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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

ASI 120 Exposure Looping

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I have two ZWO cameras ASI120MC-S and ASI034MC, the ASI120MC-S works fine but ASI034MC exposure goes in loop.

I am using Kstars bleeding on Fedora 25 x86_64

Cheers!
7 years 3 months ago #13059

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Did you update the firmware with the -compatible firmware?!
7 years 3 months ago #13060

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I use ZWO ASI120MM camera and have the same problem with exposure looping (even though I flashed it with compatible firmware).

When I was using it (or trying to use it actually) recently I noticed that the issue is directly related to sharing USB connection with other devices.

If you connect a camera only it works without problem. If you connect a camera while other devices are connected it loops indefinitely. In my case it is my mount (eqmod) connected to USB with FTDI converter that does not let the camera finish capturing an image. When I disconnect the mount (not physically, it's enough to disconnect a mount in indi driver tab) while in the loop, the camera leaves the loop and finishes capturing the image. When I reconnect the mount the camera gets back into the loop.

I tested it on Banana Pi and Raspberry Pi - both have USB ports connected to internal USB hub. Using external powered USB hub does not change anything.

Interesting part of this experiment is the fact that just disconnecting a mount by software (indi driver tab) changes the camera behaviour. It would suggest that the root cause might be sitting inside indiserver or asi driver that gets into a conflict with other _active_ devices connected to USB.

Could anybody confirm that disconnecting other devices (especially mount) let a camera leave the loop and capture images?
7 years 3 months ago #13072

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I haven't upgraded the firmware yet, will give it a go tonight.

Thanks :)
7 years 3 months ago #13076

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Replied by S on topic ASI 120 Exposure Looping


My looping exposures was fixed by flashing with the compatible firmware. I had to do this even for a camera which worked 6 months ago with the original firmware.

My ASI keeps crashing my RPi so I need to power cycle, Now I have tried to disconnect all other devices and the RPi have not crashed since! It does, however, still have problems with short exposures but it does not seem to crash the Pi completely as when my Meade DSI is also connected (but not loaded in indi!). It could this time be fixed by restarting indi.

There seems to be something seriously wrong with either my setup, the RPis USB management or the asi driver. A google will show that others are having trouble with the Pi's and usb devices :S
7 years 3 months ago #13082

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Upgrading firmware with -compatible worked

Thank you
7 years 3 months ago #13085

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Replied by Derek on topic ASI 120 Exposure Looping

Started happening me again just now this evening. First clear night in ages and this happens.
I've already flashed with the 'compatible' firmware a couple of months ago....
I'm ready to put this ASI junk in the bin !!!

UPDATE: I plugged in and out the USB cable from the camera a few times to clean any possible dirt on the contacts.
After doing this I was able to take 1 image with just the ASI driver connected. So I connected all other drivers to start work and bang, the looping started again...
Last edit: 7 years 3 months ago by Derek.
7 years 3 months ago #13112

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I wonder if this is hardware issue or software. Does it work under Windows? or same issue?
7 years 3 months ago #13121

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Replied by Derek on topic ASI 120 Exposure Looping

I'll do some testing over the weekend when I'm back home at the observatory. The desktop PC its plugged into is not running windows but I'll see what I can discover with a windows 10 laptop connected. Will also try different cables.

One change that I did make since I last used the observatory was that I changed the USB plug that the scope is plugged into...
On this PC (HP elite desktop) there are 4xUSB2 at the front and 5or6xUSB3 at the back. The ASI is plugged into the front of the PC's (USB2).
The scope was plugged into the back of the PC but now is plugged into the front, sharing the internal hub with the ASI.
I'm *guessing* here but I think the ASI does not like to share a hub with anything... I'll see what I can find.

D
7 years 3 months ago #13124

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Replied by nMAC on topic ASI 120 Exposure Looping

Thats my suspicion, I think that on certain chipsets, the ASI is USB Hungry and takes almost all bandwidth on usb bus even if you
reduce the bandwith in the INDI settings.Or at least it tries to download the frames faster the the bus can handle.
The compatible firmware changes the way usb transfers are made but sometimes even that is not sufficient to solve the problem. Initially I had to try 3 different powered hubs to make mine work ok. Maybe some chipsets are more "sensible" than others.
Last edit: 7 years 3 months ago by nMAC.
7 years 3 months ago #13128

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Replied by S on topic ASI 120 Exposure Looping

I don't see any crashing of my RPi when I disconnect all other USB devices and use the ASI directly in the RPi USB ports. It still does not work entirely as I like, but it does not crash the whole system which is a major step forward for me. There have also been reports of bad USB connectivity on the RPi with the upgrade from wheezy to jessie, but I guess they should be fixed by now. Anyway, my ASIs are the only devices not working correctly for me which is a shame...
As a side-note: I have also tried to use SharpCap on windows, and it works great for a few minutes but then the video becomes very laggy. FireCapture seems to work fine in all situations.
7 years 3 months ago #13129

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Replied by Derek on topic ASI 120 Exposure Looping

I've done some more testing with this as I was back at the observatory yesterday. Found spomething interesting (impatient readers can skip to tests 7-9)
I'm not using an RPI, my ASI is plugged into a HP elite desktop PC.

Test 1) Tried to take exposures before changing anything
Result: looping

Test 2) Re-arranged all USB plugs so that just the ASI was plugged into the front of the PC (4xUSB2.0 ports at front). Everything else plugged in at the back of the PC
Result: looping

Test 3) Removed all USB devices except the ASI and a wireless keyboard
Result: looping.

Test 4) Re-flashed the ASI with the 'compatible' firmware (v3). Repeated test 3 above
Result: looping.

Test 5) Repeat same test above with a different cable.
Result: looping.

Test 6) Tried a windows laptop and firecapture
Result: no looping.

All above tests were done at night in the observatory. It was a clear night, about 2degrees c. Ground frost and high humidity.
I decided to take the PC and ASI home with me back to where I live and hack around the next day.

Next day:
Test 7)Setup in living room, Same as test 3 above.
Result: No looping. I can take continuous 2sec exposures no problem. Left running for 30min, still working fine. :angry: I've changed nothing here!! Except bringing the gear for a 1hr drive and into a warmer environment........

Test 8 ) Put the ASI into a plastic bag and into the freezer for 20min. Retry same test again
Result: Looping. :sick: Camera reporting -8.00 deg c. Left running until temp reached 10, still looping. Stop-start indi. Still looping.

Test 9) Warm the camera up again to room temp.
Result: No Looping!! Camera reporting 19deg c. All working fine again

UPDATE

Test 10) Waited a couple of hours. Warm the camera up again to room temp.
Result: Looping.

It looks like the temperature is a red-herring.
Last edit: 7 years 3 months ago by Derek.
7 years 3 months ago #13161

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