Intermittent connecctivity

[lav2566@yahoo.com]

Nikon 5300  intermittent connectivity with backyard Nikon, Doesn't work 75 percent off the time. What's going on here?

[lav2566@yahoo.com]

Problem resolved. New laptop.

 

[astroman133]

Please when you post an issue or ask a question provide the version number (all 3 parts, like 2.1.0, of the BYN version number).

Intermittent connectivity is often due to bad connectors or cables, but can also be due to a cable that is too long, or a USB bus that is saturated by traffic, especially if you have a guide camera and an imaging camera on the same hub..

Try a different cable; make it as short as possible for testing, before extending the cable to reach from your camera to the PC during imaging. You can test in the house during the day with your PC and camera and a short USB cable at the kitchen table. If you need to increase the cable length, do not exceed the specified limit for USB 2.0 which is about 16.5 ft. Even then use good quality tables and consider using an active extension cable for long runs.

If none of that has any impact then it may be the USB jack on the camera, or the camera itself, is damaged...this is rare, but it happens. It can be caused by snagging the USB cable and putting stress on the camera connection.

Also know that Nikon guidelines say NOT to use a USB hub when tethering your camera. So if you are going to try to use a hub, as many people do, add it to the mix of hardware after you have proven all the other hardware. If you intend to use a hub, be sure that it is separately powered by an A/C adapter. Unpowered hubs provide limited power to the connected devices and if you load the hub with several devices that power may be insufficient.

[admin]

All connections / disconnects are physical in nature.  You need to focus your effort on the physical connection, this includes the quality of the USB cable, the length of the cable.  Are you using a USB hub? How many other devices are connected on the hub? Each device adds data on the USB cable and the actual cable throughput could be over saturated with data and this will lead to a camera disconnect.

[lav2566@yahoo.com]

BYN 2.1. I'm running a short cable directly into USB. Other programs such as NINA are not connecting either.  have ordered a new cable. 

[astroman133]

Let us know if replacing the cable fixes your issue. I hope it is not the connector in the camera.

[lav2566@yahoo.com]

I'm using a 4 foot cable. 2 nights ago I was all Aligned and ready to image and could not connect. I brought all my gear in set down at my desk, and the camera connected. I received the new cable with the same issues. Essentially I am nowhere in solving this problem.  I run my guider and imaging camera directly in to see no hub.

[admin]

In house, when it connects, if you wiggle the cable does it lose connection?  If yes you may have a loose internal USB connection on your laptop and the slightest cable drag with the telescope outside may cause the cable to lose connection.

[astroman133]

If you stop guiding and stop downloading new images from the guide camera, will the DSLR connect? If so you are likely experiencing overloading of the PC's USB hardware.

One thing to try is this...If your computer has USB connections on both sides (or front and back), Try connecting the camera on one side and the rest of your gear on the other side. That will usually cause them to use different internal hardware and will act to balance the load.

[astroman133]

Thanks for letting us know.