SharpCap Forums

Pressing the spiral search option does initiate a spiral search but once started, it cannot be stopped. From what I understand, the spiral search should stop once the button is released, however the button stays pressed regardless of what I do. I had to completely disconnect the computer from the mount and manipulate the mount's physical hand control unit to get control back.

By the way, I was using the final beta version of SharpCap 3.1 on a Windows 10 laptop. The mount was an Orion Sirius EQ-G.

Hi,

I presume it just carries on in a straight line when you stop pressing the button? What ASCOM driver are you using for your mount? EQMOD or something different (I have an EQ6 to test with, but best to use the same driver as you).

cheers,

Robin

Hello Robin. Thanks for the reply. No, the button seems to be stuck. The mount just continues spiraling until I disconnect the computer. At that point the mount does continue in one direction. I am using ASCOM version 6.3.0.2831.

Weird... I don't have a real mount setup to test with just now, but testing 3.1.5000 with both the EQMOD simulator and the ASCOM 'Telescope Simulator .NET' gives correct behaviour - when I let go of the spiral button, the blue vanishes and the (simulated) mount stops. Can you test with one of the simulator mounts?

cheers,

Robin

What seems to be happening is that when I press the spiral search button, SharpCap initiates the search and completely locks up. Nothing works, in fact, I have to go to the Task Manager just to exit SharpCap. Also, I get the blue on the button when I just hover over it. If I leave the button, it goes back to black. If I hover over the button and press it, it goes to blue and stays blue and SharpCap locks up.

By the way, it seems to work properly with ASCOM 'Telescope Simulator .NET

I think I have figured out the problem. I was using the SkyFi wireless unit to control the telescope. It has always worked fine in the past but apparently, it gives unreliable results when used with SharpCap. When I made a direct wired connection to the mount, everything worked fine. Sorry for the trouble. I should have check this to begin with.

All the best, Bill

ps. The more I use SharpCap the more impressed I am with it. It is a great piece of software!

pps. Also, how do you determine the tightness of the spirals? Is it a constant offset, does it depend on the FOV of the camera, something else? Is it user adjustable? I was thinking that if the spirals are too loose, it is possible that one could miss the target object due to it being in one of the seams between the spirals.

I had this happen last night.
A spiral search initiated in SharpCap ran correctly for a while and then just kept going in one direction. SharpCap didn't lock up for me but disconnecting from the mount, quitting out of SharpCap and stopping ASCOM didn't stop the mount. I had to reboot to get connection back.
During the night I'd done spiral searches from the EQASCOM dialogue and using the game controller without issue.

My setup is EQ8, EQMod V2.00, ASCOM 6.2.0.2774, SharpCap Pro V3.1.5000.0, Win10.
Connection is USB->Serial->EQDir

Steve.

Hello Steve. Yes that has happened to me. When SharpCap get disconnected from the mount, the mount just keeps going in one direction until you stop it. Fortunately, I was just testing the mount out without a scope attached. If I had had a scope attached, it could have been bad news.