Problem installing drivers for Atik460EX

[Carole]

Can one of you clever IT people help me out here.  I decided to swap my Atik383L for an Atik460EX for the better resolution and not having a shutter. 

I already have Artemis (the software/drivers) installed on the laptop from the 383 and the Atik314 which works just fine, but it's not recognising the new camera.  So I tried to install the drivers that came with the camera which I assumed would replace the existing Artemis.

However it keeps getting so far and then comes up with this box.  Means absolutely nothing to me.
Any help would be appreciated but please explain in non technical terms.

This is a windows Vista machine which i use for all my imaging and don't intend to replace it until it won't do the job any more:



I didn't have any other applications open BTW.

Carole

[MarkS]

Maybe it will work to reboot the machine and try again.

The new installation of Artemis is trying to overwrite the existing installation and is hitting a problem for some reason. So if it still doesn't work after rebooting then uninstall the old Artemis first.

If you need both cameras to work with Artemis, you might have to perform installations in a set order - the Atik forum would be the best place to ask.

Mark

[Carole]

Hmmm, I hope the 314 is still going to work with the new software.

Yes I did re-boot, but I'll try uninstalling the old Artemis and install the new version.

I've tried the Atik forum in the past but no-one ever seems to get back to you. 

Carole

[Carole]

Update.

As it was a nice clear night last night, I decided to image with the Atik314 and so I didn't try to uninstall the old software in case I ended up with neither camera working 

Then today I suddenly realised I have Windows Professional 7 32 bit on my desktop, so I decided to see if I could install it on there.  Once I had also installed Ascom plat 6 it installed just fine and the camera works OK.

So next step is to try the Atik314 on the desktop upstairs to check that will also work, but that's stuck in the obsy awaiting further data and flats, so  won't be doing that for a few days.

So am I right in thinking that if I got a laptop that had the same operating system etc as my desktop that it should work OK on that too? or are there still differing versions even of that?  I ask because I tried to install Atik drivers on a windows 7 laptop before but just couldn't do it, so it's put me off upgrading my imaging laptop.

Carole

[MarkS]

So am I right in thinking that if I got a laptop that had the same operating system etc as my desktop that it should work OK on that too?

Yes it should unless there is some kind of weird hardware incompatibility between camera and laptop, which is unlikely.

[Carole]

Thanks Mark

Carole

[Mike]

Maybe you just need to update Ascom on the laptop too?

[Carole]

Yes, that's what I was wondering Mike, but I am going to wait now until I have finished the current imaging session, which will extend at least until after tomorrow night when it is predicted to be clear again, though I won't get started until late as the Outreach group are going on a "gig" in Somewhere like Thurrock.

Carole

[MarkS]

Does Artemis use Ascom then?

[The Thing]

Fay, you need to keep ASCOM up to date as it's the foundation for a lot of astronomy software that expect to have the latest functions available. Latest is v6 sp2, but I haven't checked for a month or two B-)

[Carole]

Fay

??????????????

[Carole]

Does Artemis use Ascom then?

Presume so.
It does have a function to guide (if you're using an Atik guide camera) so probably why.

Carole

[Carole]

OK Update.

As I am trying to create a dual imaging rig (at home at least), and powered hubs don't work, I just get everything pinging at me and disconnecting, and my laptop is getting a bit old, I decided to buy a reconditioned W7 laptop as I'll need 2 if I am going to run 2 cameras, PHD, EFW and possibly EQMod (one of the reasons I have not used EQMod since I got the EFW as I ran out of USBs).  .

I have managed to successfully install the Atik460EX on the W7 laptop.  So problem resolved. 

Not had a chance to try it all out yet and still need to find a way to make both scopes point in the same direction.  Still working on that. 

Carole

[The Thing]

Hi Carole,

FYI You can use APT for CCD and DSLR and you can run as many APT instances as you need on one laptop. This is what I have been doing on my StarAdventurer mount. To synchronise dithering between exposures (which is going to be a problem on a dual rig) you just set one instance as Server (the master exposure and in control of dithering) and the other(s) as Client in the Advanced settings. You could have two CCDs and a DSLR going at once for instance. There is a full description here.

Also in my experience it's worth paying for a good quality powered hub. They last and the usb connectors stay tight.

Hope that helps.

[Carole]

Hi Duncan, thanks.

Yes I had been using APT for CCD imaging so I could dither but wasn't sure when I got the electronic filter wheel whether it would support it but have recently found out that it does, so will need to take a look at that, I hope it allows you to put a suffix on the files so I know which is which during an imaging run.  Yes I realise dithering it going to be tricky with a dual rig, might have to make one camera the main one and the 2nd camera slightly shorter subs with a longer gap and see if that works.

I got an E mail from APT today to say that there are plans to add plate solving to the software, it's really going to be an "all singing, all dancing" system soon. 

Carole