SharpCap Forums

I'm back. I was very optimistic about the possibilities of the Force Still Mode control. However, that turned into a disaster when I tried it shortly after the suggestion. It forced the app to crash. And then it was a bigger problem because I couldn't get SC to switch off Force Still Mode. I tried uninstalls, reboots and other sundry gropes. But the app always dies whether I let it start or if I try to switch the control off.

I took a break on this issue to focus on some other debugging I'm involved in. And I hoped for a spontaneous breakthrough in the app or camera driver. With none forthcoming, I tried again with the same tools. Naturally, I got the same results and I seem 100% stuck.

I attached two logs (with the extra log data option on). I don't know any more ways to reset the data back to the point where Force Still Mode is off.

For both the mid-April and today's session, I used the QHY "System Drive Stable Version" driver. It's from a file named "QHY5IIISeriesDriver190327win10". I take that to mean it was released on 3/27/2019. QHY has stopped providing any version _number_ information for viewing in Programs and Features (totally blank) or in the file details (0.0.0.0). So that date hint is the best identifier I've found.

Right now, I don't have much hope of even testing SC with the QHY168c in native mode. That would require some help clearing initial values, or a version of SC that survives long enough to let me switch the Force Still Mode off.

Suggestions?

Hi,

So probably what is happening is that SharpCap is remembering the settings that we used the last time you shut down the camera and reloading those each time you started. In normal circumstances this is a helpful thing to do, but you want to prevent that from happening so that the camera goes back to defaults. The way to do that is to hold down the control key while you are opening the camera, which prevents it from reloading the last used settings.

Hope this helps, Robin

Thanks for the reset information. I suspected you had the feature and it helped me reset to default values as advertised.

With enough careful control selection and settings, I managed to get the camera taking photos in my choice of color space and with Force Still Mode = On. The satisfaction of that accomplishment was short-lived. The familiar company of endless exposures after changes to Color Space and Capture Area were still around. Also even while the camera was taking pictures, the actual exposure time was never closely aligned with the requested time and the discrepancies were irregular.

So Force Still Mode = On doesn't seem to be the cure I'd hoped for. SC and the QHY168 are still not getting along well. I don't think my tests are doing anything to close in on the problem. If you have other things that could be a big-win factor, I'll try it. But I think it's close to (or past?) the time where the only reliable solution would be for you to convince QHY to lend you a camera. Besides giving you continuous testing access, a second QHY168 camera would help exculpate my camera as the source of the strange operations. (The PC, and cable suspects have been released already.)

I use SC with my ZWO ASI071MC-cooled. The gap between the smooth, easy ZWO camera operation and the jagged, unproductive QHY camera operation is stark (astrophoto pun: incidental but apt -- oops, another one, sorry). I think the photo speaks for itself.

QHY would do itself well to demonstrate an active intent to match the ease of use and reliability of the ZWO cameras. Anything less than comprehensive app vendor support invites a steep downward slide.

JMHO, Joe

Hi,

There is certainly more variation between the different models of qhy cameras in how well they work than there is for the ZWO cameras. As you correctly say I don't think we can take this one much further at the moment because the code works correctly for me on the four or so different qhy models I have to test with here but fails to work for you.

Cheers, Robin

Very unexpectedly, I have some news to report on the SharpCap and QHY168c saga...

When we last left our cast, the white flag of surrender was flying due to incessant crashes of SC with the native QHY168c driver.

Fast forward a handful of SC neglected builds.... And today, 9/6/2019 (I can fake a British accent) I noticed another new SC build and hauled the poor benched 168c out for another try. At first, a nastier than usual crash profile reared its head proving there's always the possibility of a worse failure than you expected.

My one last hope was to launch the camera with default values and then put the camera back in the klink after the likely crash. With an eye defensively squinting, and Bob's your uncle: I was stunned to see images. Not just "no crash", but real images. I switched colour spaces -- no crash and a smooth, quiet transition to any space from any space. I switched capture areas -- all good. I carefully exercised the app settings and only stopped when I tired of the sweet monotony of smooth operations.

Hopefully, the next image I view from the QHY168c won't be this tiresome indoor colour ragbag (attached). Something a smidgeon more cosmic will be refreshing.

Thanks for all your effort!

Clear skies,
Joe

Hi Joe,

That's great news! I suspect you are right to guess that the initial crash was caused by settings saved from the previous version that may be are no longer appropriate to the new update of the camera software. Looking forward to seeing your Astro images!

Cheers, Robin