QHY9 first light - Page 3

Alchemy (Clive) · #41 23-09-2011, 11:28 PM

Mark I followed this http://www.cool.id.au/astronomy/Neb_...d%20Offset.pdf
However it didn't quite work ... Might be me, but it did hive me a good understanding of how the gain and offset really worked, the PDF suggested an increase so

Anyway just trying a 21 gain and 100 offset yuen I will head back into the cols and target a bright star just at 100 just to make sure wells are full.

The interesting thing is wells will be full and without the gain it might have a value of 52000, you can keep exposing but it won't get to 53000. So my understanding is get that value right up to 65 odd thousand to maximize your range, looks like you've got yours bang on. Won't take me long and I will be there.

Might head off the magellanic clouds for some Ha exposures after this 20 mins I'm hoping as subs .

Alchemy (Clive) · #42 24-09-2011, 12:44 AM

Well after much fluffing around, Gain 22 offset 106 THATS IT. ( I hope )
Gives me 6-700 low values and a smudge over 65000 for star cores, I did a line profile in maxim and the stars are flat topped so it's maxxed out.

I did a quick stack of all the calibration efforts and it came up pretty good, don't know what all the fuss about noise is it's as smoooooooth as and that's with no flats darks etc... There are hot pixels sprinkled around but with a median combine and some dithering ( ok tracking errors

)all gone. What a cracker camera.

Oh if there's some weird words.... It's got auto spell and it gets a bit strange if you miss them.

Just enough time for a 20 min Ha shot on 253 before the meridian, then off to

marki · #43 24-09-2011, 12:53 AM

I use this method, works a treat: http://www.stark-labs.com/blog/files/GainAndOffset.php. They are a good camera, hope you enjoy using it.

Mark

Alchemy (Clive) · #44 24-09-2011, 01:55 AM

Thanks for the read mark..... It's all starting to do my head in tonight. I have it more or less sorted, will do further testing tomorrow during the day.
Going to do some lazy imaging around the tarantula, I want to see how it handles the brightness, 10 min exposures, all on auto now

Goodnight. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Alchemy (Clive) · #45 24-09-2011, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiweb

Post yours here too with your settings. Between us three we're bound to get it right.

From last night. No flats, no darks, no bias, etc, bunch of 8x10 min frames of various settings whilst testing http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Xc...203:58:07%20PM

Gain 22 offset 106..... For now.

My scope setup http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4K...204:57:10%20PM

marki · #46 25-09-2011, 12:40 AM

Looks good Clive, love to see it when you add the colour subs.

Cheers

Mark

Alchemy (Clive) · #47 25-09-2011, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marki

Looks good Clive, love to see it when you add the colour subs.

Cheers

Mark

That wont happen I'm afraid, shots are all different settings, doing a calibration routine wouldn't be accurate, so probably the last you will see for a bit.
Of note.....

Under the Perspex cap that covers the filterwheel lights, where the wires go inside there is a small hole ... A potential light leak. I have had correspondence regarding this and solutions. Suffice to say it's no longer an issue, some early short exposures indicated a leaking problem.

Also, if you are using the proprietary imaging program by qui just check that doing a planner table run gives you exactly the same results as to the capture settings to the left.... I'm only using the planner table now as that's how I will image, as it automatically saves the FITS file. The one from just the capture side seemed brighter.... Didn't check it too thoroughly so look for yourselves.

Have shot Bias frames and some darks last night, will do flats this afternoon followed by dark flats depending on exposure time. I have heard you need at least 2 sec flats due to shutter..... CONFIRM ????????

multiweb (Marc) · #48 25-09-2011, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alchemy

From last night. No flats, no darks, no bias, etc, bunch of 8x10 min frames of various settings whilst testing http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Xc...203:58:07%20PM

Gain 22 offset 106..... For now.

My scope setup http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4K...204:57:10%20PM

Looks great. Beautiful details.

multiweb (Marc) · #49 25-09-2011, 01:53 PM

Well I spent all day yesterday dicking around with QHY drivers. With the rain and all had nothing better to do

. The QHY camera's aren't half bad but man... the software is appaling

. I ended up doing a clean install on a brand new WinXP32 HD. The idea is to swap drives around when I need to image with the QHY8/5 combo or the QHY9/5 combo.

Older Nebulosity 2 and TVDEE drivers is what I'm used to with the old system. It's flawless and still works today so I won't change it.

Now with the QHY9 I need to use Maxim as Nebulosity TEC control is a bit iffy. Also it will only work as an ASCOM camera. Same for the 8 and the 5. The newest drivers for the 8 and the 5 are such a huge step backward from the older ones. I couldn't believe how dodgy the interfaces are and don't get me started on the install. They don't even mix with the old ones (conflicts). The removal tools don't work as advertised either. What a load of tripe.

Anyway I have two separate HD laptop images now on two separate drives. I also have the Hitec Astro Hub working in the middle. This thing is great for power and USB. Saves so much headaches and cables. Love it.

Marke (Mark) · #50 25-09-2011, 02:23 PM

Marc are you using the Sense drivers ? I dont know how different the qhy9
drivers are to the 10 but i have had no issues on either win7 x64 or Win7 32 on the netbook. Maxim, image plus , exycap ect all work perfectly
with the camera .

multiweb (Marc) · #51 25-09-2011, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marke

Marc are you using the Sense drivers ? I dont know how different the qhy9
drivers are to the 10 but i have had no issues on either win7 x64 or Win7 32 on the netbook. Maxim, image plus , exycap ect all work perfectly
with the camera .

Yes I did use the StarSenseSci Drivers for the 8 only. I couldn't find native drivers for the 9, only ascom by Tom Libs. The 5 won't connect in PHD unless it's an ascom camera as well with the QHY USB drivers and Tom's ascom driver. I got all the drivers from the QHYCCD download page.

To my knowledgde the latest nebulosity doesn't even read the 5,8 or 9 directly with QHY drivers. Only ascom works for me. (on the new imaged laptop)

As previously stated drivers don't mix and match either (base drivers are incompatible). What are you running for your system now? Got a 5?

Marke (Mark) · #52 25-09-2011, 03:40 PM

Marc I am using a Loadstar with PHD with no probs there and I use latest
version of Image capture with the QHY10 Sense V2 drivers and Ascom 6 on a Vaio with Win7 . I am able to set the temp in Image capture thru the QHY ascom driver and it works without issue , so does maxim and pempro
and any other software I have tried . I havent trieb Neb tho but I cant see why not ? What is the AstroSoftBe qhy9 ascom driver ? have you looked at that

multiweb (Marc) · #53 25-09-2011, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marke

Marc I am using a Loadstar with PHD with no probs there and I use latest
version of Image capture with the QHY10 Sense V2 drivers and Ascom 6 on a Vaio with Win7 . I am able to set the temp in Image capture thru the QHY ascom driver and it works without issue , so does maxim and pempro
and any other software I have tried .

I woudn't know about the 10. Yes I have a SX lodestar as well that PHD/Neb/Maxim detect natively. No need for Ascom.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marke

I havent trieb Neb tho but I cant see why not ? What is the AstroSoftBe qhy9 ascom driver ? have you looked at that

Yes this is the Ascom driver for the 9 that I connect to maxim and neb with. I don't think there is a Maxim driver for the 9. I have one for the 8 and the 5 on the older HD image though.

PS: I use Ascom 6 too.

Marke (Mark) · #54 25-09-2011, 04:01 PM

Maybe win xp is part of the problem with managing the drivers ?

multiweb (Marc) · #55 25-09-2011, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marke

Maybe win xp is part of the problem with managing the drivers ?

Could be but you don't need a big machine nor fast to run a capture program and a guiding program.

Everything else works too. Starlight Xpress, Imaging source. No drama.

QHY drivers have gone downhill from what I see when I compare them to the legacy drivers and ease of use. The hardware is good and long lasting but let down by the software side of it and that's impacting on the overall product.

Still worked around it. With great pain I might add

Marke (Mark) · #56 25-09-2011, 04:31 PM

Still worked around it. With great pain I might add

[/QUOTE]

Thats true but Win7 does a much better job of juggling drivers and resources regardless of the machine running it . You may gave be having issues with Win xp and its handling of the drivers . If possible you should
give win7 a try .

It is a pain and I dont envy the way you have to manage it , lets hope
for your sake better driver support for the 9

marki · #57 25-09-2011, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alchemy

That wont happen I'm afraid, shots are all different settings, doing a calibration routine wouldn't be accurate, so probably the last you will see for a bit.
Of note.....

Under the Perspex cap that covers the filterwheel lights, where the wires go inside there is a small hole ... A potential light leak. I have had correspondence regarding this and solutions. Suffice to say it's no longer an issue, some early short exposures indicated a leaking problem.

Also, if you are using the proprietary imaging program by qui just check that doing a planner table run gives you exactly the same results as to the capture settings to the left.... I'm only using the planner table now as that's how I will image, as it automatically saves the FITS file. The one from just the capture side seemed brighter.... Didn't check it too thoroughly so look for yourselves.

Have shot Bias frames and some darks last night, will do flats this afternoon followed by dark flats depending on exposure time. I have heard you need at least 2 sec flats due to shutter..... CONFIRM ????????

Clive I use MaximDL and a fingerlakes filterwheel so have no problems in that respect. Try to get you flat exposures in the 3 - 5 second range so you avoid shutter artifacts, its a bit slow unfortunately.

Mark

marki · #58 25-09-2011, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiweb

Could be but you don't need a big machine nor fast to run a capture program and a guiding program.

Everything else works too. Starlight Xpress, Imaging source. No drama.

QHY drivers have gone downhill from what I see when I compare them to the legacy drivers and ease of use. The hardware is good and long lasting but let down by the software side of it and that's impacting on the overall product.

Still worked around it. With great pain I might add

Gee Marc and you are a computer guy

. Like Marke I use 64 bit win 7 and everything just installed first go with no problems what so ever. The Ascom drivers make it easy to control the camera across a number of imaging platforms and and I run both my 9 and 5 through these drivers in Maxim and they just work. Once setup you dont even know they are there. In some of the old versions of driver you had to manually place the dll files in the maxim folder. Now its just a double click and it does it all for you. I have also used the removal tool on my old laptop (vista 32) with no probs at all but it never worked well for me on XP but niether did the camera or serial port drivers etc etc (time to upgrade mate, XP is dead

). You cannot get the starsense sci drivers for the QHY 9 as they dont exist and in any case they are just a re-wrapped 64 bit version but Qui put the starsense label to make a complete break from Tom who could not keep up with the fine tuning needed for existing cams as well as writing new drivers for the new cams coming on line due to his work commitments.

PS told you the Mount Hub Pro was a winner I love mine to

Mark

multiweb (Marc) · #59 25-09-2011, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marke

Thats true but Win7 does a much better job of juggling drivers and resources regardless of the machine running it . You may gave be having issues with Win xp and its handling of the drivers . If possible you should give win7 a try .

I run everything by the KISS principle. The camera is just an ADU dumping a stream of data on to a HD. It's not heavy on resources, CPU or the system as a whole. It the driver is flaky it is just what it is: flaky.
I see the advantages of running the latest OS for processing programs but not for capture.

Alchemy (Clive) · #60 25-09-2011, 05:32 PM

Thanks for the flat timing update, doing them in the observatory as I type, 20 x 5 sec flats. Plus dark flats too. So will have 20 of each for full calibration routine.

As for drivers, I'm using the ones Gama supplied with the camera..... No problems whatsoever... But I'm using the qhy capture program EZ cap ver2.4 it does all the necessary things, temp control, filter wheel,and exposure.

NOTE... AS PER MY PREVIOUS COMMENT , IF YOU DO AN EXPOSURE THROUGH THE LHS CAPTURE PROCESS IT GIVES A DIFFERENT BRIGHTNESS TO THE PLANNER TABLE....... CONFIRMED

I will use the planner table as it automates things ...just be aware.

Tonight is CLEAR SKIES, first real shoot. Looking forward to it.
It's good to have an active thread to throw together the details needed.

thanks for input from all both in the thread and by PM etc.