Well Atik actually wrote main part the software, libatik, it's a binary file they produced, as well as whatever firmware is used on the camera. The INDI Atik driver just makes use of their code to tell the camera to change settings or take pictures. So more than likely it would be Atik's code not INDI's code. But I still doubt that the issue is software. When I was working with some INDI drivers on OS X as I said, a whole lot could go wrong with the firmware, the software, and other things. It never really damaged any of the cameras I was working with. Every time, if I just got the right firmware on there, it worked again. That being said, last summer I did damage my SBIG camera and had to send it in for repairs, but the issue wasn't INDI, it was that I plugged in the USB cable the wrong way. (That was not smart! Oh and it is not supposed to be possible.)

If you look on the Atik forum, you do read stories about people getting they camera messed up after using their latest software... I guess, the software pushes out firmware? Not sure 100%, but I read quite a few posts along those lines.

Yes, this is probably correct. The main things I was doing for DSI, SBIG, Fishcamp etc to get them working on OSX was to add code that loads firmware to the camera. Many cameras need the firmware loaded on them when they get turned on and then get connected to the computer. If the wrong firmware gets loaded, or the firmware does not get loaded correctly, that is when problems occur. Since the Atik code is a binary blob, I have no idea what they do in terms of firmware loading etc. Note that one factor is whether the camera has some sort of flash memory inside (like my ZWO cameras), or if the drivers need to be loaded every time it gets turned on (like my DSI and my SBIG).

If you want to try an experiment, you could try connecting it to a computer like your Mac running Kstars 2.9.8 after the camera was turned off and see if it works. Then disconnect the USB and turn off the camera, then try the same thing with the 3.0.0 beta. They have completely different Atik drivers inside. It is important to disconnect and turn off the camera between each trial because once the firmware is loaded on the camera, it won't try to load it again. Again this assumes that it doesn't have flash memory and the camera loads the firmware every time.

I suppose I can try that thanks for the suggestion, in fact I will do it tomorrow. It's a bit too dark right to mess about outside right now.
This is something I have to do at the observatory box as the Atik power is only there.... I do not have a spare one with me.

That is one nice thing about the Mac version we spent so long to get working, since INDI is inside, you can have multiple independent versions installed on your computer at the same time. I have KStars 2.9.8, KStars 3.0.0 beta, and the latest version from source on my computer

What what what?? How, please do tell me how, it's probably something I missed...

The firmware is in camera and rarely updated and the only way is to contact Atik support as far as I know, they aren't available for download publicly.

Well 2.9.8 is the one that has been available on the website for the last few months. 3.0.0 beta is the one that I posted a week or two ago. Also I have the latest one from source because I have been working on it. I sent you the recipes via email too. As long as you put them in separate folders, with no spaces in the file path, they will all work fine.

Ok then it works more like my ZWO than my DSI. It keeps the firmware on the camera and doesn't have to upload it each time.

I shall try that later on, thanks for the tips. Yes I have received your email, I shall work on it on my return home.

Some feedback about my not-so-dead Atik...
I was supposed to send it back to Atik for testing but had no time to do so.
Today, I decided to test it to see if I could reproduce what happened last December, so I download the latest Indigoserver for Mac (removed the Artemis service from my laptop as it's known to cause issues).

To my surprise, the camera works perfectly fine.
I was able to do the following without a single issue.


Obviously, I cannot test it in my observatory as I am far far far away from it, nor have a spare Odroid board here...
I have not been active lately on the forum so I don't know if the Linux driver has been improved since then, someone care to tell me please?


thanks all

Hi
Nice to have you back..
I think the Atik driver is better now, and well it should be as Atik are bringing out there own version of SM wrapped up in a little box with a power and USB hub, it’s out for testing now, so don’t think they would release that with a dodgy driver...
As for the rest of the software, same goes really....