bad speed rate for RST135

[stbkaiser]

Hi Robin
Running SC v 4.1.10910 64 bit
A while ago you fixed Sharpcap to display the RATES in the Hubo-i window.
It seems the slowest rate , 0.27 deg/s , is throwing a error,
an error occurred while trying to send a command to your Hubo-i mount
details unspecified (error code 0x80040401)
Then the ASCOM connection to the Hubo-i shuts down sometimes.

The other 2 rates work OK 0.65 and 4.2

Can these RATES be changed or corrected?
Thanks
Steve

[admin]

Hi Steve,

can you send me the log so I can work out exactly how the rate is being picked? It would also be nice if the log included the error from using the bad rate.

thanks,

Robin

[stbkaiser]

Hi Robin
This is interesting what is happening.
As mentioned. This is SC interfaced to a RST135 mount.
I have tried both the “released” ver of sharpcap 4.09538 and beta 4.1.10931
Of note.
I actually have 2 of the RSt-135 mounts, and 2 different laptops I use to connect.
Both laptops are running Win 11 Pro with latest updates.
Both have been loaded from the same source file of SC.
Both laptops and both versions of SC fail with a error when I try to jog at the lowest speed setting.
BUT
On Laptop 1, the displayed speed selections are
0.27 deg/s
0.65 deg/s
4.2 deg/s
On laptop 2 the displayed settings are
16x
20x
5deg/s

I have attached sample log files from each PC for each instance of the 2 versions of SC I ran.
Laptop 1 running Beta 4.1.10931
LT1-sc-beta-Log_2023-08-07T09_21_48-25300.log
Laptop 1 running std SC 4.09538
LT1-sc-rel-Log_2023-08-07T09_23_07-18244.log

Laptop 2 running Beta 4.1.10931
LT2-sc beta-Log_2023-08-07T09_33_10-25800.log
Laptop 1 running std SC 4.09538
LT2-sc rel-Log_2023-08-07T09_37_06-12956.log

Let me know if you need any other information.
Take care
Steve

[admin]

Hi,

well... something must be configured differently on the two machines I think - probably in the ASCOM driver settings for the mount.

One one machine (LT1), the raw movement speed ranges that SharpCap gets from the driver are

Code: Select all

0.65-0.65, 0.26666666666666666-0.26666666666666666, 4.166666666666667-4.166666666666667

on the other (LT2) they are

Code: Select all

0.08333333333333333-0.08333333333333333, 0.06666666666666667-0.06666666666666667, 5-5

I suppose that maybe these different numbers could come from slight differences in the hardware/firmware rather than the ASCOM driver - ie if you swapped the mounts over the numbers might swap too.

Anyway, the figures above are in degrees per second, and unlike some mounts that give a range of values (ie 0.01-5), your ASCOM driver just specifies 3 exact speeds that it can move at. When mounts do this, SharpCap goes through some extra steps to try to make sure that the value it sends to 'MoveAxis' is *exactly* the value that the mount initially listed in its movement rates. I tested the two sets of results above in simulation and checked the right values were sent and as far as I can see they were (well, you also get the -ve of the value if you move the other way, but that should be fine).

On the other hand, the error from ASCOM is 'InvalidValueException' - ie the driver is not happy with the movement speed.

If you can retest, please turn on 'additional logging of mount hardware communication' in the logging settings before opening the camera. That should record the exact values going back and forward between SharpCap and the ASCOM driver and we can see if they are as expected when you try to move the mount at speed 0.27.

I wouldn't worry about testing 4.0 again at this stage - 4.1 is where all the best code is

cheers,

Robin

[stbkaiser]

Hi Robin
Thanks for looking into this for me.

Upon further investigation
Both hubo mounts are running the same software - sw v 220406
From what I can tell about ASCOM on the laptops:
I verified I am running ASCOM platform 6.6 SP1-6.6.1.3673 on both laptops
ASCOM Profile explorer shows v 6.6 for both systems

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
TESTING WITH PC1 , (HP laptop)
connected to the SCT Hubo mount,

This is the Enhanced LOG file for SC operation on PC1
PC1 Log_2023-08-08T10_16_59-10432.log

In the PC1 log file, at marker
Info 10:16:59.741673
I connected to sct Hubo mount
speed selections showing
0.27 deg/s
0.65 deg/s
4.2 deg/s

0.27 speed threw an error when used

In the PC1 log file at marker
Info 10:24:17.161468 #1
I changed connection to the other mount, AT92 Hubo mount
speed selections showing
0.27 deg/s
0.65 deg/s
4.2 deg/s

NOTE>>>>>>>>The At92 Hubo mount worked OK with all speed settings.<<<<<<<<<<

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
TESTING WITH PC2 (Lenovo PC)

This is the Enhanced LOG file for SC operation on pc2
PC2-Log_2023-08-08T10_43_07-7888.log
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I COULD NOT UPLOAD THIS FILE- IT WAS TOO BIG (1469KB)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

This is the Marker for when I changed connection from AT92 Hubo to SCT Hubo
Info 10:53:12.644523

With PC2 - connection to AT92 Hubo mount
Displayed speeds
16x
20x
5deg/s

20x and 5deg/s worked ok
16x threw an error


I also ran the ASCOM diag while connected to AT92 Hubo
-------------
from ASCOM diag
Create Creating device
Connected Connecting to device

Name Hubo-i
Description Hubo-i
DriverInfo Information about the driver itself. Version: 2.0
DriverVersion 2.0
InterfaceVersion 3
RA, Dec 00:18:58.100 84:54:20.300
Latitude, Longitude 33:01:48.900 -97:08:58.000
----------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------

for PC2 -lenovo connection to SCT hubo mount
Displayed speeds

speeds
16x
20x
5deg/s

>>>>>>>>>>>DIFFERENT >>>>>>>>>> 16x and 20x threw error
only 5deg/s worked

the ASCOM diag while connected to SCT Hubo mount
----------------------
from ASCOM diag Device Connection Tester
Create Creating device
Connected Connecting to device

Name Hubo-i
Description Hubo-i
DriverInfo Information about the driver itself. Version: 2.0
DriverVersion 2.0
InterfaceVersion 3
RA, Dec 00:47:15.300 56:14:40.900
Latitude, Longitude 33:01:50.000 -97:08:59.000
Tracking False
----------------------------------------

I hope this helps
Steve

[stbkaiser]

Robin
Sorry.
It finally occurred to me to break the 2nd log file into 2 parts so I could upload it.
PC2-Log_part1.log
PC2-Log_2part .log

Thanks
Steve

[admin]

Hi Steve,

so, from the log I can see that the rate that SharpCap is asking the mount to move at is exactly the rate that the mount specifies as available. Well, in the logs it is always the negative value, but that is probably simply because you just tested with one particular direction arrow. The mount is refusing that movement request, which is odd.

I can see one bug on the SharpCap side that the code is not handling sending a rate of zero properly (it tries to adjust it to the nearest valid non-zero rate). I will fix that, but I don't think it is the cause of your issues.

The fact that you get different results when you plug the two different mounts into the same PC strongly hints that whatever is going on is related to the mount itself (firmware versions, settings, hardware versions, something like that). Often (not always), ASCOM drivers have their own logging option that you can turn on in the settings - it may be worth collecting those logs and trying to contact the maker of the mount to see if they have any ideas - I must admit that I am now thinking that this is not really a SharpCap problem.

cheers,

Robin

[stbkaiser]

Robin
1. I tend to agree with you that something strange is going on in the mount since PC1 (HP) can jog the AT92 mount with no issue but has trouble with SCT mount.
2. I'm completely puzzled by the problems PC2 (lenovo) has with either mount.
I will msg with Rainbow astro to see what they suggest to diagnose this problem.

Some interesting points.
1. Using the HUBO ASCOM interface panel (which comes up upon connection), all the JOG speeds
MAX, FIND, CENTER, GUIDE
work OK.
2. Guiding and dithering with PHD2 works fine.
3. While running with APT (astrophotography tool) I use 2 jog speed settings
2.1 for Scope M' (fast) speed
0.65 for Scope s" (slow) speed

As mentioned , this is not a show stopper for using your software, in most cases.
I will keep you informed on any discoveries I make.
Take care
Steve

[stbkaiser]

Good news Robin
I received word from Rainbow Astro (very good support for their Mounts)
They had me check my speed settings in my mounts.
The settings were messed up.
After I got (both mounts) speed settings fixed.
YOUR SOFTWARE now works with either laptop and either mount.
I do apologize for taking up your time on this.
I thank you for your help on this.
Take care
Steve

[admin]

Hi Steve,

that's good news - is there a procedure for fixing the speed settings that you could share a link to or similar? Just in case anyone else has the same problem and is looking for a solution...

cheers,

Robin