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Post by fondofchips on Aug 14, 2016 20:24:52 GMT
Seems like the Mallincam Extreme has gone on the blink, objects have progressively gone brighter over the last 2/3 sessions. Also no colour bars, I must be doing something wrong. Image so difficult even on the Moon, not coming into focus either.
Any ideas please? OK pretty please!
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Post by howie1 on Aug 15, 2016 0:41:52 GMT
'Factory reset'
I had a mess with my VSS way back years ago, and after fixing it, I read on the MC forums a dude with an extreme followed the exact same instructions I did to reset my VSS.
First, both the camera and miloslick can 'be in a mess'. To get around that (and reduce it to one variable at a time) you need to connect the camera via its analogue video cables (NOT the USB frame grabber) to a MONITOR and not a pc. BUT I have since connected my VSS to SharpCap, and while I havent tried the reset process with it, I reckon that if you do NOT have a monitor then the following will/should also work ... If you do not have a monitor to connect it to, then download SharpCap (free) to your laptop/PC and connect using your frame grabber to the PC. Its ok to do this as you are not connecting to Miloslick (which may also have broken settings), but are connecting to SharpCap which cannot control nor read the extreme settings ... so even though you are using the usb and a pc you still only have one variable to deal with IE the extremes video output ONLY. I forget what SharpCap calls the Mallins (in my case it was the VSS camera) in the SharpCap source dropdown menu. But it was easy to spot which it was!
In either case ... connected to a monitor via the analogue video cables or SC on a PC via the USB frame grabber, then ONLY using the buttons on the back of the extreme (it was a vss in my case) do the following ...
- Press center button for about 2+ seconds until the menu appears on the monitor/SC. - Press the upper button once which will send the cursor to the last line <SAVE>. - Next press right key once. Word SAVE will change to <PRESET> - Press center key once.
This should send the camera to factory preset and should be ready for you to select all adjustment needed from scratch. Now wait about 5+ seconds and you are good to go to the next step.
You should then be able to reconnect the computer cable (RS232) and then connect up to Miloslick. Do NOT move any sliders etc in Miloslick as there is a button to "read settings" from camera button in Miloslick somewhere. Its so long since I used it I do not recall where that is. You'll have to find it, or maybe someone else will chime in with where that it. You need to do this so Miloslick is 'refreshed' with the new 'factory' settings from the camera thus overwriting its internal broken settings.
Wait 3 minutes after 'reading the mallincs settings' before you touch any more sliders.
You probably won't be seeing much and have to start setting gain etc from scratch. Daytime in your garage looking out to the horizon and tree's and power poles etc is best. MUCH easier than night to readjust the Miloslick settings back to where you can actually see something.
Also, as per others posts in this thread ... the USB frame grabber (and any USB connections) work best going to a powered hub. Yup, another thing to carry and setup and have power for etc, but it provides 5V whereas the usb output on the laptop often doesnt, especially if you also plug in a mouse and other usb stuff into your pc. Plug them all into a powered hub.
And lastly, I always found with my VSS no matter if using the buttons and the menu, or using it with Miloslick, that clicking stuff/changing settings was very prone to cause lockups IF you clicked too many too fast. Its worth a definite pause waiting until you actually 'see' what changing that slider did to the image before trying another. The pain of the wait, was less than the pain of having the whole thing lockup and me have to cycle the power to the camera and get reconnection and try to recall which sliders I moved to get the last image etc etc etc.
If all this fails, then I'd get onto Rock or Jack and ask them.
cheers
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Post by fondofchips on Aug 15, 2016 9:11:31 GMT
Cheers Howie, it is very frustrating when something did work and then it doesn't. It performed well during last years lunar eclipse and I took a good picture of the Orion Nebula at the same time. Since then it has been variable to say the least.
Thanks again.
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Post by fondofchips on Aug 17, 2016 17:58:57 GMT
Well I've tried Howie's factory reset and it appears to have switched off the video signal from the Mallincam Extreme via the BNC video connector.
DOH! I created my own problem, didn't turn on the battery charger/PSU and the Mallincam stops working below 10.5 volts. Now getting the colour bars, watch this space.....
Seems OK on a close object in daylight but I cannot focus on objects a few miles away, may try on the moon later, my 10" screen is now mounted on the scope to make setting up more easy.
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Post by fondofchips on Oct 1, 2016 16:16:02 GMT
Not had chance to do any more work with the Mallincam Extreme, but tomorrow night looks promising.
Been on holiday where the skies are very dark and WOW I've seen the Milky Way for the first time. So many stars too, like looking at a totally different sky.
New binoculars - Minox 8 x 43 I've had these binos for a while, struggled a bit with them as the hinge was very tight but now the hinge has eased off a little. They have replaced a pair of Opticron 8 x 42's that have seen so much use it was time for a new pair. The Minox bino's are very sharp, and work well with glasses, a better quality feel over the Opticron bino's, though they roughly twice the price. Well they would have been but a found this pair of Minox bino's 'open box' and £160 cheaper. I'm also using them for wildlife where they have excelled. As always there is no substitute for quality with optical equipment. Focusing is very precise which makes them equally good for astro or wildlife work. Considered going up to 10x/12x but higher maginification binos are more difficult to hold still. Very pleased with my purchase.
Still working on my electric bicycle/solar power project, though mostly solar, now using some of the solar power in the house. I have found a multi-function control box that controls the solar panels, with pure sine wave inverter with auto switch over during a power cut and built-in battery charger which would only be used if we had frequent power cuts. It is also capable of starting up a generator when the main power fails. Not much more money than a pure sine wave inverter on it's own.
That's all folks! (for now)
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Post by davy on Oct 1, 2016 21:07:11 GMT
Uncle John,is dabbling is dabbling with a giant pair of binoculars just now,,said he is going to post his modification results soon.
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Post by Dragon Man on Oct 2, 2016 10:35:34 GMT
Geez Harry, first time you've ever seen the Milky Way!!!
I'll never get used to people saying that, because I only have to walk outside and there it is. I totally forget that not everyone can see it.
I hope you get many many more opportunities to see it.
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Post by davy on Oct 2, 2016 13:16:43 GMT
Hands up,i have only seen it twice,, once with the naked eye camping in the campsie hills and once on scope..
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Post by Dragon Man on Oct 2, 2016 15:43:23 GMT
Wow! I really find that hard to comprehend.
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Post by fondofchips on Oct 2, 2016 23:09:04 GMT
Yep, I've only seen the Milky Way once so far. We have had the 'move to the country' discussion many times, but in the UK living out in the country is more expensive than living in a town. Life is a compromise after all. Changing to Video Astronomy allows me to punch through the light pollution and see some colour.
Good news on the Mallincam front, Howie's reset has worked a treat, only seeing stars but they are there and in focus. No big targets, all the planets are near the Sun or above the horizon during the day. Going to make a to do list of improvements before I pack up tonight.
As for giant binoculars, 8 x 43 is plenty big enough, especially if you are trying to look straight up!
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Post by fondofchips on Nov 7, 2016 18:24:25 GMT
OK so I've started sorting out the Mallincam, and I suspected the backup battery behind the obsy was not holding it's charge. I've changed the battery over but accidentally connected the mount etc power wrong polarity.
The dew controller and the focus controller seem OK, but the mount has suffered some electrical damage. After I had corrected the wrong polarity, I started up the mount as usual via CDC/EQMOD and the mount came out of the parked position OK and went to the start position. I then asked it to go to my first target and all the mount did was move slightly, it does the same thing on the mount controller buttons. I removed the mount cover plate with the power and controller sockets on it and I cannot see any obvious damage but there is a smell of burning but not too strong. Somebody has previously removed this cover (was an original SW AZ EQ6 GT demo mount released for review). My problem is that the cover must have been twisted round before it was replaced, and the cables were all very tight behind the cover. This means that 3 small plugs have pulled out of their sockets. I've looked on the net for a picture of the circuit board connections with no success. Also there are 3 plugs & 4 sockets. I've now found the correct positions for the plugs but the mount is still unresponsive, just a click when you ask it to move.
Mallincam red power LED lights up but I cannot get a signal from the BNC connector by pressing the centre menu button or by asking the camera for colour bars.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
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Post by davy on Nov 8, 2016 0:19:51 GMT
Hi harry,, sounds like you have fried the motherboard,, reverse polarity has more than likely given you the stall on slewing,, I don't know why companies don't put reverse polarity protection in there products,, let's be honest,, working in pitch dark with a telescope is probably the best example for fitting protection.
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Post by fondofchips on Nov 8, 2016 9:08:49 GMT
Had the EQ6 motherboard checked at work, nothing obviously wrong, our electronic engineer is looking at the controller as well. It will go through the initial checks OK, it is slewing that it won't do. Have contacted Graham at Astrotech who will hopefully be able to bring the mount back to life & sort out the play in both axis. If I come up with a reverse polarity connection prevention mod to the mount I'll post it on here.
More worrying is the dead Mallincam except for the red LED power light. I've e-mailed Mallincam, waiting for a reply. I've tried pressing the centre menu button on the back of the camera and asking for colour bars, all I get is 'No signal' from the monitor which is connected directly to the back of the camera.
Any suggestions for a cheapish Video camera/software combination as a stop gap until I get the Mallincam sorted?
Thanks Davy for your help, I will update on my progress as it happens.
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Post by davy on Nov 8, 2016 9:24:24 GMT
Hi harry, Mallincam wise not a clue on products, but I can answer the rest of your questions, cheapest road to test out your set is,, Buy a sammy scb2000,can still get a good deal now and then on eBay,, tried and proven camera and plenty of back up,,most folk have had one at some stage. Flip mirror,,best bit of kit I bought to sort out my focus issues with a refractor,use with a 6/6.5mm eyepiece,, I found I needed a focal extension tube,80mm I got,, worked a treat. I had a lot of the same problems your having, putting the sammy in place of the mallincam will confirm mallincam faulty or not,, flip mirror in the optical train will get your focal point correct. I got my kit from ebay.
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Post by davy on Nov 8, 2016 9:29:31 GMT
This is my kit, modded sammy scb2000, flip mirror,,6.5mm eyepiece and my focal extension
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Post by davy on Nov 8, 2016 9:35:50 GMT
The eq6 I would go further into looking at the mother board,, as yo say it unparks and moves to home position but won't go to object via eqmod and handset,,so only leaves the mount as the suspect.
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Post by fondofchips on Nov 8, 2016 11:14:29 GMT
Thanks for the info & the picture Davy. 2 x scb 2000's in boxes for £50 on fleabay, one to play with and one spare!
What is the best software for the scb 2000?
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Post by Dragon Man on Nov 8, 2016 12:25:54 GMT
Thanks for the info & the picture Davy. 2 x scb 2000's in boxes for £50 on fleabay, one to play with and one spare! What is the best software for the scb 2000? Harry, lots of software will work with the sammy 2000. I run all my analogue cameras through Miloslick but it costs $49 ManyCam works well and is free. Gstar-Ex software is great and works well and is Free. SharpCap works well and stacks, and is free. etc etc
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Post by fondofchips on Nov 15, 2016 9:09:52 GMT
Some good news and some bad news about the reverse polarity issue. The good news is that the Mallincam Extreme has not been affected, but I do need to do some more testing. The bad news is that the SW AZ EQ6 GT motherboard has suffered some damage, it works for a while and then the motors slow down, eventually becoming unresponsive. The mount disconnects itself from EQMOD and won't reconnect. The new motherboard has arrived and a 6 amp diode has been installed to prevent further damage. See picture below: - I'll update my progress when I've done some more testing.
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Post by davy on Nov 15, 2016 19:04:06 GMT
At least you have some answers now,, what was the price of the mother board if you don't mind us asking ,at least your mall is ok
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