QHY268C - Always buffers 3 frames

AmargosaSky
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:00 am

Re: QHY268C - Always buffers 3 frames

#21

Post by AmargosaSky »

Jorike wrote: Sun Feb 28, 2021 11:55 am Hi Robin,

Version 3.2.6383 basically works ok apart from the first three shots which is fine, I don't mind waiting, but I'd been resetting because with longer exposures of say 4 mins I'd have to wait 12 mins to see that it was working but because I hadn't I'd keep resetting and starting again only to give up after a while.

Rik
This sounds exactly where I'm at too (i.e., the production SC version works with QHY268C but has the 3-frame buffer issue). Just confirming for debug purposes, if that helps. I tried USB2 last night (instead of USB3) to see if that made a difference in case USB3 length/bus was an issue, but it did not.

Jason
Jorike
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Joined: Fri Feb 26, 2021 11:16 pm

Re: QHY268C - Always buffers 3 frames

#22

Post by Jorike »

Hi Jason,

Weirdly I've tried installing different versions of the QHY driver but everytime I do it in SharpCAP it can't find the camera at all. Even if I put the originally driver back in I have to repair SharpCAP for it to work again.
I'm not sure why just swapping QHY driver causes the software to fail and need a repair, must be doing something else too.

Rik
AmargosaSky
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Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:00 am

Re: QHY268C - Always buffers 3 frames

#23

Post by AmargosaSky »

By way of update, I tried Rik's advice of reinstalling SC versions. This allowed the SC beta versions to see the QHY268C, but then the exposures endlessly looped. I had to re-install the QHY beta drivers and it works with the 3-exposure issue but only in the current SC production release. So back to square one. I hope this helps debug in some way... perhaps in issue with the SDKs?
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admin
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Re: QHY268C - Always buffers 3 frames

#24

Post by admin »

Hi,

I'm going to have to ask QHY to look at this one - I'm sure I could fix it with a camera here to test, but without one I feel totally lost as to what is going on.

cheers,

Robin
AmargosaSky
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Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:00 am

Re: QHY268C - Always buffers 3 frames

#25

Post by AmargosaSky »

admin wrote: Tue Mar 02, 2021 7:19 pm Hi,

I'm going to have to ask QHY to look at this one - I'm sure I could fix it with a camera here to test, but without one I feel totally lost as to what is going on.

cheers,

Robin
Thanks, Robin. Let me know if you need me to send any logs, files, etc.

Jason
AmargosaSky
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:00 am

Re: QHY268C - Always buffers 3 frames

#26

Post by AmargosaSky »

FYI, I cross-posted in QHY forums so they are also now looking into this:

https://www.qhyccd.com/bbs/index.php?topic=8542.0

Hopefully we'll have answers soon. My sct, which can double as a fast moving thermometer, loses focus by the time the first frame is displayed. Waaaa!
didiflei
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2021 4:23 pm

Re: QHY268C - Always buffers 3 frames

#27

Post by didiflei »

Hello everybody,

This problem is very annoying.
If I charge the Sky Brightness in the Smart Histogram, Sharpcap requires twice the time each time the exposure is changed. Does this fact affect the result?

The sensor analysis is the same with twice the time.
Are the analysis results then correct?
I found that the results of the sensor analysis in Sharpcap do not match the data of QHY at all.

I'm pretty confused. How can that be?
It would be nice if someone could give me an answer.

Kind regards
didiflei
AmargosaSky
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:00 am

Re: QHY268C - Always buffers 3 frames

#28

Post by AmargosaSky »

didiflei wrote: Tue Mar 23, 2021 5:17 pm Hello everybody,

This problem is very annoying.
If I charge the Sky Brightness in the Smart Histogram, Sharpcap requires twice the time each time the exposure is changed. Does this fact affect the result?

The sensor analysis is the same with twice the time.
Are the analysis results then correct?
I found that the results of the sensor analysis in Sharpcap do not match the data of QHY at all.

I'm pretty confused. How can that be?
It would be nice if someone could give me an answer.

Kind regards
didiflei
Hi didiflei - Check out that link I posted to the QHY forum and maybe ask the manufacturer there. They didn't seem to give me a substantive response besides acknowledging that the first frame buffers twice. Perhaps if more users chimed in, we can get better investigation and troubleshooting from QHY directly, assuming these issues are on their end.
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Re: QHY268C - Always buffers 3 frames

#29

Post by admin »

Hi,

SharpCap knows that some cameras are slow to update the image when you make changes to controls - this means that during measurements like Sky Brightness or Sensor Analysis, SharpCap will wait for a number of frames after a change before taking a measurement (a smaller number of frames for longer exposures).

In SharpCap 4.0, if you have your camera in 'Still Mode' rather than 'Live Mode' then SharpCap does not wait for these 'image settling' frames to happen - a camera in 'Still Mode' is supposed to take an image with the current parameters when asked to without any delay to the frames. As far as I am aware, all cameras that support Still Mode are capable of this.

Robin
Jorike
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Joined: Fri Feb 26, 2021 11:16 pm

Re: QHY268C - Always buffers 3 frames

#30

Post by Jorike »

Hi,

I have tried the new SDK that QHY created and Sharpcap just loops endlessly, I can't take a single shot and there's no live view at very short exposures.
I've tried the latest Sharpcap version but yet again find myself back at version 3.2.6433 as this is the only version that works with my QHY.
Haven't tried the BETA version 4.
This is the second QHY268C I've had as well and both did the same thing.
I love SC because of its simplicity and being able to use fast exposures as a live view so this is extremely frustrating.
Sadly I have not found any software yet that I find easy and reliable to use with this camera which is extremely annoying as newbie having paid 2k for a camera and expecting fantastic results!

Rik
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