QSI camera readout mode should not be set

[Former user]

For QSI cameras, at least the 683, the readout mode can only be set from the ASCOM configuration dialog, while applications are not connected to it. In NINA, the option is available and apparently it is set every time a shot is taken, but with QSI the function is not even implemented in the ASCOM driver, so it gets an error and stops the shot from being taken. The error is something like CCDCamera.WriteReadoutMode is not implemented.

I think an easy fix would be to silent this error in case of QSI ASCOM camera driver.

I don't know which version it was, it was installed this week.

[Stefan B]

Hi,

could you please upload a log file to further analyze? logs are stored in %localappdata%\nina\logs.

Thanks.

[Stanley Dimant]

This is a known issue since QSI doesn’t conform to the ASCOM standards. Ideally you should contact QSI for that particular issue and have them fix it. That being said we should implement some silent workaround for that particular use case.

[Dale Ghent]

As a rule, we generally would rather not work around a bug in a camera vendor’s ASCOM driver and would much rather prefer the vendor fix the driver’s defects and release a new version of it. I do consider work-arounds on a case-by-case basis, though. My inclination is based on how involved the work-around would be and other extenuating factors such as whether the driver defect will be fixed in a near-term timeframe (so any work-around will provide temporary relief and can be removed when the driver bug fix release is made) or if there are other defects in the vendor’s driver that cause additional problems, either related or unrelated.

QSI’s ASCOM driver is definitely in that last category. This readout mode defect is but one of at least two other major issues with the driver which have gone unresolved by QSI. I’m not a QSI customer myself and I do not own any QSI products, but it would appear from some research that they haven’t updated their driver in a long time and indications are that they will not anytime soon. To me, this is a decrement against any idea of putting in any QSI-specific work-arounds in right now.

As I see it, there are 3 ways out of the QSI forest:

1. QSI fixes their driver’s issues and ensures that it passes the ASCOM Conformance Checker for all camera and filter wheel models it supports.
2. Someone with a QSI camera+filter wheel product writes native camera and filter wheel drivers for NINA using the QSI SDK. This person should also be able to provide any required maintenance of that code.
3. QSI furnishes a unit to one of the NINA devs in order to do (2)

We (I) would be happy to create and maintain a native integration for QSI cameras, as we have for other manufacturers, but I can’t personally justify spending money on something like a QSI camera just to do this.

If you are a QSI customer, please feel free to send QSI support a link to this bug report.

[Vincent Hourdin]

Hello, I’m the reporter. I’ll try to get you the log.

It’s actually the first time I use QSI’s ASCOM driver, because all other acquisition software I used integrate the native SDK, and it is usually stable.

I’ll send a message to QSI support as you say. I don’t have time to develop the integration in NINA, sorry.

Edit: I already have an answer from QSI, they will look at it and fix it quickly, they were unaware of the issue.

[Dale Ghent]

Hi Vincent, QSI has released updated ASCOM drivers that we are told will fix outstanding compatibility issues. It’s v.1.0.0.4 that is listed at the bottom of here: https://qsimaging.com/drivers-software/

[Vincent Hourdin]

Thank you very much Dale, I was waiting for Atik/QSI to tell me when it's ready, and it's finally you that did... It so happens that I used the QSI tonight and for the first time I could use it in N.I.N.A.! That's great! It took a few tries to be able to connect to it but this is probably due to the long chain of USB cables and hubs that we use, but it did work. You can close the issue.

[Nik A]

Hello, that means that we can set the readout mode to “fast” for focusing and in the imaging/sequence to set it in ”image quality”. we have this option?

thanks

[Stanley Dimant]

Yes that should be the case.

[Nik A]

that is great!!!!!

I couldn’t see that option last night, I must have missed it somewhere!! that;s great.

can you please upload pics here or somewhere else where I can find this options? (in focusing and in imaging/seq). or point me where to find them

if it is not a big problem for you!!

thank you!!

[Stanley Dimant]

It’s in the Equipment-Camera window at the bottom. Readout mode for SNAP images and normal images, if I’m not mistaken.

[Nik A]

oh man, you are fast!!

thanks!!!