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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Starlight Xpress MX drivers included in SX?

  • Posts: 56
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Hi INDI team, I hope this is the correct forum and place to bring up an issue.

I'm not a Linux expert but have sucessfully started migration of my astro systems from Windows to Ubuntu using Kstars and INDI.

I managed to get Skysensor 2000 and Canon 20d 'hooked-up' and responding using 'local' but have not succeded with my old MX5C camera that i hope to eventually use for autoguiding but initially for plantary work.

I acknowledge that normally Kstars forum should be used but I think the issue is not there since the Device Manager recognises my devices and works with all except MX5C and I think it maybe related to its USB HID or driver.

Is the MX series included in the INDI_SX driver?

With my basic terminal I used lsusb and dmesg to see that the MX5 doesn't appear in the lsusb but it does in the dmesg (20d is fine) like this:-
usb 2-2: new high-speed USB device number 7 using ehci_hcd

Kstars device manager shows status as red led and output below:-
2013-01-06T10:39:26: Client 0: new arrival from 127.0.0.1:52378 - welcome!
2013-01-06T10:39:26: Driver indi_sx_ccd: <- sxList 0
2013-01-06T10:39:26: Driver indi_sx_ccd: <- ISGetProperties
2013-01-06T10:39:26: Driver indi_sx_ccd: -> ISGetProperties((null))
2013-01-06T10:39:26: Driver indi_sx_ccd: <- ISGetProperties

I don't have the experience to start messing with udev and permissions, is there something I can do or is the driver not supporting MX devices?

Thanks in advance
Andrew
11 years 2 months ago #11

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Hi Andrew,

only the following cameras are recognised by SX driver now:

"SXVF-M5", "SXVF-M5C", "SXVF-M7", "SXVF-M7C", "SXVF-M8C", "SXVF-M9", "SXVR-M25C", "SXVR-M26C", "SXVR-H18", "SXVR-H16", "SXVR-H35", "SXVR-H36", "SXVR-H9", "SXVR-H9C", "SXVR-H9", "SXVR-H9C", "Lodestar", "CoStar".

If you can find what is PID of this device, I can try to add it to the list and maybe it will work, you have to test it.

Peter
11 years 2 months ago #18

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Thanks peter,

I guessed the mx series was not included.

I found the following in device manager once the mx5c was plugged into windows

USB HID

USB\Vid_42428&PID_4220&Rev_0100&Mi_00

I hope that is correct since the mx5c creates two lines in device manager hid compliant device and usb hid compliant interface, I took the latter.

I'm happy to asist and test but i'm not a great techie, rather a user. But I think this would be a useful addition since the mx series are often used for guiding now.

Thanks in advance
Andrew
11 years 2 months ago #19

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HI Andrew, it seems that MX5 has also different VID and probably different firmware and protocol. I'll check it with SX and let you know... Peter
11 years 2 months ago #20

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Andrew, it seems quite promising, can you contact us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to agree on how to try it? Peter
11 years 2 months ago #21

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I have an old MX716 running through a Starlight Xpress USB2 box and a guider. Is this likely to work with the SX driver? If not is there anything I can do to help get this working I am not a developer so would need some guidence. I would even be prepared to send the camera, box and cables to someone for an extended loan period if that would help get this working. Since I moved off of Windows 3 years ago I have not really used it much anyway so really wouldnt miss it for another 6 months. I had pretty much given up on being able to take photos, guide and stack the results nativily in linux so was stunned that you guys had come so far in the last couple of years. Brillant job.
I am in the UK by the way.

edit lsusb brings up this "Bus 001 Device 017: ID 1278:0200 Starlight Xpress SXV interface for paraller MX cameras"
Last edit: 11 years 1 month ago by Chris Giltnane.
11 years 1 month ago #35

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Hi Chris, if it is really USB 2.0 box and have VID 1278 It may work (I've never heard about such device before) but we have to try it. In case of Andrew it was USB 1.1 box and unfortunately we found no workaround how to use it with my SX driver yet.

I'll make a version of the driver with 1278:0200 included in device type list. Can you contact me on email to arrange the testing? Peter
11 years 1 month ago #36

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This is the product . www.sxccd.com/handbooks/Using%20the%20USB2%20interface.pdf I can contact you via email but not sure how to get the address or how on this forum I can send direct emails . My email address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
11 years 1 month ago #37

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To anybody with USB 2.0 interface box - even if it is not yet fully tested it seems that this kind of interface can be used with INDI SX driver (revision 918 or later).
Last edit: 11 years 2 weeks ago by Peter Polakovic.
11 years 2 weeks ago #137

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Thank you for the excellent work in INDI. I am using it with ZWO ASI017C and EQ6 without problem but I have an old Starlight Xpress MX7C that I could use for guiding. I've tried the SX driver without success. MX7C used the USB1.1 interface with this lsusb result:
Bus 002 Device 010: ID 0547:2131 Anchor Chips, Inc. AN2131 EZUSB Microcontroller
and dmesg:
[428913.339419] usb 2-1.4: new full-speed USB device number 10 using ehci-pci
[428913.432242] usb 2-1.4: New USB device found, idVendor=0547, idProduct=2131
[428913.432252] usb 2-1.4: New USB device strings: Mfr=0, Product=0, SerialNumber=0
Is there any possibility to use it with IND anyhow? Thanks in advace.
6 years 10 months ago #16896

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Hi, I found this article

diffractionlimited.com/help/maximdl/Star..._Xpress_MX7C_USB.htm

and it looks like this device needs a different kind of driver. But maybe you can try the same trick as recommended for MaxIm (upgrade to universal firmware).

Peter
6 years 10 months ago #16897

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