How-to setup BYE/BYN and PHD for dithering

[admin]

Follow these steps to configure both BackyardEOS/BackyardNIKON and PHD for dithering.

In PHD...

1. Start PHD.
2. Go to tools menu and check "Enable Server".
3. Restart PHD.
4. Accept all Windows Firewall warning.
5. Start Guiding as you normally would.

In BackyardEOS or BackyardNIKON

1. Start BackyardEOS or BackyardNIKON.
2. Click the "PHD" button, just right on the Camera Information Centre.  This is a toggle ON/OFF button.
3. Start an image capture plan as you normally would.

You are now dithering between each image.

Please see this Debunking dithering! thread for more information if you which to learn more on what dithering means and what it can do.

Thank you
 

[PoppaChris]

Follow these steps to configure both BackyardEOS and PHD for dithering.

 

In PHD...

1. Start PHD.
2. Go to tools menu and check "Enable Server".
3. Restart PHD.
4. Accept all Windows Firewall warning.
5. Start Guiding as you normally would.

In BackyardEOS

1. Start BackyardEOS.
2. Click the "PHD" button, just right on the Camera Information Centre.  This is a toggle ON/OFF button.
3. Start an image capture plan as you normally would.

You are now dithering between each image.

 

Thank you

 

Guylain

 

A simple answer but very important!  Thanks!

[PoppaChris]

Does this thread belong under GENERAL or should it more properly be under BACKYARD EOS?

[admin]

Does this thread belong under GENERAL or should it more properly be under BACKYARD EOS?

 

It can be both I guess... but with BackyardNIKON just around the corner it is more of a general thing.  But I can move it just the same.

 

Guylain

[Contedracula]

Precious infos Guylain

 

Thanks

Gianluca

 

 

 

[AaronSmall]

Simply migrating this from the Yahoo group since I found it helpful:

 

I thought I posted this question already, but I can't find any evidence that I did.  Anyway, I've been using PHD a few times now without any issues, recently I downloaded BackyardEOS because now I have a camera it recognizes (60Da).  Can anyone provide the proper sequence as to which program you initiate first, what order is the workflow?  I'm guessing BackyardEOS frame and focus first, then switch over to PHD for calibrating and wait for the guiding signal, then back to Backyard to start imaging. Is this the way it supposed to go?

 

John

 

------------------------------------------

(I skipped a few posts here...)

------------------------------------------

 

Chris,

 

Have you seen the previous posts by Guylain that he is migrating away from using this forum for BYE support questions?

 

I will answer here anyway.

 

John basically has it right.

 

You don't want to start PHD guiding and then need to nudge the telescope to frame your target. That would at least drive PHD somewhat nuts.

 

If you are guiding through an off-axis arrangement, then you need to focus the imaging train before making any necessary focus adjustments to the guide camera. If you are imaging through a second guide scope then focusing the imaging train can be done anytime and not affect the guiding, as long as you don't need to touch the scope to focus. Touching the scope while PHD is guiding will, again, drive it nuts as it will try to adjust the mount to keep the guide star in position while you are giggling the scope by touching the focus knob.

 

I usually focus first, on a bright star that I know will show up well in LiveView. Then I slew to, and frame, my target. I usually use AstroTortilla to position the scope at this point. Once positioned, I take a test shot that has a long enough exposure to show the target and rotate the focuser/camera to frame the target nicely, if necessary. If I needed to rotate the camera for framing purposes, I again solve the current position with AT and save that solution as a bookmark so I can come back to that position for a future imaging session.

 

Only when I have the scope positioned where it will be during imaging do I find a guide star and start PHD's calibration and guiding process. Once PHD is guiding, and I can see by its Graph that things have settled down, do I start imaging.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Rick