PHD2 Doesnt Connect Cameras - Does Sharpcap Impede the connection?

Discussion of using SharpCap for Deep Sky Imaging
GaryS
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PHD2 Doesnt Connect Cameras - Does Sharpcap Impede the connection?

#1

Post by GaryS »

Several nights ago I was outside observing and carrying on with learning PHD2 on a CEM70G with iGuider and with an ASI294 for my observing camera.

I had connected to Sharpcap and the mount and then launched PHD2 to practice guiding and learn more about the settings. PHD2 told me the camera and mount were connected but when I starting looping images to set up guiding, it failed to do so and presented a message telling me the camera was not connected. (The iGuider guide camera located in the mount's saddle was being used.)

I cannot say for sure but I believe I've had both Sharpcap, running my main observing camera and mount, and PHD2, running my iGuider camera and mount, operating simultaneously at a prior observing session.

While running all the above, PHD2 was also telling me that the mount was connected at the same time I was using Sharpcap for plate solving and Stellarium and the handcontrol for 'goto's'.

Can anyone suggest the source of the problem. Many thanks for any comment or advice you can offer...!

Gary
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Re: PHD2 Doesnt Connect Cameras - Does Sharpcap Impede the connection?

#2

Post by admin »

Hi,

how are your cameras and other equipment wired back to the PC? Connecting more than one camera back to the PC via a single USB cable using a hub can sometimes cause this sort of problem - one camera steals all the bandwidth leaving the other unable to work.

cheers,

Robin
GaryS
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Re: PHD2 Doesn't Connect Cameras - Does Sharpcap Impede the connection?

#3

Post by GaryS »

Hi
From this mount, there is a single USB3 back to the controlling computer. It appears to need to handle the following:

- signal to/from iPolar aplication to iPolar camera built into the mount (I close the application after PA is done)
- signal to/from the mount to iOptron Commander
- signal to/from the mount to Sharpcap for Plate Solving
- Signal to/from the ASI 294 observing camera to Sharpcap
- signal to/from the iGuider camera to PHD2
- signal to/from mount to PHD2
- signal to/from Stellarium for goto's

Whew! It seems incredible but I think all that is being handled by the cable and, as I mentioned in my question, I believe it has all worked before but this time I noticed the problem with connecting iGuider to PHD2. iGuider was never connected to Sharpcap. I do have a thicker USB 3 cable I could use - don't know if 'thicker"=more bandwidth. Since I'm 'beating this to death', here are the cable designations:

Cable coming with mount: AWM 20276, USB3.0
Thicker Premium Cable: AWM 2725, USB3.0, "superspeed data transfer", E202888

As I've been writing this Robin, I'm wondering how this could even relate to Sharpcap since the iGuider camera is only being mounted for PHD2 so how could Sharpcap be competing for its attention. Although the competitive bandwidth connecting SC and the ASI294mc may be a factor.
Thank you for your help..
Gary
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Re: PHD2 Doesnt Connect Cameras - Does Sharpcap Impede the connection?

#4

Post by admin »

Hi,

changing to a thicker cable will make no difference, but running a second cable back from one of the cameras direct to the PC may well help cure the problem - it's certainly worth a try.

Robin
GaryS
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Re: PHD2 Doesnt Connect Cameras - Does Sharpcap Impede the connection?

#5

Post by GaryS »

I'll give that a try Robin. It would have to be the main observing camera since there is no way to directly connect to the iGuider camera within the mount saddle. It only connects via the main usb cable from the mount to the computer.
thank you,
Gary
harlet3000
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Re: PHD2 Doesnt Connect Cameras - Does Sharpcap Impede the connection?

#6

Post by harlet3000 »

Hi Gary,
I have the same issues and still playing around with different startup sequence (i.e. SharpCap, PHD2, iGuider, etc.) until I start getting connection failure. :(

Not sure if it's only on my setup but have you notice if iPolar was left connected we can't connect to iGuider in PHD2 (or if it's already connected it will time out)? Same is true the other way around. Maybe those are the two devices that are causing the connection contentions if both are trying to run at the same time?

Will do more testing and let you know but if you already found the solution appreciate if you can share it out.

Thanks,
Harvey
GaryS
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Re: PHD2 Doesnt Connect Cameras - Does Sharpcap Impede the connection?

#7

Post by GaryS »

Hi Harvey,

I thought I had solved this problem by downloading all the drivers and the ASCOM platform again. It worked for 1 session. Now PHD2 will again not connect to the iGuider camera.

I haven’t tried Robins ideas since I do not know how to specify and ensure getting thicker conductor cable ( rather than added insulation) and I’m reluctant to use a second cable to the camera directly since that will need to be pretty long to permit the mount to slew. Even if I could find a bonafide thicker cable, I’m pretty sure the added length would undermine any benefit from the added thickness.

Have you had any success?

Gary
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Re: PHD2 Doesnt Connect Cameras - Does Sharpcap Impede the connection?

#8

Post by admin »

Hi Gary,

the problem is that most of the issues with USB don't come from cable noise/attenuation, they come from reflections of the signal off the ends of the cable. That's what makes for the hard limit of 5m on USB 2 cable lengths and (approx) 3.5m on USB3. If your cables are wired with solid gold plaited with unicorn hair, they still won't work past those limits :). Similarly, the solid gold/unicorn hair cable is unlikely to help much in your current situation - digital cables tend to either work properly or fail very significantly - it's rare to get minor glitches.

If you need a run of more than 3/3.5m with USB3 then get 2 cables of ~2-2.5m and put a simple USB3 hub between the two.

cheers,

Robin
GaryS
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Re: PHD2 Doesnt Connect Cameras - Does Sharpcap Impede the connection?

#9

Post by GaryS »

I am just using the 2m cable that came with the mount. Today I used separate cables for the mount connection and the main camera. Still no connection to PHD2 from the iGuider camera.
Gary
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Re: PHD2 Doesnt Connect Cameras - Does Sharpcap Impede the connection?

#10

Post by admin »

Hi Gary,

just going back a bit... The iGuider works fine in PHD if you do not have the ASI294 running in SharpCap, yes?

cheers,

Robin
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