Camera gain settings

[Eric Dreher]

When connecting to the camera using the ASCOM driver for my QHY5L-II, when after hitting the camera setup button to the left of Connect, PHD2 opens a configuration window where you can set the gain.  Default appears to be 12% unless you choose another level.

Despite this, the debug log created indicates that the gain is at 95% rather than whatever level was chosen in the previous step.

Using the other (native?) driver further down the list for the same camera, then going to the advance settings under the Camera tab, you find a camera gain setting at 95%; the level indicated in the log.  This very same gain setting is not available under the Camera tab when you choose the ASCOM driver, yet the 95% overrides that 12% default you set in the first example.

Choosing the native driver first, setting the level to what you want, then going back to use the ASCOM driver is necessary to keep the level set just before connecting via the ASCOM driver.

Is this a bug?  By design?  I'm confused.

Thank you.

Eric

[Andy Galasso]

Hi Eric,

I agree it is confusing.  For ASCOM cameras, the ASCOM driver manages the gain setting through the ASCOM driver settings window. For other non-ASCOM cameras, PHD2 manages the gain setting. If you are going to be switching back and forth between the ASCOM driver and native driver, it is best to have separate equipment profiles. In the profile with the ASCOM camera, you use the ASCOM driver settings window to control the gain. In the native driver equipment profile you would use the gain setting in the brain, camera tab.

FWIW, we have an open enhancement request in the issue tracker to allow ASCOM camera gain to be controlled directly by phd2.  But until that feature is implemented, you need to control the gain differently depending on whether you are using the ASCOM or native camera driver.

Andy

[Eric Dreher]

Andy, I apologize for not being more clear.  I'm not trying to switch back and forth, preferring to use the ASCOM driver and set gain levels there.  The actual problem is that I set them at 20 using the ASCOM driver but the log shows that PHD2 used the 95 level that's only present when using the native driver.  It's like the ASCOM gain slider is being ignored.

[Andy Galasso]

Eric,

Not sure what you are referring to in the logs, but as long as you use the ASCOM driver phd2 will not do anything whatsoever with setting the gain... that is completely left to the ASCOM driver.

Andy

[Eric Dreher]

Attached is the upper-right corner using phdlogviewer.  The camera line shows a gain at 95 despite my having set it at 20.

Is this something to just ignore?

Thanks, Andy.

Eric

[Andy Galasso]

Thanks Eric, that clarifies it. PHD2 should not be recording the gain value in the guide log unless it is actually controlling the gain. For now you can just ignore that value in the guide log, but we will fix it in the next dev release (new issue, #621)

Andy

[Eric Dreher]

Thanks, Andy.