new to PI and having problems

[mherbik]

Hey all having problems. I have been using dsrl until just last night got my new ccd. Out imaging and got LRGB on m101 using dsrl I was stacking in deep sky stacker and using other software to process. Figured I would get PI since its made for astrophotography. So I try to follow (harry's astroshed) tutorial.  tried batch preprocessing and I get 3 greyscale images (RGB each came out as greyscale) when I use RGB channel combination colors are all wacky and one of the channels (R) is not lined up correctly. Resulting in double stars etc. So I thought I would try star alignment with all the same files (from RGB) results in an image that is lined up correctly ie no double stars but now greyscale 1 image how would I change this greyscale to RGB as I thought it would result in RGB staraligned. Please help this me out. Im rather confused and frustrated. Thanks in advance.

[mherbik]

see attached integrated

[mherbik]

rgb separate.

if I try to combine in something like deepskystacker I get a greyscale. im really lost as to how to get an rgb that is functional from a ccd...

[Zocky]

Mherbik, if you use mono ccd camera, than it is normal that you have 3 (RGB) mono files. If your files are not aligned than your star alignment had failed. Try star alignment in "manual" mode, rather in batch processing script. When you align your RGB files, than do the LRGBCombination and you will get color image. After RGB combination colors are usually week, so you have to boost color.

[speach]

Myself don't use the script for pre-processing, find it not quite right. I go through pre-processing manually, I can tweak the images between processes if I need to.   

[mherbik]

how does one go about manually preprocessing? any links to something would be most useful thanks again in advance.

[Zocky]

It is similar to the Batch processing script, only you have to choose each process. Go to Process Explorer and first select ImageCalibration. After that select StarAlignment, and finally go to ImageIntegration.
If your files have the same exposure time, than you can perform ImageCalibration on all files in one iteration. Regardless on exposure, StarAlignment can be also perform on all of the files in one iteration. When you come to the ImageIntegration, there you must integrate RGB files separately. It means, integrate all R files to produce master R, then integrate all G files to produce master G and finally integrate all B files to produce master B.
Now combine master R, G, and B files by using ChannelCombination and you will get RGB color file.
You can search YouTube for above processes. 

[RickS]

how does one go about manually preprocessing? any links to something would be most useful thanks again in advance.

Here's how to do the first part - building the calibration masters:
http://pixinsight.com/tutorials/master-frames/index.html

Unless you're doing something very unusual, BatchPreprocessing is much easier and offers control over all the parameters you're likely to need.

Perhaps you could re-run BPP and capture the output from the process console?  That would probably give us enough information to figure out what happened.

Cheers,
Rick.