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INDI Library v2.0.6 is Released (02 Feb 2024)

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

INDI/Linux driver for the QHY Polemaster, developers needed.

  • Posts: 35
  • Thank you received: 6
Hi Guys

I would like to get my QHY Polemaster camera to work on Linux, in order to use it with the new Polar Alignment Assistant in Ekos.
QHY currently dosn't provide a linux driver, nor do they support the Polemaster via their Linux SDK.

But Qiu Hongyun (QHY) has offered to provide their Low Level USB Protocol specifications, provided I/we sign an NDA.
Read more here: qhyccd.com/bbs/index.php?topic=5718.0 and here: qhyccd.com/bbs/index.php?topic=5602.0

Although I'm a professional Embedded Firmware developer, I currently have no experience in Linux device drivers, nor with the USB protocol.
So I would like to hear if there are anybody in this forum who would like to participate in developing a Linux INDI driver for the QHY Polemaster camera?

I know there are people out there in the same situation as me... who already own a QHY Polemaster, and who would like to use the hardware together with INDI/Ekos.

Best Regards
Anders Lange
Last edit: 7 years 1 month ago by Anders Lange.
7 years 1 month ago #14475

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I think you can use libusb for all communication with the camera. No need for kernel-level drivers. However, you must really have a good understand of how USB works. You can start with USB in a Nutshell and probably take a look at existing libusb drivers communicating with cameras. I think probably the best place is to look at how Linguider since it already communicates with QHY5/QHY6 camera via USB and the code is all there, so pick it as your starting point. Good luck!
Last edit: 7 years 1 month ago by Jasem Mutlaq.
7 years 1 month ago #14480

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Hi jasem

Thanks a lot for your input. I also had been looking at bit at libusb!
I'll begin to read up on the USB protocol and look into how linguider uses libusb for the QHY5/6 cameras, then if I can find the spare time, I'll try to do the development :-)
7 years 1 month ago #14481

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Any luck on this? I asked the QHY folks about a Linux driver, but I doubt a response will come anytime soon.
6 years 11 months ago #15667

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Not yet... haven't had the time to do any work on this at all.... Right now I'm hoping somebody else will have the time...
6 years 11 months ago #15799

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I requested access. I will see what I can do.
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6 years 11 months ago #15817

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They gave me access. Is there a good place I can look at a camera driver to get an idea of where to start? My C skills are pretty dull knives (I do service management work these days...) but looking over some code should get me back up and going.
6 years 11 months ago #15827

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Access to what exactly? just the USB communication specs? or code?
6 years 11 months ago #15835

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The low level protocol, and at some point access to their dev board (not sure what that entails).
6 years 11 months ago #15838

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I have a polemaster and can offer assistance with coding, but I'm not so sure about the NDA.

The Polemaster really is just a QHY5L-IIm. In fact, it works with the older QHY5LII ASCOM drivers just fine. Polemaster support was explicitly removed from the imaging driver, so I do not expect that we will get much cooperation from the maker on this. I guess what I'm trying to say is that there already is a INDI support for this should the support for the Polemaster be re-enabled in the binary blobs.
6 years 11 months ago #16202

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I just pushed an update to support QHY PoleMaster. PPA users can start testing by tomorrow's update. If you use GIT, pull now and test. Please report back results.
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6 years 11 months ago #16265

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Fantastic :-)
I will test it tomorrow evening, I'm using the PPA, so I'll have to wait ;-)
Last edit: 6 years 11 months ago by Anders Lange.
6 years 11 months ago #16266

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