Atik Cameras

Author Topic: Running 3 x 314L+'s - should this work?  (Read 4482 times)

Sp@ce_d

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 4
Running 3 x 314L+'s - should this work?
« on: December 06, 2013, 04:11:14 pm »
Hi
Apologies if this has been asked before, my search so far hasn't turned up much.

I run 3 scopes/CCD's on the same mount. I've been using one instance of Capture for 314L+/EFW2 & 2 instances of Nebulosity for the other 2. Up until a couple of weeks ago this worked fine. However, now I can only get Capture & 1 instance of Neb to run. If I add a second Neb once I've done a capture they both lock up in Neb.

A) Should I be able to run 3 x 314L+'s at the same time?
B) If A=Yes then should I be able to run multiple instances of Capture?
C) If B=yes then how do I stop the one EFW2 being sent commands from all instances?

I suspect something is going on with the USB port/Device identifiers but before I start deleting things I thought I check if this is supposed to work in the first place or whether I've just been lucky over the last few months.

Thanks.. 

NickK

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 249
Re: Running 3 x 314L+'s - should this work?
« Reply #1 on: December 07, 2013, 06:18:01 pm »
I've seen someone run multiple cameras before on the PC - it involves modifying ini files IIRC so that the devices are detected slightly differently. Also the later driver did allow you to select which camera was being used. Have you tried separate instances of ArtemisCapture as a test?

At a base level there is no reason that 3 cameras shouldn't work, I've tested my OSX drivers with two 4000s running for example.
ATIK 383L+, Titan, 16IC, EFW2, OAG | Pentax 105SDP | NEQ6
Author of the ATIK OSX Drivers and AOSX - Astronomy on OSX

Sp@ce_d

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 4
Re: Running 3 x 314L+'s - should this work?
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2013, 01:14:40 pm »
Yes, if I run Capture I get to choose which camera to connect to by picking it's serial number, not a problem.
Neb just lists 3 Atik 314L+'s to choose from, again not a problem as I know which order they show up in..
However, I only have one camera using an EFW2. The other has an SX one & I've an Ha filter in the nose of the third.
Capture only controls Atik FW's. I'd prefer to just use Capture but last time I ran 3 instances using the sequencer
it seems the EFW2 was getting filters switched by all 3 instances running. I don't see how to run the Seq without sending
commands to a FW. So no good.

Therefore, I run the 314/EFW2 combo in Capture & the other 2 in Neb. This worked fine for months but lately Nebs started
to hang the lot running more than one instance. So I can only use 2 cams at a time. I wondered if the drivers were able to
support multiple cameras ok before i start looking elsewhere for causes.
 

NickK

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 249
Re: Running 3 x 314L+'s - should this work?
« Reply #3 on: January 04, 2014, 09:58:10 am »

Applications need to be able to uniquely identify USB devices - it's a common issue.

If the hardware doesn't have a unique identity it is possible to detect where the USB device was attached - so as long as you plug the same device into the same sockets, it should be possible to locate it and associate it with the right scope. The application will need to be written to look at the USB bus location todo that.
ATIK 383L+, Titan, 16IC, EFW2, OAG | Pentax 105SDP | NEQ6
Author of the ATIK OSX Drivers and AOSX - Astronomy on OSX