SharpCap’s sliders.

[Lobo]

In my previous version of SharpCap (3.2) the sliders were a solid orange. Recently, I updated to version 4; now the sliders are just in outline. Is there a way to return them to solid colour? As they are now, they are harder to see, even at night.

[Menno555]

In the current beta version, there is an option added for that in the SharpCap settings to increase the contrast of the sliders. This makes them solid again.
You can wait for the release of the new version or you can download and use the beta version if you feel comfortable with that.
I myself use the beta version now permanently and it's safe to use. Meaning you can use it like normal, it's just that mainly new options are added and can have some bugs.
You can get info and download here: https://www.sharpcap.co.uk/sharpcap/sha ... p-4-1-beta

Menno

[Lobo]

Thank you for that. I’ve downloaded and installed the Beta, but kept 4, just in case. Seems strange to me that the older version had solid sliders, but the new version has outline only. I guess not everyone liked them. As there’s an option in the beta - I hope it stays - I guess there must be some people like me.

Using the polar align tool last night, I noticed a change in that too. The target graphic was a narrow pane and not so helpful thus. It did dawn on me eventually that I could pull it down further, but I couldn’t get it to occupy as much of the screen as in previous versions. Maybe I’m missing something here?

I SC’s PA successfully last night for the first time ever, managing to get ‘good’ alignment; I failed to get ‘excellent’ , but that might have been because I’m set up on grass and need more practice. Nevertheless, I was blown away with what I could now see on my screen, now that I actually locate things! Now I need to learn to set up guiding, stacking and processing.

[admin]

Hi,

between SharpCap 3.2 and 4.1 I have re-written almost all of SharpCap's user interface using a different technology. In particular, the night mode was a complete re-write to use the new technology and also allow for things like the window title bar and scroll bars to be dark that couldn't be in the older version. Along the way, some things didn't come out quite the same and it looks like the sliders was one of those things.

I have also looked at the polar alignment and I can see the same as you - the overlay showing the direction to move etc is coming out less 'boldly' in the new version. That wasn't something I'd expected to happen or intended, so I will try to work out what is going on.

thanks,

Robin

[Lobo]

My sincere thanks, Robin; both for the reply/explanation and for SharpCap itself. I’ve always struggled with polar alignment; I don’t get enough practice and my set up in my back garden, with trees, house and light pollution is necessarily temporary.

Last night, I finally achieved my best ever polar alignment and it made a huge difference to what I was able to see and achieve. I used an old 50 mm BPM scope - which I think is somewhere around 200 mm - and my Altair 183C. I’m wondering if I’d find it easier if I used my 290C instead?

[admin]

Hi,

yes, a 200mm focal length works well for polar alignment, either with a smaller sensor like the 290 or a larger one like the 183. The 290 should work and will save you from having to switch the 183 off of the 200mm scope perhaps.

One of the biggest frustrations in polar alignment can still be the adjustment mechanisms on various mounts which are often poorly made or poorly designed and make small adjustments very hard.

clear skies!

Robin

[Lobo]

Thanks for the very helpful reply, Robin. Being able to use my 290 on the 200 mm for polar alignment will be a real blessing - next time I set up I’ll give that a try. It will mean that, once I’ve polar aligned, I can leave the 200 mm attached, to then act as the guide scope afterwards - rather than swap it over for the 800 mm guide scope. Then, as you say I can leave the 183 attatched to the main scope, only swapping it out, if and when I want to do planetary imaging. Hmmm, now what to do with that 600 mm guidescope?

I take your point regarding poorly made and designed adjustment mechanisms. On my EQ6-R Pro, while I understand why the declination bolts need to be robust and hence course thread, I see no reason, other than perhaps economy, why the azimuth bolts should be such course thread; given that there is far less resistance in moving the latter; a finer thread would make their adjustment so much more precise.

[Lobo]

Hi Robin,

I’m happy to report that the information you gave me, regarding using either the 183C or 290C with the 205 mm APM was spot on, so thank you.

Now, a couple of mysteries - at least to me! I’m now using the Beta version, as it gives me solid sliders. However, although those sliders are solid, when one hovers the cursor over them, they revert to outline only - they go back to solid immediately the cursor moves off them. I did have the program hang on me at one point and had to use cntl/alt, del to get out, but the program worked perfectly on reloading.

Initially, this time, I did my polar alignment with the the 183C and to my surprise and delight I actually achieved‘excellent’ alignment! Very much a first for me! As the program was reporting‘excellent’ I then decided to run it again, but this time with the 290C. Imagine my surprise, when it then reported ‘poor’! I don’t think I moved anything and I quite quickly got back to ‘excellent’. Incidentally, has the issue with the ‘compressed’ view, while in polar alignment, been resolved, because this time the view was so much better and consequently more useful.

Once polar alignment has been achieved, is it still advised to run through synscan’s three star alignment. I figured it was and did it anyway. In doing so, I noticed something that threw me a little. While the first alignment star was in the field of view of my finder, it wasn’t central and could not be seen in my main scope (using a 25 mm eyepiece on a 10” SkyWatcher reflector); the two subsequent stars were pretty much central, both in the finder and in the telescope. Should I expect an object to be central following SharpCap’s polar alignment

[admin]

Hi,

glad to hear that the beta is working better for you.

The sliders (like most bits of the UI) change slightly when the mouse is over them to indicate that they are 'ready to use' - buttons glow a little, the sliders change their background colour. It looks like I never got around to customizing that colour, so it is the default 'highlight background colour' for a slider, which turns out to be hollow. I guess it's not really a big issue, since it only happens when it is under the cursor and by then you have found it anyway. BTW... There is an option in the beta to make the sliders in light mode go orange - in the first page of the settings.

With the differing polar alignment results, the most common cause of that sort of thing is something moving slightly as you rotate the mount. A common cause is the camera shifting *very slightly* in the telescope due to the weight of the USB cable pulling in different directions. It's always best to have all cables firmly secured. Any guidescope sitting in a 'Vixen' dovetail also needs to be as secure as possible as sometimes then can allow flex as the mount rotates.

In general, you do need to run through some sort of alignment after the PA procedure, although 1-star might be sufficient. Polar alignment gets the RA axis pointing at the celestial pole. 1,2 or 3 star alignment sorts out any problems with offsets in the RA and Dec positions due to unlocking the clutches ans not putting them back in exactly the right place. It sounds like the first alignment point was a bit off due to that but the 2nd and 3rd were OK because the mount had adjusted based on the first point.

Hope this helps,

Robin

[Lobo]

Hi Robin,

Many thanks for that information. Yes, as I’m still very much learning, your explanation is of great help to me.
Regarding loosening the clutches, I don’t, I use the handset. However, I take your point. It’s not an issue, I was just wondering. Knowing that certain things are likely is fine; but when you lack the knowledge you question yourself - well, I do.
I will definitely look into the cable issues. What you say makes a whole lot of sense - if fine adjustments are made to obtain‘excellent’ polar alignment, then I guess it becomes obvious that anything interfering with movement would have an influence.
I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to enlighten me. Clear skies!