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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

scheduler: start capture after guiding has settled

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Hi everyone
I'm using PHD2 PPEC for guiding and would like to let the guiding run for a while so that it can establish it's database for corrections.

Without the scheduler, I can manually begin the capture whenever I choose. However, under the scheduler, Align kills the guiding, so I can't have PHD2 running before I start the scheduler.

Question: do we have a way to tell capture to begin after guiding has been started for x minutes?
TIA and clear skies,
Steve
5 years 7 months ago #28599

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If you are setting up guiding before starting the Scheduler, uncheck "Track" in your job. This will prevent the Scheduler from requesting the mount to move for this specific job.

There's no particular customizable delay *before* capturing in the Scheduler. You can try to set a fixed time for the scheduler job, or include a first "fake" sequence item with a long post-capture delay instead.

-Eric
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5 years 7 months ago #28603

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I guess the point would be to allow PHD2's PPEC guiding mode to train itself for a while, but I don't really see why you wouldn't run captures at the same time. At least with my admittedly quite tuned HEQ5 the difference between PPEC and regular hysteresis mode it runs with until training is complete isn't that big and usually the first frames are just as good (or bad :) as later ones so I wouldn't waste precious imaging time. Fully training the PPEC takes two worm cycles, which on HEQ5 is around 22 minutes so I'd rather capture all the light I can and throw away the ones that aren't good enough rather than just wait.
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5 years 7 months ago #28604

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Yeah, as good as anything else. Just look carefully at the first few frames I suppose.
Thanks for the clarification and clear skies,
Steve
5 years 7 months ago #28605

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Side note: it's possible to have Track unchecked and Align checked, which sort of defeats the purpose of not touching the mount. I don't think both should be linked explicitly as there could exist use cases for that situation, but I'll add a warning to the Scheduler perhaps.

I think it should be up to PHD2 to delay the end of calibration when using PPEC learning. This would transfer to the Ekos guider state machine and delay the start of the capture.

-Eric
5 years 7 months ago #28606

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Hi
No worries. PHD2 doesn't (need to) calibrate each job anyway and the workflow is fine as it is, for me at least.
Thanks again and sorry for the noise.
Steve
The following user(s) said Thank You: Eric
5 years 7 months ago #28607

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