Feedback on ASCOM driver

astromike

Just got my ASI120MM camera delivered (thanks for the great service Sam) and installed the drivers on two Windows 7 64bit laptops.

The latest 'normal' driver works fine and it was easy to get the camera up and working in both SharpCap and FireCapture. Everything seems to work correctly - just need the weather to improve and I will try it out with my Solar scope and and imaging refractors.

I tried the camera with PHD Guiding and it seems to work fine with the camera being recognised and images being captured as expected. The camera dialogue box allows me to change all the key exposure and resolution options - once again, need clear skies to try it for real and that doesn't look likely for a while yet.

I use Nebulosity with my ATIK CCD camera and would like to use it with the ASI 120 MM but Nebulosity doesn't recognise the camera (or my DMK Imaging Source ones). I therefore downloaded the trial/beta ASCOM driver as Nebulosity can be used with ASCOM cameras.

The download worked OK and I think I managed to install it correctly. It was a bit difficult as much of the text in the installation boxes appears as symbols (NOT Chinese!) rather than words: see attached image.

In Nebulosity, I selected ASCOM from the camera list and the ASI120MM driver from the options. When I clicked on Properties, a box appears with the ZWO logo and a slider where it is possible to adjust the gain. So far so good but............

When I try to preview an image I get a message saying 'cannot allocate enough memory' and when I click on OK the message is repeated followed by an 'error reading image' error.

I tried installing the ASCOM driver on a second Win7 64bit machine and got exactly the same result.

Finally, I tried selecting the ASCOM Camera option in PHD Guiding. As before, the ASI120MM driver appears and Properties shows the ZWO logo and Gain slider. This time the driver seems to work correctly although the Camera Dialogue button is greyed out and there is no way to adjust exposure or resolution.

Mike

Sam@ZWO

Hi Mike

thanks for you feedback and I am sorry about my later reply.

very few customers use the ASCOM driver. so it is still in beta version.

welcome more feedbacks so we can release it soon.

change resolution is not possible in ASCOM driver.but it support 2X2bin.

PHD seems don't support 2x2bin.

Change exposure you just need to click the time next to "Stop" button.

about problem with Nebulosity I will download one and test.

thanks

astromike

Thanks Sam.

I understand how the drop down exposure button works in PHD but for most WDM type cameras it also allows other camera properties to be controlled via the Camera Dialog button. I guess that this may be something else not available in ASCOM? Sometimes I like to change the exposure time via the dropdown to get better guiding (I sometimes use an 80mm refractor as a guide scope and sometimes a finder scope) and compensate for brighter/dimmer result with the Camera Dialog.

I will be interested to see what you find with Nebulosity. I think there is a trial version which is fully functional but puts vertical bars on saved images to encourage you to buy it!

I find Nebulosity really good with my Atik CCD camera but am still looking for an ASCOM driver for my DMK cameras that will work with ASCOM 6.

Sam@ZWO

Hi Mike

It is not a WDM device when you connect though ASCOM driver.

ASCOM driver communicate with the camera bypassed WDM driver.

So the only way to adjust is by the app like PHD.

I tested Nebulosity. it simple crash under XP.

Seems not compitable so well

I think there maybe some different between ASCOM5 and ASCOM6

there are 2 options in PHD. but only 1 option in Nebulosity.

I will do more research and let's you know

riklaunim

I did a test in Nebulosity2 with latest drivers. It works (via AscomLate), but the gain is always 0.

Sam@ZWO

riklaunim wrote:
I did a test in Nebulosity2 with latest drivers. It works (via AscomLate), but the gain is always 0.

I just tested it with Nebulosity3

seems the gain can be changed from the "Advance" button

riklaunim

Advanced look bit different in v2, but maybe there is the setup button too. The gain usually can be set only when picking the camera via ASCOM driver (there I set max).

Sam@ZWO

riklaunim wrote:
Advanced look bit different in v2, but maybe there is the setup button too. The gain usually can be set only when picking the camera via ASCOM driver (there I set max).

yes, you are correct. I tested it under v3 and works fine too

I suggest you can have a test under v3

riklaunim

License for v2 doesn't work under v3 :)