QHY5-II frequent 'Camera has been disconnected' error.

[Andrew]

I am having trouble with a QHY5-II camera dropping out with the error message: "Camera timeout during capture. The camera has been disconnected. Please resolve the problem and re-connect the camera."

This camera has worked tolerably well for over a year with my setup until about a week ago, when it started playing up. This has become an intolerably frequent intermittent problem. All help/suggestions much appreciated.

Actions I have taken to try resolve the problem are:
Tested with four different USB cables.
Tested with a new powered USB 2.0 hub.
Updated drivers
Updated from PHD to latest PHD 2. Problem remains same in both versions.
Tested by direct connection to both of two available USB sockets
Tested camera in EZPlanetary - it works fine.

My set up is as follows:
MacBook Pro running PHD/PHD2 in Windows7 running as a virtual machine in Parallels10.
Both USB sockets are USB3.
The driver currently selected by the camera is: QHY5II_IO.sys

Debug Log with camera connected to Macbook directly with one short USB cable. Camera tested on the bench inside the house. No mount attached. This is an example where the "camera disconnected" error message occured pretty quickly after connecting camera.

20:18:41.935 00.000 3668 PHD2 version 2.5.0 begins execution with:
20:18:41.935 00.000 3668 wxWidgets 3.0.2
20:18:41.935 00.000 3668 cfitsio 3.34
20:18:41.935 00.000 3668 opencv 2.4.5
20:18:41.935 00.000 3668 CoInitializeEx returns 1
20:18:41.935 00.000 3668 Using Locale Dir C:\Program Files (x86)\PHDGuiding2\locale exists=1
20:18:41.935 00.000 3668 GetInt("/wxLanguage", 0) returns 0
20:18:41.951 00.016 3668 GetInt("/currentProfile", 0) returns 2
20:18:41.951 00.000 3668 StartWorkerThread(0x00000000) begins
20:18:41.951 00.000 3668 WorkerThread constructor called
20:18:41.951 00.000 3668 StartWorkerThread(0x0031B530) ends
20:18:41.951 00.000 3668 StartWorkerThread(0x00000000) begins
20:18:41.951 00.000 2996 WorkerThread::Entry() begins
20:18:41.951 00.000 3668 WorkerThread constructor called
20:18:41.951 00.000 2996 worker thread CoInitializeEx returns 0
20:18:41.951 00.000 3668 StartWorkerThread(0x003240C0) ends
20:18:41.951 00.000 3668 GetBoolean("/ServerMode", 1) returns 1
20:18:41.951 00.000 1060 WorkerThread::Entry() begins
20:18:41.951 00.000 1060 worker thread CoInitializeEx returns 0
20:18:41.951 00.000 3668 GetBoolean("/LoggingMode", 0) returns 1
20:18:41.951 00.000 3668 GetString("/frame/LogDir", "") returns ""
20:18:41.951 00.000 3668 GetInt("/LoggedImageFormat", 0) returns 0
20:18:41.982 00.031 3668 Status Line 2:
20:18:41.982 00.000 3668 Status Line 3:
20:18:41.982 00.000 3668 Status Line 4:
20:18:41.982 00.000 3668 Status Line 5: No cal
20:18:41.982 00.000 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/NoiseReductionMethod", 0) returns 0
20:18:41.982 00.000 3668 GetDouble("/profile/2/DitherScaleFactor", 1.000000) returns 1.000000
20:18:41.982 00.000 3668 GetBoolean("/profile/2/DitherRaOnly", 0) returns 0
20:18:41.982 00.000 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/frame/timeLapse", 0) returns 0
20:18:41.982 00.000 3668 GetBoolean("/profile/2/AutoLoadCalibration", 0) returns 0
20:18:41.982 00.000 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/frame/focalLength", 0) returns 190
20:18:41.982 00.000 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/auto_exp/exposure_min", 1000) returns 1000
20:18:41.982 00.000 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/auto_exp/exposure_max", 5000) returns 5000
20:18:41.982 00.000 3668 GetDouble("/profile/2/auto_exp/target_snr", 6.000000) returns 6.000000
20:18:41.982 00.000 3668 AutoExp: config min = 1000 max = 5000 snr = 6.00
20:18:41.982 00.000 3668 AutoExp: reset exp to 5000
20:18:41.982 00.000 3668 GetString("/profile/2/ExposureDuration", "1.0 s") returns "1.0 s"
20:18:41.982 00.000 3668 OnExposureDurationSelected: duration = 1000
20:18:41.982 00.000 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/Gamma", 100) returns 265
20:18:41.998 00.016 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/overlay/slit/center.x", 376) returns 376
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/overlay/slit/center.y", 290) returns 290
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/overlay/slit/width", 8) returns 8
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/overlay/slit/height", 100) returns 100
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/overlay/slit/angle", 0) returns 0
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 Changing from state 0 to 0
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetBoolean("/profile/2/guider/FastRecenter", 1) returns 1
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetBoolean("/profile/2/guider/ScaleImage", 0) returns 0
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetDouble("/profile/2/guider/onestar/MassChangeThreshold", 0.500000) returns 0.500000
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetBoolean("/profile/2/guider/onestar/MassChangeThresholdEnabled", 1) returns 1
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/guider/onestar/SearchRegion", 15) returns 15
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetBoolean("/StickyLockPosition", 0) returns 0
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetString("/geometry", "") returns "1;1296;776;-8;-8"
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetInt("/graph/ScopeOrCameraUnits", 0) returns 0
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetString("/graph/RAColor", "") returns "#6464FF"
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetString("/graph/DecColor", "") returns "#FF0000"
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetInt("/graph/minLength", 50) returns 50
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetInt("/graph/maxLength", 400) returns 400
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetInt("/graph/minHeight", 1) returns 1
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetInt("/graph/maxHeight", 16) returns 16
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetInt("/graph/length", 100) returns 100
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetInt("/graph/height", 4) returns 4
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetInt("graph/HeightUnits", 1) returns 1
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetBoolean("/graph/showCorrections", 1) returns 1
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetBoolean("/graph/showStarMass", 0) returns 0
20:18:41.998 00.000 3668 GetBoolean("/graph/showStarSNR", 0) returns 0
20:18:42.029 00.031 3668 GetInt("/graph_stepguider/length", 1) returns 1
20:18:42.029 00.000 3668 GetInt("/target/length", 100) returns 100
20:18:42.029 00.000 3668 GetDouble("/target/zoom", 1.000000) returns 1.000000
20:18:42.044 00.015 3668 GetBoolean("/profile/2/target/refCircleEnabled", 0) returns 0
20:18:42.044 00.000 3668 GetDouble("/profile/2/target/refCircleRadius", 2.000000) returns 2.000000
20:18:42.169 00.125 3668 GetString("/profile/2/name", "") returns "Profile1"
20:18:42.169 00.000 3668 GetString("/profile/2/name", "") returns "Profile1"
20:18:42.356 00.187 3668 GetString("/profile/2/camera/LastMenuchoice", "None") returns "QHY 5-II"
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 CameraFactory(QHY 5-II)
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetBoolean("/profile/2/camera/UseSubframes", 0) returns 0
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/camera/ReadDelay", 150) returns 150
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/camera/gain", 95) returns 95
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/camera/TimeoutMs", 5000) returns 10000
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetDouble("/profile/2/camera/pixelsize", 0.000000) returns 5.200000
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 Created new camera of type QHY 5-II = 003B64E0
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetString("/profile/2/scope/LastMenuChoice", "None") returns "On-camera"
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 ScopeFactory(On-camera)
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/scope/CalibrationDuration", 750) returns 800
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/scope/MaxRaDuration", 2500) returns 2000
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/scope/MaxDecDuration", 2500) returns 2000
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/scope/DecGuideMode", 1) returns 1
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/scope/XGuideAlgorithm", 1) returns 1
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetDouble("/profile/2/scope/GuideAlgorithm/X/Hysteresis/minMove", 0.200000) returns 0.180000
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetDouble("/profile/2/scope/GuideAlgorithm/X/Hysteresis/hysteresis", 0.100000) returns 0.100000
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetDouble("/profile/2/scope/GuideAlgorithm/X/Hysteresis/aggression", 0.700000) returns 0.700000
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetInt("/profile/2/scope/YGuideAlgorithm", 4) returns 4
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetDouble("/profile/2/scope/GuideAlgorithm/Y/ResistSwitch/minMove", 0.200000) returns 0.180000
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GuideAlgorithmResistSwitch::SetMinMove() returns 0, m_minMove=0.18
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetDouble("/profile/2/scope/GuideAlgorithm/Y/ResistSwitch/aggression", 1.000000) returns 1.000000
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GuideAlgorithmResistSwitch::SetAggression() returns 0, m_aggression=1.00
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetBoolean("/profile/2/scope/GuideAlgorithm/Y/ResistSwitch/fastSwitch", 1) returns 1
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GuideAlgorithmResistSwitch::SetFastSwitchEnabled(1)
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetBoolean("/profile/2/scope/CalFlipRequiresDecFlip", 0) returns 0
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetBoolean("/profile/2/scope/AssumeOrthogonal", 0) returns 0
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetBoolean("/profile/2/scope/StopGuidingWhenSlewing", 0) returns 0
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 Scope: slew check disabled
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 Created new scope of type On-camera = 03B87ED8
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetString("/profile/2/scope/LastAuxMenuChoice", "None") returns "None"
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 ScopeFactory(None)
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 Created new aux scope of type None = 00000000
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 Throw from gear_dialog.cpp:1034->OnAuxChoiceScope: m_pAuxScope == NULL
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetString("/profile/2/stepguider/LastMenuChoice", "None") returns "None"
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 StepGuiderFactory(None)
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 Created new stepguider of type None = 00000000
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 Throw from gear_dialog.cpp:1232->OnChoiceStepGuider: m_pStepGuider == NULL
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 GetString("/profile/2/rotator/LastMenuChoice", "None") returns "None"
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 RotatorFactory(None)
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 Created new Rotator of type None = 00000000
20:18:42.356 00.000 3668 Throw from gear_dialog.cpp:1346->OnChoiceRotator: m_pRotator == NULL
20:18:42.434 00.078 3668 GetString("/profile/2/name", "") returns "Profile1"
20:18:42.466 00.032 3668 event server started, listening on port 4400
20:18:42.466 00.000 3668 Status Line 0: Server started
20:18:42.466 00.000 3668 Server started, listening on port 4300
20:18:42.466 00.000 3668 Status Line 0: Server started
20:18:42.466 00.000 3668 GetString("/perspective", "") returns "layout2|name=MainToolBar;caption=Main tool bar;state=2106108;dir=3;layer=10;row=0;pos=0;prop=100000;bestw=556;besth=42;minw=-1;minh=-1;maxw=-1;maxh=-1;floatx=-1;floaty=-1;floatw=-1;floath=-1|name=Guider;caption=Guider;state=768;dir=5;layer=0;row=0;pos=0;prop=100000;bestw=640;besth=512;minw=640;minh=512;maxw=-1;maxh=-1;floatx=-1;floaty=-1;floatw=-1;floath=-1|name=GraphLog;caption=History;state=2099198;dir=3;layer=0;row=0;pos=0;prop=156739;bestw=534;besth=233;minw=-1;minh=240;maxw=-1;maxh=-1;floatx=-1;floaty=-1;floatw=-1;floath=-1|name=Stats;caption=Guide Stats;state=2099198;dir=3;layer=0;row=0;pos=0;prop=43261;bestw=226;besth=319;minw=-1;minh=240;maxw=-1;maxh=-1;floatx=-1;floaty=-1;floatw=-1;floath=-1|name=AOPosition;caption=AO Position;state=2099198;dir=4;layer=0;row=0;pos=0;prop=100000;bestw=293;besth=207;minw=-1;minh=-1;maxw=-1;maxh=-1;floatx=-1;floaty=-1;floatw=-1;floath=-1|name=Profile;caption=Star Profile;state=2099198;dir=2;layer=0;row=0;pos=0;prop=100000;bestw=20;besth=20;minw=115;minh=85;maxw=-1;maxh=-1;floatx=964;floaty=109;floatw=400;floath=506|name=Target;caption=Target;state=2099198;dir=2;layer=0;row=0;pos=0;prop=100000;bestw=320;besth=207;minw=293;minh=208;maxw=-1;maxh=-1;floatx=943;floaty=124;floatw=400;floath=506|dock_size(3,10,0)=44|dock_size(5,0,0)=642|"
20:18:42.481 00.015 3668 GetString("/profile/2/camera/LastMenuchoice", "None") returns "QHY 5-II"
20:18:42.481 00.000 3668 GetString("/profile/2/scope/LastMenuChoice", "None") returns "On-camera"
20:18:47.676 05.195 3668 GetString("/profile/2/camera/LastMenuchoice", "None") returns "QHY 5-II"
20:18:47.676 00.000 3668 GetString("/profile/2/scope/LastMenuChoice", "None") returns "On-camera"
20:18:50.671 02.995 3668 Status Line 0: Connecting to Camera ...
20:18:50.687 00.016 3668 Connected Camera:QHY 5-II
20:18:50.687 00.000 3668 FullSize=(1280,1024)
20:18:50.687 00.000 3668 HasGainControl=1
20:18:50.687 00.000 3668 GuideCameraGain=95
20:18:50.687 00.000 3668 HasShutter=0
20:18:50.687 00.000 3668 HasSubFrames=0
20:18:50.687 00.000 3668 ST4HasGuideOutput=1
20:18:50.687 00.000 3668 GetBoolean("/profile/2/camera/AutoLoadDefectMap", 1) returns 1
20:18:50.687 00.000 3668 auto-loading defect map
20:18:50.687 00.000 3668 Loading defect map file C:\Users\andrewlangley\AppData\Local\phd2\darks_defects\PHD2_defect_map_2.txt
20:18:50.687 00.000 3668 Defect map file not found: C:\Users\andrewlangley\AppData\Local\phd2\darks_defects\PHD2_defect_map_2.txt
20:18:50.687 00.000 3668 Status Line 0: Defect map not loaded
20:18:50.687 00.000 3668 GetBoolean("/profile/2/camera/AutoLoadDarks", 1) returns 0
20:18:50.687 00.000 3668 Status Line 0: Camera Connected
20:18:50.687 00.000 3668 Status Line 2: Camera
20:18:50.687 00.000 3668 Status Line 4:
20:18:50.687 00.000 3668 Connected AO:None
20:18:50.702 00.015 3668 Status Line 0: Connecting to Mount ...
20:18:50.702 00.000 3668 Status Line 5: No cal
20:18:50.702 00.000 3668 Status Line 0: Mount Connected
20:18:50.702 00.000 3668 Status Line 3: Mount
20:18:50.702 00.000 3668 Connected Scope:On Camera
20:18:50.702 00.000 3668 Connected AuxScope:None
20:18:50.702 00.000 3668 Status Line 4:
20:18:50.702 00.000 3668 Connected Rotator:None
20:18:50.718 00.016 3668 GetBoolean("/profile/2/target/refCircleEnabled", 0) returns 0
20:18:50.718 00.000 3668 GetDouble("/profile/2/target/refCircleRadius", 2.000000) returns 2.000000
20:18:54.150 03.432 3668 StartCapturing CaptureActive=0 continueCapturing=0 exposurePending=0
20:18:54.150 00.000 3668 Status Line 0:
20:18:54.150 00.000 3668 ScheduleExposure(1000,3,0) exposurePending=0
20:18:54.150 00.000 3668 Enqueuing Expose request
20:18:54.150 00.000 2996 Worker thread wakes up
20:18:54.150 00.000 2996 worker thread servicing REQUEST_EXPOSE 1000
20:18:54.150 00.000 2996 Handling exposure in thread, d=1000 o=3 r=(0,0,0,0)
20:19:05.351 11.201 2996 Error thrown from worker_thread.cpp:152->Capture failed
20:19:05.351 00.000 3668 Alert: Camera timeout during capture
The camera has been disconnected. Please resolve the problem and re-connect the camera.
20:19:05.351 00.000 2996 worker thread done servicing request
20:19:05.569 00.218 3668 Processing an image
20:19:05.569 00.000 3668 StopCapturing CaptureActive=1 continueCapturing=1 exposurePending=0

[Sander Pool]

Camera timeout is pretty common for me too but mostly on 12b ASI224 capture. My QHY5-II-Lc was stable. At least I don't recall a timeout. I'll follow this with interest.

[Duncan Evenden]

Try increasing the camera timeout in the Brain... Worked for my QHY5L-IIm.

Duncan

[Andrew]

Hello Duncan. Yes, I've tried that. I should have mentioned it. The camera really is not refreshing the image. If I increase the time to 10s it'll wait 10 seconds before PHD2 posts the capture error ... 20 seconds, 30 seconds etc. It's not a solution for me although I know others have found it worked.

[Sander Pool]

Hi,

it may be worth while running similar exposures using different software (I use Fire Capture) and see if that is stable. Yesterday I was able to reproduce a camera disconnect with PHD2 without being at the scope. That means the USB config was a little different but still a USB3 connection. It took longer for the timeout to occur but it did happen in less than an hour which would prevent meaningful long duration imaging sessions. With Fire Capture I could not reproduce this. Now it could be that FC also suffers the occasional timeout but then automatically reconnects, I don't know. I'll ask Torsten (author).

It is possible to add an option to PHD2 to reconnect automatically after timeout. That would work in cases where no physical interaction is needed with the camera to resolve the issue. In my case the camera reconnect immediately so this workaround would help me. Keep the timeout behavior such that if an exposure does not complete within say half a second of the intended duration, disconnect and reconnect and then try again. Log messages and perhaps a visible indicator would alert the user that this is happening but at least guiding would continue.

As I mentioned earlier I have not seen timeouts with my QHY5-II-Lc but I do see them with my ASI224 in ASCOM and now 12b native mode. 8b Mode seemed stable.

   Sander

[Andy Galasso]

On Fri, Sep 25, 2015 at 12:00 PM, Sander Pool <sande...@gmail.com> wrote:

It is possible to add an option to PHD2 to reconnect automatically after timeout. That would work in cases where no physical interaction is needed with the camera to resolve the issue. In my case the camera reconnect immediately so this workaround would help me.

Sure, we can consider this -- new issue #467.

Andy

[Andrew]

Point noted about FireCapture.  I've just downloaded SharpCAP - I don't know if that's a similar test - but my camera runs OK in that.

[Andrew]

I decided to have another go at downloading drivers (after removing those I had).

Frankly the QHY instructions and download page is an absolute dog's breakfast. Someone needs to sort it out. Anyway ....

Let's just run through this to see if it makes sense.

I went to the QHYCCD website and clicked on the Manual page.

Opened the link to QHY5-II Series and then Driver Installation.

I then followed those instructions, which incidentally seem out of date ... but ignoring that.

These instructions seem to steer you towards downloading the drivers for the QHY5L-II camera, despite the fact that several other models exist. I have the QHY5II-M. 

So I installed: 

Ver14-12-12 System and native WDM driver

Ascom V11 and V10 (probably didn't need the latter)

QHY5 Native WDM 1.3

SharpCAP2.6 from the Sharpcap site as recommended in QHY's instructions.

OK so now the camera runs in EZPlanetary and SharpCAP. 

It also ran in PHD2 ... for a while before locking up.  I'm going to give it a long test now. 

But do those drivers look right to people?  

[Andrew]

No!  It runs for a minute or two at best and then hangs on a timeout error. 

[Sander Pool]

Thanks Andy.

[Duncan Evenden]

Hi Andrew, 

Any luck with you QHY5LII? 

I run with the 12/12/2014 driver version 1.0.0.0 and have the ASCOM 1.1 Driver installed as well and these work fine with the Mono and Colour versions. You don't need the separate WDM driver or the earlier ASCOM driver. I found after a couple of driver updates and re-installs things became unreliable so I cleared out the drivers and ran CCleaner to get rid of the Registry garbage. I would un-install everything and re-install just those two.

I have also found that if I don't have enough power going to the hub the camera is connected to, the connection becomes intermittent with frequent crashes. I run using a 4 port USB 2.0 hub on a ten metre cable from Lindy.com, I have used one for 5+years and not had problems unless I forgot the power lead :} The DSLR, and two serial adaptors (mount and focuser) don't seem affected but they are self-powered or low power devices.

I now use a 45 second camera timeout just in case and the problem has gone away and I can guide all night if the clouds stay away. Now I get PulseGuide Failed messages every now and again instead, c'est la vie :{

HTH 

Duncan 

[Pascal Mora]

Hello,
I have also experienced camera time out with QHY5-I, a possible solution I tested is to use wdm driver through Ezplanetary and its live broadcast mode (tool menu). All this with the last drivers.In Es planetary you can reduce the usb traffic to the higher possible value (50 if I remember). When you connect the camera from PHD2, chose the wdm style camera drivers. This mode is very stable for me, you can't use the guide port but you can use binning. May be this can help.
Pascal

[Ian G]

I have also struggled with this issue for the last month or so. It seems once I connect my QHY-5LII (Color) with fewer USB hubs or directly in the USB port of the computer, it works fine. But for me this is not a viable solution as I need to use the USB hub-> Gefen USB Extender->PC. Otherwise I tried all the things with ASCOM drivers (not EZ Planetary, though). Ended up buying a used Atik Titan. Works as a charm (fingers crossed)...

Regards,

Ian

[Sander Pool]

Yes, this seems to be the case for me as well. It used to be fashionable for equipment manufacturers to say you can't use hubs but really what planet are they from? A typical laptop has 2, maybe 3 USB ports so how are you going to hook up all the bits and pieces you need to take a picture without using a hub?

I don't know where the vulnerabilities are but driver quality seems to be a factor. And this is not restricted to QHY mind you. My fancy "why should I pay $20 for an RS-232/USB interface" FTDI cable doesn't like running through a hub either. Happiest when plugged straight into my laptop. Maybe caused by my hub (not a cheap one) or my laptop (professional Lenovo), I don't know.

To me it comes down to a basic failure of the promise of USB. Why do I get "this device would be faster on a 2.0 port" errors when I'm on USB3? Why does the sequence in which devices are plugged in determine which devices are recognized?

Sorry for the rant but astro photography is complicated enough without having to worry about computer <-> device connectivity.

   Sander

[Ian G]

Sander:

I'm with you, 100%! USB protocol is iffy. The computer industry should really concentrate on working the bugs out of it, instead of just increasing speed (which is a good thing, but by far not the only thing!). I tried a cheaper USB extender, it was incompatible with hubs... Oh, well had to shell almost $300 for the Gefen. Much better unit, but even with it I'm getting an occasional hiccup. The alternative is, of course to have a second PC in the observatory, Ethernet it to the router and run it via TeamViewer or similar. But for me it's too much for now. I don't have full automation or internet at that rural place. See no reason to have it all just to fight USB problems... Oh, well, now I'm ranting too :)))

Cheers,

Ian