Does PhD2 dither work when using TheSkyX ?

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Lawrence Lopez

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Feb 13, 2020, 11:54:59 AM2/13/20
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Does PhD2 dither work when using TheSkyX ?
What needs to be done to PhD2 and TheSkyX to make this work ?

Thank you !!!
Larry

Lawrence Lopez

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Feb 13, 2020, 11:57:40 AM2/13/20
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I am using a Paramount.
Not sure which guide camera or main camera I'll be using.

bw_msgboard

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Feb 13, 2020, 5:36:20 PM2/13/20
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Hi Larry.  The easiest approach is just to use PHD2 for both guiding and dithering, lots of people do that and get excellent results.  You’d still use TSX for camera and general mount control as well as planetarium functions.  You just need to configure the TSX mount driver according to this document:

 

https://github.com/OpenPHDGuiding/phd2/wiki/SkyX-Settings

 

If you’re just getting started, please take a look at the PHD2 Help doc section on Basic Use, especially the Equipment Connection area:

 

https://openphdguiding.org/manual/?section=Basic_use.htm

 

Also, you can probably save yourself some time and trouble if you also review the Best Practices document:

 

https://openphdguiding.org/phd2-best-practices/

 

 

Have fun,

Bruce

 


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Lawrence Lopez

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Feb 15, 2020, 6:12:23 AM2/15/20
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Hi Bruce:

Thank you very much for the help.
I have several curiosity questions but I'm going to wait until I am further along.

Larry



Lawrence Lopez

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Feb 15, 2020, 11:58:07 PM2/15/20
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Hi bruce:

I found that I could not follow the recommendations in configuring the TSX mount driver according to this document:

 

https://github.com/OpenPHDGuiding/phd2/wiki/SkyX-Settings

I must turn on Enable Tracking Offsets and pulse drive.

Otherwise it complains that it can't do pulse drive.

It never seems to do direct drive.

This sort of makes sense to me because I remember reading that direct drive was not part of the Ascom mount definition.


I was using a ST402ME and taking darks for the guide images, and 25 15 second frames for the dead pixel and hot pixel removel.

This worked very well.  The frames were very clean and I was able to guide through the clouds.


Well, good night, goto roll the roof back on.


I think I'm good to go.

I won't know if dither is working until much later.


Larry






Andreas Eleftheriou

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Mar 14, 2021, 7:28:05 PM3/14/21
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I have been using TheSkyX and the PHD2 for more than two years, but I didn't find a way to dither when imaging using the SKYX.
Any advice?

cardi...@gmail.com

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Mar 15, 2021, 3:50:24 PM3/15/21
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If the TheSkyXPro camera add on is the main camera and PHD is the guiding camera connection; I don't think you can dither (no way to tell TSX during a series when to pause downloading for a dither action, etc)???

Am I right or is there a way?

bw_msgboard

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Mar 15, 2021, 4:19:00 PM3/15/21
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This is a SkyX question.  Reasonable, sensible automation/camera control apps – going clear back to MaximDL – have a facility for synchronously running a batch script at various points in the imaging plan.  They do this because they understand that people need to use diverse software packages for various purposes and don’t subscribe to the “my way or the highway” model. The imaging app doesn’t know what the script does, it doesn’t matter, but it will wait for the script to complete execution before proceeding with the imaging plan.  Whether Software Bisque did this is the question that needs to be answered.  

 

Good luck,

Bruce

 


Clayton Yendrey

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Mar 16, 2021, 9:48:50 AM3/16/21
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Dither works fine with PHD2 and SkyX as long as you are using something like N.I.N.A., SGP, etc to actually manage your imaging session/sequence.  SkyX has a *LOT* of features, but like its guiding function, most of those beyond the telescope driver and planetarium function are somewhat basic.  The Imaging piece of SkyX falls into that category of being somewhat basic relative to the abilities that sequence management software like N.I.N.A./SGP provide.
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