Hi, I recently purchased the Alnitak Flat Box, if I connect it directly to my PC (Window 10) it ok, it finds the com port 10 in this case (also tried 2 and 9) , however when I connect it using SGP it says that this com is in use, so access denied.
Its a catch 22 situation, if I connect first through SGP using this com, when I try connecting the Flat Box software, it will not connect to the Alnitak Flat box.
I do not know what to do, i need your help. I read some similar questions of the same Topic, but one user was too technical in IT, and the other question on the same topic, I could find a solution.
I am not sure exactly which Flat Box you are using…I use the Alnitak FlipFlat without any problems. It is controlled from within SGP and there is hardly ever any need to control it from outside SGP. Like you, it is either SGP or the Alnitak program that controls it - not both…but why would you need both to control it at the same time?
Hi, the Alnitak Flat-Man L Large is just the bigger size to the one your are using, the reason that I wanted to used both running at the same time is basically I wanted to have control on the light source brightness level to defused bright light as require, I can control the level of light by using SGP Flat calibration wizard, but not camera scatter speed its up to it. I think , and correct me if I am wrong, SGP will take control of the Alnitak Flat as we know but do not have a brightness level control over it.
Not exactly sure what you mean by “but not the camera scatter speed its up to it”
When I use the Flats Calibration Wizard it saves the information to whatever profile I have chosen. But before that, I set the brightness for the various filters under “Filter Setup - Flats”. I don’t have to be very exact here…and having done it a few times I know if I need very bright or not.
Say for Lum - I do not need the panel to be very bright - I have chosen FlatBox brightness of 20 - whereas for say SII I need much more light so that my Flat exposure time is not way too long…and I have set the FlatBox light to 255.
When the Wizard runs…it will use these Brightness levels (that you have input) and compute the time required to reach the ADU you have selected. It then saves this information to the profile you have also preselected. (If not satisfied with the times - go back and adjust the brightness level you have selected for that filter and run the wizard again).
Now - when you do a flats run in the sequence it will adjust the FlatBox brightness in line with what we have done above. It will not remain the same brightness for each filter…unless of course you have set it up that way.
So - as I said in the last post - there is no need to control the flat box outside of SGP…SGP - when set up - will handle the exposure time AND the brightness level when doing Flats.
Hi, thanks for the reply, before your email I tested the SGP Flat Calibration Wizzard of which I already had some experience and found that light brightness level when to zero everytime the wizzard started with each filter. I was puzzled how to fix set the brightness level for each filter throughout the calibration.
So, thanks for your reply it was what I needed , I tried it last night and completed calibration. Again thanks for your help and advice.
