Netbook and PHD problem?

[GOTO (Geoff)]

Hi all,
Can anyone please tell me if PHD will work with a HP Pavilion 10 Notebook AMDA4 processor? It 2GB RAM and runs Windows 8.1. I've downloaded the PHD software but it can't find the camera Any suggestions please would be really appreciated.
Geoff

[Amaranthus (Barry)]

If your camera has a an ASCOM driver, try that. You could also try WDM webcam if you have a video CMOS.

[GOTO (Geoff)]

Thanks Barry, it's an Orion Starshoot guider and worked peachy on my old DELL.
CHeers
Geoff

[acropolite (Phil)]

Geoff, I've seen the problem, read this thread. http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ight=starshoot

[glend (Glen)]

Try the WDM, that's what I had to use to get the ASI to go but I evntually gave up on PHD because of guide dropouts. I use Metaguide now and no problem at all. Check the Metaguide latest release to see if your camera is on the pick list.

[jakob]

Originally Posted by GOTO

Hi all,
Can anyone please tell me if PHD will work with a HP Pavilion 10 Notebook AMDA4 processor? It 2GB RAM and runs Windows 8.1. I've downloaded the PHD software but it can't find the camera Any suggestions please would be really appreciated.
Geoff

I have the same problem with my Sony Ultrabook.
The Starshoot does not support USB3 and I could not get it to work. Waiting for Orion to get USB3 support.
I currently run Starshoot Autoguider on a Fission (Aldi) Netbook USB2 with Win7 starter and PHD2, no problems.

I know it wont help you.

[GOTO (Geoff)]

Thanks guys, the Pavilion has a USB2 but still no luck, frustrating isn't it
Geoff

[GOTO (Geoff)]

Whoohoo got it Firstly not all USB ports are the same.I was told that USB ports are blue, not so. There was a slight colour difference but I found on another forum that USB3 ports have "SS" written on them but with my middle aged eyes I needed a magnifying glass and even then it wasn't easy. So, correct USB2 one found, then to the software. I could see the camera SSAG was getting power but no communication. I downloaded the drivers from the Orion page and then installed them via Windows 8.1 which is bloody different to everything else I have used and so tiny on this itsy bits screen. Anywho it looks like it works. Thanks for the suggestions all.
Cheers
Geoff

[ZeroID (Brent)]

Win8 eh ? OK, your next task is to write up the process so the rest of us ol' bugga's can follow it ...

[GOTO (Geoff)]

No worries Brent, I'll give it a go as I found it rather daunting too. Ah the days of DOS and Win 3.11 I still have no idea how the Win8.1 littles boxes work but I managed to do it as follows (I hope).
1. I went to the Orion page and downloaded the driver for SSAG, easy? I used the WINZIP function to extract it but not run it. (I did do that several times unsuccessfully)
2. Same for the PHD software from Stark Labs and did not run that either. When I did run it I could see the camera was being powered but I kept getting the following error messages "There was a problem starting SSAGinstall.dll", so after many attempts I extracted both but did not run them and then...
3. In windows8.1 click on the little icon on the lower left and then open the settings window (gear icon) and select devices. It said that one device did not have a driver. From there I used the open driver or search for driver function and went to where the SSAG driver had been extracted too. Select and run through the install process.
4. Connect camera and run PHD, hey presto it worked.

I think the main error was I was just extracting the drivers via win zip and running those from the explorer function and not for the the Windows device manager.

I hope that helps.
Cheers
Geoff

[MrB (Simon)]

Originally Posted by GOTO

Hi all,
Can anyone please tell me if PHD will work with a HP Pavilion 10 Notebook AMDA4 processor? It 2GB RAM and runs Windows 8.1. I've downloaded the PHD software but it can't find the camera Any suggestions please would be really appreciated.
Geoff

I have the earlier version of this, the HP Pavilion dm1 which is a 10" netbook (non touchscreen) with Win7 premium and the AMD E-450 which has very slightly more grunt than the A4.
I added more ram, I think it was another 4 for a total of 6.

I run PHD at the same time as a few other progs and it never misses a beat.
I do kinda recall there may have been an issue getting it to recognise my QHY5, but all good now.

Edit: I somehow skipped over your post about being solved

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

Win8/8.1 needs the SSAGv4 drivers. Even with the v4 drivers the SSAG will not work on USB3 ports. I know this because I've just gone through the same issue.

You need to find a USB2 port. My Toshiba Satellite has 2 USB3 on one side and 1 USB2 on the other.

Win7 will work with either the v2 or v4 drivers but only with USB2. XP works with the v2 drivers.

[MrB (Simon)]

Andrew, see post #8
I missed it too somehow

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by MrB

Andrew, see post #8
I missed it too somehow

Simon, see post 9.

I found Geoff's explanation (post 10) over-complex. I ran the v4 installer and plugged the SSAG into ports until Win8.1 figured out the id and configured the driver.

I can see the SSAG will become obsolete when they stop putting USB2 ports on laptops/notebooks. As it doesn't appear to respond to the id query on USB3 ports Windows won't configure it. I doubt Orion will release a firmware upgrade for it. They'd rather you buy a new guide cam.

[MrB (Simon)]

Ah haha, without a quotation I had assumed you were replying to the OP
Carry on

I can see the SSAG will become obsolete when they stop putting USB2 ports on laptops/notebooks. As it doesn't appear to respond to the id query on USB3 ports Windows won't configure it. I doubt Orion will release a firmware upgrade for it.

As they are identical hardware to the QHY5, I wonder if they can be flashed with the QHY5 firmware?
I have one of each and may give it a shot, one day, when I have time....