ASI ERROR crashes program

Sequence Generator
1

I’m crashing pretty consistently when auto-focusing and sometimes when trying to initiate guiding. The error window displays the following:

Error ‘ASI_ERROR_GENERAL_ERROR’ from call to ASIa(A_0, A_1=o, A_2=0, A_3=False)

Obviously, it’s having some issue with the ASI camera driver. (ASI120MC-S).

All equipment connects without issue, but once i start running a sequence, or sometimes just taking a quick shot, this error pops up, and i can’t dismiss the window. I then have to force-quit and restart.

Also, I’m also having the focus . “failed to move focuser - needs 30 steps” error (i paraphrase.) even though I’ve achieved near-perfect focus with a Bahtinov mask.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Love the software, but it’s unusable at the moment, and I have to fall back to APT, which has none of these issues.

ED80
Pegasus FocusCube
AVX
SSAG Autoguider
PHD2

2

@backintime . Can’t be sure… too many variables. Please reproduce the condition in SGPro and send logs. We can take a look and advise.

3

Thanks. I’ll log it next time and send it in.

4

I have started experiencing a similar issue over the past two nights.

Camera: ZWO ASI1600MM Pro with ZWO filter wheel
Mount: Skywatcher EQ6R Pro running EQMOD
SG Pro version: 3.0.3.169

Both nights, everything worked well for several hours until SG Pro crashed while the sequence was running unattended. First night, crash time was around 3:20am (end of the log), second night crash time 1:10am (end of the log).

Logs are hosted here:

Sequence file:

This is very frustrating as I have made no changes to the system. Any help or suggestions are extremely appreciated.

Thank you!

Luca

5

@Ken or @Jared: Was the ZWO SDK changed between versions 3.0.3.169 and beta 3.1.0.198? I am running the beta version on another imaging system and I have not experienced any of the crashes of the last two nights on 3.0.3.169. I have updated the problem system to 3.1.0.198 and will run again tonight.

6

So after two more nights of imaging I have made some progress. I tried a ASI183MM Pro to rule out camera trouble and I found the same behavior. It appears that it is due to USB choking. I had the camera connected to a USB3 powered hub together with guide camera, filter wheel, focuser, and EQMOD cable. I connected the camera straight into the computer right next to the mount (short cable, no hub) and for the past two nights, I have not experienced any crashes on download.

the question is: using the ASCOM ZWO ASI driver, one can lower the USB traffic limit. Is it possible to do the same thing with the native driver?

Thanks!

7

Hi,

I’m interested in this topic as well, as, I’ve had connection and download issues with my ASI183.

Not quite sure where the problem is, so, I can’t really add any suggestions at this point.

I will follow this conversation closely though.

Scott.

8

No, we us a fixed traffic limit in the native driver as to not complicate the driver. But if I recall it is set at 40.

The ASI API has not changed in a long while in SGP…we’re actually due for an upgrade here.

Thanks,
Jared

9

I recently Sent a message to ZWO about my ASI183 camera download and connection issues.

ZWO said " We did not encounter this problem before".
I thought that perhaps the problem was with my camera, though, it appears at least some others have had a similar problem.

One thing ZWO did suggest, was to use a USB2 cable direct to the computer. I haven’t tried this as
yet and will give it a go when the weather clears here.

Scott.

10

Thank you, @Jared. I am pretty sure it is a USB traffic issue. I don’t why it hasn’t come up before. I haven’t changed anything on that imaging system for the past six months. It is possible that the USB hub itself may be introducing delays (It’s an industrial Startech USB3 hub, but I don’t know how long these components last out in the dew).

Scott, that’s exactly what solved the problem for me. You can’t really connect a USB2 cable because the camera has a USB3 port, but a short USB3 cable connected directly into the PC at the mount took care of the crashes on download for me.

11

I too am having the exact same issue (ASI1600, ASI120MC as guide camera) - at auto-focus and at start of guiding (usually when I initiate the PHD2 calibration run).

The ASI1600 doesn’t have the problem as much as my ASI120MC does. Lately PHD2 has been having real problems connecting to and keeping a loop going.

Using a direct to computer option is not good for me as I am too far for a direct connect. I’m using the Startech USB2LAN system, so I have a Cat-5 LAN cable going out to the mount from my PC.

Will be watching this discussion :slight_smile:

12

Hi Lucam,

The weather has improved here, so, I was trying out v 3.1.0.211. I was still getting the ASI ERROR
problems when trying to take a single Frame and Focus. Also, some download problems during Auto Focus, so, I needed to change something to improve reliability.

With my setup I have a 3m USB Cable going straight from the ASI183mm to a NUC Intel i7 next to the mount. I could try and set a powered Hub on top of the scope as has been suggested.
I think this maybe the best way to minimise some cabling and perhaps get a better download from the camera.

Anyway, at this point I decided to try the ZWO suggestion of a USB2 style printer cable in the USB3
connection in the back of the camera. I was a little surprised as it fitted ok. Then, to the computer via
a USB3 powered hub.

Tried some single frames and noticed the download speed is a little slower, but, not by much. The main thing is that it worked and I had no more issues with crashes, black screen or error messages.

I will try this for a few nights and see if the reliability improves.

Scott.