Anybody using an ASCOM flat panel in NINA ?

[teoria_del_big_bang]

I am just trying to set up NINA for the first time.
I just cant seem to get the DSD flat panel working which needs to use an ASCOM driver provided by Deep Sky Dad.

I downloaded the ASCOM file and in ASCOM it looks to be there and set up okay

But I cannot see any ASCOM flat panels in the drop down list in NINA

I have pressed the rescan several times, powered down and up again but no joy.

According to the DSD manual for the flat panel it should work in NINA

But I just cannot seem to get those two ASCOM options in the drop down list.

 

Any ides from anybody ??

Steve

 

[msacco]

Do you have another PC to try it on? I had some similar driver issue with some ioptron drivers, it worked with no issues on the other PC when I tried, so just trying over and over, reinstalling, deleting and installing, repair, stuff like that and it eventually worked, no idea why it happens, but I assume it would be something similar.

[scotty38]

Any possibility it's ASCOM 6.6 that's the issue? Didn't realise that was available until I saw your profile explorer version...

 

Oh I'd recommend using BETA 2.0 of NINA by the way. might even fix the issue too.

Edited January 21, 2022 by scotty38

[teoria_del_big_bang]

Thanks, I can try both suggestions and see later today 🙂 

Steve

[Stuart1971]

7 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

Thanks, I can try both suggestions and see later today 🙂 

Steve

I have one of these flat panels on the way….so I hope you get it sorted, have you asked on the NINA discord site….? Also,you should really update to the latest Beta NINA version..👍🏼

[scotty38]

16 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

Thanks, I can try both suggestions and see later today 🙂 

Steve

Please try NINA first as you will keep that version 😃

[Stuart1971]

Yes, I would agree that the latest NINA is a big step up with loads of enhancements on the version you are using, and also it’s based on the newer 6.5 ASCOM, so it may well solve the issue, I am still using ASCOM 6.5 SP1 not dared update to 6.6 as it always causes me issues when I update…😮

[teoria_del_big_bang]

44 minutes ago, Stuart1971 said:

I have one of these flat panels on the way….so I hope you get it sorted, have you asked on the NINA discord site….? Also,you should really update to the latest Beta NINA version..👍🏼

I currently use EKOS and KStars so this is a bit of dipping my toe in the water test while the skies are cloudy to get it ready on another computer to test on a clear night.

I originally had a few issues with the flat panel on EKOS but had lots of help from Pavle of DSD, he really went out of his way even though the error in the end was down to the INDI files but he contacted Jasems and eventually sorted out the bug.
I have been really happy with the panel.

The only downside I would say is that I would not rely on it being shut with light off to take darks as it will not seal from light fully and you have to remove it then fit the proper cap, but as you can take all your darks and keep the library for months this is not something you need to do very often and not a massive job to remove it.

I have joined Discord but late last night did not really find my way round to ask the question.

One thing I have learned in this hobby is everything gets sorted eventually, people with the knowledge you do not have always come to the rescue so we will have them working (it may still be me but for the life of me I thought I tried everything I could).
The panel is a real Godsend  being able to add the flats to the end of the sequence and it shuts the flap turns the light on and away it goes al flats all done automatically and the scope capped at end of session as well help keep the lens a bit cleaner.

Also what I have done is to go through and find out what light intensity you need to get all flats at 4 seconds and that is then done automatically as well so that all flats are the correct ADU, or there abouts, and you can use the same 4 second dark to calibrate them with for all of them without needing PI to scale the darks, maybe a small thing but I like it.

Steve

Edited January 22, 2022 by teoria_del_big_bang

[teoria_del_big_bang]

13 hours ago, scotty38 said:

Oh I'd recommend using BETA 2.0 of NINA by the way. might even fix the issue too.

 

Brilliant, worked a treat, thanks so much for the help 🙂 

Steve

[Stuart1971]

2 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

 

Brilliant, worked a treat, thanks so much for the help 🙂 

Steve

There is a lot of stuff that’s only compatible with BETA 2 version, as it’s based on the newer ASCOM, and many drivers had to be updated when BETA 2 came out, so I guess the DSD panel ASCOM driver is one of those that only works with the latest ASCOM….glad it’s sorted…👍🏼

[Stuart1971]

I tried NINA a few months ago, and never went back to Kstars, I love it, plus I was having a few issues with drivers in a Ekos so that didn’t help…👍🏼

[teoria_del_big_bang]

13 minutes ago, Stuart1971 said:

I tried NINA a few months ago, and never went back to Kstars, I love it, plus I was having a few issues with drivers in a Ekos so that didn’t help…👍🏼

I have the odd issue with EKOS but not much and put that down more to the RPi than EKOS, but I have no evidence for that.
I did try NINA a little bit last year but just found it had too much stuff in there, I find EKOS really simple, and I do really like it, but I didn't give NINA a fair trial.

Main reason for trying it is because it uses Windows which I am more familiar with than Ubuntu and also I can use SharpCap to help me with determining the correct exposure lengths for different targets easily within a session whereas now I have to take a laptop out and plug camera into laptop and with the RPI controlling the mount I have no real easy way to platesolve (I guess I could use the guidescope camera) and have SharpCap taking images to control main camera.
A bit of overkill doing this maybe but with NINA I can do all this without any fuss and its a bit more scientific than picking an exposure time out of the air and just hoping it works which before all these latest discussions is really what I was doing.
I think these past week or two I have learned a lot with help from this forum and realised some of my shortfalls when imaging, okay some of the maths is a bit over my head but I get the jist which is enough, so been a good week or two 🙂 

Steve

Edited January 22, 2022 by teoria_del_big_bang

[teoria_del_big_bang]

Everything connects now so just setting things up.

Any recommendations about the set-up ?

Also, I think when I tried it a few months ago but gave up one thing that put me off was the size of the font, for my failing eyes it was far too small, is there a way to increase the font size ?

Any recommendations on setting up the focusser, it did take a bit of fiddling about in Ekos but eventually had it working well, IF it was not too far from focus to begin with (if I accidently moved the focusser during transport always had to take a few quick images and manually move the focusser before using auto focus otherwise it really struggles), and there are so many options for algorithms and parameters n EKOS it was hard to decide what to try first, maybe its the same in NINA.

Regarding this I should 3D print something that is pretty much the exact length when at focus to put between two surfaces on the focus tube then I can always set it to that position first before coming inside to operate remotely, that way it should focus okay every time. 

Steve

Edited January 22, 2022 by teoria_del_big_bang

[adyj1]

1 hour ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

Regarding this I should 3D print something that is pretty much the exact length when at focus to put between two surfaces on the focus tube then I can always set it to that position first before coming inside to operate remotely, that way it should focus okay every time. 

If you don't have a focuser that has a zero end stop (and therefore can always set a known position at the start of a session) - or a focusing workflow that will reliably remember it's position between sessions, then this is definitely a good idea. 👍 

Or a sharpie mark on the focusing tube if that is possible... 

[teoria_del_big_bang]

Well still playing with NINA, a few small things that doesn't suit me

• Small Font difficult for me to read - as far as I can see can alter font type and make it bold which has helped and selecting contrasting font colour and background helps, so still difficult but can live with it.
• Seems a lot of tabs and and combination of tabs on pages on those tabs compared to very few in EKOS, but I think that will be fine when I have learned to drive it and I can remember where everything is.

So far I have only really messed about with darks and flat wizard and some stuff I love

• Being able to use my flats panel to use the light intensity for flats to give me same length exposures on all flats to get ideal ADU rather than just altering the exposure time, all flats not 4 seconds with the DSD flats panel 🙂 
• The real flexible way of making directories with any amount of sub directories for saving files
• The real flexible way of naming image files automatically with a big range of criteria along with typed words letters etc.

So considering I have only scratched the surface of what this can do and so far only a couple of minor irritations I can easily live with and lots of good stuff so I might well be sticking with this.

Also seems to be getting developed very quickly as only a short while I first heard of NINA and now it is a real in depth bit of software.

Steve

[Stuart1971]

1 hour ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

Well still playing with NINA, a few small things that doesn't suit me

• Small Font difficult for me to read - as far as I can see can alter font type and make it bold which has helped and selecting contrasting font colour and background helps, so still difficult but can live with it.
• Seems a lot of tabs and and combination of tabs on pages on those tabs compared to very few in EKOS, but I think that will be fine when I have learned to drive it and I can remember where everything is.

So far I have only really messed about with darks and flat wizard and some stuff I love

• Being able to use my flats panel to use the light intensity for flats to give me same length exposures on all flats to get ideal ADU rather than just altering the exposure time, all flats not 4 seconds with the DSD flats panel 🙂 
• The real flexible way of making directories with any amount of sub directories for saving files
• The real flexible way of naming image files automatically with a big range of criteria along with typed words letters etc.

So considering I have only scratched the surface of what this can do and so far only a couple of minor irritations I can easily live with and lots of good stuff so I might well be sticking with this.

Also seems to be getting developed very quickly as only a short while I first heard of NINA and now it is a real in depth bit of software.

Steve

Yes, I was the same when I first started with it, I could not get my head around the layout….and how to re arrange the panels and all that, I nearly gave up on it, until I watched a video and it explained it all and then I never looked back, the videos were superb, and basically went through every tab and explained how to use them….it was invaluable to me….

I will find a link to the videos…and post here for you…

[Stuart1971]

This is the video link, to the first of his NINA videos…there are 5 in total plus others too…👍🏼

 

[scotty38]

@teoria_del_big_bang just for info these are my focuser settings plus I use offsets for my filterwheel. I have the focus filter set as the UV/IR and the focus routine works every time. The focuser is always left at one of the two filter settings so is always near enough to start with. With these settings focusing takes about 2.5 mins each time.

 

 

Edited January 22, 2022 by scotty38

[teoria_del_big_bang]

Brilliant, thanks for all the help, I think I like this NINA and want to stick with it 🙂 

Steve

[scotty38]

I think the new advanced sequencer is great too. It took me a little while to get my head around the layout and templates etc but now I've pretty much sorted it I find it really good.

What I really like is how you can edit a running sequence.. If it's set to take, say, 100 subs and you decide to reduce to 50 then just change the 100 to 50 and done... Want to add another target just drag in a pre-configured target template or send one from the sky atlas. If you choose a target sequence you've already set up then it populates with all your preferred settings...

[teoria_del_big_bang]

It sounds very versatile, looking forward to some clear skies to try it out for real 🙂 

Steve

[adyj1]

1 hour ago, scotty38 said:

hat I really like is how you can edit a running sequence.. If it's set to take, say, 100 subs and you decide to reduce to 50 then just change the 100 to 50 and done...

I agree with @scotty38, but it seems you can change *anything* in the sequence while it is running should you so wish - change the length of exposure when you realise after 10 exposures that you need longer with a HA filter, or add in the dithering you forgot at the start, or go back a bit later and change the number of exposures between dithering, or pretty much anything! I also like when you cancel an exposure before it has finished it doesn't bother saving that exposure.  

[scotty38]

9 hours ago, adyj1 said:

I agree with @scotty38, but it seems you can change *anything* in the sequence while it is running should you so wish - change the length of exposure when you realise after 10 exposures that you need longer with a HA filter, or add in the dithering you forgot at the start, or go back a bit later and change the number of exposures between dithering, or pretty much anything! I also like when you cancel an exposure before it has finished it doesn't bother saving that exposure.  

Yep agreed too and exactly what my first bit of the post was supposed to be saying. I also mentioned adding a target as that is useful as you can get the sequence running while you decide how long it can run, until what elevation it's visible, what second target you want etc etc. Once you've worked it out you can edit the first target and add the second/third as needed. Very, very flexible....

[teoria_del_big_bang]

It sounds like if I commissioned somebody to write a program and I gave them exactly what I wanted then it would be like this.
I really like the sound of this sequencer.
I cannot tell you how many times in EKOS I start a sequence off and then realise something is wrong and have to stop it, sometimes two or three times before I am happy, and sometimes I just left it because it was near enough okay.

All sounds good and I am glad I decided to give it a second go.

Also I am amazed how quickly and how well this program has been developed, I seem to think I only heard about it a year or two ago and now it seems to be one of the leading pieces of software for AP. For sure if I end up changing to NINA I will donate some money for it (assuming that is possible) I think it deserves some contributions.

Steve

[Stuart1971]

43 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

It sounds like if I commissioned somebody to write a program and I gave them exactly what I wanted then it would be like this.
I really like the sound of this sequencer.
I cannot tell you how many times in EKOS I start a sequence off and then realise something is wrong and have to stop it, sometimes two or three times before I am happy, and sometimes I just left it because it was near enough okay.

All sounds good and I am glad I decided to give it a second go.

Also I am amazed how quickly and how well this program has been developed, I seem to think I only heard about it a year or two ago and now it seems to be one of the leading pieces of software for AP. For sure if I end up changing to NINA I will donate some money for it (assuming that is possible) I think it deserves some contributions.

Steve

Get yourself on the NINA discord forum, it’s excellent…here is an invite link for you…👍🏼

https://discord.gg/nighttime-imaging