My SBIG CCD is a dual chip device, so I should be able to use it to guide and take images at the same time.

However as soon as I start to take a frame on the main chip, the guiding suspends itself, which as you can imagine, isn't desired behavior.

Any ideas?

Also, I had some problems with getting the guiding going, mostly trying to work out how to calibrate it properly, and then to run it with meaningful options. It was mostly trial and error until it seemed to do the right thing. Is there any documentation or tutorial on the guide panel that I could read to understand it all? Thanks.

Well there is some documentation here: indilib.org/about/ekos/guide-module.html

If you gained some insight on the calibration procedure, can you prepare a write-up and I'll add it there?

I will check the SBIG guide chip issue, I think it would probably need to run in a separate thread.

That documentation is good and has cleared up or confirmed some things I worked out. I will retry things again based on the information on that page. I think I have to further reduce my PA errors to get better results as I found the guiding calibration succeeded if I reduced the pulse value.

Were you able to calibrate in PHD?

I've never tried PHD under linux, so no. I've been trying to do everything I can with ekos to make my life easier.

Minor issue with configuration.

In the filter panel, the Type value is never saved, I always have to reselect it.

Also, would it be possible to have an option to have the filter wheel auto-connect when connecting the ccd? <-- not a big deal, but a nice to have.

I was thinking of separating the CFW into its own filter wheel driver, would that work better for you? So when you connect all devices, CFW gets connected as well. However, you'd still have to select the type before connecting, or at least "load configuration" manually BEFORE connect since Ekos would only load config _after_ connect is ON.

Yes! That would be much better, easier to see and understand too.

Ok, done. Please test the changes I'm not sure if it will work at all.

Unfortunately it didn't work

I can only seem to have the CCD or the FW connected, not both at the same time. I think it's because they're using the same port? As in the FW is connected to the CCD which then connects to the computer, so it's on the "sbigusb0" port.

I added more debug statements to find out where it exactly fails, turn on DEBUG (and Driver Debug), and try again.

I'll update and test later.

Managed to get some data last night for a rough mosaic:
Lagoon Nebula Mosaic in HAlpha