Guide Camera Gain Setting is Greyed Out/Disabled in PHD2

[Andyb90]

Hi there,

I have an ASI585MC Air camera with an ASI220MM guide sensor/camera. I can connect to the 220mm in PHD2, but when I click on advanced settings the gain field is greyed out/disabled.

Can anyone tell me how the gain field can be enabled for my guide sensor/camera please?

connect equipment showing connection to guide sensor/camera 220MM

Camera settings with greyed out gain

[Brian Valente]

Did you try the native ZWO driver?

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Brian 

Brian Valente

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[Andyb90]

I've installed the ZWO camera driver. I think that is the native driver isn't it? But I only see these zwo options in the camera drop down list in PHD2

I'm not sure if any of these are the native camera driver. ASI Camera (1) and (2) don't connect and ZWO ASI Camera doesn't work. Only ASI220MM Air and ASI585MC Air will connect.

[Brian Valente]

Anything with "ASCOM" in the title is an ascom driver, not a native driver. If you are using an ASCOM driver, the gain and other camera settings are usually set in the ASCOM settings, which is accessed via the wrench icon (you have to be disconnected from the camera to do this). 

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/002e0b8c-723d-4dde-96af-a431c78e891fn%40googlegroups.com.

[Andyb90]

I tried the 'ZWO ASI Camera' option in the camera drop down, but it can't find the camera. I'm assuming 'ZWO ASI Camera' is the native driver.

I can connect using the ASCOM driver for the guide sensor, but when I click on the settings/camera setup button left of the connect button I get the below configuration dialog, which doesn't have any option to set the camera gain.

[Brian Valente]

Andy

I think this is something you need to ask ZWO/ZWO user group (or possibly other Air users here may chime in). The Air setup is a bit unique: ZWO uses Alpaca to make their Air cameras available outside of the built-in ASIAir. So their controls for camera settings are through the Alpaca interface and not available inside of PHD2. It's likely possible to make these adjustments, but from within the camera driver they provide. 

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/e9a29b1b-6e61-4df4-b81c-36f394f1851en%40googlegroups.com.

[Andyb90]

Yes, I've got a topic awaiting approval on the ZWO forum. I suspect the asi585mc air can only use the ascom and alpaca drivers. I think they just don't offer the ability to change the gain in PHD2. I'll likely go back to using ASIAIR. It's a shame really as I was enjoying getting PHD2 setup via NINA

[Brian Valente]

Generally you shouldn't need to change the gain when guiding, just set it once. 

Is there something unusual in your situation?

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/a020c9b8-f750-46bd-8930-bc410eb4b0b2n%40googlegroups.com.

[Andyb90]

I guess my setup is a bit more unusual in that the guide sensor will be behind a 5nm dual narrowband filter. I'll also use short guide exposures as they seem to work best with a ZWO AM3N mount. I'll increase the gain for the guide sensor if I struggle to get enough guide stars with the dual narrowband filter. Broadband won't be an issue though.