maxmirot
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Posts posted by maxmirot
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As a dealer I will probably get into trouble for this but anyway.....
I (and am sure other dealers) are just as frustrated about the locked in nature of MLPT. I sold a DDM85 for commercial applications 18 months ago based on its unguided abilities but despite this I now discover that commercial user is running the mount with ACP and a guide scope. Sad.
I have chased questions of Sequence Run and the ability to integrate MLPT with other programs, particularly SGP but it falls on deaf ears. All I am told is 'we prefer to have our own solution'. The trouble with that is that by the time ASA have their own solution we will be old and grey and it will be limited and not developed enough. I pointed out to ASA that by the time the 'Revolution' concept actually appears it will be outdated. On board systems have been around for a while with the likes of Primaluces Eagle. As for polar alignment with built in cameras, QHY's Polemaster is the obvious one but I recently suggested a customer use Sharpcap (free) on a 50mm guider to get their DDM85 polar aligned quickly. It takes less than 5 minutes and is more than accurate enough to use MLPT. It works the same way as Polemaster. If you have a wide enough FOV you can even use the main scope and camera (if its supported).
I think the bottom line is that ASA cannot make up their mind what they want to be. It is either a maker of big professional systems or amateur ones. At the moment it seems they prefer to take the big money. I can understand that but I would have thought that the need to integrate with third party software was an even bigger demand in the professional sector. Even ASA Sales are frustrated (like me) that the DDM60 has been discontinued. I also think that the people within ASA that have the final say have probably got so used to using in house software in a particular way they see no need to do anything. I experienced this 'blinkered' view myself when working for a manufacturer many years ago. Your view of a manufacturer, its products and whats needed when looking from the outside, is very different when your on the inside looking out.
Personally I am resigned to using an ASA mount manually. Getting it going on a target with MLPT and letting it do its thing. Maxim allows dither as do SGP and Astro Photography Tool with ASA mounts. They all use PlateSolve now and that just adds to the frustration of having to spend money on Maxim (which I find a bit crude) and Pinpoint. I will be putting a DDM85 out in Spain with our hosting partner E-Eye in the next couple of months. It looks like I will be having some very long nights unless things change!
If ASA did not make generally fabulous equipment I would have dropped them and their very odd ways years ago but we live in hope........
They have to make up their mind what business they are in.
Believe me, your not the only dealer that has told them this.
The bigger problem for ASA is that they can lose bids on larger systems based on the reputation for smaller systems. Professional do talk with amateurs from time to time.
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Sequence is no much fun to run multiple objects and it is has limited features.
However, I am having good success with MLPT despite this.
I run a new superfit model every 1 or 2 months with 50-100 stars.
I usually can get 10 minutes without MLPT
I can improve the error fit by increasing the fourier settings.
The numbers show less error but not much difference in the pointing or tracking.
I had problems with guiding using SGP. What setting in autoslew are you using?
I thinking about adding an OAG with a new Moravain 16200 and then trying guiding again with SGP.
I am at 1100 mm FL do you think I can get a guide star on the sensor without a rotator?
What guider cameras are you all using with your OAG?
Max
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LIuis,
Thanks for sharing this solution. My hub works ok but this a great way to network devices !
Thanks
Max
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That's one I looking to get. What filters are you using?
Thanks
Max
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What manufacture for the 16200 camera ?
Max
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Their is 2yr is old in like new condition DDM 85SX with incremental encoders on Astromart.
This poor fellow has been trying to sell it for two months. It is now down to 10,500 USD.
If ASA was involved with their customers, I would of snapped it up long ago for my second pier.
ASA support model too strange. Silence is not golden. I don't even know how report a bug any more.
I am too nervous to buy another one at any price. Right now my DDM85 is performing perfectly unguided if I use Sequence.
Max
Max
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I can't agree more. I am not sure why ASA developed Sequence.
It binds the best features of their product into a dead end without support or flexibility.
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There are only a few way to engineer / reverse engineer MPLT.
One way is to command all camera, scope and plate solve functions and load the data into autoslew.
There is no way for a user to control these functions in SGP. You can run a script to control other programs.
That means currently SGP would require to script all these functions in an external ASCOM program such as MaxIM.
I don't think you can share a camera connection.
So I think this a dead end without a big effort from ASA and SGP.
ACP has some potential because it can script these functions in MaxIM etc. Hopefully, sequence would not be necessary.
You would have to load the MPLT solutions into autoslew. Only Lukas or someone with a lot of scripting knowledge could reverse engineer this.
It might be different if ASA was willing to take requests.
Max
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I answer to the question, no one uses Sequence with anything but MaxIM. Nothing else works.
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A lot of us would like to open some of the Sequence Feature up so MLPT could accessed by other software. It falls on deaf ears when posted here.
I think It would take a online petition or something with 25 plus owners for ASA to even respond to their mount owners.
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Ever ask Dr. Keller if the Autoslew load function can be made to open for script? They wound not have to be involved otherwise.
The big problem with the software is Dr. Keller just don't have the time to do much. They might be be willing to add just this function without too much effort.
You know these guys better than most. Worth another try?
Max
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Thinking more....
If I was going to reverse engineer MPLT I would not use sequence at all.
The LPT doc looks like it is just a measurement the target residual offsets at each point. If this is true all the magic happens in Autoslew
The parent automation program should do the images including the flip.
Just have to get Autoslew to load it. Wouldn't this be available to program in ACP?
Max
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Unless the company begins to have interest in their small customers, it is not worth it.
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I would love to use SGP but also own CCDAP. .
We could ask the SGP folks to help but it may low on the priority list.
CCDAP(John Smith) and Bob Denny( ACP) would likely jump right in.
The real issue will ASA spend any time on this? Beta software editions has been dead for sometime now.
I don't know how to get ASA's attention.
I am sure the dealers are telling them software support and documentation is big issue with their customers.
They just start selling more of the competition as a result.
Max
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I agree. Sequence is very limited.
Software development and amateur clients need are not very important to ASA.
You are lucky if someone from ASA reads a post. They tell us they don't follow what is said here too.
We don't even have documentation on many of the advanced features in Autoslew. So software flexibility is not going happen.
(You are lucky if some can answer a question or get a bug fixed in 30 days by email).
I loved the features in SGP but stopped using it because of it does not have MLPT.
However, on the flip side my unguided performance is excellent when I use Sequence.
Max
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Looks too limited to be useful right now. Let me know if you want to more. Not my top priority but eventually I would like to useMLPT+ ACP with Scheduler.
It would need more work to share coordinates between ACP or Autopilot.
I also some devices can't be shared such as a camera. So I would need connect and disconnect the device in Sequence and ACP/CCDAP.
Max
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Too bad I don't have ACP to test.
I find the MLPT makes a big difference with my system. I running 100% unguided with Sequence up to 20min. I have not tried 30min.
I own CCDautopilot it runs scripts.
Should I try a run? The link with code has gone bad.
Thanks
Max
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This working with ACP now?
Max
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Great images!
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then finishes 1st image in the sequence then crashes
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I GET THIS ERROR WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
mAX
See the end of this message for details on invoking
just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.
************** Exception Text **************
System.Exception: The supplied value is out of range for this property.
at Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.LateBinding.InternalLateSet(Object o, Type& objType, String name, Object[] args, String[] paramnames, Boolean OptimisticSet, CallType UseCallType)
at Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.NewLateBinding.LateSet(Object Instance, Type Type, String MemberName, Object[] Arguments, String[] ArgumentNames, Type[] TypeArguments, Boolean OptimisticSet, Boolean RValueBase, CallType CallType)
at Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.NewLateBinding.LateSet(Object Instance, Type Type, String MemberName, Object[] Arguments, String[] ArgumentNames, Type[] TypeArguments)
at Sequencer.RunSequence.CheckForRelaxSlew()
at Sequencer.RunSequence.StartSequence()
at Sequencer.frmSequenceRun.cmdRun_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnClick(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnClick(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mevent)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ButtonBase.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Button.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)
************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.8745 (WinRel.050727-8700)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v2.0.50727/mscorlib.dll
----------------------------------------
Sequencer
Assembly Version: 0.2.1.0
Win32 Version: 0.2.1.0
CodeBase: file:///C:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/Sequence/Sequencer.exe
----------------------------------------
System.Windows.Forms
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.8745 (WinRel.050727-8700)
CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll
----------------------------------------
System
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.8745 (WinRel.050727-8700)
CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Drawing
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.8745 (WinRel.050727-8700)
CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll
----------------------------------------
Microsoft.VisualBasic
Assembly Version: 8.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 8.0.50727.8745 (WinRel.050727-8700)
CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualBasic/8.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualBasic.dll
----------------------------------------
Microsoft.VisualBasic.Compatibility
Assembly Version: 8.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 8.0.50727.8745
CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualBasic.Compatibility/8.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualBasic.Compatibility.dll
----------------------------------------
Interop.PinPoint
Assembly Version: 1.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0
CodeBase: file:///C:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/Sequence/Interop.PinPoint.DLL
----------------------------------------
Accessibility
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.8745 (WinRel.050727-8700)
CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Accessibility/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Accessibility.dll
----------------------------------------
Interop.MaxIm
Assembly Version: 1.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0
CodeBase: file:///C:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/Sequence/Interop.MaxIm.DLL
----------------------------------------
System.Xml
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.8745 (WinRel.050727-8700)
CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Xml/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Xml.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Configuration
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.8745 (WinRel.050727-8700)
CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Configuration/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Configuration.dll
----------------------------------------
hsc53oq9
Assembly Version: 0.2.1.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.8745 (WinRel.050727-8700)
CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll
----------------------------------------
************** JIT Debugging **************
To enable just-in-time (JIT) debugging, the .config file for this
application or computer (machine.config) must have the
jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.
The application must also be compiled with debugging
enabled.
For example:
When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception
will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the computer
rather than be handled by this dialog box.
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It is the DDM85.
It probably is hysteresis as the MLPT does make improvement it unguided error.
If you look at the JPEG I posted , the spread in the residual error after superfit shows a non random pattern along the RA.
I wound think this should tell us something . I have not been able to determine a mechanical source yet.
Btw, I tried the mount with Bisque's Tpoint . I automapped about 44 points. It shows no pattern in residual error.
The pointing is no better also.
They have a lot extra terms that autoslew does not use. None of these improve the pointing model.
There is always the possible that the pattern is an artifacts on how the autoslew does superfit.
There is so little explained with the autoslew modelling here.
We should be able to manually adjust the model by removing outliers etc and see if the fit statistics improve.
There is a lot in the advance modeling that is undocumented. I wish we knew more.
Perhaps some day Dr. Keller or ASA will spend some time on this.
Max
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I wonder what kind of read noise Moravian is getting on these.
FLI is a lot more expensive but gets RN of 6e.
I have Moravian 16803 that pick up used. It is quite a good camera.
Max
MLPT for external programs
in Software
Posted
The problem is you have to load the model info into Autoslew.
Is MLPT or model info is a standard ASCOM function?
I don't think so.
Still there might some work around