QHY163mm doing some strange things using SharpCap

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BABOafrica Kenya
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QHY163mm doing some strange things using SharpCap

#1

Post by BABOafrica »


I bought a used QHY183mm for 850 (USD). Seemed like a good deal and it arrived after many weeks of shipping from US to Kenya with everything intact.

My main problem is that sometimes it connects to SharpCap properly. Sometimes it does not.

When it connects properly, I can set a time for exposure (and for all the other stuff) and Start Capture. It works well.

But most of the time, I set a time for exposure and the program does this weird thing. Let's say I set for 60s exposure. Well, once the counter reaches 60 seconds, it does NOT start over again. It keeps going... and going... and going... It will for a whole hour if I let it go. So when I push the Start Capture button and "start" (asking, for instance, only 1 capture), no file is downloaded after 60s or after 120s or after 10 minutes... So I have to press STOP CAPTURE. Then it tells me: you have interrupted your capture. After I pull out what little hair I have left, I close the program and start from scratch.

I usually have to do this about five or six times every night before I finally get "normal" operation where I can start capture and get my 60s light frames.

Any ideas ???

I sold the farm to get this camera... OK, not a farm but lots of my telescope equipment, including my favorite scope (the Meade 102mm APO).

No totally disappointed but not entirely happy either.

BABO
"In lumine tuo videbimus lumen."

Scopes: Stellarvue SV80 Raptor Carbon Fiber ED Doublet / Celestron SCT C8
Williams Optics 66mm APO / DIY 8" f/4 Newtonian astrograph / Nikon 180mm f/2.8
Mounts: Orion Atlas EQ-G / Celestron AVX / DIY mini-equatorial
Cameras: QHY163m / Fujifilm X-A1 (modded) / Fuji X-A2 (not modded) / Orion StarShoot Auto Guider
Filters: ZWO 7nm NB set / ZWO LRGB set / ZWO Dual Band / Astronomics UHC
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JayTee United States of America
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Re: QHY163mm doing some strange things using SharpCap

#2

Post by JayTee »


I know you've read and heard this before, but the first thing you always do with weird camera problems is to check the cables and connectors.

Cheers
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°

Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."

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Graeme1858 Great Britain
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Re: QHY163mm doing some strange things using SharpCap

#3

Post by Graeme1858 »


So frustrating!

My ASI294MC did some funny things at first. Turns out it didn't like the USB2 and was ok in the USB3.

I didn't get your symptoms but it might be worth a look.

Regards

Graeme
______________________________________________
Celestron 9.25 f10 SCT, f6.3FR, CGX mount.
ASI1600MM Pro, ASI294MC Pro, ASI224MC
ZWO EFW, ZWO OAG, ASI220MM Mini.
APM 11x70 ED APO Binoculars.

https://www.averywayobservatory.co.uk/
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Re: QHY163mm doing some strange things using SharpCap

#4

Post by BABOafrica »


Thanks for the advice.

Well, I did check the cables and they were ok.

I found out by trial and error that it comes down to one thing.

I must start SharpCap on my laptop before I start any other program. Not sure why. But that has solved the problem.

BABO
"In lumine tuo videbimus lumen."

Scopes: Stellarvue SV80 Raptor Carbon Fiber ED Doublet / Celestron SCT C8
Williams Optics 66mm APO / DIY 8" f/4 Newtonian astrograph / Nikon 180mm f/2.8
Mounts: Orion Atlas EQ-G / Celestron AVX / DIY mini-equatorial
Cameras: QHY163m / Fujifilm X-A1 (modded) / Fuji X-A2 (not modded) / Orion StarShoot Auto Guider
Filters: ZWO 7nm NB set / ZWO LRGB set / ZWO Dual Band / Astronomics UHC
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yobbo89 Australia
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Re: QHY163mm doing some strange things using SharpCap

#5

Post by yobbo89 »


it's sounds like a driver crash or flaky connection . windows also has a thing where it will lockout the device until a system restart to prevent dammage ie if the device you're connecting has wonky usb cord ,or moister is getting into the contacts it will detect an interupted connection and disable the device ...
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .

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