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Raspberry Pi 4 for Imaging Rigs


Stratis

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10 minutes ago, Demonperformer said:

Mmmm ... through the camera hub, that cable runs everything, sharpcap (for imaging, platesolving, etc), the filterwheel (on occasion) and PHD2 for guiding. Maybe I can find a cable with usb3 at one end and an ethernet plug at the other end ... don't you just admire optimism? ...

Not sure what you mean here, you just have power and an Ethernet cable your mount, and that’s it, or even can be done over WiFi so not even an Ethernet cable, and then USB 3 on the rpi4 which sits on the mount and houses all the INdI drivers for your kit.. simples...

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11 minutes ago, StarDodger said:

Not sure what you mean here

From my laptop I have:

(1) eqmod cable connected to mount to run that

(2) usb cable [currently plugged into usb2 ... which is the problem] to camera hub, through which camera (by means of sharpcap), guiding (by means of PHD2) and filterwheel (by means of SX software that came with the wheel) are controlled.

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22 minutes ago, Demonperformer said:

From my laptop I have:

(1) eqmod cable connected to mount to run that

(2) usb cable [currently plugged into usb2 ... which is the problem] to camera hub, through which camera (by means of sharpcap), guiding (by means of PHD2) and filterwheel (by means of SX software that came with the wheel) are controlled.

So you would have EQMOD cable from mount to rpi4, and then USB 3 cable from rpi4 to camera hub, and then other items connect to camera hub..sorted...but like I say you would have to use different software, as sharpcap will not work with rpi, (as it’s linux based) you can only use ATP or Kstars / Ekos 

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I'm posting in the correct thread now! I never bothered trying to solve the last issue with the RPi3. I bought a RPi4 and installed Stellarmate on that. Works brilliantly. No issues at all and much faster. Platesolving takes a few seconds. I'm working off the RPi4 and using VNC Viewer to monitor from my phone! Last night I tried out the Ekos scheduler for the first time. I set it to take a series of RGB exposures on the Iris Nebula at 10.15pm. As scheduled, at 10.15 the mount unparked itself and slewed to target. It changed filters to blue, autofocused, and then platesolved it's way to centre of target. No input whatsoever from me. After it took 20 x 180s blue subs, it changed to green and autofocused again. Marvellous! Of course cloud came to ruin the session.

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I have StellarMate OS running on the Raspberry Pi 4 in a FLIRC case. Runs very cool and I can't get it above 56c, even if I peg the CPUs to 100% for 15 minutes. I have it mounted on a Losmandy G11GT with a  Gemini-2 brain.

 

I also have the new Pegasus Astro Ultimate Power Box [that's a mouthful] and I am going to run INDIGO on the Pi4 alongside INDI to get the powerbox to chooch with everything else. 

 

Image may contain: phone and indoor

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On 25/08/2019 at 10:23, david_taurus83 said:

I'm posting in the correct thread now! I never bothered trying to solve the last issue with the RPi3. I bought a RPi4 and installed Stellarmate on that. Works brilliantly. No issues at all and much faster. Platesolving takes a few seconds. I'm working off the RPi4 and using VNC Viewer to monitor from my phone! Last night I tried out the Ekos scheduler for the first time. I set it to take a series of RGB exposures on the Iris Nebula at 10.15pm. As scheduled, at 10.15 the mount unparked itself and slewed to target. It changed filters to blue, autofocused, and then platesolved it's way to centre of target. No input whatsoever from me. After it took 20 x 180s blue subs, it changed to green and autofocused again. Marvellous! Of course cloud came to ruin the session.

The RPi5 will have the ability to chase off clouds for an optional subscription.

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  • 1 month later...

Just took delivery of my RPi 4 today, I will be reading this thread thoroughly when I get time to start tinkering!

I currently have an original B+ running indi server on raspbian (Stretch) with Kstars/Ekos running on the laptop.

The plan is to ditch the laptop and run everything on the Pi with control over VNC using my phone for a properly portable, low power setup.

Some promising signs here that this is doable.

Has anyone tried containerising Kstars/EKOS/Indi or alternatives using docker?

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  • 4 weeks later...

I currently image with a Canon DSLR/60mm refractor combo on my AstroTrac and use a laptop with PHD2 for guiding in RA only. This seems to work very well but I would like to replace the laptop with something less power demanding when I'm traveling.

So, I'm looking at adding some Pi automation & control to my travel imaging rig and homing in on a Stellarmate setup. This is the shopping list I've put together for a nice Christmas present 😁

Any comments before committing to this? Anything that I've missed?

    1. Pi4 model B, 4GB, https://thepihut.com/products/raspberry-pi-4-model-b?variant=20064052740158, £54
    2. FLIRC metal case, https://thepihut.com/products/flirc-raspberry-pi-4-case, £16
    3. HDMI cable, https://thepihut.com/products/micro-hdmi-to-standard-hdmi-a-cable, £5
    4. 16GB+ Class 10 MicroSD card, SanDisk Ultra 16 GB microSDHC Memory Card + SD Adapter with A1 App Performance Up to 98 MB/s, Class 10, U1 https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B073K14CVB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_zKPYDbZ4FNN1P, £6
    5. Stellamate O/S, https://www.stellarmate.com/products/stellarmate-os.html, $49
    

PS, further reading shows that I may need a RTC module, is this one compatible with Stellarmate?

https://thepihut.com/products/mini-rtc-module-for-raspberry-pi?variant=758601217&currency=GBP&gclid=CjwKCAiA8K7uBRBBEiwACOm4d1cWdFlbm9k0kD2tDZoN0i_T0djMZNnMuIqnxsZWnYTdObvqn2t5nBoC-gQQAvD_BwE

  CS, Andy  
    
 

Edited by fireballxl5
RTC query added
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  • 3 months later...

Hello,

I know this maybe an older posting but I am just getting into astrophotography and leveraging RPI4 with Stellarmate software. My issue is with how to connect my Celestron 8se and SV205 camera to the Stellarmate rig?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 

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3 minutes ago, DST said:

Hello,

I know this maybe an older posting but I am just getting into astrophotography and leveraging RPI4 with Stellarmate software. My issue is with how to connect my Celestron 8se and SV205 camera to the Stellarmate rig?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 

Hello DST

And welcome to SGL could you elaborate a little do you have and RPI 4 with Stellarmate or are you looking to get one?

the camera you have is sv205 is that an SVBoney one by chance ?

Andy

 

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37 minutes ago, DST said:

Hello,

I know this maybe an older posting but I am just getting into astrophotography and leveraging RPI4 with Stellarmate software. My issue is with how to connect my Celestron 8se and SV205 camera to the Stellarmate rig?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 

The main problem would appear to be the non existent driver for Indi this is the only reference I could find on Indilib - but maybe better to ask on the Indilib forum. So unless someone knows different or it can be driven by another camera device driver you dont seem to be able to use it on Linux at all.

Well... Svbony cam hasn't got usb 3.0 neither st4 guiding port...
Just for windows, no for Linux, Mac...

😞

However I just read the SVBONY web site and it states its a UVC type connection so may be recognised and can be used as though its a Web camera with Indi V4LC driver but I am only guessing here.

https://indilib.org/devices/cameras/indi-webcam.html

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The SV305 does seem to have a RPI device driver it might still work with the SV205 https://www.linux-astro-imaging.uk/linux/astronomy/linux-downloads

Scrub tha it means using non Indi capture software - maybe OAcapture may work with this camera.

Sorry cant be of more help. 

 

Edited by stash_old
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  • 2 weeks later...

A question for those of you with RPi-4: What are you using for a field power supply? My battery packs with USB won't go above 2.1A, and RPi-4 needs a minimum of 3A. 12V + buck converter, perhaps (and, if so, can someone recommend a reliable one?)

TIA

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13 minutes ago, BinocularSky said:

A question for those of you with RPi-4: What are you using for a field power supply? My battery packs with USB won't go above 2.1A, and RPi-4 needs a minimum of 3A. 12V + buck converter, perhaps (and, if so, can someone recommend a reliable one?)

TIA

12v to 5v 10a converter https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32585217993.html used on all rpi's not a problem 🙂   so far!

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15 hours ago, stash_old said:

12v to 5v 10a converter https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32585217993.html used on all rpi's not a problem 🙂   so far!

 

14 hours ago, bottletopburly said:

You can use a Y- usb to C connector  lead on rpi 4 if your power bank has dual USB ports so if each port is 2.1A that will supply 4.2A giving you the required power , I got a lead off EBay fairly cheap . 

Thanks, both. Presumably the early version C-connector issue with the RPi-4 has been fixed?

Edited by BinocularSky
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There seems to be some confusion about the Raspberry Pi 4 needing ‘a minimum of 3A’. Actually its standard power supply delivers up to 3A which is the maximum limit of the USB-C socket connector. In practice, its power requirement is dependent on what it is required to deliver to accessories through the USB sockets. I run my RPi4 without any issues from a 2.1A ‘charging’ socket on a 7 port USB hub which is itself powered from 12V. My USB devices are DSLR, Guidecamera, Pegasus Pocket Powerbox, EQDirect mount and GPS dongle, hence too many to feed directly from the RPi4 and soon to be added to by a motorised focuser module.

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On 07/03/2020 at 08:10, Avocette said:

There seems to be some confusion about the Raspberry Pi 4 needing ‘a minimum of 3A’. Actually its standard power supply delivers up to 3A which is the maximum limit of the USB-C socket connector. In practice, its power requirement is dependent on what it is required to deliver to accessories through the USB sockets. I run my RPi4 without any issues from a 2.1A ‘charging’ socket on a 7 port USB hub which is itself powered from 12V. My USB devices are DSLR, Guidecamera, Pegasus Pocket Powerbox, EQDirect mount and GPS dongle, hence too many to feed directly from the RPi4 and soon to be added to by a motorised focuser module.

That's really useful to know; thanks.

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