QHY183c TEC problems with Sharpcap 3.2

GregL
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QHY183c TEC problems with Sharpcap 3.2

#1

Post by GregL »

I just got my QHY183c back from the vendor and wanted to comment that the 'auto' temperature control does not seem to work. I can adjust the power manually in the window to get approximately the amount of cooling I want. But if I enable 'auto' , the temperature setpoint is ignored and cooling power maximized. I have to feel that this is very hard on the TEC. It seems to default to this behavior as when I connect the camera the cooler is slammed into maximum. At the very minimum, it seems the default behavior should be 'off' or something sophisticated like in Sequence Generator Pro with a cooldown rate setting.

Thanks,

greg latiak
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Re: QHY183c TEC problems with Sharpcap 3.2

#2

Post by admin »

Hi,

this seems to be a bug with the 183C camera and the current version of the QHY SDK that SharpCap uses – there's been another report on here in the last couple of days exactly the same problem. I really am hoping for a new version of the QHY SDK that will resolve this sort of issue in the near future.

I think the fact that the cooler starting at maximum power is just because SharpCap by default restores the previous settings for the camera the last time you used it, so if the previous setting was in auto mode then that will be restored the next time you start the camera. If you close down the camera with it set in manual mode at say 30% power then it ought to restore the next time with those settings. Please let me know if this is not the case.

Cheers, Robin
GregL
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Re: QHY183c TEC problems with Sharpcap 3.2

#3

Post by GregL »

Its funny because it doesn't behave that way with either SGP or their own Ezcap. I have been using it on manual and typically it is around 10% power when shut down. So no, when reconnecting its back to full throttle... be nice if it just went back to the way I left it.

BTW... with the unending stream of cloudy weather we have been having I feel lucky to get one or two acceptable nights a month. Grumble.

Thanks much, Robin. Hope you are feeling better.

greg
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Re: QHY183c TEC problems with Sharpcap 3.2

#4

Post by admin »

hi Greg,

I've just looked at the latest version of EZCap and it seems to be using a newer version of the qhyccd.dll than the one published by QHY in their SDK download that SharpCap uses. It might be worth trying copying that DLL from the EZCap install folder Over the one in the SharpCap folder and see if that helps.

Cheers, Robin
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Re: QHY183c TEC problems with Sharpcap 3.2

#5

Post by turfpit »

Greg

Suggest you rename the existing SharpCap qhyccd.dll to say qhyccd-old.dll first, then copy in the new version. That way you have a regression path if the new one does not work. SharpCap must be closed before carrying out the rename/copy.

Dave
GregL
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Re: QHY183c TEC problems with Sharpcap 3.2

#6

Post by GregL »

In the install that is on my machine, the qhyccd.dll is version 18.5.2 in both locations -- the QHYCCD directory tree and Sharpcap. Also, Sequence Generator Pro connects to the QHY183c and operates the camera TEC correctly. One difference, though, is SGP connects through the ascom interface, not direct.

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Re: QHY183c TEC problems with Sharpcap 3.2

#7

Post by admin »

Hi Greg,

I installed EZCap last week and ended up with DLL version 19.1.3. You will also find the version of the DLL that Ascom uses somewhere like

Code: Select all

C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\ASCOM\Camera


Try copying that version into the SharpCap folder and see if that makes any difference. If that version doesn't work in SharpCap (or it's the same version yet again) then it would look rather like I've got some code that doesn't handle the 183C cooler very well in SharpCap and I will have to ask QHY for advice as I don't have that model to test with.

Cheers, Robin
GregL
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Re: QHY183c TEC problems with Sharpcap 3.2

#8

Post by GregL »

Robin,

I will troll their site again, but that is not the version I get. Now I do install the x64 versions because I am running a 64 bit OS.

greg
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Re: QHY183c TEC problems with Sharpcap 3.2

#9

Post by SteveInNZ »

Robin,
I don't have my laptop with me to check versions etc, but I had the same trouble (worked manually but not on auto) with my QHY174 the other night. I know we have the same model so you might want to try your camera just to check.

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Re: QHY183c TEC problems with Sharpcap 3.2

#10

Post by admin »

Hi Greg, install the 32 bit version because Sharpcap is a 32 bit application.

I downloaded from https://www.qhyccd.com/file/repository/ ... dition.zip

Steve, I will test again but auto control seemed to work for me on the 174. Maybe we are somehow doing something different.

Cheers, Robin
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