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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

EQDIRECT connection for EQMOD

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Hi

I normally connect to my NEQ6 mount using EQMOD over bluetooth with Astroberry. This works OK but I have experienced the occasional random disconnection. I have decided therefore to go back to the good old reliable method of using a wired connection to the mount using USB to TTL conversion. I made up a cable using a FTDI chip a while back and it worked fine on the ASCOM based windows system I was using then. I now want to use the same cable on an INDI connected system using Astroberry. However it doesn't want to connect when I simply plug the cable in and try and connect the EQMOD mount. The default port setting is /dev/rfcomm0 and if I try to scan for other ports on the connection tab I get a message saying "no candidate ports found on the system for EQMOD connection". I notice however you get this message even if nothing is connected ! It may be therefore that the RPi is not sensing the connection at all and there is a physical problem with the cable. I seemed to remember when using the said cable with Ascom there was a FTDI driver that I needed to download.

Am I expecting too much to expect a connection simply by connecting the cable and trying to connect using the existing EQMOD Indi dirver in Astroberry ? Or is there a setting I am missing or another driver. ? The EQMOD Indi driver works ok using Bluetooth as the medium and I would have though this was more complex.

Thanks for any Info

Cheers
Ian
3 years 11 months ago #51777

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Hi Ian,

When you connect the cable the Linux system should detect it whether the mount itself actually is connected or not. You can test if this works by opening a terminal on the Astroberry and typing

dmesg -w

This will start displaying Linux kernel messages and the -w parameter means that dmesg will wait for new incoming messages. If you then insert the FTDI cable, you should see new messages appear. In my case I see

[31300.596814] usb 1-3: new full-speed USB device number 2 using xhci_hcd
[31300.755777] usb 1-3: New USB device found, idVendor=0403, idProduct=6015, bcdDevice=10.00
[31300.755796] usb 1-3: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[31300.755809] usb 1-3: Product: USB TTL 5V
[31300.755821] usb 1-3: Manufacturer: EBCONNECTIONS
[31300.755830] usb 1-3: SerialNumber: EB1SFKV8
[31300.850817] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial_generic
[31300.852115] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for generic
[31300.860450] usbcore: registered new interface driver ftdi_sio
[31300.860991] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for FTDI USB Serial Device
[31300.861074] ftdi_sio 1-3:1.0: FTDI USB Serial Device converter detected
[31300.861194] usb 1-3: Detected FT-X
[31300.862498] usb 1-3: FTDI USB Serial Device converter now attached to ttyUSB0

and when I pull it out I see

[31311.104224] usb 1-3: USB disconnect, device number 2
[31311.108532] ftdi_sio ttyUSB0: FTDI USB Serial Device converter now disconnected from ttyUSB0
[31311.108673] ftdi_sio 1-3:1.0: device disconnected

Press ctrl-c to stop the dmesg command. Note that when I connect the cable that the port (in my case ttyUSB0) is displayed. Perhaps that will help you further debug your issues?


HTH, Wouter
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3 years 11 months ago #51787

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Replied by Ian on topic EQDIRECT connection for EQMOD

Thanks very much Wouter.
Your response is very useful as it now enables me to troubleshoot my connection.
I fear my lead is slightly dodgy but at least I can see what is going on - or not !
3 years 11 months ago #51823

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It must a cable issue. No drivers are required for FTDI UART. I use one of these. When plugged a new USB device should be detected automatically, if no other serial devices are connected to USB it should be /dev/ttyUSB0
Use this device in your EQMod driver and you should be fine.
Note: /dev/rfcomm0 is BT serial device.
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3 years 11 months ago #51890

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Replied by Ian on topic EQDIRECT connection for EQMOD

Hi Radek

Thanks for your response. Yes I've experimented with the dmesg command and I can sometimes get the Pi to recognise the UART but it doesn't appear to be communicating with the mount properly .

I agree it looks like a dodgy cable and I have ordered another .

Great work on your latest Astroberry image BTW ! The RPi 4 has definitely got what it takes for a much better astrophotography experience.
Cheers
Ian
3 years 11 months ago #51907

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If the problem persists please send some diagnostic info so I can help with this issue.
Clear skies!
3 years 11 months ago #51926

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