Raspberry Pi GPIO Driver

[MarkAR]

Hi all, I'm planning on building a dob mount form 250P-DS and eventually would like to make it GOTO.

I'm aware that a Pi can handle the stepper motors with Python but I came across this in the INDI site

https://indilib.org/develop/indiforjava/i4jdrivers/raspberry-pi-gpio-driver.html

Anyone any ideas about what it is, what it does and how I might be able to use it as an interface between EKOS or CduC, I would hope to be running Astroberry on the Pi and using a joystick/button controller and a 10.1" touchscreen.

I know that OnStep is available to build and works but sourcing the components or kits is a pain.

[MarkAR]

Anyone any ideas ???

[Tomatobro]

I have a question. Are you just trying to accurately locate objects or do you need a goto function for remote control?. The reason why I ask is that if its just about putting objects in the eyepiece then there are simpler ways of doing it

[JamesF]

I think the software just allows the GPIO pins to be exposed as INDI-accessable controls, perhaps so they can appear as switches in the Ekos interface.  I'm not sure it helps you at all with your goal however.

James

[MarkAR]

7 hours ago, Tomatobro said:

I have a question. Are you just trying to accurately locate objects or do you need a goto function for remote control?. The reason why I ask is that if its just about putting objects in the eyepiece then there are simpler ways of doing it

Just trying to figure out a goto function that would work with a custom mount. I would like to use planetarium software to point the scope and track whilst observing. I have another rig for photography.

 

Edited February 10, 2021 by MarkAR

[MarkAR]

6 hours ago, JamesF said:

I think the software just allows the GPIO pins to be exposed as INDI-accessable controls, perhaps so they can appear as switches in the Ekos interface.  I'm not sure it helps you at all with your goal however.

James

Thanks James, that's roughly what I thought it does. Cant find any evidence of anyone actually using it though.

@Gina has mentioned she has edited/compiled drivers in C++, that sounds like an option.

Another thought was that I could bodge together an EQ6 Synscan upgrade kit onto the dob mount but not sure if it works in AltAz.

[kens]

have a lookat https://github.com/rkaczorek/astroberry-diy

There is a driver there for a focuser controlled from the GPIO pins, but its a way to control a stepper motor and could possibly be adapted.

[Tomatobro]

4 hours ago, MarkAR said:

I would like to use planetarium software to point the scope and track whilst observing. I have another rig for photography.

OK understood.  Tracking with an Alt Az mount is something I have yet to do. 

[MarkAR]

1 hour ago, kens said:

have a lookat https://github.com/rkaczorek/astroberry-diy

There is a driver there for a focuser controlled from the GPIO pins, but its a way to control a stepper motor and could possibly be adapted.

That is a possibility I looked at, also tried looking for stuff about Astroberry Board  and Astroberry DIY,  implementation is non existent on these two as far as I can find.

 

[callump]

I think the main problem with direct control of motors is that the RPi is running som variant of Linux which is not really very good for real-time control - your motors could get pre-empted by some other process, and then any tracking would be lost... The GPIO indi driver is probably best for switching relays, doing dome contol, or telescope cover opening, or the like...

Probably your best approach would be to use OnStep to control the motors.

Alternatively you could look at the new Raspberry Pico, which is more like an embedded controller - but you would need to write some software from scratch.

/callump

[Gina]

I have had no such problem.

[Gina]

On 10/02/2021 at 18:50, MarkAR said:

Thanks James, that's roughly what I thought it does. Cant find any evidence of anyone actually using it though.

@Gina has mentioned she has edited/compiled drivers in C++, that sounds like an option.

Another thought was that I could bodge together an EQ6 Synscan upgrade kit onto the dob mount but not sure if it works in AltAz.

Indeed I have and this has proved very reliable.  Mr "Astroberry" is a member here and very helpful.

[MarkAR]

Going to have another look at OnStep kits, maybe the MaxESP3.

Coding a driver for the Pi would be totally beyond me.

[schmitzman]

Hi Everyone,

is there any update on this topic? I have a similar issue.

I have an EXOS-2 mount with DUO motor controller for manual mount control. The DUO controller has no PC interface whatsoever.
Yet I bridge the movement buttons on the DUO Handcontroller with a simple circuit which is controlled via a Raspberry PI GPIO output.

So basically I trigger the movement with my Raspi GPIOs using the original DUO motor controllers.

Now I would like to use this on my Astroberry with KStars thus I thought I "just" have to configure it on the Astroberry INDI server.

I am new to this topic and never controlled any astro equipment via PC or Raspi, so maybe I am overlooking something, but I dont see a way to configure the INDI server for usage of the Raspi GPIO for the motor trigger relays. Is there any way or does anyone know of an existing INDI driver or another possibility to use the setup with Astroberry?

Thankful for any help!