stash_old

10 hours ago, Deflavio said:

Interesting experiment, why not to increase photons by binning up a bit?  

Flavio

I did but not alot of difference. I was really doing some Mars work but had to wait for a tree to move - well Mars to move from behind the tree

OK its a mismatch (224mc and C9.25) and at F10 there isn't much Photons getting into the OTA BUT its still EEVA.  10 and 11 frame went amiss hence double stars but no processing just live stacking in CCDCIEL  no guiding

Forgot to say its NGC891 in  Andromeda

This could be a refurbished stock item - the law allows a manufacturer to correct oe replace a board problem on a returned item and perhaps add a new case then sell it as a "new" item. Note I doubt certain countries even bother to control this!

As for the battery - many brand new OEM modern small boards (with UEFI not Bios) still come with a battery ,though normally rechargable. There is still a method ,which I will not tell you, that you can force a reset of Bios/Uefi but you have to know a bit about electronics and be able to read the board as I doubt it comes with a circuit board layout. Not worth it !

IMHO send it back it sounds like a "pig in a poke" - We still live in a world of "you get what you pay for" - well just.

Think you have had enough problems and dont want them later IMHO 🙂

Or you could now use the old RPI4 (just SD card,no stupid GUI as not required ) in conjunction with your MiniPC/Indi or even Windows 10 using CCDCIEL(windows and Indi all at once) to control Mount,Focuser etc but not the camera's(leave them on Mini PC with software)  😈

You did say you wanted to do something with the RPI4 other than a door step.

Whatever please do "dry runs" BEFORE wasting another clear night 🙂

5 minutes ago, Paul M said:

And it works!

Great and that is all that matters.

You might want to tape the blue light if Mni PC near the end of you OTA

1 hour ago, Stuart1971 said:

£120 for rpi4 8gb, where are you buying from 😮, no, no ,no, they are £68.... so even better

Not for an 8gb RPI4 , decent  case, good PSU,cables ,SSD and fan(if reqd)

3 minutes ago, astro mick said:

Now working.

Thanks all.

Mick.

What changed to give you a solution so others may benefit ! - glad its workingfor you.

The bottom line is the RPI is used by many quite happily with little problems.

Even more use Linux "PC's" with Astro software and last time I looked (as I am retired) Linux file server systems out number Windows File servers.

So maybe you have been unlucky !

However if you look through threads on SGL I do try to warn people that Linux ,for some, can be a steep learning curve IMO.

You are frustrated I can understand that but I have to draw a line somewhere when people make sweeping general statements that are simple untrue and do not reflect the view of the majority of Indi users.

The performance of a new PI4 (8gb) costing £120 cannot be compared to a basic Intel I7 costing nearly £800+ especially with download speeds from USB camera's being so high now (USB3.0 5gb). It was not designed to do this. In every other department the PI runs mounts,filter wheels,dew heaters,focsuers etc easily.

Then we come to the Windows USB/COM port saga that some people have and not forgetting the Windows Update fiasco. There is NO plateform I know of that some one doesn't have an issue with.

In comparision how much do you spend on Astro kit (mounts ,camera's etc) I bet its a hell of a lot more than £120 (or even the I7 at £800) - yet this is an intregal part of running a "computerised system" and you only spend a small amount. Would you buy a sports car and use speed limited tyres - no of course not.

It would seem that you want an "out of the box" astro solution that works 99.99% of the time - maybe you should look at the Eagle 3   https://www.primalucelab.com/astronomy/eagle-control-unit-for-telescopes-and-astrophotography.html   BUT I doubt even that does have problems (it uses Wifi so there is possible weak point depending on your set up) and costs over £800.

Again sorry you are having problems and you are frustrated but does anyone in Astro world not have some problems in one form or another.      

OK rant finished have a nice day and many clear nights 🙂      

Of course there are 2 parts to this :-

1. What is the VNC Server on the Mini - presume Realvnc

2. What is the client orig ?  Again is it RealVNC client

3. What is the OS of the VNC client - Windows 10 ? or other

If yes to 1 & 2  then go to Realvnc site and look up local help or post but most answers are there !

As for ugly dummy plug - maybe but it works and what happens when there is a major Ubuntu upgrade and your software/config file gets changed.

Have been using this method for over 4yrs and it seldom fails to work no matter what the OS.

If you already have the Dummy plug try it as you may still have problems due to the wierd graphics driver (even on a chip) or the version of XORG being used which the VNC server relies on and sits above.

Simple gadget fools Linux systems - an 4k HDMI dummy plug like this (note this was the first shown so not a recomendation) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HDMI-Display-Emulator-DDC-EDID-Headless-Ghost-Dummy-Plug-Grey/183118481879?hash=item2aa2b649d7:g:zgUAAOSwUYNc5EAU

No need to edit anything Ubuntu should adjust accordingly.

Note you  still have to adjust REALVNC parameters for display resolution.

3 hours ago, shirva said:

it's true video astronomy 

Sorry differ from your view there - NV,IMO, is just packaged hardware - simpler as its in one hardware unit .

Agree with your previoud EEVA statement "anything goes" BUT without the Astrophotgrahy hang ups.

Next evolution of EEVA,IMO, will be crowd funded public space telecopes - to get past the one thing no Astro persion has control over - Clouds/Seeing (well in the UK).

Now where did I put my class "d" rocket  motors LOL.

1. Index's - do they cover your new FOV - ASPS require correct index's for FOV and correct focal lenth

2. If you manually solve via Internet Astronometry.net does the solved information correcespond to what APT is setting for your camera

P.S. dont need night time to sort out this - use mount simulator (presume Ascom) and load image and try to solve in APT. If that fails try ASPS/PS2 manually(tip point simulator to approx image position for speed). Same goes for ASTAP (at lease index's will be correct)

CCDCIEL is the = of Ekos - so has a sequencer ,preview,video,focuser ,Platesolving and Planetarium - the latter 2 sections (platesolving etc) are via external software e.g. various local Astrometry.net Apps or ASTAP and  CDC/HNSKY. You can also run CCDCIEL on Linux,Windows,Mac OS and talk to both Indi / Ascom simultaneously but as I know you hate Windows the details I have provided are for Linux/MAC OS only.

CCDciel is still beta as Peter does most (if not all) the devopment himself but he is a very good and experienced guy (e.g. CDC). IMHO CCDciel is a bit "lumpy" and could do with a better laid out front screen BUT it gives you access to both Indi Screens - you just have use them to release the Indi power . DSLR is only available via Indi (as there is no 100% working Ascom DSLR driver - sorry IMO) but everything else available in Indi is available to Ccdciel. I prefer the sequencer in Ccdciel to Ekos and its "untied" approach. OK Ekos has more options now days as there are more developers BUT IMHO EKOS will never be "extracted" from Kstars. As normal lots love the latter approach and other dont.

Support from Peter is 1st class and he is always willing and open to suggestions and if you work with him on "bugs" he usually fix's things fast.

I have been using Ccdciel for about 18months in a Windows(ascom) and Linux/Indi Mix (and a slighty more complex way I wont go into) which I have found to be pretty stable. In your case running CCDCIEL in Windows/Android (ascom and / or Synscan Pro App) and Linux/ Indi might help with your problems (as per Indi Forum) but then you would have to use Windows(ascom) to access Synscan Pro App - so guess thats not on 🙂

https://www.ap-i.net/ccdciel/en/documentation/start

2 hours ago, masjstovel said:

clear skies here

what are they ? 😞

14 hours ago, masjstovel said:

but i followed a go-around recipe

What was it?

Your Device manager screen doesn't show a COM port at all in the normal way - if you click and show properties of the PL2303 adfapter what does it show. I suspect you have had an Windows 10 update which has reset the PL2303 driver

In the longer term I would update the cable to FTDI chipped device - as described above. Prolific chips ,especially Chinese fake ones, are source of many problems on Astro USB adapters 🙂

In short term you could try this (only works if Prolific chip is genuine not a clone)  http://www.prolific.com.tw/support/files//IO Cable/PL-2303/Drivers - Generic/Windows/allinone/PL2303_Prolific_DriverInstaller_v110.zip

And if you have deep pockets - one of these https://scitechdaily.com/worlds-largest-digital-camera-snaps-first-3200-megapixel-images-will-explore-cosmic-mysteries/   😈

The biggest problem is making sure the Linux version (Ubuntu etc) is supported using the default drivers (Nothing to do with Indi) especially graphics drivers and normally very recently released  Intel based ones. Having said that I have been running 64bit on 2 PC's (one mini 64bit Intel Ubuntu 18.04 and the other Fedora AMD 64bit) and on the whole no problems - but, I like most, dont probably have the same set up in terms of Mount,cameras etc - mine is  AZEQ6,ZWO camera's,Canon DSLR  - so I cant say yours will be 100% ok.

P.S. I also run ASCOM 64bit on Windows 64bit and have very little problems with my kit.

perhaps this will help http://www.linuxandubuntu.com/home/32-bit-vs-64-bit-operating-system

You would be better putting this on the Indilib forum to get answers from developers directly(OK James is one for Oacapture) but I doubt there will be any "major" problems - I did say doubt- as you will always get some problems - software deveopment isn't wood carving 🙂

1 hour ago, blinky said:

Shame I sent the cables back, was looking at the PoleStar manual/FAQ as Im thinking of getting one, it seems there is a setting for USB power in the windows power settings, USB Selective Suspend.  I wonder if this was possibly the cause of the issues I had with the Lynx astro cable?

Without doubt that wouldn't help and it has been stated before many times by DR_JU_JU - quite rightly of course.

2 hours ago, Realtimedoctor said:

Ekos doesn't allow any priority changes, it depends on the score which it calculates by itself. 

Mick is correct - It does and I have been using Indi for 3yrs thats what the "priority" field on the very left had side, is for - unless you have an error in which case the scheduler reschedules the lines accordingly or you overide and set/unset Altititude priority in EKOS Options. Anything else would seem to indicate a bug and needs reporting on Indi Forum 🙂

IMO Line 3 starts on the 19/09 the others are 20/09 - if it requires them in order then 3 needs to be first !!!

45 minutes ago, kunene said:

This thread is for Eagle Core and not the Eagle. They are different - Eagle Core runs a proprietary OS and not Windows. There is absolutely no way to implement platesolving on Eagle Core. 

OK -  then "up the creek" comes to mind - without them devoping an platesolving interface or software!!! OR using hub software (not USB Hub)which allows use of the Synscan handcontroller and Eagle core - as I am led to believe Tthe "core" is compatible with the Synscan Hand controller - or is that via Safari only ? Then you would need a laptop etc to platesolve - kinder defeats what you want I guess. Oh Well

On 27/08/2020 at 10:53, Nicks952 said:

So I'm just wondering if anyone has a little advice on implementing plate solving simply to correct for goto inaccuracy,

Dont have or know Eagle box other than it runs Wins 10. But if it supports Ascom you can do platesolving (assuming that the eagle allows software installs!) using Astrotortilla as this has an inbuilt ASCOM mount interface and even if it cannot interface with your camera(s) (it needs a supported ascom camera) you can use the manual "load image" part of Astrotortilla to use an image to solve and this will inform all ASCOM mount software the solved Ra/Dec - again assuming Eagle uses or makes available the mount driver via ASCOM. So the workflow would be take image,load image into Astrotortilla,Platesolve abd if ok sync mount - the latter should then show you where your mount is pointing (via your Planeltarium software)

the requirement would be

1. Able to install Astrotortilla onto Eagle

2. Load correct index's for your camera's FOV - have you enough disc space

3. Set the correct paramters for Astrotortilla (google SGL Astrotortilla) so get max solving speed

4. Celeron CPU will be slower for Platesolving so faster version the better.

Note depending on your FOV and how close your mount is to the object selected the platesolving times will differ. Also your CPU type ,  using SSD and memory also effect the platesolving speed.

There are other options such as ASTAP (very fast and very simple to install as it comes with its own Index's of about 700mb),ASPS (will auto sync mount) ,platesolve2 and even local Astrometry.net but you would have to pass the cords manual unless you can do command line scripts under Windows

IMO I do not see that Eagle manufactures have a valid reason for not implementing Platesolving as you will not be taking images while platesolving and the rest of the software will be dormant or using little CPU time.

1 hour ago, Martin Meredith said:

Thanks -- I often wonder what he thinks when I get the rig out. In winter he probably things I'm mad... (he doesn't join me in all weathers).

True about the saying "only Mad dogs and Astro nuts" .

52 minutes ago, Martin Meredith said:

Callum, I hope you don't mind if others post their setups on this thread? I'd certainly be interested to see what everyone's rig is like. 

Assuming you don't, here is my complete setup (from last night). I keep fit by manhandling it out and in most clear nights (usually minus one of the 5kg weights 😉 )

It hasn't changed much for some years now. This is my usual observing location where I get a reasonable view from ESE to SW. The wooden terrace is a bit springy which isn't ideal but as I tend to observe from just inside the door (esp in winter), it is only a problem when the dog is wandering around.

Skywatcher Quattro Newtonian 8", carbon fibre tube, f4 (800mm focal length). Its mainly stock, but I've applied some flocking inside and to the rear of the primary and changed the secondary adjustment screws for Bob's Knobs, not that it made a vast difference. This is occasionally collimated with a CatsEye autocollimator (hotspot symbol applied to primary).

Skywatcher Az-EQ6 mount, only ever used in alt-az mode.

Starlight Xpress USB filter wheel, 9 slots (Clear, R, G, B, Ha, OIII, SII, spectral grating and a piece of flocking taped over for darks)

Starlight Xpress Lodestar X2 mono camera

Car starter battery

2 USB cables to the laptop

I've got a cheap digital thermometer hanging off the scope that I use to record the temperature when I'm taking or applying darks, and a Rigel Kwik Finder, plus a bahtinov mask and a light shield that I use on non-windy nights. 

I'm probably old school in that I do everything from the hand controller. No plate-solving or software controlled gotos yet. A longer cable from the hand controller would be my preferred upgrade as then I can do everything from just inside the almost closed door when its gets chilly. As it is, I get up between objects to type in the RA/Dec for the more obscure DSOs.

Since 2014 I have only ever used LodestarLive (now StarlightLive), latterly with Jocular, and now that Jocular supports the Lodestar and SX filter wheel natively, I just use Jocular. I always have a copy of my deep maps open on screen (PDFs) and am constantly flicking between the image building up and the charts to see what is going on... I used to use SkySafari during 2-star alignment when I couldn't identify the relevant stars (embarrassing) but since upgrading laptop I'm using Stellarium for the same purpose.  

cheers

Martin

I see one expert in the picture - nice dog LOL

1 hour ago, vineyard said:

Crikey.  Is this an issue for Stellarmate as well then (if you use it as a hotspot rather than connected to your home wifi)?  Sorry, I'm definitely not an IT expert!

Any version (astro or not) on which you use SSH and use a published password that doesn't ,as James said, make you change the password on first login - lots of people never change the default password !