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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Raspberry pi 4 Alternative

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Replied by Denis on topic Raspberry pi 4 Alternative

I use Orange Pi 4 LTS. Ekos works slow there. I plan to make simple but fast application than will use INDI for astophoto and live staking ))
1 year 3 months ago #88622

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I know this is an old thread, but I thought it would be appropriate to report I have a good scope computer running on a Radxa Rock 5b. This has a faster ARM processor than a Raspberry Pi, and, like the ODROID-M1 it has an NVMe slot for fast storage.

I started with Armbian (Ubuntu Jammy with XFCE) and then installed the repositories for INDI, CCDCiel, PHD2. I am using TigerVNC server for headless connections. I was able to install ASTAP with *.deb files. Indiweb installs with pip. All that stuff installs and works great. I don't use KStars and Ekos, so I didn't install or test those.

I have not gotten FireCapture to work. The 32bit multi-lib instructions aren't quite right for Ubuntu Jammy. I assume it would be GREAT on this SBC because of the fast storage. I hope they eventually build a 64bit ARM version of that tool. Until then, I was able to get AstroDMx to work by removing two library files from the install (documented on the website's Known Issues page). The framerates with that tool and my fast storage are outstanding.

Using different hardware means I had to move on from Astroberry. :( I am guessing the shortage of Raspberry Pis has probably hurt that project. I do think that some sort of astronomy based distribution built on top of Armbian's build system could be viable. This would separate the hardware/kernel differences from the astronomy user space tools.
1 year 3 weeks ago #90981

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I am currently running Ubuntu 20.04 (64 bit) with Kstars on a Rpi4 with 8 Gb Ram. Would the Odroid be an alternative for the RPi in this case. I don't know if there is a Kstars release for the latest Ubuntu (22.04), so I stayed with 20.04 LTS. I have everything currently running (and booting) from an SSD drive off of one of the USB 3.0 ports of the Rpi.

I know it is not a drop in substitute, just asking if you think I would be able to get a system running with Ubuntu? I gather you are using 64 bit Rasbian.

thanks,
Last edit: 1 year 3 weeks ago by Ronald Scotti. Reason: edit error
1 year 3 weeks ago #90982

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I am using the INDI install from this PPA. It also has Ekos, I just didn't install it.

indilib.org/get-indi/download-ubuntu.html

I am running this on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (64bit) both on a Radxa Rock 5b and a Raspberry Pi 4. I used Armbian to get Ubuntu on the Rock 5b, but I was able to install Ubuntu on the Raspberry Pi 4 using an image directly from Ubuntu's website (not Raspbian). I expect Ekos would work just fine on Ubuntu 22.04. The PPA certainly has 22.04 builds.

launchpad.net/~mutlaqja/+archive/ubuntu/ppa

If I hadn't bought the Rock 5b, I would have bought the ODROID-M1. The ODROID-M1 sells with a nice, passively cooled case and also has NVMe storage. It's processor is just slower than the Rock 5b... but still on par with the Raspberry Pi 4.
1 year 3 weeks ago #90983

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Also, if you have a Raspberry Pi 4, it's not hard to spin up an Ubuntu image on an SD card to try out installing everything.

ubuntu.com/raspberry-pi
1 year 3 weeks ago #90985

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Replied by Brian on topic Raspberry pi 4 Alternative

That Raxda sounds interesting. I've been using a NanoPC-T4 for a few years now, it also has an m.2 nvme slot. I also use Armbian and am curious if you have tried writing the OS to the nvme? I do that with armbian config on the NanoPC and it is quite a bit faster than the emmc.
Do you use the wifi/bluetooth adapter? How is the wifi range? Thanks for bringing this up here
1 year 3 weeks ago #90991

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Replied by nou on topic Raspberry pi 4 Alternative

LTT did one video about RPi alternatives
1 year 3 weeks ago #90992

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Yes, I am booting off of this 500G NVMe. I used an eMMC module as part of setting up the board since I didn't have a convenient way to write the OS to the NVMe without using the board itself. For Armbian I needed to switch out the board's boot loader, but that's also not difficult to do from an eMMC boot. There are many reports of issues with various PD power adapters not working, but since this is an astronomy rig, I'm hard wired to 12v using one of these cable leads. That bypasses all of the power delivery negotiation issues.

The WiFi adapter works well. It's a bit wonky to get the antennas stuffed into a 3D printed case, but it all works. The card presents two devices though, so there is a naming issue you may need to work around . The two devices can be used concurrently, but only on the same channel.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Brian
1 year 3 weeks ago #90994

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Fwiw, I used to have INDI with Kstars & Ekos installed on a Rock64 with eMMC. Rock64 had usb3 before RPi. But I always had some issues with remote connection not working properly. RDP worked better than VNC. What's worse, I could never connect my main ASI camera directly to the sbc. I needed a powered usb hub or the system would crash. INDI w Kstars and Ekos on a "standard" RPi has always been more stable. The best performance out of the box is still Astroberry on a Pi4. I now use the Rock64 to control my cnc machine.
7 months 2 weeks ago #94556

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