A few issues

Hi

I bought SGP a few weeks back, and I had a few clear nights, where I went out with my gear to try it.
Before going out, I did follow this long and detailed pdf file someone wrote about the program, how to use it, and what to fill in.

But the problem is, and I tried asking around of different forums and groups, is when my Nikon D5300 is connected to SGP, it won’t allow me to do Live View, I did manage to make Live View work a couple of times, but when going out last night. I didn’t work. The green statusbar just kept going back and forth. BUT when I tried to take a test frame under the same (Frame and Focus), it worked fine. But only when I take one. If I try taking another one, it’s the same as with the Live View, just going back and forth in the statusbar as if it’s working. But everytime I hit disconnect, and reconnect, I can take another Test frame, and then I have to repeat. Live View won’t work by disconnecting and reconnecting. Now I downloaded the firmware for the camera and installed, I checked the cables, and they work fine. As said, I had the Live View coming up a couple of times. But when I really need it, it won’t work.

When I took the test frame, I wanted to try and see how the Plate Solving worked. So I found Capella, I took a 3 sec shot, and chose Plate solve and center. The bottom statusbar said “Downloading platesolve…something” after 3-5 minutes of this, it says “Aborting platesolving” and stops. I set up the Platesolve to Platesolve2, and Astrometry’s platesolve for blindsolve. I downloaded the catalogues, and chose their directory for the platesolve2. So not sure how this works, if I’m doing it right?

I also made my own unique profile, so I wanted to try take a 300 sec shot in the sequencer, but it came with an error saying something about a rotator. Since I know that I don’t have a rotator, I clicked on “Tools” and found the camera, rotator ect. Clicked on rotator, and nothing here is filled, even says I don’t have a rotator. But the error still appeared?

I hope someone can help a newbie out here. This software is rather expensive for me, if it dosen’t work. So I hope it’s just some rookie mistake from my part, and it’s too cold outside right now, to use a lot of time trying to make it work.

Mats Nielsen

No one knows or ever experienced it?

Mats, first, please see this post on how to ask for help.

Unfortunately I can’t directly answer your questions so hopefully others will chime in. I have a D5300 also, but I don’t use it very often. However, when I have used it with SGP I haven’t really tried to use it in live view as I find it unnecessary. Take a look at this similar thread. An important question is, what kind of computer are you using?

Also, the fact that your plate solve image is not downloading properly either would point to an issue with communication between your camera and computer. Both of these issues would be explained by a flaky USB connection. Are you using a hub of some kind, or is the camera connected directly to a USB port on the computer? Does the camera communicate properly with the computer when using another program to control the camera? Again, what kind of computer (speed, age etc).

Hi Joel

Sorry for not looking through the forum and all, I did do a google search in the beginning, that re-directed me here, and other places. But I found no suitable answer to my problems. I believe it’s a software problem and not a loose or broken cable, as SGP let’s me take one test frame everytime I connect and disconnect. I believe if it was the cable or USB port, it would only work sometimes. It is connected directly to the laptop USB port. I haven’t tried other software with the camera, as I was supposed to only use SGP.

Right, but what I think is happening is that somehow the USB traffic is getting all bottled up. So you get one image to download but then something blocks the USB traffic. Then when you disconnect and reconnect the camera something gets released and opens up the USB traffic again. Unfortunately I’m purely speculating and someone else with better knowledge than I will have to weigh in.

But one thing to look at, with the camera turned on and connected, if you look at Device Manager, do you see any yellow exclamation triangles around any device or the USB ports?

So I’m slightly embarrassed by this, but I actually posted a similar problem with my own D5300 last spring and I forgot about it. Take a look at this thread: Quick help needed - Nikon D5300 - Sequence Generator - Main Sequence Software

Do you have the camera set to bulb mode?

Another thing, make sure there is no memory card in the camera.

Hi Joel

Come to think about it, it may not have been set to bulb. But SGP alerts on it’s own if a memory card is in. So maybe and hopefully it’s that. But I still need to figure out the Platesolving issue, oh and that it tells me it can’t start a sequence because of that rotator, even though I don’t have a rotator, or typed anything in that box.

Mats,

On the rotator error, go into your sequence, click the gear icon next to the Target Name (under target list), and check and see if the box is ticked at the bottom “Rotate Camera To:”.

-S