1. Stefan B Avatar Stefan B
  2. nina
  3. NINA
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Connect Sony A1

Issue #1147 closed
Heinz Vonäsch created an issue

Hi
I would like to deal with astrology more. In this context I discovered your software. I installed it on my PC and now want to connect my camera. When configuring the cameras, only Nikon is there. I have gels that it is recommended that this ascom tool is buried. I did it too. Nin gint e so camera simulations. How is it possible that I can connect my Sony A1 to your tool? I can't find it in detail, or maybe it is also due to my bad English. I would be very happy if you could help me insert my camera.
Many thanks for your help.
Greetings
Heinz

Comments (16)

  1. Linwood Ferguson

    There are a couple of people doing ASCOM drivers for the Sony.

    NINA for the most part relies on someone providing an ASCOM driver, so I think the developers (which I am not) will be unlikely to code something special for SONY - a lot of work and nearly impossible unless they have one). I do have an A1, which at present am not using for astro, but one day I hope to try it for wide field. You might want to look here: https://retro.kiwi/ascom-driver-for-sony-cameras/ though that’s the initial article, you need to through his postings, I have not kept up lately.

  5. Mark Westling

    Heinz, the link that you found (and mentioned above) is for https://github.com/dougforpres/ASCOMSonyCameraDriver. The other one you need to add is https://github.com/dougforpres/SonyCamera. It’s listed on the main page of ASCOMSonyCameraDriver as a requirement for the one you installed:

    Dependencies:

    https://github.com/dougforpres/SonyCamera A Windows DLL that communicates with compatible Sony cameras via USB (see the ChangeLog file in that repo for a list of major improvements. This project only serves as an ASCOM front-end for that DLL)

    Hope this helps.

    ‌

  6. Heinz Vonäsch reporter

    hi Markus
    Thank you for your help. I've been to this page before. But I couldn't find out how to download the DLL. I can find these entries there:
    releases
    No releases published
    packages
    No packages published
    I would be very happy if you could tell me how I can download the DLL and where it has to be installed on my PC. Because help texts, I do not get to the goal.
    Many Thanks.
    Greetings
    Heinz

  7. Linwood Ferguson

    I decided to try this as one day I want to set up my camera again…

    First, it appears that there is no separate install for the SonyCamera project, it appears incorporated.

    Secondly, I had to set the camera for PC Connection = USB. If the camera appears as group of disk drives it will not work. Once set for USB I had no issues, and the camera appears as expected in the dialog box shown. You can also take NINA out of the equation by running GetCameraInfo64 as it mentioned (well, it says getCameraInfo but if you are running 64 bit use that).

    Long ago and far away I found there were collisions of some sort with EDGE; taking EDGE off the imaging computer solved mine. That was in 2020 or so, so take it with a grain of salt, but you do not need EDGE.

    If all else fails, you will get better answers by just writing Doug directly (his email is in the readme, I won’t post it here publicly).

  9. Linwood Ferguson

    By the way, the instructions imply a need to use device manager to change the driver of the detected device. I did not need to do that. This may be because Edge was never installed on that machine, or they may simply be wrong, but mine worked with just the PC connect. And the precise option is Network, Transfer/Remote, PC Remote Function, PC Remote = On, PC Remote Cnct Method = USB.

  11. Heinz Vonäsch reporter

    Hi
    Thank you for wanting to help me, but nobody helps. I have to say in advance that I am not a software developer and therefore have no idea about your order in your development environment. I don't know yet whether the software will work on my PC or not. First I need to be able to download the software. I downloaded and installed the first part, as you can see in the picture above. But I don't know how to download and install the DLL for Sony cameras for ASCOM. I can't find a readme file with Doug's email address either. I would be really grateful if someone is here who is also willing to help a beginner. Thank you for your further help.
    Greetings
    Heinz

  12. Linwood Ferguson

    Just for the record I am not a developer, and NINA is not my software. To say no one helps is offensive given the time and effort I put in to try it and provide info.

    And the Sony driver is not developed by NINA either, so complaining that it is difficult to figure out here is pointless, as the developers will never see it. I and others are simply trying to help you.

    As I said above, there is only one software installation needed, it should install the needed DLL, at least it did for me when I tested it. I installed only the one indicated on this page:

    https://github.com/dougforpres/ASCOMSonyCameraDriver/wiki/Installation

    version 1.0.0.36.

    I believe the installation offers to show you the readme, but you can also find it in

    C:\Program Files\Common Files\ASCOM\Camera\

    (and you’ll see the DLL is there also).

    Did you try it after setting the PC remote connect as indicated? If it did not work, did you try doing as the instructions suggest and running the SnyCameraInfo64.exe (as I mentioned, I think it does not have the 64 on it, but you need that). Did you remove EDGE if installed as suggested? Did you read all this instructions?

    I actually went through the process myself to see that it worked, with the single download, and it does. Since it does not work for you, you need to either provide some additional indication of what happens, what you tried, what failed or worked, or write to Doug, or move on.

  13. Heinz Vonäsch reporter

    I apologize if that was misunderstood. I didn't mean that nobody helps, but that I don't understand it.
    If I understand your last post correctly, the DLL does not have to be downloaded separately, but is only 32 bit in the installation package. Uninstalling EDGE is definitely not an option for me. If that only works without this browser, I'll do without NINA. It's a shame though, as I have the feeling that this tool is very good. But when software needs to be removed, making other software work is not my thing. Because most of the time such software does not run stable otherwise.
    Thanks again and I didn't mean to make any accusations here!
    Greetings
    Heinz

  14. Linwood Ferguson

    No, I said the SonyCameraInfo.exe (not 32) did not work, and use the 64. The DLL is 64 bit.

    Also, I do not KNOW that edge needs to be removed, just that about 2 years ago I had to in order to make the older version of this work. I do not use Edge at all much less use it on my astro imaging computer. You could always remove it and put it back.

    The more relevant question is whether you put the camera in the mode I suggested above, as it is invisible to the software if it is not. There are lots of installation hints in Doug’s documentation, things you need to do and try.

    But seriously - you need to meet us half way, do some reading, do some work, provide feedback on specifically what you tried, and did not. So far you have done none of that (other than to say removing Edge is not going to happen).

    Or… as I have said before… leave NINA out of it and talk to the author of the software for which you have problems.

  15. Heinz Vonäsch reporter

    Thank you for your reply. It's always a problem when several software have to work together. I didn't do anything and I didn't read anything. I just didn't get it. I don't speak English either and I always have to translate the whole thing and it's not always easy to understand.
    So far I haven't made many attempts either as I was told above that I need to download 2 driver packs and I couldn't find it. I was also given 2 links.
    But since everything is supposed to be in this one package, I'll keep pondering or just ask the software manufacturer if I can find one.
    I will certainly publish my experiences here.

  16. Stefan B repo owner

    No planned support for native sony driver. Either this gets implemented by a plugin or using existing ASCOM drivers.

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