DIY ICX453AQ, Sony sensor CCD camera

[gehelem (Gilles)]

Ascom diagnostic tool :

09:17:10.963 FileDetails               C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\ASCOM\Camera\Cam86\ASCOM.cam86.Camera.dll
09:17:10.963 FileDetails                  Assembly Version:   ASCOM.cam86.Camera, Version=6.0.6272.26478, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null
09:17:10.963 FileDetails                  Assembly Framework: v2.0.50727
09:17:10.963 FileDetails                  File Version:       6.0.0.0
09:17:10.963 FileDetails                  Product Version:    6.0.0.0
09:17:10.963 FileDetails                  Description:        ASCOM.cam86.Camera
09:17:10.963 FileDetails                  Company Name:       The ASCOM Initiative
09:17:10.963 FileDetails                  Last Write Time:    04/03/2017 14:42:36
09:17:10.963 FileDetails                  Creation Time:      04/03/2017 09:01:55
09:17:10.963 FileDetails                  File Length:        322,048
09:17:10.963 FileDetails                  Attributes:         Archive
09:17:10.979 FileDetails                  .NET Assembly:      Not a valid PE executable
09:17:10.979                           
09:17:10.979 FileDetails               C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\ASCOM\Camera\Cam86\cam86ll.dll
09:17:10.979 FileDetails                  Assembly Version:   Not an assembly
09:17:10.979 FileDetails                  Assembly Framework: 
09:17:10.979 FileDetails                  File Version:       0.3.0.0
09:17:10.979 FileDetails                  Product Version:    0.3.0.0
09:17:10.979 FileDetails                  Description:        
09:17:10.979 FileDetails                  Company Name:       
09:17:10.979 FileDetails                  Last Write Time:    02/03/2017 22:08:52
09:17:10.979 FileDetails                  Creation Time:      04/03/2017 09:01:55
09:17:10.979 FileDetails                  File Length:        379,904
09:17:10.979 FileDetails                  Attributes:         Archive
09:17:10.979 FileDetails                  .NET Assembly:      False
09:17:10.979 FileDetails                  Bitness:            Bits32
09:17:10.979 FileDetails                  Subsystem:          WINDOWS_GUI

[luka]

Gilles, when selecting the driver can you go to properties and tick "Trace on". That will enable logging. The logs can be found in Documents/ASCOM folder.

to your wife

[gehelem (Gilles)]

Originally Posted by luka

Gilles, when selecting the driver can you go to properties and tick "Trace on". That will enable logging. The logs can be found in Documents/ASCOM folder.

This button isn't enabled (see screenshot)
Impossible to find this "ascom application event log"
i've tried to tweak with "profile explorer" (set "True" to Trace under cam86 driver). Still no log file...

[luka]

Gilles, I had a trial version of Nebulosity 4.1 installed from long time ago and it connected to the camera and took preview images without issues.

Is your Nebulosity 64bit? I saw this on ASCOM FAQ page:

The ASCOM Diagnostics program gives me the error "Incompatible Driver xxxxx. This 32 bit only driver won't work in a 64 bit application even though it is correctly registered as a 32bit COM driver. Please contact the driver author and request an updated driver." Does this mean that the application I want to use will not work with this driver?
This will almost certainly not matter. Most astronomy applications are at present (Jan 2013) compiled as 32 bits and will work with 32 bit only drivers, even on 64 bit versions of Windows. You are seeing this because the ASCOM diagnostics program is doing a full check and is reporting this to help driver developers know of this potential problem. If you see the same error when you try to choose the driver in the Application then this is a problem because the application is running as 64 bits and a 32 bit application will not work. Note: This is not under the control of the ASCOM Platform. We do not have the ability to compensate for this fundamental differences between 32 and 64 bit systems.

[pat30 (Patrice)]

Luka, the problem is not reproduced despite my attempts.
I tried to remove my regulator, the result was not good so I reassembled it.
If you want to understand a little better my montage which is a bit special I put an article on the site.

[luka]

I suppose that is good news, there is nothing to fix

Pat, hat is a very interesting design that you have
We were considering a small dry chamber but you took that idea to a new level!!!

[pat30 (Patrice)]

You did a great job, bravo and thank you again .

For me, the dry room and the best solution, but I have to take a larger box to be able to put a larger heat sink.
I also think that adding a smaller Tec over the other would be a good thing but I do not find the right size, so I think I'll try as flolic to cut a TEC to the right size.

[luka]

Patrice, the stacked TEC must be matched, I am not sure how well the cutting will work. But it is worth a try.

Regarding a larger case, have you seen Hammond 1550Z111? It has the same width and length but it is deeper than our case. Maybe you can fit a larger heatsink in it?

[pat30 (Patrice)]

Yes I know this case, but I had already ordered the 106, before changing I want to know the price for a custom heat sink, I have to draw and provide the plans, I think start this next week, and the rest of the box can be ABS with the printer.

But I'm afraid of the price !

You have news from Brendan ?

[luka]

Another day, another version of the driver

Version 0.6.3L, the firmware is the same as before 0.3L. In the usual spot.

Changes:
1. Exposures over 999s are possible now. This has turned out to be limit of the Windows timer. The original Ukrainian driver has the same limit of 999s.
2. Added option to open settings window automatically when the imaging software connects to the camera.
3. Fix bug in the humidity warning. Note that without the sensor every now and then I get a false reading of humidity which may trigger the warning.

I am close to being happy with this and have started preparing the code to be released as open source with GPL2 (or later) license.

[gehelem (Gilles)]

I'm very, very happy with my TEC2-19003.
For now, i can reach DT -45 under 12V/2.5A
But i need to make a joke.
<joke>
Make a search on eBay with TEC2-19003.
9/10 of sellers are downunders.
Why ? Why do usually people have to use good TECs ? To refresh Beer !
</joke>

EDIT : Thx Luka for the new driver. I will test it this week end
Gilles.

[wasyoungonce (Brendan)]

Originally Posted by pat30

,,,,You have news from Brendan ?

Hi Pat

Yes I'm alive. Had to send some PCBs to Luka as I had real difficulties soldering the LQFP 64 FTDI IC. I managed one but buggered next 2 so I gave up and sent them as he has a stereo microscope "AMScope". I'll populate the other ICs....big of me ...I know!

You can guess what my next big buy!

Just consolidating parts atm...did another last big buy from element14. I keep changing suppliers as their parts appear to increase everytime I order them or they become popular.

For Luka...have you ordered from Xon? I have previously but they appear to have increased their stock list and some prices appear good.

[luka]

Gilles, while we have lots of TEC2-19003 here, unfortunately there is not much else to chose from. When I was looking at options for Cam86 there was only one other contender... and it was not even double-stacked.

And we don't need all those TEC to cool the beer, we need them to cool ourselves
The guys on the east coast had a killer summer, breaking all the records. And we in Perth had a semi-winter this summer with lots of rain. Crazy


Brendan, never heard of XON before. Thanks for the tip, will investigate.
Soldered boards and 2 connector sets will be posted within next hour, I'll email you when done.

[pat30 (Patrice)]

Hi Brendan, glad to hear from you.
A real dirt this FTDI !

Luka, as soon as possible I try the new driver, not possible now, last weekend I have edit the box I cut my finger with a saw, so the Cam is open on the table, I hope to be able to go up In the coming days.

[luka]

The latest driver 0.6.3L is broken, do not use. Will release the fix later tonight.

[gehelem (Gilles)]

Originally Posted by luka

The latest driver 0.6.3L is broken, do not use. Will release the fix later tonight.

I'm doing my first cooling tests with it at the moment !...
No problem...

[luka]

There is a bug with calculating the exposure duration. I think that only exposures over 900s are affected but I am not 100% sure that it won't cause problems for shorter exposures. Hence the warning. It is OK for testing but I would not trust it under stars.

I am just testing the fix... Debugging/testing exposures >1000s takes a long time

[gehelem (Gilles)]

Again, a good TEC can be accompanied by a good beer! Cheers !
[IMG]http://www.webastro.net/upload/minim...1489247718.jpg[/IMG]
-10°C like a charm

[luka]

Gilles, enjoy your beer and the new driver, 0.6.4L. No change in the firmware.

I (hopefully) properly fixed the long exposures issue (>999s) and also fixed a small bug related to the dew warnings.

The driver is also being tested by Grim and Faddy who noticed the long exposure problem.

[gehelem (Gilles)]

Originally Posted by luka

Gilles, enjoy your beer and the new driver, 0.6.4L. No change in the firmware.

I (hopefully) properly fixed the long exposures issue (>999s) and also fixed a small bug related to the dew warnings.

The driver is also being tested by Grim and Faddy who noticed the long exposure problem.

Thx again