ASCOM Driver for Meade AutoStar/AudioStar based telescopes

[michael8554]

I believe it's the other way round - Device Hub has replaced POTH

Michael

[pgoelz]

On 16/08/2020 at 08:25, michael8554 said:

I believe it's the other way round - Device Hub has replaced POTH

Michael

What I meant was that POTH replaced Device Hub when I installed it.  I am a little fuzzy on what POTH really is because after I installed it, Device Hub was still present in the Start menu.  But Device Hub no longer opened when I clicked it so it would appear to have been uninstalled. 

However, I have subsequently reinstalled Device Hub because I am also trying to use a Sony a6500 ASCOM camera driver that apparently is not compatible with POTH.  

FWIW, dynamic braking is a very useful feature for simple DC motor focusers like mine.  It makes the movements much more predictable and actually makes the relative counter in POTH useful.  

Paul

[cjdawson]

 

On 18/08/2020 at 10:42, pgoelz said:

What I meant was that POTH replaced Device Hub when I installed it.  I am a little fuzzy on what POTH really is because after I installed it, Device Hub was still present in the Start menu.  But Device Hub no longer opened when I clicked it so it would appear to have been uninstalled. 

However, I have subsequently reinstalled Device Hub because I am also trying to use a Sony a6500 ASCOM camera driver that apparently is not compatible with POTH.  

FWIW, dynamic braking is a very useful feature for simple DC motor focusers like mine.  It makes the movements much more predictable and actually makes the relative counter in POTH useful.  

Paul

Hiya.

 

POTH - Plain Old Telescope Hub.  iirc correctly that's what POTH stands for.  And it's very old software, written in VB6 I believe.   The device hub replacing POTH.  I'm not sure of the details of exactly where things are with that at the moment.  Something tells me that what you've seen with the installers is that the device hub might not be quite ready for prime time yet, so possible got pulled from the SP 1 install maybe.   That's a guess so I could easily be wrong.

 

As for adding support for dynamic breaking to the focuser implementation.  I've not made much progress on that, as I work on things in my spare time.  From what I've seen it looks like it makes the motor go in reverse for a time.  I'm still looking into it, as I want to make sure that when I add it to the telescope code it works properly.

[cjdawson]

On 12/08/2020 at 01:33, pgoelz said:

Hi there, I'm new to this discussion.  I am trying to get my classic 8" LX200 and simple JMI motofocus (plugged into the focus port in the drive base) working over ASCOM with a couple planetarium programs.  While everything sorta works with the standard (old) ASCOM LX200 driver "Meade LX200 Classic and Autostar #494, #495, and #497 (combined telescope/focuser, 5.0.4, May 2013)", there are some serious quirks and I am hopeful your driver will eliminate those quirks.  

However, when I installed your version 0.7.12 I find it has its own quirks

1.  Slew buttons in the ASCOM device hub are greyed out and non-responsive.  This is important to me since I was hoping that I could use the device hub to center objects once I perform a GOTO in a planetarium program.  Not sure why this is.  FWIW, they work (briefly) in driver "Meade LX200 Classic and Autostar #494, #495, and #497 (combined telescope/focuser, 5.0.4, May 2013)" but after one use, the hub throws an error and complains that it cannot determine side of pier.  

2.  There is no way to enable focuser dynamic braking.  This is important for a simple DC focuser.... especially since focus movement settings below a certain point do not result in smaller movements in version 0.7.12.  Dynamic braking works in driver "Meade LX200 Classic and Autostar #494, #495, and #497 (combined telescope/focuser, 5.0.4, May 2013)" but I do not know if dynamic braking is an LX200 function or if the driver issues a brief opposite polarity after a movement.  

3.  Not sure if it is important, but the site longitude in "static properties" is inverted.... it shows my longitude as -82.xxxx when it is actually +82.xxxx.  Not sure where this comes from but if it is supposed to have been read from the scope, it is displayed correctly in the hand controller display.  

Thanks for your continuing work here!  Hopefully you can get things working 100% and breathe more life into the venerable LX200.  I stand ready to help in any way I can.  Got nothing else to do

Paul

Hi @pgoelz

 

Got an update for you on this.  Yep, I'm still working on things.

1. There is a bug in the driver when using an LX-200 classic.  Which I've resolved with the help from an LX-200 Classic owner.

2. I think I've got an implementation of dynamic braking working in the driver now for the focuser.  So would you be able to check this to see if it works?    I don't have my Meade focuser plugged in at the moment.

 

Here's a direct link to the development version of the driver, which should have these things resolved.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/s4qzvpef6try3ub/Meade.net.Setup.0.7.13.242-develop.msi?dl=0

 

[jhart]

Hi Colin,

As I reported on the ASCOM help forum, your beta driver .242 is working well with my LX200 Classic using the latest version update for Platform 6.5 and Device Hub.  (It also works well using POTH and Platform 6.5)

I have had no problems using APT.  There is one glitch in SGP that may or may not be driver related.  The plate solve and center routine can't center within the set pixel error of 50. APT centers within that error with no problem.  SGP does well on the initial solve and slew but can't get closer than about 100 before it runs out of tries and fails.  Would adjusting the driver guide rate have any effect there?

Other than that, everything seems very stable and working great.  Great job!

Jeff

[cjdawson]

@jhart glad to hear that the driver is working great for you.   I also have problems with getting platesolving perfect in SGP.  I've got a project on the go to see if I can figure out what is going on and how to fix it.    Hopefully I'll crack that at some point.

[michael8554]

On 28/11/2020 at 14:32, jhart said:

SGP does well on the initial solve and slew but can't get closer than about 100 before it runs out of tries and fails.

From memory there's a response from Andrew Johansen about this on Cloudy Night Forum, maybe the Meade Section, something like SGP uses the wrong kind of "slew" to fine-tune the position.

Not the fault of the driver

Michael

Edited December 9, 2020 by michael8554

[cjdawson]

Ooo, that’s interesting.   I’d love to know the details about that @michael8554 would you be able to find the link?

I’m beginning to wonder if there’s something clever that I can do if the slew is for a small distance.   I’m still thinking about this problem, and haven’t had a lot of time to work on it and don’t have access to my Lx-90 for the next couple of weeks.

[michael8554]

Hi Colin

It was probably this one:

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/639160-ascom-drivers-for-a-meade-lx600/#entry10702820

Talks about Plate Solving with SGP only able to slew close to target, not able to get spot-on.

Keep up the good work !

Michael

[cjdawson]

Thanks for the link.   I suspected that SGP is doing a slew, after the plate solve, however the slew isn’t as accutate as using guide commands.   What I’m thinking about is adding a feature to the driver that will find the current position of the scope, and if it’s below a given threshold distance, it’l use guide commands instead of doing a normal slew.  This will allow the scope to work to greater accuracy, even though it’s doing repeated slew commands.  I’ve got some more research to do on this before I start doing any coding, I suppose the biggest question that I have to overcome is figuring out which direction the scope needs to move in response to the updated slew command.  This might not be possible to implement.   It’s interesting that other people has noticed this issue with Meade scopes, I’d noticed it too, and simply lowered the platesolve accuracy to about 400px which is kind of a cheat.

[Priesters]

Hi Colin (and anyone else who can help).

I have just set up plate solving in SharpCap using AVNSR with my Meade LX90 audio star handset and the Meade Generic Driver.  The plate solve is successful  but the mount sync and re-centre isn’t.  The mount moves to somewhere near but certainly not central.  That said I have only had one evenings’ opportunity to test this.  
There is a post on the SharpCap forum from someone who had exactly the same issue which persisted despite various different tests including using a different driver.  There didn’t seem to be a resolution to the issue (I have asked but no response!).  Earlier in the post the SharpCap author suspected it was to do with a translation issue between J2000 and JNow.  SharpCap converts whatever the mount reports it is using to J2000 apparently so if the mount reports incorrectly then an unnecessary conversion will happen or a necessary conversion won’t happen which results in an inaccurate sync.  There is no option to change the settings via the handset.  If anyone can provide any guidance (even if it’s to refer me elsewhere) it would be very much appreciated and thank you Colin  for providing the Driver

thanks

Andrew

[michael8554]

Hi Andrew

We covered that back on Dec 20th.

Michael

[Priesters]

Ok, fair enough.  I had read that but as it involved different software and there was a suggestion it was something to do with J2000 v JNow rather than slew v guide commands I thought it worth mentioning.  I’ll just keep testing (whenever there’s a break in the clouds 🙄) and wait to see if there is an outcome to Colin’s research.

[cjdawson]

Hi @Priesters

There is no concept of J2000 v JNow in the driver at all.  So, I don't know what sharpcap is doing regarding conversions or where it is getting any idea that there is a difference from.  There is a new release of the driver which I doubt will change anything in the accuract of platesolving.

I have tried platesolving with Platesolve2 which I have working successfully, I'm also trying ASTAP.   To date, I've platesolved with SGP, and have been a little dissapointed with it, the reason being that after the platesolve happens and the software issues a correction, it does this by sending another slew command to the mount.   In my opinion this is a problem as it will be trying to correct for small errors by using a method that is ment to go to any object.

It would be far better after the initial solve, to use the scopes Slew (or jog) commands to manually correct the position of the scope using a cycle of slew, image, platesolve to home in on the correct place considering that the inital goto didn't go to the right point in the first place.

APT has a GOTO++ feature, which I'm looking forward to trying out, it appears that this does work differently from SGP's implementation,  and I suspect that sharpcap's implementation is roughly the same as SGP's.

Regards

Colin.

[Priesters]

Thanks for the update Colin, that’s useful info.

[ProfDean]

Hopefully, I am in the right spot, but do the comments on this thread also help someone (me) with a Meade 12" LX600?  I downloaded the latest Meade.net.Setup.0.7.14.274 WIndows installer.  I have been having problems getting my PC to recognize my telescope.  I didn't know if I should use the POTH hub, generic hub, or device hub (that didn't work as others have indicated).

[michael8554]

You will need to describe the cables you are using and where they are plugged into.

I'm a LX200GPS user, which is an Autostar II mount like your LX600.

I have a USB to RS232 converter plugged into a USB socket on the PC.

This shows in Windows Device Manager as a COM port, and also in the USB section.

The DB9 end of the USB to RS232 converter is plugged into a Meade #507 cable, which plugs into the RS232 port on the mount.

A Meade #505 cable won't work, those cables are for Autostar 497 mounts such as the ETX and LX90.

With the Generic ASCOM driver installed you should be able to communicate with the mount from the PC with PHD2 or an ASCOM Planetarium such as CdC or Stellarium.

You will need to select in the driver parameters the same COM port number as shown in Device Manager, you might need to force the COM number to 4 or less.

[ProfDean]

It seems like my setup is correct.  This is what Device Hub is giving me when I try to connect the telescope:

15:00:29.837: Telescope - Others:       Get Connected flag - False
15:00:29.837: Telescope - Others:       Set Connected flag -> True (connected)
15:00:30.358: Telescope - Others:       Connection took 0 milliseconds.
15:00:30.358: Telescope - Others:       Get Connected flag - True
15:00:31.373: Telescope - Capabilities: Get CanFindHome: False
15:00:31.374: Telescope - Capabilities: Get CanPark: False
15:00:31.374: Telescope - Capabilities: Get CanPulseGuide: False
15:00:31.375: Telescope - Capabilities: Get CanSetDeclinationRate: False
15:00:31.375: Telescope - Capabilities: Get CanSetGuideRates: False
15:00:31.375: Telescope - Capabilities: Get CanSetPark: False
15:00:31.375: Telescope - Capabilities: Get CanSetPierSide: False
15:00:31.375: Telescope - Capabilities: Get CanSetRightAscensionRate: False
15:00:31.375: Telescope - Capabilities: Get CanSetTracking: False
15:00:31.375: Telescope - Capabilities: Get CanSlew: True
15:00:31.375: Telescope - Capabilities: Get CanSlewAltAz: False
15:00:31.375: Telescope - Capabilities: Get CanSlewAltAzAsync: False
15:00:31.375: Telescope - Capabilities: Get CanSlewAsync: True
15:00:31.375: Telescope - Capabilities: Get CanSync: True
15:00:31.376: Telescope - Capabilities: Get CanSyncAltAz: True
15:00:31.376: Telescope - Capabilities: Get CanUnpark: False
15:00:31.376: Telescope - Capabilities: Calling CanMoveAxis( Primary )False
15:00:31.376: Telescope - Capabilities: Calling CanMoveAxis( Secondary )False
15:00:31.376: Telescope - Capabilities: Calling CanMoveAxis( Tertiary )False
15:00:31.376: Telescope - Capabilities: Calling AxisRates( Primary )(done)
15:00:31.376: Telescope - Capabilities: Calling AxisRates( Secondary )(done)
15:00:31.376: Telescope - Capabilities: Calling AxisRates( Tertiary )(done)
15:00:36.383: Telescope - Parameters:   Get AlignmentMode Exception: CheckDotNetExceptions ASCOM.UniversalMeade.Telescope AlignmentMode Get System.Exception: Failure reading a byte reply    Timed out waiting for received data (See Inner Exception for details)
15:00:36.384: Telescope - Others:       Attempting to initialize telescope operation caught an unhandled exception. Details follow:
15:00:36.384: Telescope - Others:       ASCOM.NotConnectedException: There is no connected telescope.
   at ASCOM.DeviceHub.TelescopeManager.CheckDevice(Boolean testConnected, Boolean throwException) in C:\ASCOM Build\Export\Drivers and Simulators\ASCOM Device Hub\DeviceHub\DeviceManagers\TelescopeManagerAccess.cs:line 1168
   at ASCOM.DeviceHub.TelescopeManager.CheckDevice() in C:\ASCOM Build\Export\Drivers and Simulators\ASCOM Device Hub\DeviceHub\DeviceManagers\TelescopeManagerAccess.cs:line 1138
   at ASCOM.DeviceHub.DeviceManagerBase.GetServiceProperty[T](Func`1 getCmd, T defaultValue, ActivityMessageTypes messageType, String propName) in C:\ASCOM Build\Export\Drivers and Simulators\ASCOM Device Hub\DeviceHub\DeviceManagers\DeviceManagerBase.cs:line 49
   at ASCOM.DeviceHub.TelescopeManager.get_ApertureArea() in C:\ASCOM Build\Export\Drivers and Simulators\ASCOM Device Hub\DeviceHub\DeviceManagers\TelescopeManagerAccess.cs:line 241
   at ASCOM.DeviceHub.TelescopeParameters..ctor(TelescopeManager mgr) in C:\ASCOM Build\Export\Drivers and Simulators\ASCOM Device Hub\DeviceHub\Business Object Classes\Telescope Classes\TelescopeParameters.cs:line 18
   at ASCOM.DeviceHub.TelescopeManager.ReadInitialTelescopeDataTask() in C:\ASCOM Build\Export\Drivers and Simulators\ASCOM Device Hub\DeviceHub\DeviceManagers\TelescopeManager.cs:line 772
   at ASCOM.DeviceHub.TelescopeManager.<Connect>b__247_0() in C:\ASCOM Build\Export\Drivers and Simulators\ASCOM Device Hub\DeviceHub\DeviceManagers\TelescopeManager.cs:line 205
   at System.Threading.Tasks.Task.InnerInvoke()
   at System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Execute()
15:00:36.384: Telescope - Others:       Set Connected flag -> False (no change)
15:00:36.385: Telescope - Others:       Get Connected flag - 
15:00:36.385: Telescope - Others:       Get Connected flag - 

 

Too much for me to digest and diagnose the problem.  Any ideas?

[michael8554]

I can't help you on that either.

Why don't you connect directly to the Generic ASCOM Driver, without the Device Hub ?

Michael

[Juan1983]

Hello. My name is Juan and I am from Argentina. Luckily I found this post and I want to ask you for help. I'm going crazy trying to autoguide my LX90 Gps 10 inch with Audiostar.

I have read all the posts on the subject but I can not find the error.

I have windows 10, phd2, the latest version of the ascom platform and I have tried almost all the drivers from the following link:

https://bitbucket.org/cjdskunkworks/meadeautostar497/downloads/

I use a guide tube of 80mm and 400mm focal length, a ZWO120MC camera as a guide camera connected by USB to my notebook and from the notebook to the mount I have a USB to RS232 converter plugged into a USB socket.

I have been able to control the mount from stellarium or from meade autostar suite, but it is impossible for me to achieve guidance with phd2. Always the same problem, the star has not moved enough,

Phd2 connects to the camera without problem the same as to the mount using Meade Generic Ascom. Even so when doing the calibration the mount does not move. I have tried manual guidance with steps of up to 5000 milliseconds, but my feeling is that the mount does not respond.

The telescope is perfectly balanced and I don't know what to do anymore.

I feel very frustrated having invested a lot of money. Argentina's economic situation is very delicate and any investment in astronomy and its accessories is very, very expensive.

Please I would appreciate your help, you are my last hope.

I apologize for my English but the last time I wrote something in this beautiful language was 20 years ago.

Awaiting your comments. Thanks a lot

Edited March 7, 2021 by Juan1983

[Juan1983]

4 minutes ago, Juan1983 said:

Hello. My name is Juan and I am from Argentina. Luckily I found this post and I want to ask you for help. I'm going crazy trying to autoguide my LX90 Gps with Audiostar.

I have read all the posts on the subject but I can not find the error.

I have windows 10, phd2, the latest version of the ascom platform and I have tried almost all the drivers from the following link:

https://bitbucket.org/cjdskunkworks/meadeautostar497/downloads/

I use a guide tube of 80mm and 400mm focal length, a ZWO120MC camera as a guide camera connected by USB to my notebook and from the notebook to the mount I have a USB to RS232 converter plugged into a USB socket.

I have been able to control the mount from stellarium or from meade autostar suite, but it is impossible for me to achieve guidance with phd2. Always the same problem, the star has not moved enough,

Phd2 connects to the camera without problem the same as to the mount using Meade Generic Ascom. Even so when doing the calibration the mount does not move. I have tried manual guidance with steps of up to 5000 milliseconds, but my feeling is that the mount does not respond.

The telescope is perfectly balanced and I don't know what to do anymore.

I feel very frustrated having invested a lot of money. Argentina's economic situation is very delicate and any investment in astronomy and its accessories is very, very expensive.

Please I would appreciate your help, you are my last hope.

I apologize for my English but the last time I wrote something in this beautiful language was 20 years ago.

Awaiting your comments. Thanks a lot

I forgot to say that my mount is altazimuth and I don't have the equatorial wedge. Even so I have read in other forums that phd2 can also guide in this type of mounts. Thank you

[cjdawson]

Hi everyone.

I don't normally do the support for the Meade Generic driver via the SGL Forum.   Please use the mailing list that I have linked from the driver page. or the discord channel again details are on the page.

However, I can answer these questions....

 

On 27/02/2021 at 23:57, ProfDean said:

Hopefully, I am in the right spot, but do the comments on this thread also help someone (me) with a Meade 12" LX600?  I downloaded the latest Meade.net.Setup.0.7.14.274 WIndows installer.  I have been having problems getting my PC to recognize my telescope.  I didn't know if I should use the POTH hub, generic hub, or device hub (that didn't work as others have indicated).

I've taken a very quick look through the stuff that you have posted.  It doesn't look like an attempt has been made to connect with the Meade Generic driver.   You don't need to use POTH or DeviceHub, just connect directly to the driver.   I've created it so that multiple applications can connect to the driver at the same time without adverse effects.   Actually, I run APT, PHD2 and CdC at the same time normally in my sessions.  Might also add WifiScope if I want to use SkySafari instead of CdC.

Make sure that you have the correct cables, and that you have setup the correct serial port in the driver settings.   Other than that, you shouldn't have to change any of the defaults.   You can create a trace log from the driver directly, which can give you some information about whether the connection is successful, or not.

 

19 hours ago, Juan1983 said:

I forgot to say that my mount is altazimuth and I don't have the equatorial wedge. Even so I have read in other forums that phd2 can also guide in this type of mounts. Thank you

Hi Juan.

I use an LX90 myself as well and guide using PHD2.  However, for the LX-90 scopes, you can only guide when the scope is in EQ mode (on a wedge).  The guiding commands will be ignored by the scope when in Alt-Az mode.   PHD2 might be able to attempt guiding with Alt-Az scopes.  However the Meade mount will not allow you to do it.     I highly recommend getting a good wedge, so that you can run the scope in EQ mode.  (it's how I run mine all the time)

 

[Juan1983]

On 08/03/2021 at 15:56, cjdawson said:

Hi everyone.

I don't normally do the support for the Meade Generic driver via the SGL Forum.   Please use the mailing list that I have linked from the driver page. or the discord channel again details are on the page.

However, I can answer these questions....

 

I've taken a very quick look through the stuff that you have posted.  It doesn't look like an attempt has been made to connect with the Meade Generic driver.   You don't need to use POTH or DeviceHub, just connect directly to the driver.   I've created it so that multiple applications can connect to the driver at the same time without adverse effects.   Actually, I run APT, PHD2 and CdC at the same time normally in my sessions.  Might also add WifiScope if I want to use SkySafari instead of CdC.

Make sure that you have the correct cables, and that you have setup the correct serial port in the driver settings.   Other than that, you shouldn't have to change any of the defaults.   You can create a trace log from the driver directly, which can give you some information about whether the connection is successful, or not.

 

Hi Juan.

I use an LX90 myself as well and guide using PHD2.  However, for the LX-90 scopes, you can only guide when the scope is in EQ mode (on a wedge).  The guiding commands will be ignored by the scope when in Alt-Az mode.   PHD2 might be able to attempt guiding with Alt-Az scopes.  However the Meade mount will not allow you to do it.     I highly recommend getting a good wedge, so that you can run the scope in EQ mode.  (it's how I run mine all the time)

 

Thanx!