N.I.N.A. Which drop-down options are recommended?

[Jonny_H]

Hi all,

I am very new to N.I.N.A. and have been feeling my way around it this evening (for the first time).  I have connected my equipment for starters, however I noticed that there are an array of options which you can select when connecting your kit.  For example, my mount is an AZ EQQ GT and I use an EQDIR cable.  Under the telescope section you can select a number of different options under the ASCOM category: ASIMount, Simulator, and there are a few more (i think one is something like Direct telescope Hub, and another telescope for .NET or something similar).

My question is, which one 'should' i be picking?  Or doesn't it really matter?  Or should i be downloading another driver which i have missed?

For my cameras (ZWO 2600MC and 120MM Mini) they appear in the list so I have just selected them.  The ZWO EAF just comes up as ZWO EAF Focuser (1) and ZWO EAF Focuser (2) so i selected (1).  These appear to all be in order though so no issues with these. items (unless you tell me otherwise  )

Any help or a point in the right direction will be appreciated

Thanks,

Jonny

[adyj1]

When you use an EQDIR cable the telescope is called  "EQMOD ASCOM HEQ5/6" (or maybe something very similar). Don't worry, it doesn't actually need to know the exact model of your mount.

I have an EQ5 with DIY goto and it uses that driver name. 

 

[Jonny_H]

Thanks @adyj1

I do not get this option within the drop-down so could be that my driver needs reinstalling.

Did you install the ASCOM driver from the Skywatcher site or elsewhere?

[adyj1]

If you are using an Eqdir cable directly into the mount, you don't actually need anything from skywatcher. 

In a nutshell, install the latest ascom platform from http://ascom-standards.org/ then install then install eqascom from http://eq-mod.sourceforge.net/eqaindex.html (where there are setup guides). 

When it is controlling the mount, EQascom does not run in the same way as normal programs and can be quite confusing when you are starting out. As Borromir once said, "one does not simply run EQascom" - you need another piece of software (like NINA or APT or CdC, etc) configured to call the eqascom driver and when *that* software tries to connect to it, the EQascom program runs. You can't close that EQascom instance - once you close the program that called it, it closes itself. 

There are scripts installed with the eqascom drivers to start and stop the eqascom software on its own, called "start eqascom" and "kill eqascom", but you only really need these when setting up and tweaking the eqascom settings. 

Final piece of useful information is that if you run up CdC, say, and "connect to telescope" - which will start up eqascom - if you then start some other software that connects to EQascom as well (like NINA), it will also connect to the running driver and closing CdC *won't* close EQascom (thankfully) - it will close itself once all applications that are linked to it have closed (or you run the "kill eqascom" the script, which isn't normally required). 

Borromir was right. 😛 

Ady

My terminology might be slightly off about what is actually a 'driver' and what is an 'application', but that's way down in the detail... 

 

 

 

Edited February 12, 2022 by adyj1

[Richard_]

On 11/02/2022 at 22:23, Jonny_H said:

Hi all,

I am very new to N.I.N.A. and have been feeling my way around it this evening (for the first time).  I have connected my equipment for starters, however I noticed that there are an array of options which you can select when connecting your kit.  For example, my mount is an AZ EQQ GT and I use an EQDIR cable.  Under the telescope section you can select a number of different options under the ASCOM category: ASIMount, Simulator, and there are a few more (i think one is something like Direct telescope Hub, and another telescope for .NET or something similar).

My question is, which one 'should' i be picking?  Or doesn't it really matter?  Or should i be downloading another driver which i have missed?

For my cameras (ZWO 2600MC and 120MM Mini) they appear in the list so I have just selected them.  The ZWO EAF just comes up as ZWO EAF Focuser (1) and ZWO EAF Focuser (2) so i selected (1).  These appear to all be in order though so no issues with these. items (unless you tell me otherwise  )

Any help or a point in the right direction will be appreciated

Thanks,

Jonny

Ady is spot on with his answer RE: ASCOM for the mount which is what I do for my EQ6-R. 

For the ZWO accessories, yeah it's a bit strange that there are (1) and (2) versions shown. You can always check the item information (eg pixel size, camera name) to verify you have attached the correct item. 

[scotty38]

Btw 2 instances of the driver are normal and by design.