SharpCap Forums

Hi, I just purchased a new laptop computer and downloaded Sharpcap. With the camera (ZWO asi 294) plugged in, the camera correctly appears under the camera dropdown. However, the camera control window does not appear. Also none of the options in the tools window appear. How can I fix that?

Note - my computer has USB type 3 ports, if that makes any difference. Is there a setting I need to adjust in Sharpcap to get the camera control menu to appear, and the tools menu options to appear?

Hi,

try turning off the option to use hardware acceleration in the first page of the settings. If that helps then it is worth looking to see if there is an update available for the drivers for your graphics card on the new computer (out-of-date graphics card drivers are the most likely cause of hardware acceleration glitches).

cheers,

Robin

Thanks. I just tried the other 2 USB ports, and the camera control tab and tools options WILL appear when using either of those. Not sure why that first USB port did not allow the camera control tab or tools options to be shown. I tried turning off the hardware acceleration option but that didn't seem to have an effect on the non-functioning USB port. Any idea why two USB ports work and the other doesn't? They are all type 3 USBs.

Another (unrelated) question. I am trying to set it up so that the telescope plate solves, then re-synchs to the target. So, in the settings menu, in the plate solving tab, I checked the box for "sync mount and re-center target," but then when I looked at the tools menu, the "solve and re-sync" option was greyed out. Also in the scope control section the plate solving button and telescope directional arrows did not appear. NOTE: The telescope mount is NOT connected... does the mount need to be connected to make the solve and re-sync option in the tools menu active, and for the plate solve button to appear in the scope controls?

Thanks again,
John

Hi John,

Ok, it sounds like the camera is not properly responding on the first USB port - that can sometimes get SharpCap stuck trying to open the camera - I expect that is the reason for the controls not appearing rather than the graphics card thing. Sometimes different USB ports can be managed by different controller chips inside the PC/laptop, and just now and then you find that a particular camera does not communicate well with a particular controller. Often this is resolved by using a USB2 cable to drop down to USB2 speeds, but if you have other USB3 ports that work then that is a better solution.

You do need to have the mount connected to get the plate solve and sync to work, since SharpCap needs to be able to read the mount co-ordinates at the start of the procedure and then tell the mount to update at the end. To test the plate solving, you can use 'plate solve only'.

cheers,

Robin

Thanks. My mount is now being repaired and I am anxious to get it back, connect it and get plate solving working.