PixInsight - IndiMount - ths looks exciting!!!

[Skipper Billy]

Just received this from PixInsight - this looks very exciting !!

 

Today we have released a new version of the INDIClient PixInsight module: 1.0.15, now available as a regular update for PixInsight 1.8.4 on FreeBSD, Linux, OS X, and Windows.

This version comes with an exciting new tool: INDIMount. This tool allows you to control your telescope with features such as online catalog search, GoTo, Slew, Sync and Park functions, high-accuracy mean/apparent coordinate transformations, differential position corrections, fully scriptable process, and more. The new version also includes bug fixes, stability and performance improvements in the rest of INDIClient tools: INDIDeviceController and INDICCDFrame. The next steps are, by order of priority:

   - Pointing model generation and integration

   - Autoguiding

   - Focuser control and autofocus

INDIClient is an open-source, multiplatform INDI client created by Klaus Kretzschmar, a German software developer and a member of the PixInsight GitHub team. INDIClient is one of our current top-priority development projects, and as such it is undergoing intense development activity. If you are a developer interested in this project or INDI development in general, or if you simply want to know more about the work we are doing, you are welcome at PixInsight's official GitHub repositories:

   https://github.com/PixInsight/PCL/tree/master/src/modules/processes/contrib/kkretzschmar/INDIClient

For details on this new version of INDIClient, see the following release information post on PixInsight Forum:

   http://pixinsight.com/forum/index.php?topic=9928.0

For the latest detailed information on the INDIClient module, see the official announcement thread on PixInsight Forum:

   http://pixinsight.com/forum/index.php?topic=9852.0

We hope you enjoy this new release.

The PixInsight Team at Pleiades Astrophoto

[iwols]

thanks does this replace stellarium  as a goto and phd for guiding then,cheers

[Skipper Billy]

Supposedly it does - haven't tried it yet - no dark skies for another 2 months :-(

[Gasman]

I`m not quite sure how/if the indi side of Pixinsight will work under windows?. I don`t think there would be a problem running the Linux version of Pixinsight and then the Indi module but the Indi developers say they have no immediate plans for Indi for Windows?. I have recently read that the upcoming first upgrade for Windows 10 will allow a Bash console which will permit Ubuntu apps to run under Windows so maybe Indi will be ok for Pixinsight for Windows?.

Steve

[iwols]

strange it says windows 10 in the opening line?

[psamathe]

15 hours ago, Gasman said:

I`m not quite sure how/if the indi side of Pixinsight will work under windows?. I don`t think there would be a problem running the Linux version of Pixinsight and then the Indi module but the Indi developers say they have no immediate plans for Indi for Windows?. I have recently read that the upcoming first upgrade for Windows 10 will allow a Bash console which will permit Ubuntu apps to run under Windows so maybe Indi will be ok for Pixinsight for Windows?.

Steve

My understanding is that there are two "parts" to the Indi system "Server" and "Client" and they don't have to run on the same computer but can communicate over a network (but they can run on the same machine).  "Server" connects to and controls/talks to equipment (cameras, mounts, focusers, etc.) whilst the "Client" passes commands to the gear through the server.  Indi Servers are available for Linux, OS X and I believe Windows (wIndi - though unsure if it is fully released yet).

The "Client" most people talk about is KStars/Ekos (which is Linux).  But there are several other clients e.g. from CloudMakers, and PixInSight.  The communications between IndiServer and Client on different machines is a network link (cabled/Wi-Fi - standard network link).  It seems to be becomming increasingly popular to put a RaspberryPi at the scope connected to the various bits of gear (cameras, mount, auto-guider, filter wheel, etc.) and run an IndiServer on the Raspberry Pi and then use whatever client you want on a computer somewhere (e.g. in a warm sitting room or beside your scope).

So when talking about "Indi" and Linux/OS X/Windows you need to consider if/where you are running the Indi Server and Indi Client and which you are talking about.  For example, I browse web sites using my web browser ("Client") from a Windows based computer that are actually stored on/run on on Linux servers ("Server").  The communications between server and client are what is defined and important so my Windows computer just talks the right protocol and does not worry about what type of computer or Operating system is at the other end.

My personal opinion is that the Indi system is very configurable and there are many different ways people can use it to achieve their own pattern of use.

Ian

(Who is NOT an expert and claiming no expert knowledge on this)

[Vox45]

Nice and clear explanation Ian.

Just to add to your post here is a link explaning this with some graphics from the INDI website:

indilib.org/about/discover-indi.html

and a list of the most popular clients:

indilib.org/about/clients.html

Pixinsght just made the list yesterday