"flap panel" by Deep Sky Daddy - how to interface

Sequence Generator Equipment Compatibility
1

I intend to automate my flat frames with a “flap panel” by Deep Sky Daddy: https://shop.deepskydad.com/product/takahashi-fsq-106-edx4-flap-panel-fp1/

This panel has an ASCOM driver, but I see no ASCOM interface other than a simulator in SGP’s drop-down menu.

I am running SGP 882.

The options I see are:

  • No Flat Box
  • Alnitak Flat Box
  • Alnitak Flat Box Old
  • Artesky FlatBox
  • ASCOM CoverCalibrator Simulator
  • Gemini SnapCap
  • Manual Flat Box
  • Pegasus FlatMaster

Any DSD Flap Panel users out there?

Subsidiary question:

  • Any comments on the uniformity of the light of the flap panel?
2

I’m not sure, but sometimes flat boxes will use the ASCOM Switch interface to implement their driver and not the “Cover Calibrator” contract. See if it shows up on the “switches” tab in the control panel. If this is true, then unfortunately, your automation options are limited to things at the beginning and end of a sequence. All of the “in-sequence” automation uses a “Flat Box” object and not “switches”

3

Thank you, Ken.
I have not bought the device yet. As far as I know it uses the ASCOM CoverCalibrator. I’ll check back with the vendor.
Are you saying that the device may only show up once I have installed a specific driver provided by the vendor? Wouldn’t the CoverCalibrator be part of the standard SGP install?

4

Oh, yes sorry. That’s the way ASCOM works. SGPro can’t know about all ASCOM devices… it can only know about ASCOM devices you have installed drivers for. Once you install it, it will show up.

5

What had me confused was that the Alnitak, Pegasus, etc. flat-boxes are part of SGP’s standard installation. I have now installed the DSD flap panel’s driver and it shows up in SGP’s flabox options.
The driver can be found here: https://deepskydad.com/store/software/ASCOM%20DSD%20FP1%20Setup%20v1.0.1.exe

Thanks for your and Pavle’s help.

6

I can understand that. The issue with Flat Panels is that they are a relatively new addition to ASCOM. Prior to their addition into ASCOM, all Flat Panels were “custom” (native) implementations and will always appear in the selector menu.