" nose piece and remove the filter and try that. I have seen the odd filter that had "perished" and was clouded out.

[renormalised]

Paul, I think he said he was using Envisage. It'll be interesting to see what the outcome of whatever mods are made do to his pic quality.

[[1ponders]]

:doh:

[peter brown]

I am having the exact same trouble with my DSI colour lll. I am stuffed as what to next!!!

[renormalised]

Hmmmm....seems to be a problem with the colour versions of the camera by the looks of it. Haven't heard from mono camera owners. Might pay to post this over at the DSI/Meade forums and see what they have to say about it.

[Hagar]

Hi, I don't want to sound like a software vendor but with time you will probably agree with me that Meade DSI software leaves a lot to be desired.

My advice is to download a copy of Nebulosity2 from Stark labs web site and try your DSI with this software.
A few things you need to be aware of when using any software is Gain and Offset settings. Gain is the amount of sensitivity your camera is set to. Try running at a maximum gain of about 20% and then experiment with higher or lower settings.
Offset on the other hand is the blackpoint setting for your camera. The easiest way to set the offset is to take say a 1 second exposure and adjust the offset until the spike on the histogram is close to the left hand edge of the histogram. Once this has been set record it somewhere and forget about it. There should be no real need to change this setting.
Focus is the next important thing and Nebulosity gives quite a good focus routine which is very easy to use.

Nebulosity website has a downloadable help file which explains it's use in very simple and comprehensive form. I know of a few people who use Nebulosity with a DSI and say it is far better than the propriety software shipped by Meade.

Good luck.

[kinetic]

Hi,

just a suggestion, your image , like others are saying, looks
like a very stretched darkframe, lots of hot pixels and some amp
glow.

I used Autostar Suite for a while and decided it is C..P!
It is a right pain in the AutoStarSuite!...unstable, glitchy.
Didn't like my laptop....etc etc.

As Doug says, try Nebulosity or others.....

One thing it could be is just that you haven't clicked off AUTO Contrast
and it's stretching what little info it is receiving.

Maybe try unclicking that and moving the sliders (above it) to self
adjust what your camera is seeing.

Steve

[bmitchell82]

After i recently brought a DSI these are my suggestions.

Download Envisage 7.05 i think it is, this has all the latest DSI drivers.

My Dsi did exactly what yours did when i had it sitting there, the problem was that it was out of focus and needed to focus up, soon as that happend the auto contrast kicked in and everything went nice and black. Im going to give my polar aligning and drift aligning a good kick in the pants and once done ill post some photos for you.

As for the FOV, i can fit most of M42 in the picture so im happy.