Cannot loop with ASI 6200 MM Camera

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M.J. Post

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Feb 12, 2023, 12:25:22 PM2/12/23
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When I connect my ASI 6200 MM camera to PhD2 using the ASCOM (or SDK) driver and attempt to loop, I get the message "Error reading image.  (ASCOM.ASICamera2_2) Exception of type 'System.OutOfMemeoryException' was thrown."

I am attached to my MEII mount via the ASCOM Telescope Driver for TheSky.

Here are the log files.


I certainly do not need to use the entire ASI 6200 Frame for guiding.  A small subframe in the center would suffice.  Is the problem in trying to download the entire frame?  How can I set a smaller subframe for download?

I have two telescopes on the same mount and want to guide with the scope not used for imaging.  Both cameras are ASI 6200s - one color and one mono.

Bruce Waddington

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Feb 12, 2023, 1:21:09 PM2/12/23
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The only thing I can suggest for now is to bin the guide camera as much as possible without creating a guider image scale that is too coarse for your imaging needs. 

 

Good luck,

Bruce

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Bryan

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Feb 13, 2023, 10:57:59 AM2/13/23
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Bldr

I have two scopes mounted with a DSLR on one and a QHY 367C on the other.  I guide successfully with an OAG and a ZWO 174.  However, I was curious what it would happen if I try to guide with the CMOS camera.  Similar error.  I think that the image file (36 MB for the 367) cannot transfer fast enough for looping, even over USB 3.1.  The 6200 is even bigger, hence, it may be a similar transfer issue.   

A couple suggestions.  No guarantees that this will help.  I did not try these, since I was not really interested in guiding with the 367.

1. You may be able to set a subframe.   See the Camera tab and the documentation

2. Set a time lapse to delay the next exposure long enough to allow the file to transfer and be processed by PHD2.  Note that time lapse is in milliseconds.
 
Good luck.

Bryan

Bruce Waddington

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Feb 13, 2023, 11:13:41 AM2/13/23
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Sorry, the conclusion to this problem never made it back to the forum because the OP started using private messages.  The resolution was to bin the camera as much as possible while still retaining a reasonable image scale. With sufficiently large sensors, these cameras are triggering out-of-memory conditions for every image, so it wasn’t a USB bandwidth issue and the current PHD2 sub-frame mechanism only applies to actual guiding after a single guide star has been chosen manually.  That said, many of these tandem-mount adventures are going to have serious problems with differential flexure and USB bandwidth as you suggest.  Anyone planning to use such a rig should also plan on using two OAGs and two real guide cameras.

 

Regards,

Bruce

 

From: open-phd...@googlegroups.com [mailto:open-phd...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Bryan


Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:58 AM
To: Open PHD Guiding <open-phd...@googlegroups.com>

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Brian Valente

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Feb 13, 2023, 12:55:36 PM2/13/23
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Bldr that sounds like an impressive setup. You might consider just getting a separate guide camera? As others have pointed out the native image size is far too big for guiding, so binning may be your best (or only) bet. Another thought is if you can put the camera in 8 bit mode? not sure if that's possible



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