Vertical lines in frames with USB1.1 interface cameras

These are typical of a USB1.1 connection with a fairly slow computer, or with a poor USB driver. They occur at 32 pixel intervals, as the 64 byte USB buffer gets emptied. If improving the computer (that is, running it lean & mean by minimizing the number of applications/services running, avoiding heavy network activity or virus scanning while imaging, or if all that fails, getting a faster PC) is not an option, then subtracting a bias frame is pretty effective - they only occur during readout and so are independent of exposure time.

Strange Looking Images

Images like this can mean the camera is not powered up!

Strange Looking Images #2

These images look like some data bits are missing (see below left). The first thing to check is if you get the same results with different software (e.g. AstroArt, MaxIm, SX). If not, then it is a software issue.

This condition can also be caused by electrical leakage around the A-D converter pins. These are very closely spaced and can become slightly damp if the camera is normally kept in an observatory. Often, gently warming the camera for a few hours will solve this problem (wrap it with a dew heater or put it on top of a rad). If not, some acetone can be used with a soft brush to carefully wash the PC board around the A-D chip.

If these solutions don't solve the problem, it might be worthwhile reloading the EEPROM with the firmware, just in case it has become corrupt.

For parallel port cameras using the fast interface module, these sorts of "posterized" images can be solved by adjusting the pot inside the module. This condition sometimes occurs when you change computers.