Thoughts on which imaging rigs to concentrate on

[Gina]

There are some rather nice all sky images and videos in the Pictures folder on my imaging laptop which I'm moving onto the 64GB micro SD card, clearing another 23GB from drive C: then tomorrow I shall transfer all the astro stuff to the HD in my new Linux desktop.  I have a USB3 multi-card reader coming tomorrow for use with the new desktop.

Edited September 8, 2016 by Gina

[Gina]

USB3 multi-card reader has arrived and I'm now transferring nearly 64GB of data onto my new desktop HD.  USB3 sure is fast - 13m to transfer 64GB of data

[Gina]

I wonder if 1TB HD is going to be big enough    I'm thinking I may not install the second SSD but put a second very large HD on the 4th and final SATA port.  Not yet though - I'll see how it goes

Edited September 9, 2016 by Gina

[Gina]

3nm SII filter is out of stock with Ian King - expecting more in a week or so   OTOH FW+OAG from FLO is on its way so should be here early next week

[Demonperformer]

Just wonder, Gina. Are you getting much in the way of vignetting with 1.25" filters and this camera on your original subs. The fact that the EOS-lens adapter takes 2" filters and the large chip size make me wonder. I've got an adapter coming that will enable me to use the 1.25s, for what I thought would be a temporary measure, thinking I might have to swap my 1.25's for 2's when finances allow, but will be good if I won't have to.

Thanks.

[Gina]

Very little vignetting which is easily corrected with Flats   Here is a calibrated master Flat using Bias and Dark frames processed in PixInsight.

Applying histogram stretch shows the vignetting.

[ChrisLX200]

3 hours ago, Gina said:

I wonder if 1TB HD is going to be big enough    I'm thinking I may not install the second SSD but put a second very large HD on the 4th and final SATA port.  Not yet though - I'll see how it goes

I find a separate NAS is better for bulk data storage, with a gigabit network and 70MB/sec transfer you get easy access from any PC - plus some extra security with the usual RAID architecture normally employed. I use a QNAP which you would like I think Gina seeing as it's LINUX based There is a big range of models and the minmum I recommend would be a 4-bay device (to get a RAID 5 or 10 config) and yes, over the years I've had 2 hard drives go down on the NAS and been able to painlessly replace them with no loss of data. It's getting time I should think about upgrading to a newer one I think as I've had this one at least 5 years now.

ChrisH

[wimvb]

2 minutes ago, Gina said:

Very little vignetting which is easily corrected with Flats   Here is a calibrated master Flat using Bias and Dark frames processed in PixInsight.

Applying histogram stretch shows the vignetting.

That's actually quite - well - flat. Pixinsight autostretch will stretch anything to fit black to white.

[Gina]

Thanks Chris   Yes, I think a NAS is a good idea - I've had one in the past but didn't replace it when it failed and used a USB external 2TB drive instead for backups.

[Demonperformer]

12 minutes ago, Gina said:

Very little vignetting which is easily corrected with Flats  

Even to my unpracticed eye, that looks incredibly good. Think I won't waste my money on the 2" filters after all, and will promote the 1.25">2" adapter from 'in the meantime' to 'permanent'.

[Gina]

I seem to have mislaid one of my RPi 3s - the one with Ubuntu Mate and INDI library installed   I was about to try mount control.  Found INDI mount control client in PixInsight   I need to clear up!  For one thing I want to put the new tower where the Win 7 one is and put the older one behind it with the water cooler on top (not using cooler ATM but may add water cooling to the new PC).  There's also a Linux tower next to the settee that's not doing anything ATM.  Must see what I've got in that - it's one I made up myself.  Pretty old now.

[Gina]

Took the side cover off the Linux tower and it doesn't look very hopeful.  I was going to add a PCI USB3 card but they seem to be PCI-E and there's only one of those and it has the graphics card in it.  I've found a PCI one but this only increases USB speed to 1.3GHz due to limitation of PCI bus.  Anyway, if I was to put this PC in the observatory to get INDI working I won't need USB3.  The mount only uses USB2 and the camera will be fine as I'm not using high speed video.

I could load it up with the INDI library and set things up indoors.  I'll update it's OS to Linux Mint 18 too.  I have a WiFi USB dongle for remote connection - I'll run it headless in the observatory.  OTOH it's pretty heavy and I might be better advised to use my Linux Mint laptop

[Gina]

Yes, laptop is a much better idea   I have a Dell Lattitude D630 which has 2GB RAM, 80GB HD, 4 USB2 ports and nothing else that's useful.  Not even an SD card slot.  But I think it could be useful for trying INDI before I go the whole hog and use RPi 3s.  I think 2GB RAM would be adequate as the RPi has only 1GB.  I think I'll replace the rather tiny HD with the 500GB SSD drive.  If I can sort out Linux imaging that will give me plenty of room.

Currently the HD has dual boot with Linux Mint and Windows 7 Home Premium but I don't think I want the latter   No, I know I don't want that!!  I can simply take out the HD, replace it with the SSD and install Linux Mint 18 from USB stick.  Then install TeamViewer 11 and INDI library.  I'm currently copying the stuff I want viz. Marlin firmware for 3D Printers and other Arduino stuff, to USB stick.

Edited September 9, 2016 by Gina

[Gina]

Well, I have a problem!  The SSD doesn't fit properly in spite of looking the same as the HD.  The connectors are loose - the HD slides in and I can feel the connectors engage properly whereas the SSD is just loose.  So I've put the HD back in.

[Gina]

Now I'm wondering what to do.  There's only 20GB of space on the HD.  I guess that's enough to try INDI for mount control.  A replacement HD probably wouldn't fit any better than the SSD - being a Dell I guess it's a bit non-standard - I've heard this about Dells   I might reinstall Linux Mint afresh on the whole HD.

[Alien 13]

4 minutes ago, Gina said:

Now I'm wondering what to do.  There's only 20GB of space on the HD.  I guess that's enough to try INDI for mount control.  A replacement HD probably wouldn't fit any better than the SSD - being a Dell I guess it's a bit non-standard - I've heard this about Dells   I might reinstall Linux Mint afresh on the whole HD.

Dells are never standard memory costs 4x anything else hard drives about the same but I would never buy any other.

Alan

[Gina]

I thought as much - so I'm stuck with what's in there.  Oh well...

Tried installing TeamViewer 11 as the installed TV 10 isn't working but I got a system error on trying to run Gdebi so I guess it's a complete new install on the whole HD with Linux Mint 18 and have a nice clean system.  At least I'll have the full 80GB of HD space.

Edited September 10, 2016 by Gina

[Gina]

Now installing LM 18 on Dell laptop.  Partitioned whole HD - 100MB for /boot, 20GB for /, 2GB swap and the rest for /home.

[Gina]

Linux Mint 18 installed, TeamViewer 11 installed and working, and now downloading and installing INDI libraries and dependencies

[wimvb]

So, I guess your clouded in as well?

[Gina]

Raining too!!  Weather forecast is hopeful for tomorrow night though   If it doesn't change by then!

[Gina]

INDI libraries installed on Dell laptop plus drivers and kstars-bleeding    Tomorrow I'm hoping to connect to the NEQ6 mount and control it remotely from PixInsight.  I shall need to find out how

Edited September 9, 2016 by Gina

[wimvb]

Tinker-time!

Good luck with INDI. Please post your opinion of kstars. I may install it as well to control my mount. So far I'm still using the hand controller with my new mount. I've only tested INDI control a few times, and never in the field garden.

[Gina]

Thanks Wim

[Gina]

Been reading the INDI web sight.  Connecting mount seems quite straightforward   Plug in USB to serial adaptor and power mount.  Go to INDI in PixInsight and choose mount control.  Sounds all too easy to me but we'll see.  Must be something I've missed