We would like to help you with your Cookbook problems. Your technically-minded friends have puzzled over the camera but are unable to pinpoint the problem. You have examined the Top Ten problem list but the answer is not there. Everything may seem hopeless at this point, but it is not.
We have spent close to two years answering questions on the phone for people just like yourself. Even though the book has all the instructions needed to make a working camera using the test software, which is a great technical assistant, it is easy to become confused, frustrated, or to make a simple error.
We have realized that most of the time we spend helping on the phone is used asking certain questions over and over, so we have made a questionnaire. Please answer all the questions. Write as much information as possible on the camera history up to the time you encountered the problem. If you had someone else build the camera for you, please have them fill out the information.
The majority of the problems Cookbook builders have encountered come from not being familiar with electronics testing, not understanding the software, not following instructions in the book, using inexpensive sockets which fail, not forming good solder connections, and miswiring. While you are waiting for an answer, get a good magnifier and look over your work for these kinds of problems. Also review the book for information that you may have missed.
We will write back to you with a suggestion on what to test and what to look for. Keep in mind that we are not affiliated with any parts suppliers listed on this WEB site and we cannot get camera parts repaired or replaced for you.
General:
Name:_______________________________________________________
Address:____________________________________________________
Phone:______________________________________________________
E-mail:_____________________________________________________
Education and
Degrees:____________________________________________________
Do you have experience with: Y N
Electronics Soldering and assembly [ ] [ ]
Can read schematic diagrams [ ] [ ]
Can identify electronics components [ ] [ ]
Electronics Trouble Shooting [ ] [ ]
Machinist [ ] [ ]
Materials and adhesives [ ] [ ]
Computer Programming [ ] [ ]
Computer, General [ ] [ ]
Astronomy [ ] [ ]
Your Computer:
Processor Type:_____________________________________________
Processor Speed:____________________________________________
Bus speed:__________________________________________________
Brand:______________________________________________________
DOS Version:________________________________________________
Cookbook Software:
Name:_______________________________________________________
Version Number:_____________________________________________
Serial Number:______________________________________________
Please supply a printout of:
1. Your Config.sys file
2. Your Autoexec.bat file
3. A screen dump from the MEM /C command
4. Your Setap.dat or Setap2.dat files
Type of Printer Interface (parallel port):________________
Do you have an Encryption Key connected
to your parallel port? Yes [ ] No [ ]
Camera In-Work Problems:
Did you build the camera and power supply according to the
book and follow all instructions? Yes [ ] No [ ]
Did you use machine tooled sockets? Yes [ ] No [ ]
Did you use carbon film or carbon composition resistors?
Film [ ] Composition [ ]
Did you install the 1000uF capacitors as suggested
on page 160 of the book? Yes [ ] No [ ]
List all materials or component substitutions/changes
that you made:
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
List the vendors where you purchased the major
components (camera housing, power supply parts,
and camera electronics):
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
How complete is your camera?
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Has the camera passed all tests? Yes [ ] No [ ]
Tell us about any tests the camera has failed (even if
you fixed it). Give the Test Program, the Test
Sequence, and the Test Number:
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Did you use the help (?) or (H) to get help in the test
programs. Yes [ ] No [ ]
Did you understand the suggestions? Yes [ ] No [ ]
Specify any tests that you did not understand:
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
If your camera is completed and not working correctly:
Do you have the correct parallel port selected with the
cable plugged in? Yes [ ] No [ ]
Measure the DC voltage for +15V and -15V at the supply
and record them:
+15V supply = ____________ VDC
-15V supply = ____________ VDC
Did you install the 1000uF capacitors as shown on page 161
of the book? Yes [ ] No [ ]
Did the camera pass all tests prior to the light check?
Yes [ ] No [ ]
The camera is very sensitive to light. Was it in a
completely dark place when you did the first test?
Yes [ ] No [ ]
Did you set the ADC and AMP settling time delays then
save them?
Yes [ ] No [ ]
What are your camera's ADC and AMP delay values?
ADC = ___________
AMP = ___________
In the main menu, what values are the reset and
reference levels?
Reset = ___________
Ref = ___________
Can you adjust the reset and reference to a value
between 0 and 4095 with the P1 resistor when the chip
is in a dark condition?
Yes [ ] No [ ]
Do these levels jump a few digits, tens of digits,
hundreds of digits or thousands of digits when you
slightly adjust the potentiometer?
1s [ ] 10s [ ] 100s [ ] 1000s [ ]
If the camera is very noisy, go to the Z-focus menu.
There are three readouts displayed on the screen.
Each readout should be a band of random levels
about 1/10 of the display height. If the noise is much
greater with gaps, describe or sketch the display:
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Provide examples on a 3-1/2 inch disk of unprocessed
dark frames and other pictures which show problems
you are having with the images.
Software Trouble:
Software Name:____________________________________________
Version Number:___________________________________________
Serial Number:____________________________________________
Describe the problem you are having:
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
What operation were you performing when the
problem occurred:
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Provide a screen dump or a list showing the option
settings when the problem occurred.
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Serial Port Control Circuit:
Supply a complete schematic diagram of the circuit that
you built.
What type of serial adapter does your computer have?
__________________________________________________________
Did you install supply bypass capacitors (several 0.1uF
monolithic chips and a 4.7uF Tantalum) across +5V and
ground? Yes [ ] No [ ]
Do you have the GTEST program and does your circuit
operate under GTEST? Yes [ ] No [ ]
Did you go into the options menu in AP2xx then select R
for serial port. The default serial controls invert
the LSB on the control. Do you know what this means
and did you set it for your controller?
Yes [ ] No [ ]
Did you know that the serial port controls do not become
active until you go into the autoguide menu?
Yes [ ] No [ ]
Describe in detail the problem with your serial port
control circuit:
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Instructions: Answer all the questions. Write as much information as possible on the camera history up to the time you encountered the problem. If you had someone else build the camera for you, please have them fill out the information.
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