"E" Software Update

Application Note
Software Update for "E" Cameras
May 18, 1999

Introduction

The newly introduced "E" or Blue Enhanced versions of the ST-7 and ST-8 require new versions of the CCDOPS software for best performance. This note describes that software.

[Note: Because this software is new and still in development at this time SBIG recommends only users of the ST-7/8E upgrade to this software. User of the older non Blue Enhanced ST-7/8 and all other cameras should stick with the standard DOS and Windows software.]

IMPORTANT

Please read this note through once completely before you upgrade your software. Failure to do so could cause older CCD Imaging Applications to stop working.

Installation Instructions - DOS Users

1. Download the Zipped archive OPS383.ZIP (CCDOPS for DOS version 3.83) into a temporary directory on your hard disk and unzip the archive.
2. Make a backup copy of your current DOS CCDOPS.EXE application or copy the whole directory to another location. It's always a good to keep the old software around incase the new stuff isn't better or is worse ;)
3. Copy the CCDOPS.EXE file from the temporary directory to your CCDOPS directory.

Installation Instructions - Windows Users

1. Download the Zipped archive OPSW406.ZIP (CCDOPS for Windows Version 4.06) into a temporary directory on your hard disk and unzip the archive.
2. Make sure you are not running the CCDOPS software or any other Applications.
3. Make a backup copy of your current Windows CCDOPS.EXE application or copy the whole directory to another location.
4. Copy the CCDOPS.EXE file from the temporary directory to your CCDOPS directory.
5. If you have a copy of the SBIG32.VXD file in your CCDOPS directory, make a backup copy of it somewhere else and delete the one in the CCDOPS directory.
6. Copy the SBIG32.VXD file from the temporary directory to your C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. If there is a copy there already please make a backup copy of it before you copy the new file in its place.
7. If you are using other 3rd party packages that support the ST-7 and ST-8 like Software Bisque's CCDSoft or Cyanogen's MaxIm you may need to get new versions of those packages for optimal imaging. Please read on for further explanation.
    The new "E" or Blue Enhanced CCDs required making some optimizations to the low-level camera control code in the camera driver (SBIG32.VXD). We made those changes in the "safest" way by making minimal modifications to the way the driver works UNLESS the parent Application requests those new features. Because of this the Application Level code (CCDOPS, CCDSoft, MaxIm, etc.) need to be modified to enable the new optimizations in the driver.
8. What are the optimizations and what can you do to get around them while you're waiting for new Application software?
    Two things. First, some "E" cameras show a slight noise in the dark readout. While this is barely visible, manifesting itself as very slight horizontal lines, we were able to eliminate it by lowering the noise in the camera during readout by keeping the TE cooler from changing while reading out the pixels. Again, this is a very small effect and you probably wouldn't notice this if we didn't point it out or if you took a picture with any sky background. Old software that doesn't take advantage of this optimization will probably work just fine for now and forever.
    The second effect is that when the cameras were powered up and the Imaging CCD was idle for a period of time, say while you were placing a guide star on the Tracking CCD, a glow would appear in the upper-left corner of the 1st image taken with the Imaging CCD. This was caused by the way we were powering up and powering down the CCD preamp and has been fixed in the new driver. If you see this on E cameras with other unmodified Applications it should be a simple matter of taking a full-frame image of 1 second period with the Imaging CCD prior to taking any keeper light or dark images IF the Imaging CCD has been idle for a few minutes. Again this work-around is only required with older Application Software that hasn't been modified.
9. Finally, as always, there is a small chance that the modifications we made to the SBIG32.VXD driver will cause you to not be able to use your "favorite" CCD Imaging application. If that's the case please continue to use the older version of the SBIG32.VXD file when you want to run that software. That's why we ask you to make a backup copy of the existing SBIG32.VXD file.
    When changing the VXD file you should place the one you want to use in the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory and that's the only copy you should have. You can tell which version you are using by establishing a Link to the ST-7/8 with the CCDOPS Windows software then using the Information command in the Camera menu.

[Note: The next Macintosh version of CCDOPS including the ST-7/8E enhancements will be available by the end of June]