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Raspberry Pi 4 for Imaging Rigs


Stratis

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9 hours ago, david_taurus83 said:

I got myself a Pi3 B+ and a case off Amazon and last night I installed Stellarmate OS. I tried with the mobile app first. Pants. Could move the mount but cameras wouldnt work.

 

Installed Kstars on my Windows laptop and had some better luck. Connects to mount, cameras and filterwheel no probs. Hit a brick wall with the Deep Sky Dad focuser and couldn't get platesolving to work. Trying in Remote mode which I assume is off the Pi  itself?

Have you updated the Af1/2 firmware david ?

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9 hours ago, StarDodger said:

When using the windows version, you still Jane to connect to the rpi for the drivers, so that is called remote mode, as you can’t run it all on windows...INdI does not work...

As for platesolving, have you installed the index files you need, as SM only had a few installed with it, you can install them from within Ekos.

You can try and run the whole lot from the rpi, but it will be sluggish, as it’s not got the power for that really, the client and server approach is the best... :)

Hi. I installed Kstars on my windows laptop and connected to the RPi via the Stellarmate function.

 

I had assumed the SM OS had enough catalogues installed? I was trying to solve a previous image from my last session. I input the correct FOV as it starts off at 0' x 0'. I have astrometry installed locally for the ASPS via APT so perhaps I need to point it to there?

 

I did initially want the whole lot to work as remote so i could do away with a laptop (dark site trips) but looking at the SM app it looks very limited. I couldn't find any control for camera gain etc

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4 hours ago, bottletopburly said:

If you use indigosky  yes you can use tablet phone , if you want to use APT ,you need a  laptop/pc ,indosky haven’t released the dslr drivers yet though  , have a look on Apt forum for more info .indigosky is all you need David, flash indigo img file to SD card using Etcher and that’s it ,takes 2minutes .

Interesting. I really like using APT but was willing to give SM a go. But if I need to still use a laptop then it might make sense to carry on? Only thing is, my windows laptop is an i7 beast so power hungry. Not really a remote option. I have another small laptop which never got used as it came on W8 and was rubbish. I flashed it with Ubuntu last weekend and it seems much better now and the battery lasts ages! But no APT on Linux!

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4 hours ago, bottletopburly said:

Have you updated the Af1/2 firmware david ?

I'm sure I done it a little while back. The RPi could see the focuser at one stage as it was reporting the last position (10054 steps) I left it at from last weekends session. The Serial Port manager kept asking me to pull out USBs and reinsert a few times and I think I messed things up from there 🤔

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16 minutes ago, david_taurus83 said:

Hi. I installed Kstars on my windows laptop and connected to the RPi via the Stellarmate function.

 

I had assumed the SM OS had enough catalogues installed? I was trying to solve a previous image from my last session. I input the correct FOV as it starts off at 0' x 0'. I have astrometry installed locally for the ASPS via APT so perhaps I need to point it to there?

 

I did initially want the whole lot to work as remote so i could do away with a laptop (dark site trips) but looking at the SM app it looks very limited. I couldn't find any control for camera gain etc

ASPS for APT will not work, you have to have the INdI version of astrometry installed for the rpi, or if you want to use locally on your laptop, then you have to install ANSVR put the correct IP address in Kstars to point it to the correct astrometry server, see here...the windows section of instructions on how to use ANSVR with Kstars

https://stellarmate.com/support/ekos/align.html#h2-1-1-windows

tne setting for your camera will not show until the camera is connected, and then settings should be there, :)

 

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One piece of advice which I hope you will take in the vein it is given - helpfully.

Please stick to one approach until you learn Indi/Indigo or whatever. Jumping from set up to set can cause problems.

The all in one approach of Indi working on the RPI3b+ will work - not saying that the any cmos camera will be great but it will work so long as its already supported.

Best approach IMO is to add and try each function in a step by step approach so for example

1. Get mount working - use ccd simulator.

2. Then add CCD and be able to happily take images and be happy you know how all the options work on Indi

3. Then add the Focuser - and test until happy

4. Then try Platesolving you will need to load Index's on a normal Indi install - check the folder for Stellarmate in case it comes with all index's installed.

    The Sensor info is very important for Platesolving if this is wrong the Platesolve will fail.

    Make the Platesolve logging verbose and see what the output is - too many stars will slow the mechanism up and you will need to alter one of the paramters - Check the Indi forum its been done before 🙂

5. Add and furher options you need.

If you have problems you should always have the logs handy - word of mouth isn't really much help sometimes. 🙂

Then get used to the Indi work flow.

Then if required change your way of working to true Server Client if required but I suggest you use the same approach. NOTE The Windows way of Indi is totally alien to Linux Client Server approach as drivers DO NOT run on Windows just Kstars/Ekos and local Platesolving - if I remember it correctly

Good Luck.

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4 hours ago, stash_old said:

One piece of advice which I hope you will take in the vein it is given - helpfully.

Please stick to one approach until you learn Indi/Indigo or whatever. Jumping from set up to set can cause problems.

The all in one approach of Indi working on the RPI3b+ will work - not saying that the any cmos camera will be great but it will work so long as its already supported.

Best approach IMO is to add and try each function in a step by step approach so for example

1. Get mount working - use ccd simulator.

2. Then add CCD and be able to happily take images and be happy you know how all the options work on Indi

3. Then add the Focuser - and test until happy

4. Then try Platesolving you will need to load Index's on a normal Indi install - check the folder for Stellarmate in case it comes with all index's installed.

    The Sensor info is very important for Platesolving if this is wrong the Platesolve will fail.

    Make the Platesolve logging verbose and see what the output is - too many stars will slow the mechanism up and you will need to alter one of the paramters - Check the Indi forum its been done before 🙂

5. Add and furher options you need.

If you have problems you should always have the logs handy - word of mouth isn't really much help sometimes. 🙂

Then get used to the Indi work flow.

Then if required change your way of working to true Server Client if required but I suggest you use the same approach. NOTE The Windows way of Indi is totally alien to Linux Client Server approach as drivers DO NOT run on Windows just Kstars/Ekos and local Platesolving - if I remember it correctly

Good Luck.

Thanks. I'm going to leave my Windows laptop for processing. I'll install Kstars on the Linux laptop as its smaller with better battery life. Make sense to stick to a similar OS. I've paid for the RPi and SM so I want to stick at it and get it working. I'm trying to make my kit more modular and mobile. Shorter cables and less of them etc. I'll have another play tonight indoors.

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1 hour ago, david_taurus83 said:

Thanks. I'm going to leave my Windows laptop for processing. I'll install Kstars on the Linux laptop as its smaller with better battery life. Make sense to stick to a similar OS. I've paid for the RPi and SM so I want to stick at it and get it working. I'm trying to make my kit more modular and mobile. Shorter cables and less of them etc. I'll have another play tonight indoors.

Yes, I use a Linux Kubuntu laptop...with SM.. :)

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49 minutes ago, bottletopburly said:

If using indigosky  via Apt , platesolving uses the index files on the pc not the indigo server , clarified by Ivo aka @Yoddha 

Yes that’s true, but We were discussing INdI with Kstars, and not indigo with APT they are different... :)

Edited by StarDodger
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I had another go last night with the Linux laptop. Installed Kstars but no matter how I tried, the INDI Web Manager wouldnt launch when connected to the SM wifi. Port settings are correct as if I try with the Win laptop it connects? Windows crashes Kstars sometimes some I'm keen to not use that. However, if i use the web browser and direct to the SM (stellarmate.local:8624) I can connect that way? Am I right in saying that I'm working directly off the RPi that way? Any disadvantages to working this way apart from a little bit of latency when moving windows around? The advantages I can see this way are if the connection is lost between laptop and SM any image plans running on the SM Kstars will continue? Am i also right in thinking any device with a web browser can access the SM without the need for Kstars? Seems a no brainer? I connected all devices without issue. Camera, mount, focuser, ffilterwheel. Still need a clear night to test guiding and fingers crossed, platesolving. One thing I cant seem to find is a save button after i configure my profile. Eg. Camera gain and offset need to be 139 and 60 respectively, 16 bit enabled,  focuser needs direction reversed etc, but if I shut down and start up again everything appears to revert to a default setting? Potential for mistake here unless theres a way of saving once and for all.

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22 minutes ago, david_taurus83 said:

One thing I cant seem to find is a save button after i configure my profile. Eg. Camera gain and offset need to be 139 and 60 respectively, 16 bit enabled,  focuser needs direction reversed etc, but if I shut down and start up again everything appears to revert to a default setting? Potential for mistake here unless theres a way of saving once and for all.

There are (were) 2 saving points but they save different things.

1. Ekos Profile - where you define WHAT is connected for a given named profile

AND

2. Indi settings - saved under the Indi devices under the "main" (haven't got my stuff loaded so from memory) tab which you have to do for each device.

And if you run everything on the RPI you dont loose anything if you just remotely connect via RDP/VNC - not used SM web interface so cant say but one would assume so unless it starts the server again on connection.

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45 minutes ago, david_taurus83 said:

I had another go last night with the Linux laptop. Installed Kstars but no matter how I tried, the INDI Web Manager wouldnt launch when connected to the SM wifi. Port settings are correct as if I try with the Win laptop it connects? Windows crashes Kstars sometimes some I'm keen to not use that. However, if i use the web browser and direct to the SM (stellarmate.local:8624) I can connect that way? Am I right in saying that I'm working directly off the RPi that way? Any disadvantages to working this way apart from a little bit of latency when moving windows around? The advantages I can see this way are if the connection is lost between laptop and SM any image plans running on the SM Kstars will continue? Am i also right in thinking any device with a web browser can access the SM without the need for Kstars? Seems a no brainer? I connected all devices without issue. Camera, mount, focuser, ffilterwheel. Still need a clear night to test guiding and fingers crossed, platesolving. One thing I cant seem to find is a save button after i configure my profile. Eg. Camera gain and offset need to be 139 and 60 respectively, 16 bit enabled,  focuser needs direction reversed etc, but if I shut down and start up again everything appears to revert to a default setting? Potential for mistake here unless theres a way of saving once and for all.

Could you post a picture of your ekos profile, when it won’t connect from the Linux laptop, as just want to look at the settings, as a picture paints a thousand words.. :)

Yes, if you connect to SM via a web browser, then you can run Kstars direct from the SM, and it’s all done on there, astrometry maybe a little slow, best to use that online if possible, as you won’t have all the index files on the rpi.

Any device on your local network can access the SM, but not on other networks, so just from your home.

In the INdI driver settings there is a tab under each driver which has the Save and Load buttons, so when all settings are as you need, then save, and when you restart ekos you can then load them back..

 

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1 hour ago, StarDodger said:

Could you post a picture of your ekos profile, when it won’t connect from the Linux laptop, as just want to look at the settings, as a picture paints a thousand words.. :)

Yes, if you connect to SM via a web browser, then you can run Kstars direct from the SM, and it’s all done on there, astrometry maybe a little slow, best to use that online if possible, as you won’t have all the index files on the rpi.

Any device on your local network can access the SM, but not on other networks, so just from your home.

In the INdI driver settings there is a tab under each driver which has the Save and Load buttons, so when all settings are as you need, then save, and when you restart ekos you can then load them back..

 

333881669_Screenshotfrom2019-07-1311-20-01.thumb.png.0db27a384d0bccc8678aff044285776b.png1825116335_Screenshotfrom2019-07-1311-20-20.thumb.png.0bf38dabd1f8d780e27bcc2a09f50f1a.png322511655_Screenshotfrom2019-07-1311-21-27.thumb.png.38749c70223d21845adb2d37b69ad9ce.png591360696_Screenshotfrom2019-07-1311-21-43.thumb.png.7feab1b98f69997e583fcbd186a34a32.png

 

Thats as far as i get with Ekos on the laptop.

 

 

 

But i can connect through the VNC viewer and connect all the devices. In the INDI panel the only tabs are clear and close. Cant see load or save anywhere so I must be lookng in the wrong place?

 

 

 

937791664_Screenshotfrom2019-07-1311-25-57.thumb.png.f9a6383f04a44230a96ab96e2fed4197.png77619044_Screenshotfrom2019-07-1311-26-09.thumb.png.e2104ea8b5104b5bbf908a5dfd797c55.png

Edited by david_taurus83
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^^^Dont know why my text is posted as a screenshot?!🤔😅

What I had tried to say was : But i can connect through the VNC viewer and connect all the devices. In the INDI panel the only tabs are clear and close. Cant see load or save anywhere so I must be lookng in the wrong place?

Edited by david_taurus83
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13 minutes ago, david_taurus83 said:

It’s usually under the “options” tab in the INdI driver panel, there you should be able to save set up..

Not sure why you can’t connect with laptop, but one thing to try and very often works, is instead of putting Stellarmate.local in the profile, put the actual up address of the rpi...that may work..

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If you are running Kstars from another PC then you must make sure you can ping the address you use in the "REMOTE" section of  EKOS else you won't be able to connect to the Indi_server at all.

Also make sure you are on the same network and try the IP address of Stellarmate instead of name in case name res is not working or you are not using the same DNS settings. Again PING is your friend.

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8 minutes ago, stash_old said:

If you are running Kstars from another PC then you must make sure you can ping the address you use in the "REMOTE" section of  EKOS else you won't be able to connect to the Indi_server at all.

Also make sure you are on the same network and try the IP address of Stellarmate instead of name in case name res is not working or you are not using the same DNS settings. Again PING is your friend.

Yes, just beat you to that idea, of IP address instead.. :)

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24 minutes ago, StarDodger said:

It’s usually under the “options” tab in the INdI driver panel, there you should be able to save set up..

Not sure why you can’t connect with laptop, but one thing to try and very often works, is instead of putting Stellarmate.local in the profile, put the actual up address of the rpi...that may work..

Thanks, I found them under the optional tab. But now the focuser and mount are fighting over ports! 😂 Give me strength!

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1 hour ago, david_taurus83 said:

Thanks, I found them under the optional tab. But now the focuser and mount are fighting over ports! 😂 Give me strength!

Run the serial port manager it will sort that out, and assign separate ports for all items...it’s in the INdI web manager...

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1 hour ago, david_taurus83 said:

IP address doesn't work either. When I click INDI web manager nothing happens.

You have both the laptop and rpi on the same network..? Or in the SM hotspot..

edit: you must have if it works on web browser... :)

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