DIY Remote Focus

[JonCarleton]

From my other post, you all should realize 2 things about me.  1: I can't leave well-enough alone.  and 2: I like to fiddle around with things. In my last thread, I got setup with my goto telescope and managed to control it remotepy with KStars or Stellarium and even got my CCD working so I can sit inside in comfort while stargazing.....ALMOST.  I still have to run in and out to turn the focus knob.  So....

There is a raspberry pi running the INDI server pointing the scope and managing th CCD.  I have a nice little geared motor and a HAT board that I know how to connect and control with the pi to make the motor go fast or slow, or forward and backward.  I can manage the machine work to create a connection to the focus mechanism for the motor.  What I need to know is if there is already a DIY-ish or configurable driver for INDI.  And yes, this probably is a post for INDI forum, but for some reason I can't get a login there.  So, if anyone knows or has done this, thank you in advance for any information you are able to provide.

 

[JamesF]

Source code exists for a number of focuser controllers.  I guess if you could implement the same protocol as used by one of those, or use one as the basis for implementing your own driver?

Sources are here:  https://github.com/indilib/indi/tree/master/drivers/focuser

James

[stash_old]

Moonlite is a well documented protocol + Robert Brown's Myfocuser - both have indi driver's and ascom!

But they re for Stepper motors and Arduino.

Gina on SGL has done RPI plus hat focuser plus indi driver i think

[JamesF]

4 minutes ago, stash_old said:

Moonlite is a well documented protocol + Robert Brown's Myfocuser - both have indi driver's and ascom!

But they re for Stepper motors and Arduino.

That probably won't make a difference as far as the INDI is concerned.  It will just be using some protocol over a USB connection.  But it does make me wonder if I've interpreted the OP correctly.  Are you specifically looking for an INDI driver that controls focuser hardware that is directly connected?  Or do you just need an example of a focuser driver to use as as a reference or template that  you can drop your own motor controller code into?

James

[Vox45]

I think you will find what you want in this thread. Kevin wrote a driver for a Waveshare HAT and motor for INDI

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/688855-building-myself-a-stellarmate-gadget-any-advice/?fbclid=IwAR1JzM0L1agNdF7NavsCPY7hG-9U2tT49pR9FTNRurAi1cQX_Ja7JDrWYlM

The driver is here

https://github.com/k-ross/indi-wmh-focuser

"INDI focus driver for Waveshare Motor HAT stepper motor controller board. This allows controlling a stepper motor directly from a Raspberry Pi, with no external controller necessary. Additionally, the HAT can power the Raspberry Pi, so only a single 12V power connection will be needed, instead of a 12V and a 5V connection."

Edited February 2, 2020 by Vox45

[JonCarleton]

Thanks a heap!  That'll get me started.  As to what the question was, I'm not sure myself.  The GOAL is not to have to run in and out of the house tweaking the focus knob and running back to look at the computer screen.  I have some hardware and am already pointing and driving the CCD with a Pi4, so adding another computer (such as the Arduino) seems redundant. Though, I already know where to get the hardware and software for that solution and it isn't expensive.  If I say the rules are KStars->WiFi->Pi->INDI_Driver->HAT->StepperDriverMotor, I suppose that is the project.

From what I can tell from your kind replies, there's stuff out there I can scavenge.  I just need to look around more.

Edited February 3, 2020 by JonCarleton