Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- stacker:docs:stackshot [2017/03/15 18:36]
rjlittlefield [Installing the StackShot device drivers] fixing the updated URL
+++ stacker:docs:stackshot [2019/04/04 19:53]
rjlittlefield fix typos
@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 Zerene Stacker uses industry-standard device drivers for the USB chip that is utilized by the StackShot controller.
-**For Windows computers (Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP)** that are connected to the Internet, the required drivers usually will be automatically located and installed by the operating system when the controller is first plugged in.  For computers that are not connected to the Internet or cannot find the proper drivers online for themselves, drivers for the Stackshot controller can be downloaded from [[http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/D2XX.htm]].   At the current time, the **setup executable** for Windows (both 32-bit and 64-bit systems) is [[http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/CDM/CDM21226_Setup.zip|http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/CDM/CDM21226_Setup.zip]].  Simply download this file, burn it to CD or thumbdrive, transfer it to the offline machine, and run the executable there.
+**For Windows computers (Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP)** that are connected to the Internet, the required drivers usually will be automatically located and installed by the operating system when the controller is first plugged in.  For computers that are not connected to the Internet or cannot find the proper drivers online for themselves, drivers for the Stackshot controller can be downloaded from [[http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/D2XX.htm]].   As of 14 April 2017, the **setup executable** for Windows (both 32-bit and 64-bit systems) is [[http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/CDM/CDM21226_Setup.zip|http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/CDM/CDM21226_Setup.zip]].  Simply download this file, burn it to CD or thumbdrive, transfer it to the offline machine, and run the executable there.
 **For Macintosh and Linux computers**, drivers are included in Mac OS X and Linux and will be configured by Zerene Stacker if necessary.  You do need to run Zerene Stacker from an account with administrative privileges (one that is allowed to update Mac OS X), and you'll be asked to provide the password for the account that you're using.  For most users, your regular account will work fine, and the password to provide is just the one that you normally use to login to your computer.  Once the password is provided, Zerene Stacker manages all the details internally.
@@ Line 256: / Line 256: @@
 **First, a bit of background may help...**
-__Very important__: **Zerene Stacker never attempts to talks to the camera directly**.  When Zerene Stacker wants to take a picture, it sends a command to the StackShot controller to do that.  The StackShot controller then closes an electrical switch on the shutter cable.  The closing of that electrical switch causes the camera to take a picture.  In response to the picture being taken, the camera and EOS Utility have a conversation between themselves to transfer the image to the computer.
+__Very important__: **Zerene Stacker never attempts to talk to the camera directly**.  When Zerene Stacker wants to take a picture, it sends a command to the StackShot controller to do that.  The StackShot controller then closes an electrical switch on the shutter cable.  The closing of that electrical switch causes the camera to take a picture.  In response to the picture being taken, the camera and EOS Utility have a conversation between themselves to transfer the image to the computer.
 When things are acting normally, there are three separate communication channels: USB from Zerene Stacker to StackShot controller box, shutter cable from StackShot controller box to camera, and USB from camera to EOS Utility.  (If you are using the "Stack New Images" function in Zerene Stacker, then there is a fourth communication channel of sorts, in which Zerene Stacker periodically checks a folder in the computer's file system to see if there are new images to process.  But that is seldom an issue when people see problems.)
@@ Line 295: / Line 295: @@
   - Again test to see if you can shoot a stack under these conditions.  This is testing full functionality: Zerene Stacker driving the StackShot,   StackShot driving camera, EOS Utility showing live view and downloading images as they are shot.  If this fails, but all the other steps worked, then the problem is probably a bad USB cable that is causing some sort of crosstalk between the two USB connections (one to StackShot, one to Camera).  In that case try swapping in new USB cables and repeat the testing.
-We've mentioned a couple of places about resetting the StackShot controller to factory settings.  Here is how to do that, instructions copied from the Troubleshooting section of the StackShot manual:
+We've mentioned a couple of places about resetting the StackShot controller to factory settings.  Here is how to do that, using instructions copied from the Troubleshooting section of the StackShot manual:
 > With StackShot powered off, hold down the DOWN button, and apply power. Once the splash screen shows up, release the DOWN button. This will load the factory defaults. It will NOT erase your saved settings.
 **As always, feel free to email [[support@zerenesystems.com]] if you need assistance.**