Updated Pi's

[Gina]

Ubuntu Mate 18.04 has an RPi B+ version which works fine.  With planets not well placed and Solar minimum I'm unlikely to be doing anything other than DSO imaging for the next year or two and the RPi 3B+ and even RPi 3B are adequate.  I can tolerate a few seconds download time.  All the same, I shall be following this with interest.

[tekkydave]

I have a 2Gb version on order from PiHut. One thing to watch out for is the USB-C power inlet and the micro-HDMI  monitor connectors.

 

[stash_old]

6 hours ago, Gina said:

Ubuntu Mate 18.04 has an RPi B+ version which works fine.  With planets not well placed and Solar minimum I'm unlikely to be doing anything other than DSO imaging for the next year or two and the RPi 3B+ and even RPi 3B are adequate.  I can tolerate a few seconds download time.  All the same, I shall be following this with interest.

The last time I tried it (mate 18.04 on RPI3b+) 5ghz networking did not work but 2.4ghz did 😞 - has this now changed ?

[Gina]

Don't know - I use 2.4GHz.

[StarDodger]

3 hours ago, stash_old said:

The last time I tried it (mate 18.04 on RPI3b+) 5ghz networking did not work but 2.4ghz did 😞 - has this now changed ?

Yes they both work on the latest Stellarmate, which is 18.04..

[Kaydubbed]

Now that the Pi4 is out, has there been any further experimentation? I have a Pi4 [4 Gigs] on my desk and want to get it chooching with my ASI cameras, EFW, EAF, and G11 Gemini2. I am crossing my fingers for the fabled all-in-one small factor AP client setup.

 

Those who have built it on the INDILIB forums haven't followed up too much on how well their Pi4 Astro hosts are working and it is a bit worrying. I would hate to have to wait for Mate to be updated for Pi4 before imaging with the Pi4, but as I understand, the Raspian distro's KSTARS lib is out of date, as are a few other astro apps. 

[tekkydave]

If you follow the instructions here you can install indilib on a pi from the source code. I have it installed on a pi4 using the latest Raspbian (Buster).

[Kaydubbed]

1 hour ago, tekkydave said:

If you follow the instructions here you can install indilib on a pi from the source code. I have it installed on a pi4 using the latest Raspbian (Buster).

How is the heat and are you using Kstars & Ekos? 

[StarDodger]

1 hour ago, Kaydubbed said:

How is the heat and are you using Kstars & Ekos? 

I have the latest PI4 with the latest INdI and Kstars Installed  and running, all built from Source, also full GSC and Astrometry, also Remote Desktop set on the rpi with XRDP, to control from a laptop in the full 4K, it works very well, but you do need the new firmware update plus a case with heatsink and a fan, especially while compiling..mine runs at about 45 degrees now..

[Kaydubbed]

31 minutes ago, StarDodger said:

I have the latest PI4 with the latest INdI and Kstars Installed  and running, all built from Source, also full GSC and Astrometry, also Remote Desktop set on the rpi with XRDP, to control from a laptop in the full 4K, it works very well, but you do need the new firmware update plus a case with heatsink and a fan, especially while compiling..mine runs at about 45 degrees now..

Ah good advise. I have a 'case' [open acrylic sandwich with a fan] and I will pickup some heatsinks from Microcenter tonight. 

 

I have a lot to learn...I am not sure what Astrometry and GSC are. I'm a network engineer with systems experience, so I bet I can figure it out in due time. Do you use Raspbian [Buster]?

 

Derp, Astrometry is platesolving. I knew that!

Edited July 17, 2019 by Kaydubbed

[StarDodger]

1 hour ago, Kaydubbed said:

Ah good advise. I have a 'case' [open acrylic sandwich with a fan] and I will pickup some heatsinks from Microcenter tonight. 

 

I have a lot to learn...I am not sure what Astrometry and GSC are. I'm a network engineer with systems experience, so I bet I can figure it out in due time. Do you use Raspbian [Buster]?

 

Derp, Astrometry is platesolving. I knew that!

Astrometry is the plate solving software, and GSC is the catologue of stars for ekos to work with the simulators, so you get stars in the pictures, which helps when learning to use platesolving.

Yes I use the latest Raspbian Buster..

[tekkydave]

12 hours ago, Kaydubbed said:

How is the heat and are you using Kstars & Ekos? 

It got hot during the compilation but that only lasts a few minutes. I don't run Kstars/Ekos on the pi. I access the pi remotely from a PC running Ubuntu 19.04.

I haven't found a way of getting full remote operation of my scope yet (Nexstar SLT alt-az). I have the Starsense camera which does the initial align automatically  but this can only be initiated from the HC or Celestron's CPWI application. CPWI only runs on Windows and needs either a USB, Serial via HC, or WiFi via their own device (SkyPortal).

 

[Gina]

Glad I use the very popular SkyWatcher mounts (ASCOM compliant) and ZWO cameras as these are supported in INDI (+ KStars/Ekos).  There's a vast number of astro products supported by KStars/Ekos/INDI but if you don't have any of these, things get more difficult.  I only run indiserver and the INDI drivers on the RPi (currently v3B) and run KStars/Ekos on Linux Mint desktop indoors (Mint is a Ubuntu fork).

I guess reverse engineering your astro gear to make it ASCOM compliant would be very difficult, Dave.

Edited July 18, 2019 by Gina
typos galore!!

[StarDodger]

56 minutes ago, tekkydave said:

It got hot during the compilation but that only lasts a few minutes. I don't run Kstars/Ekos on the pi. I access the pi remotely from a PC running Ubuntu 19.04.

I haven't found a way of getting full remote operation of my scope yet (Nexstar SLT alt-az). I have the Starsense camera which does the initial align automatically  but this can only be initiated from the HC or Celestron's CPWI application. CPWI only runs on Windows and needs either a USB, Serial via HC, or WiFi via their own device (SkyPortal).

 

No point in using the rpi4 if only using as an INdI server, as you are not using any of the benefits of the extra power  it gives, I bought mine to run everything off and just remote into it...works like a charm, more than enough power for this, with EQ8, SXVR H18 mono camera, Lodestar guide camera, Pegasus Ultimate hub, auto focusers.. and more..

[tekkydave]

It's all Ascom and Indi compliant. The issue is to do with doing the initial alignment remotely.

I don't have an obsy so the scope has no alignment when it is first powered up. The starsense accessory will do this for me automatically but it needs to be initiated from the HC. Everything else works remotely just fine.

I don't think the mount can be aligned fully by the plate-solving in Indi. In celestron SLT a-z mounts the pointing model is held in the HC which has to remain connected to the mount.

Edited July 18, 2019 by tekkydave

[tekkydave]

6 minutes ago, StarDodger said:

No point in using the rpi4 if only using as an INdI server, as you are not using any of the benefits of the extra power  it gives, I bought mine to run everything off and just remote into it...works like a charm, more than enough power for this, with EQ8, SXVR H18 mono camera, Lodestar guide camera, Pegasus Ultimate hub, auto focusers.. and more..

What device do you remote in from? If it's a PC then it makes sense to me to run the resource-heavy parts locally and just have the pi controlling the hardware.

It's a personal choice, I suppose and determined by how and where you are connecting from.

[Gina]

1 hour ago, tekkydave said:

It's all Ascom and Indi compliant. The issue is to do with doing the initial alignment remotely.

I don't have an obsy so the scope has no alignment when it is first powered up. The starsense accessory will do this for me automatically but it needs to be initiated from the HC. Everything else works remotely just fine.

I don't think the mount can be aligned fully by the plate-solving in Indi. In celestron SLT a-z mounts the pointing model is held in the HC which has to remain connected to the mount.

You should be able to get KStars to slew to the object in question, then plate solve to find out exactly where you're looking.  KStars should then slew to the right place.  Further solves (if required) should get you spot on.  At least that's how I understand it.  I haven't quite got it working yet but hope to next time we have a clear night without the moon shining straight down the spout!  If you start with the mount set to point to Polaris roughly, KStars should do the rest.  Yes, I have an observatory with fixed mount.  I stuck an "N" on the mount to show north.  The second slewing position is obvious.  I do have a GEM though and know nothing about A-Z mounts.

[tekkydave]

22 minutes ago, Gina said:

You should be able to get KStars to slew to the object in question, then plate solve to find out exactly where you're looking.  KStars should then slew to the right place.  Further solves (if required) should get you spot on.  At least that's how I understand it.  I haven't quite got it working yet but hope to next time we have a clear night without the moon shining straight down the spout!  If you start with the mount set to point to Polaris roughly, KStars should do the rest.  Yes, I have an observatory with fixed mount.  I stuck an "N" on the mount to show north.  The second slewing position is obvious.  I do have a GEM though and know nothing about A-Z mounts.

Maybe I'll ask on the INDI forum.

 

[stash_old]

On 10/07/2019 at 21:46, StarDodger said:

Yes they both work on the latest Stellarmate, which is 18.04..

Unfortunately thats not quite true - It only works with some AP/Routers and has to be fiddled with to get Ubuntu 18.04.2 to connect. Its basically the problem of Country codes and the Ubuntu Mate version of RPI-CONFIG not having the option to set the country code. As I say it appears that it depends on your AP/Router hardware. None of this occurs when using Raspian (or other flavours inc Ubuntu Mate 16.04). 

[stash_old]

Using everything on the PI (4 or 3b etc) is great for many situations - for example so long as the PI keeps on working loosing a RDP doesn't matter it carries on and is great if you do "in the field" Astronomy.

However the PI (and even the RPI4) has many limitations , as one would expect for £70, especially one - it doesn't and cannot compete again a flown blown i7 16mb Sata connected SSD in terms of performance - anyone says different is mad. But then again you would be paying £500+ for the privilege.

I still laugh at people who spend many thousands on Astro kit and then £70 on a PI.

That said its brilliant piece of hardware for a low price and will do the "job" nicely.

How you use it is a personal preference and "one size fits all" doesn't apply. 

IMO ,when not in the field, the Client / Server approach has many Pro's especially if you have 1gb local nework and connect wired not wirelessly for the reasons stated above about he RPI's limitations.

The best bit with Indi/Indigo is you can easily change how you work - Ascom at present (even with Alpaca) does not really provide this client/server flexibility and Alpaca is unproven (and not very well supported by Manufacture's) at this time.

[StarDodger]

4 hours ago, tekkydave said:

What device do you remote in from? If it's a PC then it makes sense to me to run the resource-heavy parts locally and just have the pi controlling the hardware.

It's a personal choice, I suppose and determined by how and where you are connecting from.

Yes I agree, but my end goal was to have the rpi do it all, so it can be left and just check on it every now and again, I have an i3 laptop with a dual boot with Kubuntu that I use to remote in, and I also can use the Kstars loaded on that PC, and, as you say use the rpi as an indi server, which with the rpi3 and Stellarmate is how I run my set up currently..as the rpi3 is just not powerful enough to run it all..

So with the rpi4 I have a full working system with Raspbian Buster and INdI, Kstars, and it works well, all running from the rpi..

[Avocette]

That's the same setup that I have with RPi4 4GB running Raspian Buster, KStars, Ekos and Indi. I run it 'headless' I.e. without monitor, keyboard or mouse attached, but controlled via VNC on an iPad. The specific package I installed on my RPi used the AstroPi3 script written by Rob Lancaster (search rlancaste on www.github.com) who has been preparing versions to run on various other OSs  if you don't like Raspian. I'm no Linux expert so I have needed step by step instructions but Rob has provided these in his Readme.txt.

I have a Ublox 7 gps dongle, an EQDir EQMod cable and my Canon DSLR connected by USB, so the KStars knows where it is and the correct time when operating in hotspot WiFi mode in the field.

My 'experiments' with the whole rig over the last few nights have been to try to become familiar with the myriad software packages especially starting with Polar Alignment (I have no polar scope on my AZ-EQ5). No resounding success so far, but maybe better news tonight having downloaded and installed a further 12GB of astrometry.net Index files today. This means that my RPi microSD card now has about 28GB onboard!

Plate solving of some images I photographed last night has been working offline on the RPi with a typical delay of a little over a minute so sounds like things may work tonight.

 

[Avocette]

I have just come across this thread again after a couple of months and thought I would update you to today’s situation in my particular Pi4 implementation.

I am now using a 2GB RPi4 in a Flirc aluminium case which acts as a CPU heat sink and keeps the processor below 50°C indoors and below 40°C outdoors. My plate solving for Polar Alignment and more generally is now sorted. I did not need all of the astrometry files that I had downloaded due to an error in calculating the FOV (so my initial installation now occupies about half of the 32GB micro SD card). It turns out to be less error prone to let Ekos measure the FOV for itself by performing a first ‘Capture and Solve’ in the Alignment module before attempting Polar Alignment. Solving typically takes 10 seconds with my Canon 450D and 15 seconds with my 550D, I suppose due to the larger number of stars which are captured by the 550D sensor.

I am very impressed with the practicality of the whole system and some early imaging in Bortle 5 skies with nearby yellow streetlamps and the full Moon bathing my back garden in light. I am now planning to have my 550D astromodified, to invest in guidescope and guide camera and very likely in one of the multi narrow band filters. With some regret I decided to fund these by selling my little used Dob.......