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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

indi_celestron_aux

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Replied by Gary McKenzie on topic indi_celestron_aux

Any idea yet when this may be incorporated in to the official Indi release? Would like to use it but have been unable to compile it. (not that familiar with linux etc)
Gary
 
2 years 10 months ago #71456
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Replied by Thomas Huber on topic indi_celestron_aux

Hello Fabrizio, 

I can now build the 0.9 code and have that running on my Celestron CGEM DX and Astroberry. After two alignment stars, and a goto operation, the mount completely settles down and it tracks pretty well (about 15 seconds after the mount stops moving, the stars slowly drift, then the stars stop moving. The issue I see now is a mismatch between Kstars and the mount. The attachment shows what I have immediately after a goto to Arcturus. The mount positioned correctly, but somehow the Kstars location before goto and the Kstars location after goto don't agree!
 
2 years 10 months ago #71633
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Replied by Fabrizio on topic indi_celestron_aux

Hello Thomas,
just to see if I have understood well, your operations are
1. two stars alignment;
2. a goto, using Kstars goto, I suppose;
3. when goto slew ends there is a 15s small drift then tracking is ok
The position mismatch appears now or after a further goto?
Remember that the joystick motion is not yet supported by the driver.

Fabrizio
2 years 10 months ago #71678
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Replied by Thomas Huber on topic indi_celestron_aux

Hi Fabrizio, 

OK, I am using the joystick, because it seems to work just fine. I'm using it in exactly two ways: to do the   -3 HA  0 DE positioning, then the +3 HA   0  DE position, and in the alignment where I do a goto, then joystick movement to find the star exact position, then push Kstars "align".   Should I be using the GUI mount control on EKOS instead? How are they different?  It is very challenging physically to stare thru the guidescope while moving the mount with a GUI(where I have to look to see the touchscreen buttons). Is it OK to move the mount manually? (unlock the clutch, position, lock the clutch)?

Yes, for your 1
Yes, for your 2, yes, with Kstars
Yes for 3, the star drifts for 15s, then tracking is good.
And yes, immediately, I see that back on Kstars, I have a mismatch on the star on which I just did a "goto"

Thanks

Tom


 
2 years 10 months ago #71685
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Replied by Magnus Larsson on topic indi_celestron_aux

Hi!

Arriving late at this party.... I recently got a CGE to play with. Is this indi_celestron_aux expected to work with the CGE? I have the mount connected via the PC port, an RJ45-cable and a serial-to-USB-converter, connected to a Raspberry running Stellarmate nightly. Nightly has the driver, so I can use it. It all connects niecly, but alignment does not work, the scope points in all interesting directions, and when slewing, it jumps all over the map. So: is there something wrong with my connection, or does it simply not work with this mount?

Magnus
2 years 9 months ago #72598
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Replied by Craig Oakley on topic indi_celestron_aux

Hi,

Does the Celestron AUX driver have any hidden slew limits?

On initial connection, I cannot manually slew more than approximately 20-30 degrees east of North. I have no slew limits set and no problems slewing west of North.

My initial mount setup has the RA and Dec set to the index marks and counterweights pointing North. The hand controller is disconnected as suggested. I am using the SkyQ WiFi module.

After much trial and error, I found a partial work around. I initially position the telescope on the East side of the mount, counterweights facing West.

I could then manually slew to any part of the sky, but KStars was still confused as to where the mount was pointing even after a dozen plate solves. Any Goto command would point the scope to the wrong part of the sky.

So, maybe someone out there has experienced similar issues and can offer some suggestions.

Thanks
2 years 4 months ago #77316
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Replied by Jasem Mutlaq on topic indi_celestron_aux

Try to use the "Nearest Alignment" plugin instead of default, I think this might help. I think it ought to be the "Default" alignment algorithm.
2 years 4 months ago #77319
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Replied by Craig Oakley on topic indi_celestron_aux

I was able to get in some testing last night.

I tried the "Nearest Math Plugin" with no success. The default is "Inbuilt Math Plugin".

Just to verify my setup, I went back to the old Celestron CGEM driver (indi_celestron_gps) with the hand controller and RS 232 cable. Everything works with no issues.

Then I verified the SkyQ WiFi module without Ekos using the Celestron SkyPortal app. Again, everything worked as expected with no issues.

So back to testing the Celestron AUX driver. Before every test I reset the mount to the initial configuration: EQ North with RA/Dec set to the index marks. I also reset the driver (purge configuration).

I even tried the Celestron AUX driver using the serial interface. No matter what steps or math plugin I use, the mount does not know where it is pointing. I also tried both manual and plate-solving to sync.

For example: I reset my mount configuration and the driver. Power up with the hand controller connected. With the mount pointed towards Polaris, I use the hand controller to slew to a bright star and sync Ekos with the RA and Dec coordinates. I repeat this with at least 6 stars added to the alignment set size. Then I use Kstars to goto a new star close to where I was last pointing. The mount slews far in the opposite direction.

If you would like me to test any specific procedure, just let me know.

Thanks for the help...
2 years 4 months ago #77390
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Replied by Jasem Mutlaq on topic indi_celestron_aux

After the 1st step, slewing to a bright star and then syncing, does the mount crosshair jump to the new synced position?
2 years 4 months ago #77392
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Replied by Craig Oakley on topic indi_celestron_aux

Yes. In fact, after each slew and sync the crosshair hovers over the correct position in Kstars.

However, when performing a goto after the sync stage, the crosshair no longer matches the actual mount position.
2 years 4 months ago #77394
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Replied by Paweł on topic indi_celestron_aux

I do not understand what is happening here. This is quite different from anything I get on my AltAz mount. Unfortunately, I have no RaDec mount to test it on. I think that we will need to extend the simulator to be able to test RaDec as well. No we have to ask Fabrizio (or someone else) to test it on his equatorial mount to verify that the driver still works at least on *some* eq mounts. Craig: remember that you *cannot* (must not) use hand controller with the driver. Use android indi client instead. When you turn everything on after full reset of all components (did you switch the driver to Eq-mode?, Did you activate the alignment module?): What is the reported position of the mount on kstars before any sync operation? What about first sync? What is happening with the mount if you use motion control buttons in the driver (in which directions it is moving)?
2 years 4 months ago #77396
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Replied by Craig Oakley on topic indi_celestron_aux

1) The hand controller was originally disconnected as suggested in the AUX documentation. I only connected the hand controller for testing. The hand controller is also needed during testing using the serial/RS232 interface.

2) Yes. When I first connect the AUX driver, I select the "Mount Info" tab and change the "Mount Type" to "Equatorial". The default is AltAz.

3) Yes. The "Alignment Subsystem Active" button and the "Inbuilt Math Plugin" button is green and already active after first connecting. To confirm the alignment system is active, I tried toggling the button off and then back on. I also tried the "Nearest Math Plugin".

4) After first connecting and changing to Equatorial, the mount coordinates show as 00 00 00 RA and -00 00 00 DEC.

5) After the first sync, the RA and DEC show the correct values of the star selected. This is correct for both manual syncing and plate solving.

6) The motion control is correct. i.e. "Right" moves the RA counterclockwise and "Up" moves the Dec counterclockwise. This is the same as if I was using only the hand controller without Ekos. This motion is also the same if using the Celestron SkyPortal app.
2 years 4 months ago #77407
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