QHY 268C - Live Stacking not working with SharpCap 4.0

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TigerClaw35
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2021 6:33 am

QHY 268C - Live Stacking not working with SharpCap 4.0

#1

Post by TigerClaw35 »

Hi, a installed the newest version of SharpCap 4.0 because of the new Dithering function to get a shorter exposure during dithering.

I used a QHY 268C. Normally I have problem with this camera because the 2-3 frames buffering. If I save and load the profile it works as workaround. Otherweise I have to set buffering on and off to stop the buffering. In SharpCap 4.0 also Still Force mode is working to stop the buffering.

SharpCap 3.2 and the Live Stacking is working fine. But if I use the Live Stacking in SharpCap 4.0 with my QHY 268C it saves 1 frames and crashes after that with an endless buffering. I tried it witrh different workarounds.

So I startet SharpCap 3.2 and discovered that the new functions from SharpCap 4.0 are after the installation von SharpCap 4.0 also includeds in SharpCap 3.2. Can this be true? So I used SharpCap 3.2 with Live Stacking and Dithering. Short exposure is working fine. The only bad thing is that for an exposure of 60s it takes 62 seconds. So if I dither after 120s it will save the first frame after 62 seconds, than the second one after ~124 seconds and than it starts a third one . Only after the third one it works. So it has to be another mechanism.

Best regards,
Raul
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Re: QHY 268C - Live Stacking not working with SharpCap 4.0

#2

Post by admin »

Hi,

short exposures during dithering were already a feature in SharpCap 3.2 for quite a long while, so it's not magic new features being added once you have installed SharpCap 4.0...

I would obviously be interested in trying to work out what is going wrong in 4.0 with the 268C - I don't seem to have any uploaded bug reports for this model recently (most recent was 10th August). If you have crashes with 4.0, please send the reports and let me know or (even better) choose the option to send the report manually and then attach the bug report zip file to a post in this thread - that means I can be sure which reports are yours easily.

thanks,

Robin
TigerClaw35
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2021 6:33 am

Re: QHY 268C - Live Stacking not working with SharpCap 4.0

#3

Post by TigerClaw35 »

Hi,

you are right. I didn't notice that short exposure during dithering also works in sharpcap 3.2.

It worked fine for 2 hours. After 2 hours I got 10-20 images with short exposure and than o got strange pictures. Ok, maybe this was caused by the camera or another error.

But I don't understand why this is working with version 3.2, but not with version 4.0. I tried different versions of SharpCap 4.0 also also tried different QHY SDKs.

And I don't want to use another software because I am very happy with sharpcap. It's easy to use. Also the deep sky sequence planer is not working. It crashes of I start it.

Btw: do you plan a function to set different values for mono camera filters to make planetary videos automatically by changing filters automatically?

Best regards,
Raul
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Re: QHY 268C - Live Stacking not working with SharpCap 4.0

#4

Post by admin »

Hi,

You can build the sort of filter changing planetary capture sequence you need using the sequence editor (https://docs.sharpcap.co.uk/4.0/#The%20 ... e%20Editor) - at some point I intend to add a second sequence planning tool for lunar/solar/planetary to make this easier, but that will take a while to write.

I haven't seen any uploaded bug reports of problems with the deep sky planner crashing on startup - can you send the bug reports generated or chose the 'send manually' option and upload the zip files here?

It's difficult to be sure what causes the differences between 3.2 and 4.0 - as well as updating to a much newer QHY SDK, I did a lot of work that is supposed to make things more stable and reliable with modern QHY cameras, but obviously still need a little more. Have you tried 4.0.8091 yet? I put some more potential fixes for QHY problems in that.

As to cases where the camera stops responding properly, another hard problem. I see lots of bug reports where the camera disconnects from USB - this could be a physical thing (pull on the cable as the mount moves) or something going wrong in the camera that causes it to stop communicating. Also with QHY cameras there seem to be cases where the camera does not disconnect, but suddenly everything SharpCap asks it to do results in an error from the QHY SDK.

thanks,

Robin
TigerClaw35
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2021 6:33 am

Re: QHY 268C - Live Stacking not working with SharpCap 4.0

#5

Post by TigerClaw35 »

Hi,

I tested it today with the newest SharpCap 4.0 Version. Stillt the same problem

I connect via SharpCap 4.0 to my QHY 268C. Than I start the Live Stack und since then the frames are loading and loading endless. I set 8s and after starting Live Stack I waited 100s and stopped it. During this I tried DDr Buffer on and off, I set "Force Still Mode" true. But nothgin happend. Endless frame. If I use the "clear" button nothing happen like a crash. Maybe this information helps. With SharpCap 3.2 I have no problems.

Here is a video of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIcLmXBAKu8

best regards,
Raul
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Re: QHY 268C - Live Stacking not working with SharpCap 4.0

#6

Post by admin »

Hi,

unfortunately the video you shared on youtube cuts off after about 5 seconds, before we get to see SharpCap :(

It certainly sounds as though the camera is possibly timing out trying to get frames. Are there any ways you can get images out of the camera in SharpCap 4.0, or do they all fail?

cheers,

Robin
TigerClaw35
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Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2021 6:33 am

Re: QHY 268C - Live Stacking not working with SharpCap 4.0

#7

Post by TigerClaw35 »

Hi,
it seems that only live stacking is in sharocap 4.0 not working with the QHY 268C.

Best regards,
Raul
Wildetelescope
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Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2020 2:19 am

Re: QHY 268C - Live Stacking not working with SharpCap 4.0

#8

Post by Wildetelescope »

Just curious if there has been any further progress with this issue. I just recently got a QHY268C and have been playing with it for that last couple days. I am experiencing similar results with live stacking. Live capture seems to work for relatively short exposures, but I note that if I 1. change a parameter like gain or exposure, or 2 exceed 1 minute exposure times, the live capture hangs and the exposure does not update. If I set up a capture sequence things seem to work.

Thanks!

JMD
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Re: QHY 268C - Live Stacking not working with SharpCap 4.0

#9

Post by admin »

Hi,

one difference between the capture sequence and the live stacking is that (by default) live stacking will run with the camera in live mode, while the capture sequence will run it in still mode. Try disabling the 'live view' option (left of the toolbar, just below the file menu) before live stacking, since the latest updates of SharpCap 4.0 can live stack with the camera in still mode. That may help.

cheers,

Robin
Wildetelescope
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Re: QHY 268C - Live Stacking not working with SharpCap 4.0

#10

Post by Wildetelescope »

Thanks Robin!

JMD
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