TOPIC: Sbig ST7E - Invalid sbiglpt0 port

Hello,

I try to connect a SBIG CCD ST7E in LPT1 with kstars/Ekos when I configure the port "sbiglpt0" I have an error message that says:

Invalid sbiglpt0 port. Valid ports are sbigusb0, sbigusb1..etc, sbiglpt0, sbiglpt1..etc

you have an idea of the problem?

Best regards,
Fabian

Thanks for the report, it is fixed. Please wait until next PPA update. But I haven't heard anyone successfully using the SBIG driver with parallel port. Let us know if it works.

I have tried to connect ST7E parallel port with SBIG driver, but I have got the following error message: Device not found.
I have tied sbiglpt0, sbiglpt1...
The libsbigudrv0 and libsbigudrv2 packages are installed.
I use LUbuntu
I have /dev/parport0, and I created a link /dev/lpt0, but it was not working.
How can I connect to ST7E via parallell port?

Thank you,
Tamás

I don't think that was ever reported as working (the parallel port), you will have to contact SBIG. Their Linux support is pretty weak now and especially for old stuff.

According to a litle research and the SBIG forum, the SBIG INDI driver is based on the SBIG universal driver, which doesn't support the parallel port anymore.

Thank you,
Tamás

FWIW I do have the sbig parallel port driver working over here:

github.com/garlick/sbig-parport

Modern sbigudrv (for example the indi packaged one) seems to still include support for it.

Jim

Thank you Jim for the parport driver though, this raised a question / wish list item for the older SBIG cameras. SBIG made a serial adapter for these cameras which has long been discontinued, however, today USB to Parallel adapters are available and affordable.

So, this daunts the wish for a modification of the driver to allow it to take advantage of such an adapter. I suspect this is possible and even SBIG might provide the serial code for such. Just an idea.

Dan

Dan,

I was thinking the same thing, and I did change the driver so that it does its I/O through the "parport" driver stack rather than directly accessing the x86 legacy register addresses. However, I was disappointed to discover most USB parallel port adapters don't plug into the parport stack. Instead they look like a USB printer to the OS.

I went another way and designed a parallel port "HAT" for the raspberry pi. I have a prototype that works with PHD + indi + sbigudrv reliably as long as the cable is really short. I'm working on a second revision of the hardware that hopefully will have better electrical characteristics.

This project is over here (with driver and board layout):

github.com/garlick/pi-parport

Jim

Thank you Jim, I will take a look at it sometime soon, I hope. I use a ST7, actually modified into an ST8, as a sky camera. And while, it was always rather slow, it was very reliable and does a nice job.
Not knowing your application of the ST7, let me just say, it is possible to install a KAF1600 ccd into that camera. It requires a slight modification of a 'cover' which holds the off axis prism for the guider ccd. Truthfully, I forget just what software I changed, but, I remember it was not too difficult. Openskyimager is able to loop it with a delay between images.
Dan

Cool!!! I do have an ST7 here doing nothing and would love to give that a try. I think I'll open up the CCD compartment and see what's in there!

Any tips? KAF0400 and KAF1600 have different pinouts, and how'd you trick the SBIG micro into recognizing it?

Jim

Jim,
The 2 ccds are essentially the same pins out. I have attached the data sheets which I have. As for software, I searched my archives, but, you might find it easier by contacting SBIG. They used to offer a ccd upgrade in the past, so, they might share this now since the cameras are so very old.

Hopefully, the file I will attach will contain what you need. If I can help more, let me know.

Dan

Oh, I wanted to ask, which cable you have which is really short? I see 2 methods: 1 USB to parallel adapter attached at the computer with a long parallel cable. Or, 1 USB to parallel adapter attached to the camera with a long USB cable. In the first case, noise and signals of a parallel cable come into play. In the second, its vital the 5V be transmitted to the remote adapter circuit.