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anyone here using Astroberry


gajjer

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For some time now I have been thinking of using a Raspberry Pi to do the guiding activity on my scope. I've been distracted by other things for a while but just recently I saw reference to Astroberry.

Now forgive me here because I have little knowledge of software. I have written stuff in assembler for PICs but Linux is beyond me and I don't understand what VNC and all that milarky is about.

So, I got the image of Astroberry onto a 16Gb SD card and plugged it into a Pi 3 model B V1.2 . This has a plug in WLAN usb dongle thingy.  Fired it up and had some success. However, when I go to configure the WLAN the box

where I should be able to enter the Network Name is just a blank area ; it doesn't allow me to enter anything there, but it does allow me to enter a password - which then gives an error that I should

have entered a network name. This is why I am a hardware engineer!!

What I am hoping to do is set the Pi up to run PHD2 out by the mount - headless. Then to set it up on the PC in my nice warm house, while I sip my Horlics and munch on a scone.

Am I expecting too much?

Can anyone help?

Is anyone out there using it succesfully?

 

cheers

gaj

 

 

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Hi

I've been putting together a Pi3 guider - have bee doing it in stages. I actually started with trying to use Lin-guider but have moved over to the Indi server and PHD2 (under Ubuntu).

It seems to work ok but only a limited number of guide cameras appear to have Linux/Indi drivers (I'm using a qhy5l-ii mono). I've only achieved a wired internet connection as it doesn't seem to recognize my WiFi hub - I think because I have it on Channel 13. It can see other ssid's but not mine! There is an on-board wifi with the Pi3 so you shouldn't need a separate dongle. I've attached a 3rd party touchscreen to it and have a mini wireless keyboard. I might possibly try interfacing an Android tablet but I think that does require setting up vpn but that's well documented. As mentioned by others, our Gina and other members have lots of experience with Linux/Pi.

Louise

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Thanks everyone. I did manage to sort the WLAN out. Sounds like it might have been a bug because the fix was to set up using the MATE terminal.

I still have to work out how to do remote access though.

I'll read up some more tomorrow.

Thanks all

gaj

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Just now, Thalestris24 said:

Hi

I've been putting together a Pi3 guider - have bee doing it in stages. I actually started with trying to use Lin-guider but have moved over to the Indi server and PHD2 (under Ubuntu).

It seems to work ok but only a limited number of guide cameras appear to have Linux/Indi drivers (I'm using a qhy5l-ii mono). I've only achieved a wired internet connection as it doesn't seem to recognize my WiFi hub - I think because I have it on Channel 13. It can see other ssid's but not mine! There is an on-board wifi with the Pi3 so you shouldn't need a separate dongle. I've attached a 3rd party touchscreen to it and have a mini wireless keyboard. I might possibly try interfacing an Android tablet but I think that does require setting up vpn but that's well documented. As mentioned by others, our Gina and other members have lots of experience with Linux/Pi.

Louise

Hi Louise

it was your post that got me started on this again!!

I am following your posts.

Bit too tired to do much else tonight will compare notes tomorrow if that's ok

cheers

gaj

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Thanks Julian.

I will have to read up on what that means. I did have some success a while ago getting remote control of the Pi. What I never succeeded in doing was seeing the remote image capture on my PC indoors.

I have a supply of software engineers available but not may know much about VNC. I've never heard of XRDP so that will be fun.

I'll let you know.

cheers

gaj

 

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Well, I'm a gob half smacked!

Thanks to Julian I installed XRDP and was able to control the Pi remotely AND get the camera image whilst running PHD2.

Why the half smacked then? I hear you cry. Well it's another gotcha this time. I'm using a HITECASTRO USB guider and that doesn't appear in the list in PHD2.

So I'm teetering here. I know that I did load drivers for this into my Laptop many lost grey cells ago. I'm blowed if I know how to load drivers into the Pi.

Or even if the drivers are the same.

Looks like a bit of wandering the forums is required.

 

SO CLOSE! ! ! !

cheers

gaj

 

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Hi Gaj

I mentioned above that only certain cameras are supported under Linux. I wonder what guide cam you are using? Tbh you'd probably be better off with a more standard guide cam such as the qhy5l-ii or zwo equivalent. They both have Linux/Indi drivers. I don't think the hitecastro interface is supported.

Louise

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Hi Louise

I have a new guider cam which is a QHY 5-II so I think I am ok on that but I don't know about the guider interface. I have used it with PHD2 on my laptop using the Hitechastro drivers but I'm not sure they work with the Pi.

I haven't had chance to look on the Hitechastro site yet. What would be a good mount interface for the NEQ6?

Actually, I have had a bit of problems with getting everything working reliably. It's a frustrating comedy of errors.

I have had PHD fail because of something like 'pulse guiding failure'. I saw a comment you made to someone about problems with hubs and I'm beginning to wonder.

( In the good old days of RS232 you could at least stick a scope or terminal on the comms and see what the heck was going on. SIGH. )

I have also had failures of the Atik filter wheel not operating correctly.

This was one reason for trying to get stand-alone guiding, so that the few ports on the laptop ( which sits outside while imaging ) can be allocated to the Atik camera and filterwheel.

There are precious few nights these days that are suitable for guiding so I want them to be fault free - even if I have to part with more cash.

cheers

gaj

 

 

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Hi again

the qhy5-ii should be fine. You don't need the hitecastro interface, you can either pulse guide (best) or use the st4 interface. To pulse guide you need to have a usb-serial cable to control the mount (maybe you already have one?).

With st4 you use the st4 cable that comes with the cam. In both cases you use a usb 2 cable between the cam and computer (which could be the Pi). In PHD2 you select 'on camera' for the mount with st4.

hth

Louise

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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4 hours ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

Depending on what you are running on the Pi3 (I use Ubuntu), you can run PHD2 directly. Download from here, selecting appropriate package for your distro https://launchpad.net/~pch/+archive/ubuntu/phd2

Everything then runs on the Pi3 & windows is just a 'watcher'....

 

Hi Julian

Do you not also need Indi for the drivers? I couldn't see how to run PHD2 completely on its own but maybe I missed something...

Louise

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I don't have the Pi3 infront of me, where I set this up some time ago and due to crappy weather haven't used it much.... but I installed the full INDILib (bleeding), which installs EQMod as a Telescope device, which I believe is what it uses, but a niggle at the back of my head means I'm probably wrong... more info can be found on the IndiLib forums e.g. http://indilib.org/forum/ekos/2879-working-on-phd2-support.html

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56 minutes ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

I don't have the Pi3 infront of me, where I set this up some time ago and due to crappy weather haven't used it much.... but I installed the full INDILib (bleeding), which installs EQMod as a Telescope device, which I believe is what it uses, but a niggle at the back of my head means I'm probably wrong... more info can be found on the IndiLib forums e.g. http://indilib.org/forum/ekos/2879-working-on-phd2-support.html

Hi Julian

I've not done anything with mine for a bit, either. At least the bright snow has gone now - just need the clouds to play ball! My plan is more standalone than remote control so I've just been using ST4 guiding. Because of the weather, I've not actually tried it on the eq3-pro but it was fine when testing before and controlling the avx (maybe a little laggy..). The guiding works fine on the eq3-2 using normal eqmod/PHD2 under Windows 10 so I'm optimistic it will be ok with Pi3 control. So my aims are to use the Pi just for ST4 guiding, the Synscan for mount control, and a Canon 1100d with pics saved to sdcard and powered by an external battery. Once I've sorted the battery power, and when it warms up a bit :p , I'll give it a try outside!  :)

Louise

ps I hope gajjer isn't too confused!

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Hi Gaj, I just saw this thread, I might be late to the party but, May I ask why are you using a WLAN usb dongle on the rpi3? The rpi3 comes already with WiFi embedded.

Concerning remote access, the beauty of Indi is that you don’t need to run the capture software via VNC, Kstars/Ekos is now available for both windows and Mac OS. You simply configure it to point to the indi server running on the rpi3. I use vnc only to start/stop indi server via the web manager and phd2. VNC comes preconfigured on Astroberry and you can connect via a web browser.

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8 hours ago, giorgio_ne said:

Hi Gaj, I just saw this thread, I might be late to the party but, May I ask why are you using a WLAN usb dongle on the rpi3? The rpi3 comes already with WiFi embedded.

Concerning remote access, the beauty of Indi is that you don’t need to run the capture software via VNC, Kstars/Ekos is now available for both windows and Mac OS. You simply configure it to point to the indi server running on the rpi3. I use vnc only to start/stop indi server via the web manager and phd2. VNC comes preconfigured on Astroberry and you can connect via a web browser.

You can star and stop indi server through Ekos no need to use VNC.... I don’t, also the inbuilt WIFI is not that good, so I either use a WIFI dongle or as I use the Stellarmate OS, direct rj45 connection is supported, from RPi3 straight to rj45 on PC.. :)

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Hi everybody

well, the reason I had the WLAN dongle was because I have several Pis and didn't realise it was a Pi 3 until I came to write this thread. It's gone now

I have never used the INDI server before so have no knowledge of what it does or how to run it etc. I'm a hardware engineer so I need to be told what to run on where.

Things start to go wrong with me when it says "all you have to do" and then "run the INDI software". I don't know if the INDI software is running or not - or how to start it if it isn't. It's part of the magic Astroberry package I loaded onto the Pi. The Xrdp seems to have made it possible to access the Pi remotely from my desktop using Remote Desktop Connection.

I'm almost there but last night I went to connect a brand new QHY5 -II and it failed to see it. - Anywhere. It seems to be dead - shed it's mortal coil.

It maybe that Xrdp didn't do anything because I got confused by instructions that said access Astroberry.local via the browser and I was doing that on the desktop not the Pi ( where the Astroberry resides ) - see, I need very specific instructions and most of the software sites assume you know what they are talking about. I don't.

Louise

are you setting up the guiding with a screen local to the Pi and mount? I was trying to keep outside hardware to minimum

Sorry got tot go.

cheers

gaj

 

 

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Ok back again. You may have gathered it was lunch time!

All I wanted was PHD2 to run at the mount, so I have no idea of what INDI is doing for me - I know what the site says but that is all a bit babble to me.

I see Astroberry has AKOS and KSTARS but I'm not sure what they do or what they would give me.

It's a bit like wanting to know a poem but finding out you need to sign up for a degree in English Literature.

I'm trying to focus on the task of guiding - and only that, but keep getting tugged of to look at things like Ubuntu and INDI etc

I wish I had got into this hobby when I was 30 and not 66, I was a lot more receptive to new ideas and was prepared to spend the time.

These days I want it off the shelf - a bit like when I was younger I did repairs to my car - now I go to a garage.

I really am close to getting this going. I am going to give it a try with my Starlight Express Costar, if I can find the leads, sometime over the weekend.

I was a bit concerned about the range of the Pi WLAN; the PC is about 10m from the mount.

It doesn't seem to be too urgent since we are in for clouds for weeks to come.

cheers

gaj

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1 hour ago, gajjer said:

 

Louise

are you setting up the guiding with a screen local to the Pi and mount? I was trying to keep outside hardware to minimum

Sorry got tot go.

cheers

gaj

Hi gaj

Yes, I have a 7" touchscreen and a wireless mini keyboard (which I've not got round to trying on the Pi yet). I may also/instead try interfacing an Android tablet - I just need something to set the guiding going and give me visual feedback. But I suspect that an Android interface might prove to be laggy so may not be the best solution.

I'm afraid using Linux does require some prior knowledge and fiddling about and it takes time to learn. The good thing about the Pi is that you can set up different systems just by using different sdcards. That enables you to try different Linux distributions and packages separate from each other - though it might hurt your brain!

Louise

 

 

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Hi again

Thank you all so much for your input. Ido appreciate it. It does seem sometimes like "well I was going to get there, I wouldn't be starting from here".

I had a go at this once before using the pi motion software trying to just do remote capture with a headless pi. I got so far with VNC : I could control but not see the captured image. I was told at the time that VNC couldn't do that and gave up., ( My head will only take so much banging against walls )

The advantage of astroberry seemed to be that it was all contained in a single image and did more than I wanted. I will find some time to play over the weekend and let you know how I get on.

Thanks again

Gaj

 

 

 

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