settings for Focus Max with ACP

[Richard Payne]

Hi, when "manually" running Focus Max I usually run the V curve and it picks the lowest number, with ACP running it doesn't run a V curve just 2-3
spots and its not even close to focus, I have run a V curve on Focus Max before running ACP and it works great, what are the best preference settings
to run ACP. Thanks,
Richard Payne

[Eric Dose]

If you can get FocusMax's AcquireStar to give consistently good focus, then ACP should be able to use FocusMax consistently, too. That's my experience anyway. Test this with FocusMax's AcquireStar button, not the Focus button.

Be sure you're tuning FocusMax to your telescope system by adjusting its Preferences in FocusMax's AcquireStar tab.

This assumes you have activated AcquireStar within ACP Preferences.

[Richard Payne]

Thanks, I will try that, I was always using the Run tap on the V curvem panel

[Eric Dose]

Really, the main things to adjust in FocusMax > Preferences > AcquireStar tab are: (1) the initial exposure time, where 3-4 seconds is usually a good starting point; (2) the magnitude range in the filter you (and ACP) use to focus, where 0.7-1.0 magnitude between min and max is usually about right; and (3) the minimum altitude for the focus star, where most users find that 50-60 degrees minimum altitude from the horizon works about right.

When you've adjusted the magnitude max and min so that FocusMax AcquireStar consistently exposes for 1-3 seconds (depending on your camera's abilities), then you're usually good to go.

[Bob Denny]

Also, make sure you are not telling FocusMax to use a different "system" file from the one you use manually. The ACP one could have a bad V-Curve in it. ACP doesn't tell FMx to do anything but "focus and tell me when you're finished". Is this empty?

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[Randy Flynn]

Trying to follow this for initial setup. Looking at FocusMax>Preferences>Aquirestar and for the life of me I don't see initial exposure time or magnitude range. I do see the minimum altitude you mentioned. What am I missing?

Thanks,
Randy

[Randy Flynn]

Never mind, it's right in front of me.