PHD / QHY5L-II Suddenly won't capture a frame

[Eor Equis]

Windows 10, PHD 2.6.2 (originally happened in 2.6.1), QHY5L-II Mono in SX OAG/FW combo connected via ASCOM

Short version : Tried to image tonight.  PHD connects to the QHY fine, says it's looping images, image screen remains completely blank, as though the dust cap was still on the scope.  Other software captures images just fine, have checked gain, gamma slider, exposure times, image panel remains blank even with flashlight shined into scope. main camera sees stars fine.

• No changes to camera, PHD config, or rig since last successful imaging session on 12/10
• EZPlanetary and SharpCap both connect, loop, and display images fine.
  
• Image panel remains completely dark even with a flashlight shined into telescope.  Telescope and main imaging camera (Atik 414ex) showing stars fine, at normal focus.
• Doublechecked QHY drivers, confirmed latest version.
• Checked gamma slider, tried exposures at max, mid, and min.
• Doublechecked equipment profile, no changes, camera gain set at 85% as always.
• Stopped and restarted PHD.  No change.
• Disconnected and reconnected QHY, no change.
• Rebooted, no change.
• Updated PHD from 2.6.1, no change.
• Replaced USB cable with brand new cable, no change.

Anyone have any ideas, or have any suggestion for further troubleshooting?

Thanks in advance!

[Andy Galasso]

It sounds like you have done some good experiments to try to rule things out.

Since EZPlanetary and SharpCap are able to access the camera, we can assume the camera and the connections are ok.  That leaves us with the only difference being the ASCOM driver (I'm assuming you did not use the ASCOM driver when you used SharpCap).  Some additional experiments would be:

  1) try using the ASCOM driver in SharpCap.

  2) try using the native driver in PHD2 ("QHY 5L-II Mono") and/or the WDM driver in PHD2.

If those experiments continue to point to a problem with the ASCOM driver, you could try re-installing the QHY ASCOM driver.

Andy

[Eor Equis]

Thanks, Andy.  Hadn't remembered that it's quite likely the others are using native WDM, while PHD's using ASCOM, and the issue may be there.  Had someone else suggest the same thing in other area.  Sounds like the plan of attack for today. :)

 

I'll pop back in with results/findings later today.

[baron555]

I believe QHY mentions specific drivers to use and others not  to use.

[Eor Equis]

They do indeed, and I've been using them. :)  PHD/QHY5L-II have worked admirably for well over a year...until last night. *heh*

[Eor Equis]

Well....tried the native driver in PHD, no luck.  tried WDM, no luck.  Uninstalled all QHY drivers, and QHY ASCOm, reinstalled them, reset PHD profile, no luck.

Brought the camera inside to my main PC, used the same USB cable, installed the same QHY drivers/ascom, and latest PHD...worked fine.

Next step is to completely uninstall and reinstall PHD.  If that fails, probably going to try Windows Reset magic, and see what happens. :/

[Eor Equis]

Well then...this is...odd.

PHD has always simply used QHY5L-II Mono in the dropdown.  uninstalled/reinstalled PHD, in the dropdown saw "CMOS QHY5LII Camera (ASCOM)".  tried it.  Worked like a charm.

*shrug*

I've uninstalled/reinstalled so much stuff at this point, I have no idea when/why/how that got added.  But hey...it works. :)

Thanks for the input, Andy!  It started me on the right track anyway!

[Vince]

If it is now working it may be best to leave it alone, but I believe the CMOS QHY5LII Camera (ASCOM) is an older driver.  The new driver QHY recommends is the “QHYCCD-Cameras-Guide (ASCOM)”.  There is a nice update check utility available here http://www.qhyccd.com/QHY5L-II.html (scroll down to the software links).  If you run it with the camera connected it will tell you if the drivers need to be updated and will automatically download them for you.

Vince

[Eor Equis]

On Thursday, December 29, 2016 at 2:04:42 PM UTC-6, Vince wrote:

If it is now working it may be best to leave it alone, but I believe the CMOS QHY5LII Camera (ASCOM) is an older driver.  The new driver QHY recommends is the “QHYCCD-Cameras-Guide (ASCOM)”.  There is a nice update check utility available here http://www.qhyccd.com/QHY5L-II.html (scroll down to the software links).  If you run it with the camera connected it will tell you if the drivers need to be updated and will automatically download them for you.

Vince

Hrm...wouldn't THINK it was an older version...grabbed them straight from the QHY download page, selecting "Latest Version" in every case.  I did grab the update checker as well though, so i may run it just to see.

Frankly, however, I'm sitting here with my first clear night in weeks (well, except for the other night when things broke *lol*) so I'm inclined to the whole "if it's broke, don't fix it" side of things. :) 

[Vince]

Interesting... Until QHY recently redid their downloads page, the ASCOM driver link directed us to the QHYCCD-Cameras-Guide (ASCOM) driver, so that is the one I have been using.  I just found this link, which says we can use either QHYCCD-Cameras-Capture (ASCOM) or the CMOS QHY5LII Camera (ASCOM) with PHD2:  http://note.youdao.com/share/?id=3a7e9babda364a911499d96512b173ae&type=note#/ .  Not sure where the QHYCCD-Cameras-Guide (ASCOM) fits in now, but it works just fine for me.

Vince