Camera Profile Issues

[Dale Ouimette]

Hi, I am relatively new to PHD2. I have used it with good results for several imaging sessions. However, I keep running into problems with the camera info getting mixed. My guide camera is an ASI290 and my imaging camera is an ASI2600MC. When I create a profile for the guide camera using the New Profile Wizard, things start out okay. But if I disconnect the camera and reconnect, PHD2 will grab the imaging camera. I use the "Fork" to select the ASI 290. But then, I get an error message that says "By changing the cameras in this profile, you won't be able to use the existing dark library...etc".

I've also noticed that if I select the profile and check the settings, that the Focal Length will be correct, but the pixel size is that of the imaging camera. If I try to correct that I get an error message that say "Guiding parameters have been reset because the binning or pixel size changed unexpectedly....etc".

I can't seem to get the guide camera profile to stay the way it was created

What am I doing wrong that keeps mixing the specs of the two cameras? Why can't PHD2 lock the camera model to the profile?

[Brian Valente]

Hi Dale

This is an issue with the ZWO driver. If possible, disconnect the imaging camera before using the new profile wizard. It should then select the 290 (it was probably selecting the imaging camera). Get through your profile, build the darks, etc. and then when you are done, re-attach the imaging camera

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[Dale Ouimette]

Brian,

Thanks for the quick reply. I have tried that and it seems to work. But it seemed like a band aid to cover up something I was doing wrong. I‘ve also noticed that if I begin a new session using a previous working profile, that PHD2 will select the imaging camera first and when I switch back to the guide camera, I get the error message. So if it’s a ZWO issue, I’ll just do as you say. At least it’s comforting to know that I’m not doing something wrong.

Thanks,

Dale

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[Brian Valente]

Dale i think the 'it's switching back' or complaining is because your initial camera connection in the profile wizard was to the imaging camera

Just make sure you have the guide camera selected when you create a new profile via the wizard

it should sort everything else out

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[Dale Ouimette]

Brian,

I have checked very carefully to make sure I have the guide camera selected when creating the profile and as I said in my reply, I have also done it the way you suggested; create the profile and begin guiding before even turning the imaging camera on. That seems to work. But I also have to make sure that the next time I start an imaging session, I must start PHD2, select the profile and select the guide camera, and begin guiding before turning on the imaging camera.

If I have the imaging camera on when I start PHD2, it will have the correct profile but will select the imaging camera. That’s already a problem because when I change to the guide camera, I get the error message about not being able to use the dark library because I changed cameras. If I then check the profile setting, I find that it has the pixel size of the imaging camera and the focal length of the guide camera. The profile seems to have been corrupted.

It all works if I do as you said and make sure the PHD2 is guiding with the correct profile prior to turning the imaging camera on.

Dale

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[Brian Valente]

Dale

One other option to consider is using the zwo native driver instead of the ascom driver. That seems to help the issue and eliminates the ascom driver portion

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/045F9297-CA63-4285-8B7A-2E405D4ABABD%40gmail.com.

[Jens Scheidtmann]

Dear Dale, 

One other thing to consider, if you're on a Windows system, is to always plug in into the same USB port on your computer and not changing USB ports. 

I am using Windows 11 with an ASI224mc as guide camera and an ASI294mc as imaging camera with ZWO native drivers and never had the problems you described. 

Hope you can fix this,

Jens

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[Dale Ouimette]

Brian,

I assume here that you are referring to the “Camera” selection when creating the profile. I have been selecting the ZWO ASI Camera as my camera (Is that the driver you mention?) from the beginning. So, unfortunately, that doesn't help. 

There are other scenarios that raise questions for me such as; today when I started up the system, I opened N.I.N.A. and connected to PHD2 without turning on my imaging camera. PHD2 connected to the guide camera and began looping. However, I already got the error message that “Dark library does not match in this camera profile”. I checked the profile via settings and everything still looked correct (Pixel size and Focal length). Not sure why the Dark Library doesn’t match when it did yesterday.

Another scenario is that on occasion, PHD2 reports that it lost connection with the camera during an imaging session. My experience is that it is actually losing contact with the guide star (Is that correct?), probably due to seeing, clouds, etc.. When that happens, PHD2 switches to the imaging camera and I’m back in the same situation with error messages depending on what I do next.

I love using PHD2. Is there no way to keep the profile connected to the guide camera since the profile was created specifically for that camera?

Thanks for your help,

Dale

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[Dale Ouimette]

Jens,

You bring up an interesting point. I am running everything from a Primalucelab Eagle mounted on my telescope. It is running Windows 10 Enterprise. But I control that over WiFi from the iMac desktop running Parallels Client. I haven’t seen any other problems running several different programs on the Eagle over WiFi. But is there something with that setup that could cause problems? BTW, I do always use the same USB ports.

Thanks for the comment.

Dale

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[Brian Valente]

Hi Dale

>>>However, I already got the error message that “Dark library does not match in this camera profile”. I checked the profile via settings and everything still looked correct (Pixel size and Focal length). Not sure why the Dark Library doesn’t match when it did yesterday.

It sounds to me like the basic problem is the profile was built with the wrong camera. Any time you get a 'dark library does not match this camera' that means the camera that's connected is not the same one that the dark library was built for (and presumably the camera connected when the profile was made). If your guide camera is confirmed selected but PHD is saying the dark library doesn't match, that means your profile was built with your imaging camera. 

>>>I love using PHD2. Is there no way to keep the profile connected to the guide camera since the profile was created specifically for that camera?

Yes, that's how it works now. many hundreds (or thousands) of users have dual zwo cameras and are able to use this successfully (myself included), so i think you need to look at your configuration instead of assuming PHD is somehow at fault

Brian

 

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[Dale Ouimette]

Brian,

Okay, thanks.

I will keep at it. I am agreeing with you that I must be doing something wrong. I just have to keep working at it.

But I repeat that I don’t even have the imaging camera powered up when I make a new guide profile and it worked fine the day I created it.

Thanks for spending the time on my problem. I’ll get it eventually.

Dale

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[Brian Valente]

Good luck Dale, please let us know how it goes

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[charles jacobson]

I have the same zwo asi pixel size conflict using my 2600mcpro and a new zwo guide camera.  I tried running the guide camera via the imaging camera connection only to find in PHd the pixel size was immediately changed to that of the imaging camera.  I next just connected the guide camera to my usb 3 hub , same thing.  If i connect the camera via a usb 3 cable to the computer; no problem but that just defeats getting rid of cabling.  Using native zwo camera software seems to defeat the use of ascom drivers.  So did you find an answer?  I have not started the guider camera first and then the imaging camera.  I'll try that tomorrow.  Is there a better answer?? I use SGP for imaging and sometimes AStroArt  where there is  no such conflict.  Astroart  has other issues. thanks cjacobson

[Brian Valente]

It's an unfortunate issue with the ZWO driver, but there are workarounds. I'm assuming it only happens on profile creation?

I suggest creating a new profile with only the guide camera plugged in (no imaging camera). Connedctin using the built-in ZWO driver, make sure you choose the guide camera in the drop down menu. Go through the process to finish creating your profile and creating darks

Then plug it in as you would normally. It will remember your choice of camera and the related profile settings including pixe size

Brian

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[jetblast7]

I have had a ASI 2600 mm Pro and have used various ASI guide cameras over the last couple of years.......I experience the same problems described above......Whenever I start a new profile, I always totally disconnect the 2600  and run the wizard with only the guide camera. this works until I connect the 2600 and immediately greeted with the msg... as mentioned above. and has also changed the pixel size in the camera tab. eventually I seem to get things working, mostly through luck. Today I was trying to adjust the camera in the OAG when finished I thought I would make another profile.......could not get things to work how they should, with the profile using the correct camera and pixel size....In the end I gave up !! 

[rapp...@aol.com]

Dale

This is a good message for all of us ZWO ers because I would presume that if we used an alternate manufacturer 571 sensor such as OGMA 26 mp that we would not have this driver interaction problem (?)  A good Lesson  for those of us considering to upgrade to the 2600.hmmmm

Always best to follow Brian‘s advice

An alternate workaround is to establish a new profile using New, then  set to the correct camera to the right of the camera icon,  Connect and then in the settings manually set all of the settings: pixel size, focal length,…

For me I’m using a 290MM mini OAG and I have found that getting a really good focus is critically important.

Ron

Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS

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.

[Don Waters]

I was getting ready to replace my Orion Star Guider with a ZWO, as i use ZWO for imaging, but this has given me second thoughts. Perhaps its better to use a separate brand than fight these obstacles.

[Brian Valente]

Don

it's not that big of a deal, many people have dual ZWO cameras and handle this no problem

However, if you read through this and don't want one additional thing to consider (or maybe you aren't comfortable with how it sounds), you can certainly use another brand, they all pretty much use the same sensors. PlayerOne, QHY, etc. are all fine choices

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[George Shoup]

I always assumed a big reason for sticking with zwo for both cameras is that they always work.  Always.

George

Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 14, 2024, at 8:43 AM, Brian Valente <bval...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[jetblast7]

Well.....having looked at a similar thread over on the ZWO forum, the secret to successful profiles. Run the profile wizard with only the guide camera connected once complete, shut down PHD2 whilst shut down re connect your imaging camera. Start PHD2 again and all should be well.......I've just re done three of my systems that way, and all is well.....just check you have selected the guide camera before connecting.