Nikon D90, Windows XP SP3 on Parallels, BYN 02f not connecting (other camera control apps working)

[deadwing]

Hi,

 

I'm trying to use BYN (latest beta 02f) with my Nikon D90, using Windows XP3 on Parallels, a clear system I use without problems with EQMOD/Astrotortilla/Cart Du Ciel/DigiCamControl to do Astrophotography.

 

I downloaded latest beta of BYN because I received today the USB handmade cable to try remote shutter control via BYN.

 

I'm trying to connect my camera to BYN but without success: no card inside, connected via legacy USB cable directly to a USB port, followed all instructions step by step also in the order of turning on devices and connecting cables. Works flawlessy with DigiCamControl and Nikon Control Pro, but BYN just cannot see it. Any suggestion? It seems from other forum posts that it should work quite easily...

[deadwing]

Hi,

 

 

just update firmware to latest version, sadly no change at all. If the SDK is a blackbox you cannt debug for error results from failing part, I'm not sure if or how I can help.

 

Probably apart from using PTP there's no easy way to make the communication with the camera better with the SDK...if you have any idea I can test, I'm available with my camera to test.

 

Otherwise it seems I have to give up on BYN and just use Digicamcontrol <_< (now that I also bought Steve usb shutter cable, I need a software that can run both camera and shutter, and with a planner).

 

 

[Heno]

I just tested my D90 with this software. It works like a dream. No problems taking accessing bulb mode or taking frames in series. I have not tested any other functions yet.

I'm running Windows 7 home premium SP1 on an old laptop. I have a DSUSB cable/box from Shoestring Astronomy.

[astroman133]

Hi,

 

 

just update firmware to latest version, sadly no change at all. If the SDK is a blackbox you cannt debug for error results from failing part, I'm not sure if or how I can help.

 

Probably apart from using PTP there's no easy way to make the communication with the camera better with the SDK...if you have any idea I can test, I'm available with my camera to test.

 

Otherwise it seems I have to give up on BYN and just use Digicamcontrol <_< (now that I also bought Steve usb shutter cable, I need a software that can run both camera and shutter, and with a planner).

 

 

Since nobody else reported using BYN on a Mac under Parallels, it is possible that you are the only person using it in that configuration. It seems to me that your issue likely related to the way that the Mac is recognizing the camera connection and forwarding that to Parallels on on the the Nikon SDK.

 

Do you, by chance, need some native Mac driver for the camera?

 

This is not satisfying for you, but it is still good for others to know.

 

 

[deadwing]

Reading online and crossing some references from forums and SDK documentation, it seems the Nikon SDK is a bit 'iffy' about hardware and wants a very low level control on it.

 

To people with virtual machines even the native Nikon Control app does not work, for the same reason (it uses the SDK), while third parties apps work without problems  because most of them use PTP protocol that is at higher level and probably it's why it works also on virtual machines.

 

I suppose Parallels even if giving native access to the USB probably blocks or filters something the Nikon SDK wants to 'probe' the camera. I use everything else with my virtual machine, telescope/astrophotography equipment and high speed firewire/usb audio/video devices, without problems and 100% stability, so it's definitely a Nikon SDK 'problem' (incompatibility) with virtual machines.

 

Mac does not need any driver for Nikon, Nikon Control Pro and other apps using Nikon SDK in Mac work perfectly as well as the PTP, so it's just SDK/Virtual Machines problem, already submitted to Nikon by other Mac users trying to use other photography apps only available in Windows.

 

Luckily at the moment my photo sessions and guiding with PHD & dithering are all working and automated in DigicamControl, so in the end I solved my problem in the meantime for free

 

I hope soon or later BYN will be available for everyone including Mac users (a number always growing) and so maybe using PTP to control the camera (or a fixed Nikon SDK). If dev needs any more test on Mac/Virtual Machine with a D90 I'll be more than happy to run any BYN test/debug on my machine to have it working also with Parallels virtual machine.