stash_old

39 minutes ago, Doug64 said:

Hi,

Just a quick question If I attach the RPI to my router by an ethernet cable and start it up for the first time do you know what settings I'll need to change to access Astroberry.

Doug

If you mean the IP network address - no thats down to your router - most will allow displaying of attached devices and therefore you will see your Astroberry. The address will not be 10.42.0.1 which is reserved for the hotspot which if you connect by ethernet wired cable should still appear and be 10.42.0.1 as you can have both connected. I use this to update my PI as the Wired route is far faster than even 5ghz wireless. You could try http://astroberry.local which may work (90% depending on your router set up)

It's as simple as this:

• Start your Raspberry Pi with the flashed microSD card.
• Connect to an Astroberry Wireless Hotspot (default password is astroberry)
• Point your browser to http://astroberry.local or http://IP_ADDRESS
• Click Connect button to access Astroberry Server
• Connect to Astroberry desktop (default password is astroberry)

There should be no problem with connecting to your RPI4 (assuming it ok hardware wise) and the easiest way is you use the "full image" from Astroberry Web site and NOT the raspbian buster std image from PI site - the latter would need to be update with Astroberry. The full image is from here https://www.astroberry.io and the link is straight after the word Dowdload "astroberry Server" in yellow (4th line down). DO NOT use the instructions from further down thats for experienced users. 

Stellarmate / Astroberry/ ASair all share 90% what is called Indi software as there base  - just that Asair has a better thought out front end  and last time I looked it didn't connect to non ZWO kit,as you say,except DSLR's I am informed.

The thing to remember on the first start up is to give it time to do some initial housekeeping and maybe refresh your WiFi scan on your external device.

Plus use the "better" SD cards from Samsung or Sandisk they are faster and IME give less trouble - so something like this https://www.picstop.co.uk/microsd-sdhc/sandisk-ultra-micro-sdhc-memory-card-98mbs-class-10-for-android-16gb.html 

The approach you mention to attach the PI to your mount , control it and your image rig is no problem normally but it does depend of your kit ?????

P.S. You must have done it right once as your screen prints prove 🙂  The screen resolution is not really a problem - just knowing how to change is for new users.

If you need any more answers just type away 🙂

Astroberry works fine without a keyboard.monitor etc either by using MSDOS type access called SSH or by using REMOTE access via a Web browser or by using REALVNC viewer.

My advice to you is :

1. Recreate the SD card from the Astroberry full Image

2. Do not change anything - especially passwords - at this stage

3. Connect to the HOTSPOT 10.42.0.1 (normally) or use the Ethernet connection to your normal Hub/Router and use the address allocated by your home system.. You can add another wireless AP (e.g. Home) but you need to understand how PI looks for and in what order it uses wireless connections - this is done by giving a "priority/order number" and works very well. But you are still learning so "slowly slowly catchy monkey" as they say - hence using wired and/or hotspot connections do not interfere with each other. 

4. Change your Screen Resolution - note using the Realvnc viewer (Both Astroberry NOVNC and Realvnc viewer use the inbuilt standard PI REALVNC SERVER you can do a temp change from within the Viewer to fit onto your remote screens resolution. Realvnc has been round many many years on Linux and Windows. Novnc is normally fine to use and not heard of any problems.

5. Get used to using the PI and its commands first - it is a steep learning curve but most people get use to it in the end.

6. Go slowly with adding kit ,checking at each stage if the kit being added is working correctly - do it during the day if possible. 

7. You can get a "dummy" HMDI plug (£5ish on ebay) which fools the PI into thinking a monitor is connected but you shouldn't need one.

The route you have chosen for whatever reason is not the easiest ,as I say a steep learning curve, and maybe you should look at either Stellarmate or ASAIR(pro) for ease of use. This is not meant to be patronising but you have to understand the beast you are dealing with and perhaps your own patience/abilities - if you like "fun" or tinkering then fine plenty of help on Indi Lib site and some here.

Hope that helps a bit and Good Luck with your new endeavour 🙂

Dont use C8 EdgeHD but use various other including C9.25 with Indi,Ascom and various Platesolve software si unless someone comes along with the same set up:-

Do the image(s) Platesolve in stand alone mode with  ASTAP,ASPS or even Platesolve2  (windows will do).

What happens if you change from local solving to Astronomy.net . Assuming you can connect to Internet at the same time.

What do the Platesolving logs say. 

What Index's have you got loaded (Dont know the Asair Pro but do Indi) if it uses Index's. IMO  Index's need to be slight below and above your FOV I have found.

Do you have an image,that failed, which we can test ?

For £300 I would expect that to work out of the bag with anything - Platesolving 90% of the time 🙂 

12 minutes ago, coralaholic said:

I reinstalled the entire astroberry 2 days ago I assume it comes with the latest INDI version.

Astroberry if not always up todate and you cant use "nightly Indi" versions either without problems. Astroberry comes as a complete package of tried and tested versions of software - only one person does the updating @Radek so you can imagine thats a hefty job. It is also done for a good reason - being a leader of the pack tends also to be the first to find problems is Astroberry is the tortoise which meets most people's needs.

Individual software ,e.g. Oacapture,CCDCIEL etc can normally be updated via there normal routes on Astroberry.

As always (so for repeating) but people should NEVER update their PI WITHOUT doing a backup first - in the end its a lot less hassle,just taking a backup, than reinstalling from scratch etc. SD cards are cheap so no real excuse! 🙂

Ok sometimes you may have a badly behaved piece of hardware (why do QHY camera's always seem to be the ones - maybe it me)  then take advice of Radek or one of the Indi developers BEFORE just doing an "update" - they only bite sometimes 🙂

Ask 10 people and you will 10 differing answers 🙂

Dig into the massive number of threads on SGL to inform yourself 🙂  Its all been said before .

In the end go with what you are happiest with (cost vs usability)  - you will be the one using the kit !

Dont rule out 2nd kit - ex business kit can be well spec'd and nearly up to date and will not cost the earth.

If you are using Astroberry headless you can start up/close down Indiserver ,and its drivers, via the Web connection (e.g. if HOTSPOT being used use "http://10.42.0.1/" (without the quotes - even though you do not have a GUI being started ay boot time.. 

15 hours ago, Skipper Billy said:

best solution I have found is with VNC Viewer/server.

Except this person is "headless" which means the VNC server isn't running on the PI so cant VNC remotely to the PI - thats why he is using SSH - So a bit like just have MSDOS only and not a pretty Windows GUI in sight.

2 hours ago, Adreneline said:

That's brilliant - thank you so much David.

It's looking like it might be clear'ish tonight so I'll have another go.

I've been struggling today because I have now discovered that even when operating the pi3 headless I still need to shut it down in an orderly manner; I've managed to set up SSH so I can shut it down from the MacBook but not before having to reinstall the OS and the AllSky software. When it comes to Pi matters I am a complete novice!

Thank you again for your help.

Adrian

P.S. The Rad Bike is on hold - as is just about everything else, including moving to Lancashire!

 

As sd cards are relatively cheap it is always a good idea to have a mirror backup in case of problems. Not only boot but software updates that may stuff a spanner in the works.

Later learn how to use ssh security keys - this makes login on a simple step - no password needed http://clearoutside.com/forecast/53.04/-0.46

Not sure on Mac but i think putty is available - in which case together with the above you can execute a simple shutdown script - will have to put in sudo password. I wish they put the closedown in Indi web manager that would help headless operators 🙂  maybe one day .

34 minutes ago, William Productions said:

I did the "Digic 2" and still did the same thing...

Then go on the APT forum but APT matrix shows notes 1,2,3,4 which is 

(1) Needs RS232 (serial) cable or DSUSB controller to control Bulb exposures. See a list of serial cable vendors 
(2) No Live View. 
(3) No Video. 
(4) No T° in EXIF

Check on APT forum for Camera matrix to see what your camera can or cannot do. You may have to choose a different Canon processor type to get all its feature.

1 hour ago, Rusted said:

I could get a bigger onboard SSD but worry about reloading Windows 10

You dont reload Windows you "copy" your current drive onto the new SSD and resize using special software - then you have the new with lots of space and a backup which you can use to rebuild. Too much time and hassle to rebuild Windows for a new SSD.

Example of partition/disc copying software https://www.partitionwizard.com/free-partition-manager.html

You will need a cheap USB external drive case to put in new SSD or another computer to connect both old and new if you are using a laptop to copy old disc to new SSD. Just go thru the process a couple of times in your head and recognise the name of your hardrives (not drive name but Manu Name)

39 minutes ago, Martin Meredith said:

Fascinating to see these images -- thanks! There appear to be fragments behind the core too. I took the liberty to compare the two images in order to see what elements are in common. What do you reckon to these? Background stars?

 

 

Mike's (left) is about 30 minutes before Bill's.

There's a great animation here: 

 

Martin

 

Background Stars - I would have thought the fragments would dull very quickly and be very very small IMO 

8 hours ago, Stu said:

One problem was that the chaps at SkySafari had no idea about or involvement in the development that Skywatcher were doing so were caught out by the problems. Not their fault at all.

Not true IMHO - its Apple's fault -  it was Apples decision/design to run "apps" this way - a stupid one at that IMO !

 Remember if it wasn't for a certain Iphone Dev Team (nothing to do with Apple)  who "jailbreaked" the Apple's OS back in the dark past you would be totally limited by Apple's IOS Developer license. Apple changed due o this but not far enough!

SS and Skywatcher's programs work when they are able (and allowed) to run concurrently on a O/S - pretty standard stuff.

Ok SW were wrong - they should have said SS/SW wouldn't work on Apple OS  - I doubt they didn't test SS with Apple kit.

17 hours ago, Spaced Out said:

Thanks. I tried this using the index wizard thing but kept getting that warning. Uninstalled and reinstalled, same problem, just locks up and won't let me do anything at all. Did this a few times with no success.

Strangely, when I logged out off the PC and then logged back in with a different user account it all ran OK ? I have two accounts on the PC so I am just using the second one now instead, I installed the indexes no probs and it seems to work OK so far. I wonder why it works fine for one user but not the other ?

Windows user permissions they keep everyone out except hacker's LOL

I use a HAM radio power supply ,used for over 3yrs without missing a beat (famous last words). They have all the grunt and provide the "cleanest" supply.

Plus it should provide a "common ground" if you power everything from it IMO.

Yes you pay a bit more but you do get what you pay for !  example of Ham type power  https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/402024441231?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=2&itemid=402024441231&targetid=876737317573&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9046652&poi=&campaignid=9794911380&mkgroupid=101625064764&rlsatarget=pla-876737317573&abcId=1139126&merchantid=138799779&gclid=Cj0KCQjwj7v0BRDOARIsAGh37ipWoLZfd7Pw1BzKQ6LqvwHyG9wPNLHJYY4wtso2c-Mq-RZTdeD8e5oaAh0oEALw_wcB 

You need to get ASPS to download the correct index's as per you FOV (or largest FOV used for more than one camera) - downloading all is time consuming and will slow Platesolving if all index's are used.

Do it via "Indexes" menu - this screen should appear 🙂

Ok my fault you need to expand the "Ports(COM LPT)" so we can see the COM devices set up by your Adapters 🙂  Sorry for not coming back - been doing my daily exercise - gardening 🙂

Please do a screen print of what device manager details show before any useful help can be given - device manager On the desktop or in the Start menu, right-click on My Computer, and select Properties. In the System Properties window, click the Hardware tab. On the Hardware tab, click theDevice Manager button.

4 hours ago, noah4x4 said:

Generally that is true Stash-Old, notably for the 2.4 Ghz channel. But it works fine for me in an area where urban clutter is extreme and has been troublesome. My third generation SkyPortal dongle is useless beyond 5 yards, but it's better than my previous second generation dongle and pathetic first generation internal Evolution WiFi. Here is why I believe I have succeeded....

The SkyPortal dongle connects to WiFi1 using only the 2.4 Ghz channel. My NUC connects to my WAN via WiFi2 using only the 5Ghz Channel. I deliberately don't use a dual band router. In my WAN, I can isolate the channels.

The 2.4 Ghz channel is horribly cluttered but over two feet as employed in my set up, seems to work fine. The 5 Ghz channel has (in theory) lesser range than 2.4Ghz, but by using multiple MESH disks, I have created a strong network that embraces my entire house and garden.

But as per your recommendation, it did require a "careful site survey", in my case investing time to find the best position for the MESH discs, none of which are more than five yards apart. Also, none have to negotiate the metal foil lined plasterboard insulation of my house. I have them in line of sight with no obstacles except glazing. It did take me an extra disk to get around this unexpected obstacle, but it seems that reflective foil insulation is now very common in the UK. 

 It would make sense that using a split band (2.4hz/5ghz) will help as will doing the "leg work" on finding optimum positioning of the "mesh" points.

Yes the foil would cause a problem - funnily it can also help as it bounces the wireless signal - so long as its going in the right direction.

But this set up still  has the problem of costs , complexity , reliability ,throughput etc compared to a single 1gb wired connection but that's you choice and  if  your are happy with that AND it works - great stuff - truly happy for you !  

It would perhaps help others perhaps if you could give an idea of the "ballpark" cost involved BEFORE they go down this route 🙂 

2 hours ago, noah4x4 said:

SkyPortal's feeble signal only has to travel two feet it works

Actually this is not a good ides, having more than one AP can create problems as this extract from Cisco plainly states (other vendors also concur ! ). 

"The placement of the APs at the correct places is an important factor that accounts in the extension of the coverage area of the AP. Too many APs in the same vicinity can create radio congestion and interference, and reduce the throughput.

A careful site survey can determine the best placement of APs for maximum radio coverage and throughput."

19 hours ago, Rocket Stars said:

Beelink mini PC

Check on Cloudy Nights the old BEE model may have had unidirectional aerials but they behaved poorly - not sure about newer models!  🙂

On 06/03/2020 at 09:06, vineyard said:

Maybe running multiple main cameras is in the upgrade list for Jasem and team 

I wouldn't hold your breathe thats a major change and a lot of people want Ekos separating from Kstars first - so watch the space.

On 06/03/2020 at 09:06, vineyard said:

Did you find the RPi on its own could plate solve sufficiently (or did you have to upload more astrometry files)?

No that depends on your FOV - I would suggest download the lot onto a laptop and then copy what you want now and keep the rest as you may change FOV and some of the Index's are very big.

Note The latest Astroberry (yours sound like the old one)  uses NOVNC and therefore does not need any VNC software on the client - just a Browser 🙂 and the Mods ,via raspi-config), as suggested by Andy (Fozzybear). I dont know if latest Stellarmate uses NOVNC as well as it now uses std Buster OS not Ubuntu Mate - unless its changed back again 🙂 

WiFi is just a pain in the neck - wired works 99.9999999% of the time. Your problems with Anydesk would have been the same with any other remote desk software.

Its like building a house - bad foundations = falling down house.

It is very very rare I ever need a screen or keyboard etc - normally when I have a Windows Update problem.

Look up "headless" via for more information.

Hint try things out in situ during the day first as that is the only way to show up any problems. 🙂

5 hours ago, vineyard said:

Q2.  Can one laptop & EKOS run multiple separate Stellarmates simultaneously?  That is, if I were to have two rigs set up (one for imaging and the other for go-to based visual - hence at least two different mounts to be controlled, and two different cameras to be accessed (possible 3 if guiding for imaging)), could all that be run from one laptop at the same time?

Indi by design can be set up as Client and server and you can talk to a number of Indiservers at the same time  - so for example 1 RPI can be physically connected to a focuser / mount and another RPI connected to a camera. Indi calls this "chaining" and EKOS just needs to be pointed to the IP address (or host name) that runs the Indiserver/driver . Maybe a quick read of this and the following pages may help https://www.indilib.org/about/features.html 

However if you are looking to run multiple "MAIN" camera's (excluding main and guide)  connected to one KSTARS/EKOS instance then the answer is NO (at the moment)

5 hours ago, vineyard said:

Q3.  I've taken the plunge on an HEQ5 Pro from another fellow SGLer but am going to run it with EKOS instead of using the handset.  Can a normal USB to RJ45 cable be used to connect the mount to a laptop or a Stellarmate?  I've seen the Lynx Astro EQDIR cable (Ikarus also do one, and I think Shoestring Astronomy also make one in the US), but I'm wondering what the difference is, and whether a normal cable would also do the job?

The cable from the mount to a "PC" is the same for all OS - the mount end has to be correctly wired AND the correct TTL voltage (5v or 3.3v ) depending on your mount.  Its not difficult to create your own BUT if you dont feel confident buy the correct USB/Mount adapter from somewhere like FLOW and steer clear of Prolific Chipped USB/TTL Adapters and use FTDI chipped Adapters as OS can see each cable as each FDTI has a unique serial number -  PLUS wiring incorrectly or using the wrong voltage can blow your mounts board. 🙂

32 minutes ago, BinocularSky said:

A question for those of you with RPi-4: What are you using for a field power supply? My battery packs with USB won't go above 2.1A, and RPi-4 needs a minimum of 3A. 12V + buck converter, perhaps (and, if so, can someone recommend a reliable one?)

TIA

Why put the same question out on multiple threads - one is enough surely 🙂 or start you own thread 🙂