Nexstar Raspberry Pi Controller

[Gina]

3 hours ago, tekkydave said:

I've just done a quick text search through the Astroberry source code and the speed isn't set to anything other than 1:1 stepping.

pi@indiserver:~/software/astroberry-svn $ grep -r "SetSpeed" *
rpi_focus.cpp:	SetSpeed(1);
rpi_focus.cpp:bool FocusRpi::SetSpeed(int speed)
rpi_focus.h:        virtual bool SetSpeed(int speed);

 

I don't think I follow that.  Surely the last line above allows the speed to be set to various values?

[tekkydave]

Spent the afternoon building the HAT.

[tekkydave]

1 minute ago, Gina said:

I don't think I follow that.  Surely the last line above allows the speed to be set to various values?

Correct, but it is only ever called internally by the init routine on the first line. It's possible the routine could be called externally by Ekos I suppose.

[Gina]

Yes, I thought it might be called by Ekos.  Surely the header file is where external calls are defined?  I haven't yet looked through the code to see if this is brought out to Ekos though.

[tekkydave]

Video of focuser in action https://www.dropbox.com/s/7llsjhvfdzbb3eh/2016-10-13 15.30.59.mp4?dl=0

 

[tekkydave]

Someone with a scope  needs to monitor the M0 & M1 pins to see if they are being used.

[Gina]

This code seems to be the only Ekos link that mentions speed and the speed doesn't seem to be used.  I'll go through the code again because I think I may be missing something.

IPState FocusRpi::MoveFocuser(FocusDirection dir, int speed, int duration)
{
	int ticks = (int) ( duration / STEP_DELAY);
    return 	MoveRelFocuser( dir, ticks);
}

 

[Gina]

Yes - I did miss something - in fact your grep found it - viz.

bool FocusRpi::SetSpeed(int speed)

 

[Gina]

I have an oscilloscope and will check  when I have the circuitry ready.

[tekkydave]

22 minutes ago, Gina said:

I have an oscilloscope and will check  when I have the circuitry ready.

Yes I knew that

[Gina]

I know you did

[Mick J]

I think a few of us had an inkling 

Edited October 13, 2016 by Mick J

[Gina]

Back home now after an evening out with our local social group.  Clear sky (as usual when I'm out in the evening!) so just setting up for an imaging run.

[Gina]

I should be able to check out the MS lines with my oscilloscope tomorrow - too tired tonight.

[Gina]

Now preparing to check out the focuser and look at the GPIO pins.  To run the auto-focus simulation shouldn't need anything connected AFAICT - the focuser electronics don't provide any feedback.  The camera simulation must assume focus is at a particular focuser setting and pretend the focuser is changing focus.

Firstly, I have to set indiserver from Putty on my Win7 desktop, as I haven't yet worked out how to do it from the Linux laptop - that's running KStars/Ekos.  Also, I need to find out why the WiFi isn't working but for now I'm using a wired connection - one thing at a time

[tekkydave]

If you have the ccd simulator running it uses a fake image for the auto-focus.

[Gina]

Yes, I have the ccd simulator running but it gives an error saying it can't find a star   Something seemed to work at first - the focussing window popped up showing a piece of "image" with noise and a green square flicked around it.

I'm now building the circuitry on the RPi HAT so that I can see if the focuser is working.

Edited October 14, 2016 by Gina

[tekkydave]

I got that sometimes but it found stars now & again.

[Gina]

Tried again and much the same.  Looked at the log - seemed to "try hard" to find a star but eventually gave up.  Log reports of focuser actions seemed to indicate that it was fine, the problem seems to be with the CCD simulator.

[Gina]

Strange thing about the way the Astroberry Focuser works in Ekos, the Manual mode seems to move the focus by 100 ticks at a time from the "Focus Out" or "Focus In" buttons.  There is nowhere to alter this - there isn't a "speed" or amount control.  The count can be edited in the box but I don't know if this actually alters the focus.  Evidently the speed control hasn't been implemented in the Ekos controls part of the Astroberry Focuser.  Seems this driver is still in development.

[tekkydave]

There is a Ticks setting in the autofocus settings (set to 100 by default) but I couldn't find where to set it for manual operation either.

[Gina]

Just checked - the Ticks setting works for Manual focussing too. Missed that.  Control is in the wrong place logically!!

Edited October 14, 2016 by Gina

[tekkydave]

Maybe the designer expects auto-focussing to be the normal use.

[Gina]

Yes, could be.

Nearly finished wiring my HAT   This one is for the all sky cam.  Just need to connect wires for 12v and add a resistor for the heater control.  I'm using a BC517 Darlington transistor to switch the dew heater on and off.  That can easily switch half an amp and I shall be using about half that from the 12v supply.

[tekkydave]

I wish I'd put mine that way round now. It makes the GPIO wiring shorter. Are you using 5V for Vdd? I used 3.3V as it should work on 3V to 5V. Makes no odds really I suppose.