TheSkyX Camera Addon plugin for ATIK cameras on OS X - R1.45 General Release !

[NickK]

*** for the latest release - please look at the latest update post in this thread below ***


Original R1.38 Alpha release:
http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/192900-atik-osx-drivers-r100-example-app/?p=2529686
This is work in progress with a small list of known issues (not major at this time).
I will be doing a review of the camera models and their VID/PID to ensure the cameras are identified correctly over the next week or so.

[NickK]

I've just reseated the mount this evening, did a quick basic visual-manual polar alignment and then setup the 383L with TheSkyX - using the focusing - subframes + preview running.

[NickK]

Next I switched to taking a 5 minute sub with the 383L running full frame at -15 degC. I need to change the desiccant tablets over.

Due to the manual polar alignment, no guiding (TheSkyX does not have a plugin for my EQ6 using EQMOD), with not great scope balance.. add some wind..

[NickK]

I'm happy with the driver and plugin so far and last night's 20x500 second exposures worked really nicely. No drama.

I have some needed improvements to add so it's not got past alpha yet - the main issue is that the plugin can make TheSkyX slower to respond to button clicks etc. This should be sorted out quite quickly. The technical reason is TheSkyX's threading model is a polling model - on that causes a problem if the calling thread does the work of performing the exposure.

I may end up writing a EQ6 EQMOD mount plugin at this rate.

[NickK]

I've fixed a contention issue.. here's the titan running at 15fps with TheSkyX sky atlas being rendered at 25fps.

I have two more changes to make - then I'll be releasing the Alpha 2 release.

I know an alpha tester has tested his ATIK 460 camera without a problem too!

[NickK]

Updated plugin R1.40 Alpha2 is now available!

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/192900-atik-osx-drivers-r100-example-app/?p=2535435

Changes
* ATIK 414ex and 4120ex correctly detected now - sorry folks
* The other changes here are about resolving some of the locking and blocking issues that were causing performance impact. New code now means a far better performance.
* Progress bar now moves correctly, then at the last 0.07 seconds you will see it pause as the image is downloaded. The capture duration is correct, however for large cameras (383L, 11000) the pause may be 12 seconds or so. This is down to X2 expecting to capture and download on it's say so.. rather than the driver doing what's good for the image!

[NickK]

New version R1.41 Alpha3 available.

Also - ATIK 414EX tested and it works perfectly

[NickK]

Here you go

Once the clouds have gone - I'll get it on the back of the Pentax.

[NickK]

Latest release is now R1.42 Beta (woo!)
It can be found here in the usual place: http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/192900-atik-osx-drivers-r100-example-app/?p=2542186

There's a couple of bug fixes and the plugin now supports selecting the specific EFW2 filter wheels when more than one exist on the system.

[NickK]

Update R1.45 that's gone through testing with ATIK.

Have a look here: http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/192900-atik-osx-drivers-r100-example-app/?p=2556160

Nick

[logieberra]

Hi Nick

I am running the latest version of SkyX (Version 10.3.0, Build 8648 of 17 February 2015) the latest version of your plug-in (R145) on a MacMini (Late 2012) under OSX Yosmite with a new Atik 414EX. I am getting hard crashes on initial capture which close the SkyX all together.

Please let me know what additional info you need, or private message / email me if you would like to remote into my setup.

Cheers

Logieberra

[NickK]

Hi,
Hmm there have been reports of other camera drivers having issues with the last couple of TSX 10.3 builds - this may be related.

1. disconnect camera
2. start TheSkyX
3. can you set the logging (Settings > Driver > Enable log file) - this will create a file on your backdrop called ATIKUniversalDrivers.log
4. connect camera
5. perform a capture
6. When TheSkyX crashes - cut and paste the Apple application report into a file
7. Send both the apple crash report and ATIKUniversalDrivers.log file to me at atikdrivers@adrenalin-junkie.net

I'll download 8648 and test against my 414EX I have here I used to test against.

[NickK]

I've answered this on the SB forums too: http://www.bisque.com/sc/forums/t/23798.aspx

There is a known problem in TheSkyX with the FITS saving on build 10.3.0 (8641) for all cameras and updating to the latest Mac Build TheSkyX 10.3 build 8648 fixes the crash according to other users with the same issue.

If the problem continues with build 8648+ please give me a shout.

[logieberra]

Hi Nick

As discussed over email, TSX Build 8648 looks great on the longer exposures (e.g. 300sec), but is playing up on exposures less than 3sec, which makes things like auto-focus routines (@focus2) and allsky plate solving (Tpoint) a real challenge. Please keep up the good work. Nearly there

[NickK]

I wanted to confirm if this before we found that you need to use the "ATIK 414EX" for the camera (R1.45 plugin) rather than "ATIKUniversal" (old plugin).

From the last communication it's all working ok.