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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

KMTronic USB Serial Relay support for Nikon D5100 serial shutter release

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Hi, I'm just starting out in moving away from a Windows laptop to using Stellarmate on a RP3+. It looks like a great compact way of controlling my gear and gives the ability of a light weight low energy control kit for journeys into the wilds.

I've setup my HEQ5 mount using EQMod , guide camera and my DSLR - Nikon D5100. Everything has connected and appears to be working well after some recommended tweaks to the INDI drivers.

The Nikon camera has limitations via USB and can only expose up to 30 secs and needs a serial shutter release to expose longer in BULB. In my Windows 10 setup I put together a USB - RS232 FTDI cable but ran in to problems due to low temperature. It was very unreliable then failed completely. I then found the KMTronic USB to Serial single channel relay. This worked well in BackyardNikon rather than pick COM4 in the setup I'd choose RelayCOM4.

I'm wondering whether you would consider adding support for a FTDI USB relay controller. This is proven to work with APT and BackyardNikon to control the Bulb settings on serial based Nikons plus others. I have assembled this and it does control the shutter unfortunately my programming knowledge falls far short of going further. Based on using the FTDI232 chip it controls a simple relay on or off with 1 normally open or 1 normally closed contact.

KMTronic USB Relay Controller

Thanks
4 years 11 months ago #37912

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Does this controller creates a /dev/ttyUSBX entry on Linux? what does dmesg shows when you plug it in?
4 years 11 months ago #37982

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Hi Jasem, thanks for your reply.

Yes it creates /dev/ttyUSB0 I've also seen /dev/ttyUSB1 when my EQMod adapter was connected
I'm using a powered USB hub

[ 1313.906441] usb 1-1.2: new high-speed USB device number 5 using dwc_otg
[ 1314.036832] usb 1-1.2: New USB device found, idVendor=1a40, idProduct=0101
[ 1314.036849] usb 1-1.2: New USB device strings: Mfr=0, Product=1, SerialNumber=0
[ 1314.036858] usb 1-1.2: Product: USB 2.0 Hub
[ 1314.040258] hub 1-1.2:1.0: USB hub found
[ 1314.040364] hub 1-1.2:1.0: 4 ports detected
[ 1333.306503] usb 1-1.2.3: new full-speed USB device number 6 using dwc_otg
[ 1333.464065] usb 1-1.2.3: New USB device found, idVendor=0403, idProduct=6001
[ 1333.464081] usb 1-1.2.3: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 1333.464090] usb 1-1.2.3: Product: FT232R USB UART
[ 1333.464098] usb 1-1.2.3: Manufacturer: FTDI
[ 1333.464107] usb 1-1.2.3: SerialNumber: A902Y85W
[ 1334.729977] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial
[ 1334.733161] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial_generic
[ 1334.733315] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for generic
[ 1334.748082] usbcore: registered new interface driver ftdi_sio
[ 1334.748506] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for FTDI USB Serial Device
[ 1334.748945] ftdi_sio 1-1.2.3:1.0: FTDI USB Serial Device converter detected
[ 1334.749423] usb 1-1.2.3: Detected FT232RL
[ 1334.750992] usb 1-1.2.3: FTDI USB Serial Device converter now attached to ttyUSB0
4 years 11 months ago #38004

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Is there any update on this as I think I'm having the same issue with my D5000...
4 years 10 months ago #38889

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So this can be added to the INDI Gphoto driver. Is this unique to Nikon? There needs a way for the driver to know to issue the command when it encounters KMTronic. Now I can simply make this exclusive for Nikons with a remote serial release port, but do other Nikon users use other serial release methods with their cameras?
4 years 10 months ago #39108

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Ok so INDI GPhoto driver v2.7 should have preliminary support for this when using with Nikon. Please update later tonight and test this feature with the v2.7 of the driver.
4 years 10 months ago #39109

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Hi Jasem, I'll test later this evening.

I only have experience with the Nikon D5100 however this list below is what I believe to be the Nikon and Canon DSLRs with serial shutter release.

Nikon D3S Serial Shutter
Nikon D40 Serial/IR Shutter
Nikon D40X Serial/IR Shutter
Nikon D60 Serial/IR Shutter
Nikon D80 Serial/IR Shutter
Nikon D90 Serial Shutter
Nikon D200 Serial Shutter
Nikon D300 Serial Shutter
Nikon D300S Serial Shutter
Nikon D5000 Serial Shutter
Nikon D5100 Serial Shutter
Nikon D7000 Serial Shutter
Canon 1Ds Mk II Serial Shutter
Canon 5D Serial Shutter
Canon 20D Serial Shutter
Canon 20Da Serial Shutter
Canon 30D Serial Shutter
Canon 350D / XT Serial Shutter
Canon 400D / XTi Serial Shutter
4 years 10 months ago #39111

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Brilliant! looking forward to this update! Do I just have to do an apt-get update/upgrade to get this or do I have to do something more...? :) thanks in advance!
4 years 10 months ago #39114

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I'm using Stellarmate Gphoto shows ver 2.6. After system updates the relay doesn't operate and reports can't open port or exposure failed. Can you advise how to update Stellarmate INDI driver to v2.7?
4 years 10 months ago #39127

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The following user(s) said Thank You: Simon Dodd
4 years 10 months ago #39131

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So I've just switched to the nightly build but when I run gphoto2 -v afterwards it is saying I am on version 2.5.9

Am I looking at the wrong thing here or have I screwed something up...?

I've tried taking an exposure but still no joy., it keeps switching the port to ttyUSB0 rather than ttyUSB1 (although that changes each time.

Thanks
4 years 10 months ago #39151

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did this go anywhere as i have the same kit and same issue!
4 years 7 months ago #42397

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