TheSkyX 10.1.11 build 6241

frolinmod · #1 25-10-2012, 11:27 AM

Aw shucks, never mind. Just two days after releasing this daily build SB released the 10.2.0 update, so I would now not bother with the prior build. 10.2.0 has a ton of new features. Check it out!

TheSkyX 10.2.0 Update: http://www.bisque.com/sc/media/p/45732.aspx
Updated User Guide: http://www.bisque.com/sc/media/p/30354.aspx

DavidNg (David) · #2 25-10-2012, 11:51 AM

As I see it, the longer the list of "fixed bugs", the more problems with TSX in the first place.

PeterM · #3 26-10-2012, 08:41 AM

Actually David The SkyX is continually developing and the fact that regular daily builds are being made shows that Bisque really do support their product. The bug fixes that come out are a natural progression from the many users identifying issues as they arise and with so many combinations of equipment out there this is no surprise.
The new features being made available also show a level of commitment to end users.
Sure, I have had my issues but Bisque to their credit fix them.

The UCAC 4 functionality is very good news and you can get the DVD data for free from the USNO - see link below.

http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astrom...l-IR-prod/ucac

"UPDATE: UCAC4 was released in August 2012. It is available from CDS as Vizier catalog I/322; DVDs have been shipped to all customers on file. To receive a free copy of the UCAC4 catalog on DVD please send a request tobrenda.hicks[at]navy.mil with "UCAC4" in subject and your full name and postal mailing address in the body of your e-mail."

Peter M

DavidNg (David) · #4 26-10-2012, 10:36 AM

frolinmod, It was kind of you informing us whats happening at SB and TheSky, an apology if my frustration towards SB has upset your good will.

Thanks Peter for your information, will definitely look into this UCAC thing.

RickS (Rick) · #5 26-10-2012, 11:26 AM

Unfortunately, my experience has been less satisfactory. I reported that some Bayer designations were displayed incorrectly more than two years ago (TSX consistently displays a Greek Sigma character instead of Tau, Tau instead of Upsilon, etc.) After an initial response saying they were working on a fix it is still broken. I followed up a year ago and got no response at all. Makes me wonder why I bother paying the yearly subscription...

Cheers,
Rick.

frolinmod · #6 26-10-2012, 02:45 PM

Rick, which TheSkyX build are you running? OpenGL or no (because sometimes the cause is the video driver, not the application).

If it's STILL broken in the current build, then please report the problem to them again (and again and again until they fix it). Every single problem I have ever reported to them without exception has been promptly fixed. The (friendly) squeaky wheel gets the grease, always. Please bang some heads (kindly)!

RickS (Rick) · #7 26-10-2012, 03:04 PM

I'm using Windows/OpenGL and have seen the same problem on multiple computers with a few different versions of the Serious Astronomer and Pro editions - including the latest daily build. The same problem has been reported on Mac.

I'll try again but my previous two followups were ignored so I have little confidence that another will make any difference...

frolinmod · #8 27-10-2012, 10:30 AM

Note that the 10.2.0 update was released today.

bert (Brett) · #9 28-10-2012, 03:26 AM

I spoke to Steve bisque today, and they have released the autoguiding function package for the camera plugin in sky x, amongst other functions. It is now 10.2.

I had an interesting conversation with Mr Bisque. As some may know, I haven't been software bisque's biggest fan, due to their stance on ascom which in effect has made my automation system far more difficult. Software bisque has of late, hired a consultant to write drivers that will port x2 to ascom for most instruments, this is a huge step forward. Stay tuned!

frolinmod · #10 28-10-2012, 07:02 AM

For several months TheSkyX has had built-in ASCOM support for everything except telescope control which apparently Bob Denny still "owns." So for telescope control I gather one still has to download Bob's Mount/Telescope X2 to ASCOM Converter for TheSky from the ascom-standards.org website. But for everything else (focuser, camera, dome, filterwheel, rotator) ASCOM is already built-in now.

Evan recently made some nice rotator control enhancements as well. He did them with feedback in a single weekend. He's amazing. They should hire him FULL TIME!

A lot of good stuff has been added in 10.2.0. A reasonable percentage of CCDSoft type functionality appears to be in there now.

10.2.0 even has built-in SSAG camera support.

gregbradley · #11 28-10-2012, 07:37 AM

The UCAC 4 functionality is very good news and you can get the DVD data for free from the USNO - see link below.

http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astrom...l-IR-prod/ucac

"UPDATE: UCAC4 was released in August 2012. It is available from CDS as Vizier catalog I/322; DVDs have been shipped to all customers on file. To receive a free copy of the UCAC4 catalog on DVD please send a request tobrenda.hicks[at]navy.mil with "UCAC4" in subject and your full name and postal mailing address in the body of your e-mail."

Peter M[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the heads up Peter. I ordered one. That can be very handy for doing t-point runs and plate solves.

Greg.

gregbradley · #12 28-10-2012, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frolinmod

Note that the 10.2.0 update was released today.

Thanks for letting us know. It sounds like from reading the list of bug fixes that the software is becoming more mature. I noticed there was a bug fix about Southern Hemisphere and slewing limits. I noticed that there the slewing limits didn't seem to work as well as they could so that is good. It may help with t-point runs where I found the software would not do certain points because of slewing limits which I couldn't see were in conflict.

Using teh Sky X for autoguiding could be interesting. I wonder if they will have the imaging system ready like in CCDsoft soon. I would love to be able to have several programmable ftiltered steps available as currently you can't program in HaLRGB for an imaging run.

Greg.

frolinmod · #13 28-10-2012, 08:49 AM

Greg, keep playing around with 10.2.0 and you'll see that it's mostly all there now.

Connect to your filterwheel and the filter selection appears in Take Series as a row after "frame" and before "repeat."

Go to Autoguider setup and choose your camera and filterwheel. Connect them. Then go to the autoguider tab. Scroll down. Whoa, look at what's all in there.

See "Input->Image Calibration Library" for image reduction groups used with "Full Calibration."

Apparently not yet implemented yet are Research, Color Combine and a few things like that.

Only a very few buttons don't seem to do anything yet as reported by Ernie. Give it a whirl, eh?

Logieberra (Logan) · #14 30-10-2012, 02:14 AM

If anyone is interested in a few screen shots of the major surface changes included with update 10.2.0 for The Sky X - camera, guiding, video etc, see here. Plenty more changes under the hood which I won't even attempt to explain, over my head:

http://db.tt/5ZVPdVAV

gregbradley · #15 30-10-2012, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frolinmod

Greg, keep playing around with 10.2.0 and you'll see that it's mostly all there now.

Connect to your filterwheel and the filter selection appears in Take Series as a row after "frame" and before "repeat."

Go to Autoguider setup and choose your camera and filterwheel. Connect them. Then go to the autoguider tab. Scroll down. Whoa, look at what's all in there.

See "Input->Image Calibration Library" for image reduction groups used with "Full Calibration."

Apparently not yet implemented yet are Research, Color Combine and a few things like that.

Only a very few buttons don't seem to do anything yet as reported by Ernie. Give it a whirl, eh?

That's good to know. Being able to program in HaLRGB in one run and being able to make a larger autoguiding frame are the 2 main things in my CCDsoft wishlist!

Multiple star autoguiding and dithering would be the next 2.

Hot pixel removal would be another good feature.

Greg.

Greg Bock (Greg Bock) · #16 31-10-2012, 11:53 AM

In SkyX version 10.2.0, Camera functionality has been improved compared to earlier versions tried about 12 months ago. Although I started testing it, I haven’t tried it thoroughly yet. I did find some functions that did not work, which I have yet to report to SB.
However, during the CCD camera control tests, I discovered that I can’t connect my Astrometrics Skywalker to SkyX using either of two different methods. ( TeleApi, or X2 driver from Ascom)

So, until that’s fixed, I can’t control the telescope position from SkyX, or from Sky6. In the meantime, I’ll try using CCD Commander to control the scope by connecting it to Ascom for Maestro instead of SkyX.

FWIW, note that there is a further version of SkyX, 6429, released on 30th Oct.
I'll try that version to see if i can connect Maestro to SkyX once more.

frolinmod · #17 31-10-2012, 04:36 PM

They're really on a roll. They've released an updated update (so that the update is better than even before) and have started issuing new daily builds to fix stuff in 10.2.0. More of my own requests have been implemented too (which is always good). That new guy they hired should get a bonus!

CDKPhil · #18 31-10-2012, 05:12 PM

I am still waiting for the Mac version to be released.

Greg Bock (Greg Bock) · #19 01-11-2012, 01:32 AM

Well, no good with connecting Astrometrics Maestro to the latest version of SkyX either by using the TeleAPI method (which did work until SkyX 10.2.0). or by the X2 ASCOM Driver.

Messages calling for help have been left on the SB website for help with both the TeleAPI.dll problem and the ASCOM X2 driver problem, Yahoo ASCOM Talk website for the X2 Ascom driver problem, and Astrometrics website for their TeleAPI.dll problem. Chris at Astrometrics is the only one actually offering any help at the moment.

In the meantime, I resurrected Sky6, and found a suitable TeleAPI.dll that works with Maestro and TheSky6 V6.0.065, so at least I can operate my supernova search program again now...whew!

frolinmod · #20 01-11-2012, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Chris at Astrometrics is the only one actually offering any help at the moment.

Which is good because that's probably where that particular problem originates. A native X2 plug-in, which I gather is what Chris is working on, will be better anyway.