Gremlins making chances to telescope ASCOM settings (Paramount)

[James Pierce]

Something is causing the settings in the ASCOM config window (accessible when you setup the telescope through ACP) to change. We've seen this a few times where the telescope tracking option is turned off somehow. I've also now seen it happen a few times that the option to home the scope is turned off. This causes me to loose time because the paramount needs to home when it's been powered down.

I know this is very likely not ACP related, but wondering if there is anyway to lock down / check / correct these settings?

[Bob Denny]

It has been reported here that this happens somehow when TPOINT mapping is done? Have you been doing anything with the Paramount like that? It is a mystery. ACP has no access at all to those settings, they are within the Software Bisque supplied interface to TheSky and the Paramount. I do know that the majority of people who "just observe" haven't been affected. TheSky and the Paramount are really first class as far as being robust except for these crazy settings changes.

[William Bristow]

Hi Bob, James.

I too have seen these random changes to the Bisque ASCOM 2X mount adaptor with ACP, MaxIm and FocusMax.

If you startup any of the aforementioned and try to connect to the Paramount when it is physically powered-off or the USB cable is disconnected (or there is a software/hardware issue somewhere in the PC-USB-Mount connection).

The next time you startup ACP the settings in the 2x adaptor have changed to can't park and can't find home.

If I have been using FocusMax or MaxIm independently of ACP and/or I have been running different software packages while the Paramount was disconnected then I have to remember to reset the telescope prefs for the Bisque 2X ASCOM adaptor in ACP next time I launch.

I suspect this happens when MaxIm or FocusMax tries to connect to the direct guider interface in the Bisque 2X mount adaptor, finds the mount is missing for some reason and the 2X interface is reset to defaults, but that is just a guess.

William.

[Bob Denny]

William thanks for the hints here. I hope they will help James.

I should mention (for others that read this, not you :-) ) that the settings for the 2X adapter are not part of ACP and not accessed, changed or kept by ACP. The only access is from ACP calling out to the ASCOM chooser, which then calls out to TheSky to access its 2X adapter and its settings window. Two degrees of separation :-)

[James Pierce]

Thanks - I know this is 100% ... or as you say 200% not an ACP problem Bob... Happened to me again this morning - lost another 1/2 night of good observing weather because the mount didn't connect and home... Both the tracking and home settings had reset. I've really lost my love for Paramount - little issues like this and the fact they seem to have abandoned their support forum doesn't leave a good taste!

[Bob Denny]

Dang it. Can you think of anything, a pattern, for this?

[Eric Dose]

With my previous Paramount MX+, I always thought these settings changes correlated with Windows Updates. Note, it wouldn't have to be Windows itself making the changes: TheSkyX or the driver itself could be doing it when it encountered certain Windows changes. Your mileage may vary.

[James Pierce]

Wondering out loud ... where does the X2 driver save those settings I wonder... if it's in a simple or accessible text file etc it would be pretty straight forward to ensure the config is correct as part of the ACP startup.

[Bob Denny]

I'm very reluctant to assume responsibility for bugs in others' software... so this is for information only. I started the ASCOM Profile Explorer and Under Telescope Drivers > ASCOM.SoftwareBisque.Telescope I see those settings listed. This means that they used the Profile object that is supplied to driver authors as part of the ASCOM Platform Developer's kit. I happen to know that the Profile tool saves its data in the Windows Registry under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\ASCOM\Telescope Drivers\ASCOM.SoftwareBisque.Telescope. What I don't know is if/when the driver will (re)read that info if you change it in its saved settings.

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[James Pierce]

Yup it feels risky to start trying to edit or change things there in the registry there. I'm trying to just make a habit of checking the settings after I've done something manual with my system, or after any major reboot / update etc.