Getting started

[Michael Yasko]

Hello and this dummy needs a little help.

I'm a first timer in this hobby but not photography. Just a little savvy with computers.

My first issue is this. phd2 won't recognize my guide camera. I have a qhy585. Nina recognized it but phd2 doesn't. when I look at guiding in Nina it says phd2 is offline. I looked at the help guide in phd2 and everything checks out.  Enable server is checked and local host is set.

It's probably something simple that I don't have the knowledge to figure out. 

I would sure appreciate if someone could get me past this problem. If not there's goin to be a lot of nice equipment listed on CN.

Thanks, Mike

[Brian Valente]

Hi Mike

Please use the built-in log uploader and post your logs: https://openphdguiding.org/getting-help/

what exactly happens? is the QHY camera listed as an option? Is your camera listed for that driver?

https://openphdguiding.org/man/Basic_use.htm#Camera_Selection

Make sure your guide camera isn't connected in NINA before trying in PHD2

Make sure you have the proper QHY drivers installed. 

>>>when I look at guiding in Nina it says phd2 is offline.

It's unclear how this relates to your camera questions, but NINA-PHD is a separate NINA connection issue, I suggest you visit the NINA discord for help on this. 

>>>If not there's goin to be a lot of nice equipment listed on CN.

I'd say strap in, because there are going to be a lot more challenges, not the least of which is getting a camera to work. 

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Brian 

Brian Valente

astronomy portfolio https://www.astrobin.com/users/bvalente/ 

[pollya...@gmail.com]

Hello Mike

We've all been there, (I'm still there!), but the first essential when asking for help is to upload the PHD2 logfiles . A Guidelog and Debuglog are created every time you use it and  contain the answers to issues like yours. When they return, the experts have what they need to help.

For more details, go here  https://openphdguiding.org/getting-help/. and follow the instructions.

Cheers,

- Jack

[Michael Yasko]

Thanks for the reply Brian. 

Well, I put the camera in Nina first and it connects, no problem.  Maybe like you say because I put it in Nina first that might be the problem. I'll go and see if I can uninstall the camera and put it in PHD2 first and see what that does. Maybe it'll be easier to just uninstall Nina and reinstall it. 

I have the all in one driver pack from QHY. 

In Phd2 from the dropdown menu for the cameras all it says is qhy camera. When I click on it and hit connect it says the camera not found. 

I have a Mele quieter4 and SVBony241pro  control box. I also have a Sesto Senso3 that's not being recognized by anything including the Play software. As far as I know I have all the necessary drivers installed but this is all pretty much new to me. 

I even uninstalled Phd2 and reinstalled it and made no change. 

And I know the most complicated process hasn't even started yet but I like a challenge. I just want to get out of the starting gate..

Mike

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[Brian Valente]

Mike

>>>In Phd2 from the dropdown menu for the cameras all it says is qhy camera. When I click on it and hit connect it says the camera not found.

did you select the camera first? usually there's a step where you specify the specific camera.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/CANB-_4%3DgM_3qoNpC4D%3D5_XD%3D7Xb%3DHvkvs1PFjYzYHDcLR4V7Ow%40mail.gmail.com.

[Brian Valente]

PS

still need to see your logs:

https://openphdguiding.org/getting-help/

On Wed, Jan 28, 2026 at 11:49 AM Michael Yasko <mby...@gmail.com> wrote:

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/CANB-_4%3DgM_3qoNpC4D%3D5_XD%3D7Xb%3DHvkvs1PFjYzYHDcLR4V7Ow%40mail.gmail.com.

[Michael Yasko]

OK Brian, I'll try and see if I can get that and I'll get back to you.

Thanks, Mike

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/CAJa45i6Ps%2BvAA9V6gSitVLcFmfm5RD%2Brue8%2BASd7F%3D6m6TF%2Bdw%40mail.gmail.com.

[Michael Yasko]

Hi Brian, I saw a few log files but I'll have to look more into how to send them. I copied them but couldn't paste them on here to send them. I swear I'm getting dumber by the day. 

[Brian Valente]

Mike

just follow the directions from the link i sent, it walks you through it, no need to guess

https://openphdguiding.org/getting-help/

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/CANB-_4kTKKJaEndv24oh-FQh14oqpv3KMsrbmVZU_zOWP%2BoQSQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Michael Yasko]

Hi Brian, I don't know if this helps or not. The problem still exists

Mike 

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/CAJa45i4Ve0rnordTBhLHOGbLtrEUEuFoRmDA_STd0f2g%3DvoRxA%40mail.gmail.com.

[Brian Valente]

Mike

that doesn't really help, we need both the guidelog and debug log

PLEASE follow the instructions at this link. PHD has a built-in log uploader, you don't have to guess about things, just follow these steps and paste the url:

https://openphdguiding.org/getting-help/

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/CANB-_4mit2BWD%3D8OnP6NrO3Ci%3D%3D_8%2B%3D5vyFypMFHTW7iduHS_A%40mail.gmail.com.

[Michael Yasko]

I guess this is it. hopefully this helps

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/CAJa45i4cgBw%2By%3DYGENdCubPgfREcX00yyO%3D4f%3DEOZReQU8fLvQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Michael Yasko]

Theres no guiding logs, just logs with no guiding.  

Hopefully theres something you might see on there.   If not don't worry about.  I feel bad you to have to deal with someone who should have just stuck with land based photography. I grew up in the 60's & 70's.  I left a lot of brain cells back there. 

On Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 4:29:26 PM UTC-5 Michael Yasko wrote:

I guess this is it. hopefully this helps

https://openphdguiding.org/logs/dl/PHD2_logs_QwHf.zip

[Brian Valente]

Mike

No apology necessary - we all come from different backgrounds and many just like you. No one is born with knowledge of guiding so we all gotta start somewhere ;)

Have you installed the ASCOM platform? there are many errors regarding problems instantiating ascom classes. That detail isn't important but it points at the problem being lower level.

https://ascom-standards.org/

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/67c228bd-4270-4f2e-a36e-27ef73b1ac90n%40googlegroups.com.

[Michael Yasko]

Yes Brian, I was just looking at ascom platform. It was the first thing I put on this Mele q4. Theres a lot of stuff within there. I downloaded the driver for my guide camera so I think that should be OK? Just trying to find something associated with phd2 pertaining to my camera. 

I uninstalled nina a couple of days ago and reinstalled it today again.  I don't understand how it remembered my camera since I was starting fresh again. I know you said it should be in phd2 first, but that didn't make any difference trying to get it in phd 1st.

I saw on CN there were quite a few people who couldn't get phd2 to run and they went to something different. 

I'm also trying to find if I can just run my rig without phd2 and just use my mount to gostart with. I have the CEM60. From what I read that mount should be fine with just 30-60 sec exp without using phd2. I took a shot of M42 in Aug with just a Sonya6000 and my 300mm nikon lens. I took apx 120 1sec exp and a few darks and I was impressed how well it turned out for just a 2min exp. I been using Affinity photo since it first came out and I'll just stick with that for a while. 

Thanks Brian,

Mike

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/CAJa45i50jFcz0H28yRtMz43a2EZ8Lga77Kg%3DShCREbuJ7A9XrQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Bruce Waddington]

Follow the instructions in this thread:

https://www.cloudynights.com/forums/topic/982333-phd2-cannot-connect-to-qhy-5iii-585m-camera/

Scroll to the bottom and find the interim solution.  Evidently, we need to update PHD2 to use a later version of the QHY SDK, which we will do.  It's no big whoop, these things happen.

Bruce

[Michael Yasko]

Thanks Jack , I think I'm on the right page now for sending the logs. But I think/I know I put the cart before the horse on getting started in this endeavor. should've of researched more on the tech end than buying the equipment first.   I'm going to have to approach this from a different angle than trying to understand how to control my guiding using phd2. Even if I ever get Phd2 to recognize my camera what lies after that is even more challenging.

I truly appreciate the responses from a few of you in trying to help me. Brian Valente, Bruce, Mike and yourself.  The link that Bruce W. gave me on CN is great if only I could make that work would be a miracle . I'll read it 20 or 30 more times and maybe eventually figure it out. The only thing I can think of at the moment is to sell or buy another guide camera that phd2 will recognize instead of deleting this .dill and adding this other .dill.  I think I've got myself in a real pickle .dill...

Thanks all for trying to help.  

Mike

[Brian Valente]

Mike - see bruce's response, that's your path forward

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/CANB-_4%3D4BKhfs3k_kb2u1HcyTST0ZKAu_TcEcnUku9dFKMiJiA%40mail.gmail.com.

[Bruce Waddington]

If copying a dll isn't something you want to do, your other option is to use the QHY ASCOM driver for your camera.  That will involve making sure the ASCOM platform is installed correctly, downloading and installing the separate QHY ASCOM camera driver, and connecting to that with PHD2.  

Bruce

[Michael Yasko]

OK, Thanks Bruce, much appreciated.  I'll look into that later today.  I'm changing rotors and new pads on my truck right now. Trying to get this camera situation sorted out is harder than changing rotors and brakes...

Mike

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