image link & calibration in TSX

[graham.hobart (Graham stevens)]

I had everything working Ok on my previous laptop then the HD went bust so now have to do it all again. With TSX I can take a 20 sec exposure bin 1x1 with the camera add on, save it and then image link solve it - but when I try and do an auto run with the same settings I just get failures. It's frustrating as it was all working before and I am sure I put the same settings in- QSI 683 and the same scope and the same focuser etc, only change is a different laptop- a new windows jobby.(W8?)
I have downloaded the astrometric files for all sky solving (as illustrated by the ability to platesolve a "cold image" but I am getting I think from memory- error 655?
help please
Graz

[graham.hobart (Graham stevens)]

I will tweak the detection threshold...

[Logieberra (Logan)]

Are you running the automated helper? It It grabs the image scale and camera angle automatically. It's located at the bottom of the automated page.

[gregbradley]

Make sure you have the correct image scale and north position angle.

When you enter the image scale it has to be for the binning you are using. So if you are using 3x3 binning you multiply your arc sec/pixel x 3.

As mentioned you should grab the image scale and north angle off the image link test you do and enter it into the dialogue box when you start an automated run.

I just did one last week. I used 10 second exposures and 3x3 binning.

Image has to be automatically saved before it will work also. That is a check box as well.

Detection threshold you can play with but I have had the same experience and as I recall I did not have the auto save checkbox ticked and that was the bug. Or I had the wrong image scale/north position angle.

Greg.

[graham.hobart (Graham stevens)]

Thanks chaps
will try these tips out when the clouds finally go (? December 2016!)

[graham.hobart (Graham stevens)]

I can't see either of these check boxes?

[frolinmod]

The source extraction settings for "Tools->Image Link" vs. the automated calibration are separate. One is in "\Source Extraction\default.sxt" and the other is in "\Source Extraction\AutoPointingRun.sxt." If "Tools->Image Link" works well for you, then you can just copy default.sxt to AutoPointingRun.sxt. Or you can change the automated calibration source extraction settings via "TheSkyX->Telescope->Tpoint Add On->Calibration Run->Automated Calibration->Setup->Source Extraction Setup." The "Take Image and Link Photo" button in the same setup dialog is always a good thing to click on (and wait a few seconds for it to complete!) before starting the run.

Automated calibration already saves images in a separate directory regardless of whether or not you've set TheSkyX to save images. I don't recall if it's still doing this, but it was saving them twice, once in the "\Automated Calibration\" directory and again in your regular saved images directory tree. You might want to periodically clear out that "\Automated Calibration\" directory.

[graham.hobart (Graham stevens)]

I tried with two image scales and with the North angle off my image linked solve- firstly at 1x1 bin and 0.70arc/pix then bin 3x3 at 2.10 arc pixel. Both were given North angles from the solved image directly before I started the run. I have got the box for autosaving pictures in the camera add on and also as Frolinmod mentioned below it should auto save. It is still failing.
I tried changing the detection threshold from 10 to 20 as I could see many stars in the 20 sec 1x1 image, then tried 10sec at 3x3. Still failing.
I know there must be a tick box or glitch I have overlooked this time so it is really annoying that it was working fine on my (now defunct) Windows 7 lappy.
Help!!!
Graz.

[cfranks (Charles)]

Graham,

There are a few places you have to specify the Image Scale and I always set all of them 'just in case'.
1. Menu Bar - Telescope/ Tpoint Add On/ Calibration Run/ Automated Calibration/ Setup
Click Take & Image Link photo then Set Image Scale and PA correctly. Click Source extraction setup. The defaults are usually OK for everything except Set Size of pixel(arc sec).
2. Menu Bar - Tools/ Image Link
There are 2 places under the Search Tab,- Known and Unknown image scale.
Setup Tab. Scale tolerance and Search Radius then click the Setup button. This is another Source extraction setup similar to that in (1) above.
If you use the AllSky option there are some more places; - Unknown image scale wants a min/max search range and Known image scale wants the actual scale plus a tolerance.
These have all been previously mentioned but having them all together may help!
If you have done all these and still get the infamous 655, it may be your pointing is too far away from where the Slew wants it to be.

Charles

[Logieberra (Logan)]

Are you using the new 'all sky' image link feature? The Bisque's would probably suggest that as a starting point.

[Logieberra (Logan)]

Sorry. Just saw you are... my bad.

[graham.hobart (Graham stevens)]

I think maybe we have cracked it (hoping anyway)
In the extract source I had the defaults down then just changed the detection limits- so the arcsec/pixel scale was wrong for my binning 3x3.
I will try tomorrow night fingers crossed!
Keep you guys informed- thanks heaps
Graz