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Polar alignment using a qsi?

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2018 10:59 pm
by avdhoeven
I have a question. Today I bought a sharpcap pro license as I was impressed with how the polar alignment procedure should work. But somehow I find a problem, which maybe is inherent to the software, or maybe because I'm just doing something wrong.

I want to use sharpcap to do my polar alignment with my telescope and QSI camera, because soon I will get a new high-grade mount, but which doesn't have the polar scope like my current eq6. My FOV with my setup is about 2 degrees, so that would be perfect.

So I opened sharpcap and connected my QSI583 camera and basically then the story was over. The QSI has a download time for an image of about 10 seconds. So when I open sharpcap it starts in a previewing mode which basically renders the program inaccessible, because it's taking an image and then 10 seconds downloading in which I can't do anything anymore, and it just loops on like that.

Is it possible to turn the previewing mode off? In this way the camera can be ordered to take an image when needed and that would be perfect for example for the polar alignment. If this is not possible it basically makes the program worthless for me, and I would really regret that, because I think it really has such nice possibilities. I hope somebody can help me....

Re: Polar alignment using a qsi?

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 6:01 am
by admin
Hi,

currently SharpCap only runs in video mode - that is looping to take images continuously. I am planning to add a still camera mode where images will only be taken on demand in a future version (early next year perhaps?).

You may be able to improve the download speed of your camera to get a workable solution by using binning if your camera supports it.

cheers,

Robin

Re: Polar alignment using a qsi?

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 5:19 pm
by avdhoeven
Thanks for the prompt reply. Today I bought a small guide scope so that I can use my ASI174 to do the polar alignment. I will see how it works tonight I hope...

Re: Polar alignment using a qsi?

Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2019 5:49 pm
by wlobservatory
I have the exact same issue and consider it a barrier to using the tool. Too bad, I hear it's good. Then when I try to set up my autoguider Orion Sratshoot I run into another known bug. Too bad again. I have to now find another tool for polar alignment. How do I get my $19 returned?

Re: Polar alignment using a qsi?

Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2019 5:40 pm
by admin
Hi,

As we make clear in terms and conditions of sale and the licensing FAQ , the software is sold with no returns allowed on the basis that all functionality can be tested in the free version before purchasing the pro licence. In the case of polar alignment you can run the entire alignment procedure up to the point where it has measured your polar alignment error without needing a licence – the licence is only needed to go past that point onto the stage where you are guided in making the adjustments to correct the error.

I do know that a number of people have succeeded in making the Orion camera work correctly – for instance this poster only had problems because he was trying to use the 64-bit version of SharpCap and it turns out that Orion do not provide 64-bit version of their Ascom driver. The solution was simply to use the 32-bit version of SharpCap.

Hope this helps, Robin