Pause needed when using Temp Compensation and Backlash Compensation

Sequence Generator
1

I was having problems with star smearing in some of my frames. Eventually tracked it down to using backlash compensation and temperature compensation at the same time. Watching closely the bottom of screen messages and the focuser panel, it looks like SGP finishes a frame, downloads, then runs temperature compensation, then starts a new frame. Problem is, there seems to be no check to make sure temperature compensation is finished before starting a new frame. This isn’t a problem if you’re not using backlash compensation as it clicks the number of focuser steps quickly enough before the next frame starts. But if you’re using backlash compensation the focuser is running out the specified number of steps then in again after the frame has started (in my case for about the first 4 sec of a 30s sub). There is enough torque from the focus motor or image shift during the backlash compensation to ruin the frame with smeared stars.

Particularly when using backlash compensation there needs to be a pause so that focuser movement can finish before the next frame starts. Any thoughts on this?
…Keith

2

I found a work-around - add a 3s pause between frames. The pause occurs after the temp compensation adjustment so the 3s allows the backlash compensation to complete before the frame starts. It’s slightly wasteful of imaging time, since temperature compensation doesn’t occur on every frame, more like every 5 or so frames. It would be better if the 3s pause could be set to occur only when the backlash compensation runs, but a universal 3s pause between frames does eliminate the problem at a slight cost of taking fewer light frames in the same amount of time.
…Keith