Says I need a serial cable

[mjohn15]

Hi,

I started using the trial version of BYE this past December. It worked great with my Rebel XTi.  When I was ready to purchase I had to upgrade to the latest version (3.1.3).  Now my camera won't work with the BYE.  It connects and reads my camera settings but I cannot take images.  I get the following error messages in the log.  I am using a usb cable to connect, same as before.  I am also using the same computer. 

 

 

17:22:37  Your camera requires a configured serial cable for BULB or Mirror Lock.
17:22:39  Imaging session cancelled
17:22:39  Unable to set ImageQuality, current setting is assumed!

 

 

Any thoughts?

Thx.

[astroman133]

According to the Camera Support Grid for BYE, the XTi needs a serial cable, in addition to the USB cable, to control the camera for BULB exposures.  You should not need the serial cable for non-Bulb exposures.  If you want to do BULB exposures with your XTi then you need to follow the link to the Camera Support Grid and scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the links to 2 different web sites of people who sell the remote shutter serial cables that are compatible with BYE.  The cable needs to plug into the remote shutter jack on the camera and into a serial port or with a USB adapter into a USB port on the PC.

 

When the Shutter value in the capture plan is BULB, then BYE controls the opening and closing of the shutter based on the specified duration.  If the shutter is set to a value other than BULB, then BYE tells the camera when to open the shutter, but the camera controls when the shutter closes.

 

If the images are not being downloaded to the PC then you need to configure BYE to do that. Change the "Save To" setting in the Capture Plan Center to be PC or PC+Camera.

[admin]

Trials and purchases have the same behavior. Make sure in-camera mirror lock is turned off.

 

Regards.

[mjohn15]

Just double checked that it is off.  Still no luck.

[mjohn15]

Update: when I plugged in my remote button (for locking in bulb mode- forget the real name at the moment) it now takes pictures.

 

But now the issue is that while the image shows up on the camera, BYE is not showing it (or any other images) in the software window.  It appears to not be reading the images from the camera.

[mjohn15]

Thanks Astroman,

With your help I think the problem is solved.  I realized that the folder lcoation it was trying to save to was faulty.  When I updated the location it immediately worked.

And apparently, it always needs the release cable plugged in (even on auto mode) in order to shoot.

 

I appreciate the help.

[admin]

Rick was correct

The XTi has always required a serial cable for Bulb, even when you trialled it 7 months ago... But TV images up to 30 seconds do not. This was the last model Canon built which required a serial cable.

Regards,

[mjohn15]

Makes sense now.  At the time I didn't realize it was refering to the release cable when it said serial cable.  I was thinking it meant I had to connect my camera to the computer via a serial cable instead of the usb I was using.  I get it now.  :*)

 

Thx for the prompt replies. I am happy to be on track again.

[astroman133]

No, you still misunderstand...If you want BYE to take exposures that are longer than 30 seconds, you MUST connect a serial cable between the remote shutter jack on the camera to the PC (to either a serial port or a USB port via a USB-serial adapter).  Just connecting a manual remote shutter or interval timer to the camera will not allow BYE to take long exposures.

[mjohn15]

Ok, good to know.  Thanks for clarifying that.  I'm sure I would have been posting about that next week