PHD2 camera list + Loadstar x2

[2dragons8budd...@gmail.com]

Hi there everybody :) I am so sorry to bring up a subject which I know every one must be tired of hearing, but I have no where else to turn :(

After being out of astronomy for the last 2 1/2 years while I saved up for a new mount, about a month ago I came to the point of connecting my guide cam to the also brand new computer. No matter what I do and where I do it, I just can not get my Loadstar x2 to show up in the available camera list, I have read most of the threads on here and other places, I have even been in converstaion with Terry and other people, but it will just not show !

Because of age and memory and not being in the observatory for the best part of the last 2 years I could be doing something or more than likely NOT doing something really stupid !

My mount is an ioptron CEM120EC2 and my new computer is a win 10 home based machine, I have to the best of my knowledge ! downloaded all the relevant drivers and all my cables are brand new.

A big thankyou in anticipation to any one who may take the time to try and help me resolve this situation.

Carl.

[mj.w...@gmail.com]

Hi Carl

" I have to the best of my knowledge ! downloaded all the relevant drivers"

It would help to know which drivers you have downloaded, so that we can tell if you've missed something.

Have you accidently loaded some as Administrator ?

32bit or 64bit ?

Did you follow the Installation instructions in the driver folder, there are some twists that need to be followed ?

In my PHD2 Connect Equipment Camera dropdown I see two choices:

Starlite Xpress LodeStar (ASCOM)

Starlite Xpress SXV 

 I found the SVX one to be more reliable connection-wise.

Michael

Wiltshire UK

[2dragons8budd...@gmail.com]

Hi there Michael, thankyou for replying :)

As far as I can remember I have downloaded the Ascom platform, ioptron commander, ioptron ipolar , qsi, moonlite and the loadstar driver from dad dog, I have also at some point downloaded the one from the sx site as well,  If you need specific driver version numbers I will get them to you tomorrow night ?

As regards administrator, I have only had the computer a couple of days before I started to install all the drivers, last week. I do not believe I have set up my new account on the computer with administrator privaledges but can not be 100% sure, how would I check this if you need me too ?

Everything is downloaded as 64 bit !

Again, as far as I know I followed the instructions, after downloading the files I clicked on them in the download section to unzip them and then went to the directory where it unpacked them and then clicked on the exec file to run the install, making sure the camera was not plugged in to the computer.

In my pull down menu I only have Starlite Ascom and Starlite SXV, no matter which camera choice i use and on the next pull down for the mount - if I use the ioptron 120 selection I get nothing but just recently in the last few days I have changed it to the hub one and I get a bit further, but still the loadstar never appears on the list, with my old CGE Pro mount I struggled to get the loadstar connected, but when it was it worked ok. I have in the last few days managed to get an image of my local streetlamp spider web on the computer monitor in perfect focus using various spurious settings as above so I know the camera is actually working although it has developed quite a few bad pixels since it was last used in anger :( But as soon as I move the scope to the sky I get nothing but a screen full of noise no matter what contrast setting i use and no stars what so ever :(

I await your guidance and advice.

Carl.

[mj.w...@gmail.com]

Hi Carl

I'm really confused by your replies.

You only unzipped and ran the exec file, did you follow the further instructions in the Help file in the unzipped Folder ?

"In my pull down menu I only have Starlite Ascom and Starlite SXV"     

That sounds like what I have too.

"but still the loadstar never appears on the list"    

What list ?  Just choose Starlite SVX from the pull-down menu.

on the next pull down for the mount - if I use the ioptron 120 selection I get nothing 

What does "I get nothing" mean ? PHD2 fails to connect after you've clicked on "Connect" ?

You installed ioptron commander, and ioptron ipolar, do they include an ASCOM Mount Driver , or is that a separate download ?

Back to the Lodestar. You now have an image of a streetlamp, which driver was that with ?

As soon as I move the scope to the sky I get nothing but a screen full of noise no matter what contrast setting i use and no stars what so ever :(

What exposure was that with, you need exposures in seconds for stars ? 

And the streetlamp focus will be too close for stars to be in focus.

Michael

Wiltshire UK