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All Sky Camera Revisited


Gina

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That was it - now running Ubuntu Mate 18.04.2 😀  Thank you very much.  Now I have to hope all the rest of the firmware works.

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Set up Ubuntu Mate fine including WiFi and so far so good but on trying to run the AstroPi3 script to install INDI etc. I got the "dpkg is currently locked ...)" error message.  Now I had this before and fixed it so now I'm off to scour my posts and blogs to see if I can find it.

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Found it earlier in this thread.  The test for dpkg in use is not needed and is wrong anyway so I shut down the RPi and moved the SD card to my desktop for editing.  These screenshots show the script file location and the edited script - highlighted in green.  I just commented out the required lines (#).

914675500_Screenshotfrom2019-06-3018-21-13.png.e68a5481c3b1ce3a7b24e537be070c59.png

2076056601_Screenshotfrom2019-06-3018-19-56.thumb.png.ed51b63f153264ed42a90300ed33c6f9.png

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Script finished.  Probably installed more than I need but easiest to let it just run 😁  A couple of questions to say y/n to but nothing critical AFAIK.  Most pretty obvious.

Next comes the testing.  Then I shall want to add my own controls for things like focussing, camera cooling and dew heater.

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It works!  Logged on from Mint desktop and set indiserver to run the camera driver then ran KStars/Ekos, connected to the ASC and set up the camera for capturing and downloading image.  I shall be updating my Tutorial on setting up the RPi with INDI for astro imaging shortly.

Having changed the RPi from the last time I ran the ASC the system queried the connection so I followed the instructions for clearing the error as shown in this screenshot.
233709692_Screenshotfrom2019-06-3019-29-37.png.7f0abcd75badffc0a5d9e7529b3a9b22.png

Finally, here's the first image from the new RPi 3B+
186218419_Screenshotfrom2019-06-3019-27-12.png.92b19de9ddcb3928e9162e56537e34c4.png

Edited by Gina
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Now trying to install Astroberry DIY but have a problem.  Here's a screenshot of the Terminal display.  @RadekK I wonder if you can help, please.  This is on an RPi 3B+ with Ubuntu Mate 18.04.2

1227835204_Screenshotfrom2019-06-3021-19-23.png.abac91c7c1245bb5994a6c359ff1ef60.png

285318614_Screenshotfrom2019-06-3021-01-59.png.2156e0fdcac07f2a45c5ff00e32bcd0d.png

Edited by Gina
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I ran

sudo apt-get install build-essential

and then followed the instruction in Radek's Astroberry DIY page and it all worked.

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Tomorrow I'll replace some of the files with the ones I edited to suit my own hardware and maybe get it all working.

I'll just repeat here that the safe way to remotely shutdown the RPi is

sudo shutdown -h -P now

After that the only way to reconnect is to power down the RPi and power up again.

Edited by Gina
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Now have my version of the Astroberry Board installed.  This provides control of camera cooling and dew heater plus a simple focussing system.

Here are my versions of the Astroberry Board source files :- rpi_brd.hrpi_brd.cpp

I replaced the original files in the astroberry-diy directory but found that just recompiling didn't use the new files so had to force it by deleting the build directory.  Then I recompiled using the following commands :-

cd astroberry-diy
mkdir build && cd build
cmake -DWITH_WIRINGPI=OFF -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr ..
make
sudo make install

This was followed by

indiserver -m 100 -vv indi_asi_ccd indi_rpibrd

to run the server.  Then to KStars/Ekos to Start INDI.

The reason for not having the focus controls on the main page is to avoid accidentally changing the focus after carefully setting it up.

1785185017_Screenshotfrom2019-07-0114-36-42.png.8b98514e985e2b171f5d21e213aef69c.png

1474155286_Screenshotfrom2019-07-0114-37-09.png.68f41dc150c684a870c2c52d57332de8.png

Edited by Gina
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Added the HAT and checked the camera cooling control which worked fine.  Seems to be a fault with the A4988 stepper driver as the focus motor got hot.  I'll replace it.

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Replaced the A4988 but though the motor stays cool it doesn't work.  Seems the motor may be burnt out.  I'll check and replace with another if so.  I have plenty of them.  Very slowly getting there I guess!!!

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Hi @Gina have you managed to run it finally? I've been to Chile for Solar Eclipse recently so most of the time offline. I should be back next week so let me know if there's still any problem with the driver.

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It's been on hold for a while - been concentrating on my widefield imaging rig.  I don't think there's any problem with the driver now.  Thank you.

Hope you got a good view of the eclipse.

Edited by Gina
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  • 2 months later...

With all the cloud and rain, I'm thinking about other projects that are high on the list including this one.

I'm really not happy with the current design.  Cooling the whole camera and with it the lens seems ridiculous.  I would have considered an ASI375MC-Cool had ZWO not stopped making them and only applying cooling to larger sensors.  Smallest ZWO cooled camera is now the ASI 183MC-PRO USB 3.0 Cooled Colour Camera at £800 which I can't afford - not that I could afford the ASI375MC-Cool at £100 less.  The 183 has a 1" sensor whereas a 1/2" sensor is big enough.

I have experience in cooling a DSLR sensor with a cold finger and was wondering if I could do the same with the ASI178MC camera in my ASC.  I have taken the camera apart and the sensor is on a separate PCB and this has a small rectangular hole through which the rear of the sensor chip can be seen.  One problem may be that this hole is smaller than the sensor image area.  Another is that the main PCB with USB and ST-4 connectors is being prevented from coming out of the casing by the two connectors, otherwise it's loose. 

These two problems may mean just cooling the sensor chip is not practical.  I don't feel too happy cutting a slot in the camera casing for a cold finger with the main PCB in situ.  If I could have got the main PCB out I could have dispensed with the casing.

Edited by Gina
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I can get the ASC camera sensor down to -20°C with a single stage Peltier TEC. This reduces the thermal noise quite effectively.  The cold side of the Peltier TEC is applied to the back of the camera casing with the hot side water cooled.  I have the feeling that I could get the temperature even lower if I could cool just the imaging sensor chip.  Also, it should be possible to keep the lens above dew point like it is with a proper cooled astro camera. 

I can get the sensor in my ASI1600MM-Cool cameras down to -35°C without any dewing problems with the lens.  One reason may be that the camera casing is on the hot side of the cooling system and slightly warm.  If I could get the lens held by a metal casing attached to the hot side of the Peltier TEC I would only need to desiccate that casing and not the whole ASC.  OTOH there is still the question of sealing the chamber.

Edited by Gina
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Well, modifying the camera seemed a good idea but I think it's fraught with problems and I don't want to destroy a £300 plus camera.  So guess I'll just sort out why the focus motor isn't working, finish the current build and see it the damp stays out.

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Been fault-finding the focus motor drive.  Replaced the A4988 driver module and now the motor rotates but the direction is unpredictable.  More testing needed.

Edited by Gina
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