ATIK OSX Drivers R1.00 & Example App

[rpineau]

nothing 'offending' , this is the standard Lenna image that we all use when writing image processing app

Rodolphe

[NickK]

So tomorrow sees a bit of a 'hack-fest' .. I'll be performing full camera regression testing on 10.10.1 after a corrupt main HD resulted in a full Yosemite reinstall and Time Machine restore. I will also be clearing up the innards for the OpenCL version of the ExampleApp.. although the initial version will be a simple pipeline (not everyone has bit powerful GPUs..). Idea is to release an updated ExampleApp using the new pipeline ahead of the release of the pipeline to github.

I have almost finished a shared library version of the drivers.. so this will be for OS X and Linux - underpinned by libusb and allowing fully portable underpinning for applications and application plugins..

[NickK]

Hmm second sudden black screen shut down and then blank screen on startup (that caused the corrupt HD).. sounds like the GPU is on the blink and there's a growing mass of owners with their laptops failing: https://www.change.org/p/timothy-d-cook-replace-or-fix-all-2011-macbook-pro-with-graphics-failure 

Currently backing up 500GB of time machine.. 

[NickK]

I've started work on the new TheSkyX plugin .. this will replace the existing plugin developed elsewhere..

[NickK]

Shared library version of the drivers ignition

D: 54973aec.cd47e : User has changed logging state: onI: 54973aec.cd488 : ATIKOSXDrivers version 1.38 (Dec 21 2014 20:58:40)I: 54973aec.cd4b7 : ATIK Linux/OSX Driver 1.38 (Dec 21 2014 20:58:33)I: 54973aec.cd4c9 :  libusb.dynlib: version 1.0.19.10903-I: 54973aec.cd4ce :  libusb.dynlib: describe string http://libusb.info

[NickK]

So... update on the portable dynlib.. as it's Xmas  This will be used by the X2 plugin but also be available for native linux apps too.. making the inclusion and ongoing support for ATIK in INDI far easier too.

* camera hot plug detect - working

* camera startup .. apple uses pipe ids .. libusb uses endpoints that have the direction too.. me thinks there's some maintainable code there lol..

I: 549c97a0.aab38 : ++ Identifed: Quicker ++

We have camera start up  (ATIK Titan in this case!)

So.. getting there with a capital G.. and not George Clooney (as S has just complained there was no Clooney in Downtown Abbey!)

[NickK]

Update - first image from the 383L on the Mac/Linux portable drivers.

Titan works, 383L works - here's the first 383L image.. I've deliberately got the cooling off so I can see an image with the hot columns in:

Stretched JPEG for the forum:

Stretched TIFF:

LinuxImage-383L.tiff

[NickK]

Update - not much done due to travel but..

The modern drivers is 80% done - just the guider, set temps etc are to get plugged in.. but the same code that does this is already in the core so it's just linking it up..

Working on Legacy cameras (16IC) and EFW2 support - this is 80% done.. the 16IC hotplugs and imaging done.

So looking good - probably get the drivers finished in the next few days, then a round of testing, release the Linux/Mac drivers then onwards with the X2 plugin..

[NickK]

Hmm interesting that with 10.10.1, the new Apple FTDI seems to cause a bit of a slow down in initialising (this could be because apple's driver immediately attempts to connect first). However, here's the new C++ legacy drivers with a 16IC, image stretched to show sensor noise:

Modern driver cooling and guiding connected up too.

[NickK]

Not forgotten about the Full Frame folks - the ATIK 4000 working..

Available Modern ATIK services are:  Imager100: ART-4021 (24)Available Legacy ATIK services are:  Imager100: ATIK 16IC-S (A3001QH8)

[NickK]

I have just got the re-write of the original TheSkyX plugin to perform a driver connect (to the new C++ drivers) and open the 383L Still investigating an image issue that exists as the image screen shows a very small image.. but the driver logs show the image capture works as normal. Getting there.

[NickK]

GET IN.

This is the existing plugin ported to the new C++ drivers - with a 383L and using a TV 2x on the nose to provide an image.

I still need to sort the plugin temperature (it indicates no temperature control) but that's next on the list.

[NickK]

Update So.. I've been busy breaking TheSkyX - poor thing whilst doing performance and memory leak testing.

However the plugin can now cope with multiple cameras of the same type being plugged in (you can select which you want).

The following is still left todo:

* TheSkyX Plugin UI - persistence of configuration options - these can be tied to the camera instance based on the USB ports used (i.e. plug it in the same port and you can have the same options remembered.

* TheSkyX Plugin UI - FTDIChipID for the legacy cameras

* One bit in the legacy camera driver todo with the new passive detection mode.

* Filterwheels & TheSkyX UI - the code is done but these have taken a back seat until now.

* addition of the bus-address selective mode to the Objective-C++ drivers

Um.. and that's about it for the OS X plugin that's outstanding.

I'll do an initial alpha release - OS X TheSkyX plugin, C++ drivers and Objective-C++ drivers.

The the focus will be Linux - as the drivers should just compile over without a hitch but as always they need regression testing.

Here's the plugin going through stress testing - no crashes and no memory leaks.. now at 2870 images

[James]

No temperature control?

I only understand about half of what you've been posting (well, maybe 1/4) but it all looks like progress...

In the meantime I'm happily using my 460 on SkyX 10.2.0 with no problems - it was only when I went up to 10.3.0 it all went pear shaped...

By 'happily using' right now that means playing around in my garage as it's otherwise cloudy...

James 

[NickK]

 

No temperature control?

ATIK Titan - it's cooling is not controlled (always fully on) although you can disconnect the 12V for uncooled Temp cooling works

I only understand about half of what you've been posting (well, maybe 1/4) but it all looks like progress...

The Titan was used to take 10,000 images - without a hitch so that's a good indication it's reliable.

In the meantime I'm happily using my 460 on SkyX 10.2.0 with no problems - it was only when I went up to 10.3.0 it all went pear shaped...

The plugin works on OS X and Linux, there were problems reported by the existing OS X TSX plugin on investigating the only way to correct it was to remove the Apple created language.. hence the work

  By 'happily using' right now that means playing around in my garage as it's otherwise cloudy...

Yup - not had much chance either other than do this atm!

 

[NickK]

Just to keep you updated with the performance testing.

The Titan, at full frame rate, is 15 fps in it's fast mode (16bit uncompressed images).

I've been testing on a little Mac Mini late 2009 (2.66GHz Core2Duo, 8GB, Geforce 9400 256MB) with Yosemite 10.10.1. This is quite old and slower than current macs in terms of performance - the graphics chip is very slow compared to the modern mac laptops and desktops). My view is that if you can get speed out of a snail then everything else will seem like lightning! Also people use older macs etc for their observatories so..

I'm seeing about 10 frames/second with a debug (slow) build with the current proposed - the plugin is taking only 7.7% of the CPU time - TheSkyX is taking the remaining 89.5% and the majority of this is due to the screen redrawing in the FITS view window. Switching to a optimised release build will only recover a few fps but it seems the lion share is taken up by attempting to display each frame.

I've shot SB my detailed findings, I'm impressed with rest of TSX running on the little mac mini we're getting 10fps but as I'm never satisfied I'm hoping we can get some more performance out of it .

I'll try the same performance test on my MBP i7 16GB with a far faster AMD 6750M 2GB and see what we get (although given that it took a while to get started this morning - the GPU is starting to die..)

Currently working on the filter wheel support... 

[NickK]

Hehe does that need any more description

Still have a few little bits on the UI (logo, a few of the options etc) but you can see the main functions are working nicely

TheSkyX couples the camera and filter wheel.. so when you take an image it will organise the filter wheel too.

[NickK]

TheSkyX Plugin R1.38 Alpha Release: ATIK TheSkyX Plugin R139 Alpha.zip

There's a README in there so please read it

LIABILITY

This software is supplied as-is without guarantee for fitness of purpose, warranty or commitment to resolve issues associated with the software, documentation, or operation.

By installing this software you accept all liability and agree to not hold me or anyone else financially, legally, or other.

 

This is the first delivery of this software, it has been tested on dual ATIK 4000, 383L, 16IC and EFW2 using OS X 10.10.1 Yosemite (64bit MacMini Core2Duo). These represent the main variants but some issues exist around the USB identifiers - these are easy to fix but try other cameras (i.e. if it’s a 16IC try 16IC-S).

 

DEBUGGING TRACE IS ON BY DEFAULT. You can disable using the settings “Driver” tab but for alpha it’s always on by default. The file “ATIK Universal Driver.log” will be added to your desktop.

If you have a problem - this file should provide more info to me to solve it faster.

 

Installation

To install - copy the files within “TheSkyX Professsional Edition” folders into your TheSkyX application package. I’ve placed the files in the same directory structure.

The files consist of the shared library drivers, plugins for camera and filter wheels and TheSkyX configuration files.

You may need to authorise the changes to the application - this varies user to user.

 

To uninstall simply delete the files that you’ve added and replace any backed up existing versions. Backup any existing files with the same name before use.

Don’t worry about the the ATIKOSXDriver.framework/ATIKOSXLegacyDriver.framework packages - these are the old drivers and the new plugin does not use these older drivers.

 

Known issues/improvements exist this will be worked on in the mean time:

* Installation guide

* Installer software

* Some USB VID/PID identities are not 100% correct - newer cameras and legacy are more likely to be impacted by this.

* filter wheel selection for multiple filter wheels

* efficiency camera operation - a new component is almost complete to improve CPU load.

* UI filter wheel selection box

* UI legacy FTDIChipID mapping table resizes

* Long exposure temperature updates

* Filterwheel name synchronisation - I have a question about this to Software Bisque.

 

[James]

I'll give this a go hopefully later this weekend

I'm guessing it's impractical/unworkable but could 2x 460's ever be run at the same time from the same machine?

James

[NickK]

There's no technical reason why you can't run two 460s on the same machine - in fact the Example app has had 6 cameras operating concurrently so the driver.

I'm new to theskyx - but it appears that the UI only seems to support one camera for imaging and one for auto guiding. The plugin allows you to select which connection you want to use but TheSkyX is the limiting factor at the moment.. perhaps with enough badgering they'll make it so that you can run multiple plugins - giving multiple cameras/filterwheels.

It occurred to me late last night to note a couple of quirks - ATIK One is supported by I'm working on an widget that helps to relieve the impact when TheSkyX continually calls "has the filter wheel moved" but then grinds to a halt if you put a delay to prevent the USB traffic overload! The same technique has worked really well for the EFW2 so I'm confident on that. Lastly - it will take the first EFW2 it comes to at the moment, an additional improvement should offer the same selection option in the settings window. Both improvements will be in the next release.

It's meant to be clear tonight so I'm going to set the system up for a basic dogfooding of the alpha drivers - I'll probably use the Titan to guide and 383L the Pentax on the EQ6 that's now mounted on a concrete pier.. I removed it for christmas but now that means I need to polar align it a little :/ but that's what David Hulse's Mac app EQMount is great for

Fingers crossed

[NickK]

So.. it's working

1. TSX doesn't support EQ6 EQMOD :/ so I may have todo something about that..

2. I note the response issue that I've mentioned I will have a fix for shortly.. it causes TSX to respond slowly to button presses etc..

Need to set the cooler to -15 me things.. and the street light is appearing as a bit of gradient.. a 0 deg 60 sec sub .. my manual by-eye polar alignment is showing as I've just put the mount back on the pier tonight.

Also noted I left the preview mode on.. now attempting a 5 minute exposure at -15 with preview off.. 

[NickK]

I did have to use my ExampleApplication to sort out the initial focusing... sort of spoilt by it's simplicity of just plug and view..

[NickK]

So a -15 shot... 5 minute sub.. looks like I have to change the desiccant and sort out the balance.. no guiding. no pa.. 

But I like the stability of this garden pier

[NickK]

Hmm seems that the frost has sorted itself out a bit by sub 15/20 of 5 minute subs....

So I'm thinking I like this pier given that's a manual alignment.. and it's  1h10m between the two images with only a minor amount of drift...

[NickK]

Elevensies update from last night's coding. Daytime is now dedicated to the job hunt

All based on 2009 MacMini C2D 2.66GHz, 8GB with a Geforce 4300M 256MB running Yosemite 10.10.1. (i.e. think slow...)

The 'active camera' update to the code to fix contention is looking good - with the 383L the plugin maximum CPU utilisation is 0.4% and maintains a good TheSkyX sky atlas at 20+fps, with the Titan at 15+fps the plugin utilisation is about 7% as TheSkyX sky atlas framerate drops to 5fps - I think there's some more optimisations here that will help further.

James has tested the 460 and it's working well - the main issue is the lack of progress bar update and I know why that is I'll add this to the list. If you see yellow status text is a TheSkyX thing and not todo with the plugin

Also recharged the desiccant in the camera tablets and the pouches I have in the scope and camera cases.