1. Stefan B Avatar Stefan B
  2. nina
  3. NINA
  4. Issues

Ongoing issues with Altair Astro 269C using 1.10 HF2

Issue #793 closed
Pete W created an issue

First issue - AA269C not detected when in Equipment - Camera tab. Clicking on “rescan for devices” does not find the camera. To actually connect to the camera I have to select “Altair ASCOM driver” instead

Second issue - AA269C connected via ASCOM as above. All cooling and warming controls available for use, and real time chip temperature correctly displayed. If I then go to the Imaging tab and run a couple of 5 second test shots, then return to the Camera tab, the chip temperature display defaults to zero degrees and does not report the actual chip temperature

Third issue - AA269C will randomly disconnect when running 5 second test shots

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When I was using NINA 1.10 HF1, I did not experience any of these issues

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Comments (43)

  3. Stefan B repo owner

    Looks like you ran into the known issue where the altair sdk wasn’t updated properly.

    Please uninstall and reinstall nina, and the native altair driver should be working again.

  4. Pete W reporter

    Log file attached for the following sequence of events: Open NINA, connect all devices, check camera tab (correct real time chip temp displayed), go to Imaging tab, start 5 second loop of test captures, NINA reports 1/5, 2/5, 3/5, 4/5, 5/5 secs of exposure, then stops at that point. Loop does not continue and no preview image displayed. After a while, press stop to halt the now inactive loop. Chip temperature reading instantly reverts to zero

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  5. Pete W reporter

    OK Thanks Stefan, I am very much obliged for your help, I’ll let you know how I get on

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  7. Pete W reporter

    Hi Stefan,

    NINA uninstalled and v1.10 HF2 reinstalled.

    The native Altair drivers are now shown and I selected the AA269CPROTEC option.

    Of note, cooling is being applied even though I have not clicked on the snowflake icon. It is applying 4.92% cooling power.

    Secondly, the issue around 5 second loop of test exposures remains - I start the loop, NINA commences the first exposure, gets up to 5/5 secs, then stops. No preview image is displayed and ultimately I have to manually stop the now inactive loop sequence. However the real time chip temp no longer reports zero. I’ve attached a new log file.

    Thanks,

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    Pete

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  8. Stefan B repo owner

    Yea looks like the camera does not send the image ready event. This seems to be a problem with the sdk and nothing nina can do about.

  9. Pete W reporter

    OK Stefan, all understood. I take it my next option is to pass on all of the above to Altair Astro?

  10. Pete W reporter

    Hi Stefan, would you be able to post a link for me to download v1.10 HF1 please? From what I can see this will give me a working solution until the Altair SDK is fixed. Many thanks, Pete

  11. AL

    Last night I experienced the same issue. I had everything setup properly with NINA v1.10 HF1 on my new NUC for astronomy and then (ughh!) selected the prompt for the upgrade to v1.10 HF2 and then I could not connect my new Alatair 26c camera. As Pete W mentions, NINA does not recognize it as a 26c Altair but only as an ASCOM Altair Camera and then I try to use that option and get a half page long error message. I tried to revert to previous versions on my desktop for NINA but it indicates none are available. It would be unfortunate to uninstall and reinstall and lose all of my presets that took sometime to setup. Can we just revert to the v1.10 HF1 so that the settings transfer over?

  13. AL

    Thanks Dale for the suggestion. I installed the driver successfully but upon restarting and opening NINA the issue persists. I submitted a ticket with Altair regarding this issue yesterday so hopefully something good will come of that. I am in the return period for the 26c so if software continues to be a problem with Altair maybe I will try another brand. Only so many nights that are clear of clouds and of responsibilities.

  14. Simon Kapadia

    The problem is to do with the DLL file not having a proper file version number. When you do an ‘update’ in NINA, the installer thinks “oh, this file doesn’t need updating” and doesn’t update it. This leads to a mess which doesn’t work.

    Please completely uninstall NINA and then install a fresh 1.10HF2 from scratch. Don’t install HF1 and then upgrade – that won’t work.

    (That said, with the newest cameras you’re probably better off with Nightly builds because they have the very latest SDK).

  15. AL

    Thank Simon for the explanation of what likely occurred. I will uninstall and reinstall 1.10HF2 after taking screen shots of my settings.

  16. AL

    Well this is getting interesting. I just did as you suggested, uninstalled NINA and deleted the folders from my downloads folder. I went to the NINA website and downloaded and installed 1.10HF2. Upon startup I was surprised to see that it still had my two observatories in the settings. But again, could not see the Altair 26c which was surprising. Recalling that I had in my deleted items folder the initial NINA 1.10HF1 (1.10.1.9001)
    I reinstalled that from scratch and it also had my two observatory settings but no camera upon startup but when I went into the Equipment tab and scan for devices, low and behold the Altair AA26CTEC was there. I selected it and turned on the power and it connected right away.

    I am connecting successfully all the other equipment. Something off here clearly with the HF2 and the Altair camera. I recommend uninstalling and reinstalling the older version for those having similar problems with the Altair that I have experienced and perhaps Peter W. Let me know if I missed anything; obviously this cannot go on for a long time skipping software updates just to maintain connection to my Altair Camera on prior versions. I will wait to hear if anything is resolved on this matter before installing new versions.

    Thank you. Clear Skies.

  17. Stefan B repo owner

    The problem with the update for the Altair SDK is just a one time hiccup. Once a new SDK is available by Altair this problem will be fixed.

  18. AL

    Understood. At least for now on the 1.10HF1 version I can use NINA with my camera, and once the SDK is available I will give 1.10HF2 a try. Thank you very much for the prompt answers to the questions.

  19. Pete W reporter

    AL, I concur with all of the above. I tried uninstalling/reinstalling, but the problem continued. I have gone back to using 1.10 HF1 for the time being until the relevant issue can be fixed, which hopefully will be soon (fingers crossed!)

  20. Thierry Chesné

    I have had the same problem with my Altair hypercam 269C with NINA HF2 , and i am working with NINA 1.10 HF1 to solve problem.

    How can we found the new ALtair SDK if any ? . not obvious on ALTAIR astro site . Do you have the good link to do that ?

  21. Pete W reporter

    I am still using NINA 1.10 HF1 at the moment. It is very stable with my AA269C. I have noticed that NINA 1.10 HF3 is available as a beta version, and the Altair SDK version number within the beta build is different to the one in HF2. I am hoping that the new SDK will fix the issue, but I’ll wait for a while to see what happens before I install it

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  22. Thierry Chesné

    Trying NINA HF3 installed on PC with win 7 or PC win 10 , always problems , NINA shutdouwn when trying to change gain or temperature settings. Still using HF1 for the moment.

  24. Thierry Chesné

    I have tested today NINA1.11 065 good surprise when i connect the camera altair269C , no crash ,native driver 49.xxxxxxxx , ( 48.xxxxxx in HF1 ) good control of CCD temp . but disapointed when i shot a photo in sequence mode or direct mode . if i want a 10sec shot , count down is OK but block at 10sec and nothing else . we are not far from goal .

  25. Thierry Chesné

    I have explain the problem to Altair support and they give me the following answer 😀

    Nous travaillons sur un nouveau SDK qui, une fois prêt, devrait résoudre le problème et nous le partagerons avec NINA une fois prêt.

    Merci

    We are working on a new SDK which when ready will solve the problem and we share it with NINA when ready . Thanks

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    So wait and see and we hope a fast update

  27. Thierry Chesné

    hello Brian , HF1 is no more available through NINA site , the only solution is to have save this version on his PC . By chance i have this download .

    Give me your email and i send you this version using we transfer.

  28. Brian Preston

    Thank you for your reply and offer of help Thierry. I have found a copy in my downloads folder….. so glad 🙂

  29. Thierry Chesné

    Good news : i have found the way to make any version to work with our Altair 269C.

    you must have Nina 1;10 HF1 insalled on your computeur

    goto to program files directory then NINA directory you will see a folder named external open it , copy Altair folder on a USB key.

    Download Nina 1.10 HF3 or 1.11 ,goto to program files directory then NINA directory you will see a folder named external , replace Altair folder by the one save on USB key

    start NINA , you will see the SDK 48 17729 2020 0922 is there . i have tested , it works !!!

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  30. Stefan B repo owner

    That’s however a bad advice, as Altair needs to fix this issue instead in their SDK, otherwise you will need to do this workaround on each new version of nina.

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    Have you reached out to them? It seems to be on their side, if an older SDK is working.

  31. Thierry Chesné

    Hello Stefan , a lot of blablabla from Altair saying always the same things so my advice is not so bad if we don't want to get a solution in one year perhaps or more .

    and today i can test the new algorithm of automatic focus on ver 1.11 which is a great improvment of this version.

  32. Brian Preston

    Just to let you know… Altair are now working on the Ascom and native drivers to fix this problem. Hopefully we will have a solution soon.

  33. Thierry Chesné

    Hello Brian , just to give you a feedback , having tested last release NINA 1.11 #121 with new SDK , prolem is already here. So we wait the next SDK to check . (already 6 months in standby , we hope ….)

  35. Stefan B repo owner

    @Simon Kapadia worked out the root cause of this problem and it really seems to be a firmware issue for this specific camera model. However a possible solution has been found to get around this issue in N.I.N.A. and it will be included into beta 2.0 #009

  39. Simon Kapadia

    Glad to hear it. Don’t stop chasing the manufacturer for a firmware update though. The problem is that the camera behaves as if it is in video recording mode, even when it is initialised as a single shot camera, and if you ignore the constant stream of images that it sends then it just hangs (as you have experienced). The workaround we have implemented is to accept that constant stream of data from the camera and just throw it away (N.I.N.A. doesn’t support video recording) - we only save the image when it’s actually triggered (by the sequencer or the imaging window or AF or etc). I don’t think this can be too good for the camera (it’s always always sending a stream of images non stop which are just being ignored), and also not good for the computer (which is constantly having to deal with this stream of useless image data). A fix from the manufacturer would make the camera behave like all other Altair cameras — when initialised in single shot mode, the camera should only send image data when triggered 🙂

    I do have to say Kudos to Altair on wanting to get this one fixed — Nick at Altair actually loaned me a 269C so that I can work out why it was failing. So we have a workaround now, just keep on at them to get a proper fix which I am sure they will do 🙂

  40. Brian Preston

    I’m still having the same issue with my 269C. Sometimes it works with ASCOM but rarely with the native driver in NINA. If you try APT, it doesn’t work at all. Getting to the stage where I just want rid of the camera.

  42. Pete W reporter

    Thanks for all of your work Simon. I had a message from Nick at Altair today - new SDK in the pipeline which should provide a permanent fix

  43. Thierry Chesné

    hello Brian , I give you missing informations in my previous mail : configuration i am using : Pc with I5 intel processor , ram 8Go SSD 500 go . works well with NINA 2 009 , i try also with APT working well also . My camera is connected to an USB2 port . Just for info

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Assignee
–
Type
bug
Priority
major
Status
closed
Component
User Interface
Version
1.10 HF1
Votes
0
Watchers
7
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