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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

First light INDI Driver for ES PMG-Eight/G11

  • Posts: 105
  • Thank you received: 30
Explore Scientific was nice enough to loan me one of their PMC-Eight/G11 mounts and I've been using it to developing an INDI driver. The mount uses a custom controller designed by Jerry @ ES and requires writing control code for the new command language. Fortunately there are several good reference drivers already in the INDI code so it was a relatively quick process to get a prototype driver going.

One aspect of the PMC-Eight firmware currently is that it only supports ST4 cable-based guiding. Always looking for a way to get rid of another cable to keep up with or fail I decided to explore adding pulse guiding on the host side instead. Jerry and I discussed some ways to do this and I have a working prototype now. Jerry has said he is going to add this feature to the ASCOM driver as time allows.

Another nice benefit of the INDI driver is that INDI already has native support for gamepad or joystick control of mounts, much like EQMOD. Since the PMC-Eight does not have a hand controller it is "handy" to be able to use a gamepad instead.

If anyone has one of these mounts and would like to be a tester for the driver let me know - I'd love to get feedback.

This image of IC1848 was taken with this new driver and a 70mm refractor with my ASI1600MM-Cool:

astrob.in/full/321932
The following user(s) said Thank You: Jasem Mutlaq, wotalota
6 years 4 months ago #20979

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Spectacular results! Excellent progress with the driver!
The following user(s) said Thank You: Michael Fulbright
6 years 4 months ago #20990

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  • Posts: 311
  • Thank you received: 42
Mike
I recently ordered a EXOS2-GT with PMC-Eight (no handset) from Explore Scientific. I'd like to use it with Kstars if the mount driver is available and can also accomodate that mount. I think I read that it is mechanically like the Bresser Exos-2, Meade LXD-75.

Tom
6 years 2 months ago #21946

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  • Posts: 105
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I have a driver I'm developing for the G11 version of this mount. I believe the driver should work for your mount but we'd have to change some constants related to the gear ratios. I've talked with Jerry @ ES about this.

I haven't included the driver in the INDI main distribution yet as I'd like to get some other testers. I have a fork of the INDI library which I've been working from that you could build from that would include the driver you'd need. You'd need to do this anyways as we will have to do some tinkering to get the driver since you aren't using the G11.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Jasem Mutlaq, wotalota
6 years 2 months ago #21948

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  • Posts: 311
  • Thank you received: 42
I have a PMC-Eight EX02S setup using ascom over wifi, stuck indoors for a while. So could only do limited testing,
but if it would be of use for basic slew and track rates.
6 years 2 months ago #22577

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Driver is in INDI, so you can test it.
6 years 2 months ago #22586

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