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migration windows to linux


alacant

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1 hour ago, fozzybear said:

mount and guide camera yes

Yeah. I prefer vnc-ing into something which runs everything easily rather than on-the-limit--client server. I think that's me being lazy though. 

I've witnessed many an ap rpi failure, but few if any problems with something like an i7 with a ssd running Ubuntu.

I think that with a 4Gb rpi it maybe possible to run the whole show.

Cheers 

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  • 3 months later...

The best action I ever did with my laptop :  erase Wintendo and install Linux, a few years ago now.  Never got to W8 or W10, and I was not planning to...😡
W7 was the best MS ever produced imo, XP second place. Both could be tuned, almost to the core of the system.

It's a few years now I use Linux Mint18.3 Xfce. It has the 'feel' of a W-XP machine.
It does everything I want I want it to do and more. And what's more everything I ever need is on board for free. If I need some other software that's not on board Linux-package I go and ask on the Linux-Mint forum. Literal minutes later you get a reply. These guys are super..!

And btw I had a great local helpdesk : Gina

Edited by Chriske
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I have just installed Elementary on my old MacBook Pro and have mixed feelings - it looks and runs great at times but seems very unstable with lots of hangs and crashes. 
 

Did a clean install last night as I may have messed a few things up the first time round - will see how it goes today. 

Edited by wormix
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Its a nice problem ti have but there are so many flavours (distros) of linux to choose from  now, its only by playing with a few that you get one that suits all your needs and is reliably fully functional. For me these last few years has been MX linux but I've had a play with Zorin recently and although it has a slightly bare bones look to it, its actually pretty good.

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I am running Astroberry on rpi4 4gb 

it boots, connects to my bluetooth focuser and eq6rpro, i load kstars it focuses on a star, i choose a subject it slews and platesolves and then starts guiding

have it runnng quite slick now with either a Canon or Nikon DSLR or my zwo planetary cam 

all via vnc on my rpi4 8gb in my kitchen

very happy with the whole system

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I'm installing Raspian-Buster on Rpi4's.
These Rpi's does each one thing and one thing only.
One Rpi serves as a music streaming-device in my workshop. A second one I use exclusively to brows the net. A third one I use to transfer images from one location to another in a network at our local Observatory. I make Focograms using one Rpi, then transfer it to another Rpi to beam it onto big screen for the spectators to see and discuss.
Another serves as remote server to activate the cooling of our bell-jar(mirror coating). Very handy when we want to coat a mirror and the cooling is already set to -10°C when we arrive at the observatory.
In the past I needed (small) PC's to all do these jobs. Now I only need a few Rpi's to do just the same for far less £££$$$...😃

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  • 3 months later...

Hi everyone

Just my quarterly bump to keep the thread alive and enquire about any new converts.

Have lock-down restrictions given anyone the urge to have a go perhaps? Or maybe there have simply been too many clear nights to be able to power down your rigs;)

Cheers and clear skies.

Edited by alacant
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I've been perusing the latest versions of distros on distrowatch but not tried any yet. When I've got a system that does everything I want and is quick and good to use, then I'm cautious about jumping too quickly. Mind you its easy to play around with something first without going the whole hog.

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  • 4 months later...
33 minutes ago, alacant said:

Hi everyone

Anyone else yet?

Cheers

 

Not as yet.

I’ve a couple of ASIAirs that I use currently, so, have option to migrate - I can always put the ASI MMC back in.

Currently looking at CloudMakers products when I have time.

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  • 2 weeks later...

New to astrophotography, but quite skilled in Linux. Pleasently surprised at how easy it is to get going, with good help from wine. I use a HEQ5 GoTo with a Canon 600D. DeepSkyStacker, Siril and Sequator all run fine, and PHD2 does the autoguiding. To control the camera I use AstroDMx. Postprocessing is done in RawTherapee, Darktable, Siril and Gimp with the GMic plugins. The whole ASI-suite works as well. I use Stellarium for planning. Have not implemented remote control over the mount yet, but don't think that will be any challenge.

The only thing I have not got working is the original Canon remote-control software suite, but that hole is filled with AstroDMx. Same functunality, but with a clunky UI. And some of the USB wifi-dongles, those are a nightmare....

I only run Debian stable. If you have trouble getting some of this software to work under that distro, I might have some tips on which version to use and how to configure. And I'm open to suggestions on other things to try! Feel free to ask if you run Mint or Ubuntu, but don't expect me to sort everything out; those distros are juveniles, children of Debian, and they have taken their own path over the years.

Edited by Rallemikken
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On 16/08/2018 at 19:58, Thalestris24 said:

Sorry, I've not read through all of this topic (it's late), but I was thinking that since Win 10 now supports a Linux partition (can dual boot) then there's no need to completely migrate?

Louise

Actually, Linux has supported windows partitions for years and the bootloader has supported coexisting on the same drive with Windows since at least the XP days.  So, yes.  Dual boot is, and has been,  an option.

What has changed is that Windows 10 can actually write to a Linux partition, where in the past you had to be in Linux to write to the Windows partition...one way street.

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15 minutes ago, JonCarleton said:

Actually, Linux has supported windows partitions for years and the bootloader has supported coexisting on the same drive with Windows since at least the XP days.  So, yes.  Dual boot is, and has been,  an option.

What has changed is that Windows 10 can actually write to a Linux partition, where in the past you had to be in Linux to write to the Windows partition...one way street.

Thanks for your reply though my post was from nearly 3 years ago...

Louise

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Just a suggestion...(and bear in mind I am a strong Linux enthusiast)...there are lots of astronomy software tools that run almost exactly the same in Windows or Linux.  If you are considering a switch, it may be a good plan to just get comfortable with the software first in Windows, and then migrate.

I use CCDciel, Carte du Ciel (SkyChart) and PHD2.  These all are available in Linux and Windows downloads and operate pretty much the same (except you'd be using INDI drivers in the Linux version and ASCOM drivers for the Windows version).

PixInsight and StarTools come for both operating systems. GIMP (like PhotoShop in function, but different to use) comes for Linux and Windows. Both Siril and ASTAP (stacking) come for Linux and Windows. Stellarium is also available for Windows and Linux.

This way, you can deal with any software learning curve first so that swapping the OS is less of an issue.

KStars/EKOS, unfortunately, is not really a candidate for this method.  I believe because KStars/EKOS is very actively developed, that it is probably the premier Linux platform.  Its development is directly tied to the development of the INDI drivers as well.

As an aside, I'd like to recommend Ubuntu Mate as a distro.  The 64 bit version runs well on the Pi4 or on a desktop or laptop and is generally very stable.  Since most astronomy software seems to support Debian/Ubuntu, you will have fewer problems with compatibility with a Ubuntu distribution.

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I’ve just started to play with a Pi 4 2gb. 
 

no had it fully hooked up yet but have installed Astroberry but to a USB SSD rather than the SD. 
 

it works with my T7C (ZWO 120mc clone) fine, but needs a powered hub for my guide camera Altair GP290M

Will plug the whole rig into it and see soon  

 

A83D9539-3112-44AC-A5FE-2320675B0B66.jpeg

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Not planning going Windows -> Linux, but when the current pair of Mac don't do the business any more, then seriously thinking about using Linux as my main OS.  Now-a-days, Linux is pretty good and software wise there's plenty to go from and if installed on a decent box it's rather painless; yet on the latter most people first encounter it on an out of date crate or on something like a Pi where it's a bit crippled down because of hardware and the out of the box OS not being able to take full advantage of the hardware it's on.

My next project on the list is to try and build the at mount applications on a 64bit OS (already looked at the Raspbian 64bit beta but still too buggy) as I'm sure that most of the issues that I see now on my rig are down to the memory access limits on a 32bit system.

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36 minutes ago, BCN_Sean said:

most people first encounter it on an out of date crate or on something like a Pi

Good point.

It's a pity. Few have seen Linux on a modern box; the type you'd use to run the latest Windows a Mac operating systems.

 

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