Nightscape and SGP

I am trying to use a couple of different cameras through the ASCOM Drivers. Both have the same issues. I get a solid black screen on the down load, even when the camera is pointed a light. Both of these cameras have ASCOM drivers and should work. The cameras are as follows:

  1. Mallincam DS 432 C TEC. I think that the problem may be with the fact that the camera only supports 8 or 12 bit FITS. SGP only supports 16 BIT FITS. Is there any method to circumvent this problem?

  2. An older Celestron Nightscape 8300 Color on shot CCD. This camera has ASCOM drivers and should work. I however still get the solid black screen download. I reviewed the prior forum topics but could not locate an answer. I know that it is an older camera, and that there are better cameras, but I would like to get it to work.

My last choice would be to purchase still another camera, and place the Universe, DS 432 and the 8300 into the used stuff drawer. Without breaking the budget does anyone have a recommendation for a good, out of the box, large chip CCD cmos camera that won’t break the bank. I was saving my money for a QSI 6162, but did not want to pull the trigger, until is became more proficient with the other processing aspects.

Thanks!

Bill H

The first step would be to download and attempt the same thing in another application like Nebulosity. If the same issue happens there, see if the camera produces logs and we can start there.

Dear ken,

I think that I have found the source of the problem. My Main astronomy computer, which I moved into the house is running SGP Version3.1.0.413. the 413 is the version that is able to run the camera. When I moved the camera back out the telescope, I ran SGP on my EAGLE 3 unit, I could only take a perfect black FITS photo. I turned on the EAGLE 3 this morning and found that this is running SGP version 3.1.0.457.

Apparently there was some change in the version(s) that caused this. I went to the Main Sequence software download site. I cannot locate the version 3.1.0.413 in your archives. I am thinking of trying the next version above t3.1.0.413 to see if it works. Apparently there was a change in the software that makes the Mallincam DS 432 C no longer functional.

I will just have to remember not to update my main computer. Is release 3.1.0.413 still available?

Thank you

Bill Hansen

No, sorry, we don’t keep releases that far back (for the same minor version). I’ll do my best to get this current release out tonight. It has some extra debugging code in it that may tell us more.