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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Filter Wheel, cannot change filter from EKOS but can from INDI

  • Posts: 9
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Thanks for your comments.
Based on your experience, it may be that Ekos is waiting for the filter wheel to be flagged to return to its origin.
I immediately opened the lid of the CFW8, shifted the wheel slightly by hand, put the lid back on and connected it to Ekos. When I powered on the wheel, the wheel did indeed spin and return to its origin, but the response on Ekos's part was the same as before.

I need to worry about this some more.

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1 year 5 months ago #87210

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I just installed Ubuntu MATE 20.04.5 on another laptop and built KStars, INDI and SBIG Parport Special driver.

It is a completely clean system but I am having the exact same problem with the filter operation after connecting to ST-7 and CFW8.
1 year 5 months ago #87307
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Problem solved!
I applied the newly arrived KStars update and the Ubuntu kernel update, and this combination has made the filter operation from Ekos normal.

KStars
Build: 2022-10-15T12:30:07Z

Ubuntu Kernel
5.15.0-52-generic

The clean system laptop also now works correctly with the kernel update.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Jasem Mutlaq
Last edit: 1 year 5 months ago by Fumiaki Tsumuraya.
1 year 5 months ago #87308
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I had similar issue with my ZWO EFW and my ASI533MM. I found that restarting the camera driver would then have the filter wheel show up in the camera settings for selection. To restart it just press the power button icon beside the camera description.

After doing this a few times, I haven't had any more problems, but I did also apply the update from the StellarMate app to my RPi.
Last edit: 1 year 5 months ago by Tracy Perry.
1 year 5 months ago #87312

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Thank you.

Two weeks ago I opened the chamber of three ST-7's I have and cleaned the CCD's. When I was about to check that work, the filter turret went haywire.
At that time, there was a system update before I started the checking process and when I tried to operate the camera from KStars, it crashed. I then noticed that there was an update for KStars, and when I updated it, KStars was up and running, but only the filter turret function was malfunctioning.
I did restart the camera driver as the first thing I did. I just happened to notice the button icon.
Then I also noticed that there are posts within this forum that appear to have the exact same symptoms. But no one responded, so I wondered if it was a self-solvable problem.

But since I couldn't figure out the cause of the problem by going through the user configuration files, let alone restarting the camera driver, and since purging and reinstalling KStars and INDI Libraries didn't change the situation, I decided to post it here.

I've tried the behavior in various cases, so reading the settings from the Ekos side right after the start fails, and informing Ekos of the settings from the INDI side is working.
I've also replaced 3 ST-7s with CFW8 and the same problem has reproduced itself, and this morning it was the same with a new ubuntu machine. So I was thinking that this was probably something to do with KStars, INDI SBIG CCD Lib, remnants of the old SBIG universal driver, and their relationship to the system.
Then a new build of KStars and an update of the ubuntu kernel arrived, so I tried them one by one and found that on two ubuntu PCs, once I was satisfied with these updates, the situation became normal.

I'm glad we got it resolved.

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1 year 5 months ago #87318

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Hello Jasem, I have the same issue. I've updated stellarmate to the last version 1.7.5 and filters are gone in ekos. I have to remove filters in Opticals Train, close it and set filters again. After that filters appear. Kstars does not see filters after connect, select box is disabled. But INDI can see it in CCD Filter settings and I can change it.

I have RPi4, QHY600L+CFW3 connected via 4pin serial. KStars 3.6.3 version, QHY SDK version 22.11.9, in logs I see string "QHY CCD QHY600M-c765284 filter is online.". How to solve this problem?
1 year 1 month ago #90674

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I actually have this exact issue with QHY268 and tried many hacks to make the driver reports the filter. The problem is that sometimes the SDK itself reports no internal filter wheel detected. If I disconnected and reconnect, it detects fine. Since I control power to the cameras, I noted that I needed to power QHY first for at least 10 seconds before attempting a connection. This alleviated the issue a bit. Btw, this is an old issue that I've had for more than a year and make the QHY SDK should do a better job at detection. Just updated GIT to latest QHY SDK but I don't think the filter wheel issue is addressed.
1 year 1 month ago #90698

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Thanks for reply. I tried to connect 1-2 minutes after turning on the equipment - it did not help. I also tried to turn off the power of the camera, turn it on again and wait a bit. It doesn't help either. The only thing that helps is removing the filters and re-enabling. Tell me how to get an update from git? It is enough to issue a "sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade && sudo apt dist-upgrade" command? sorry, not good at linux commands
1 year 1 month ago #90714

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Same problem here.

After more than a few unsuccessful attempts in the past I‘m taking another go at Stellarmate which would be great to get to work with its small footprint and low energy consumption. I‘m on the latest stable release.

I can use the QHY filterwheel from INDI, and after a disconnect and connect also from EKOS - but the latter only works for a single filter change. After the first change EKOS hangs at „changing filters“. I can still change filters manually from the INDI interface, so I believe this is an EKOS issue, not related to the driver. It‘s important to wait until the FW has initialised before connecting the camera via USB - probably a large problem for remote use, but only a minor niggle for my planned mobile usage.

The filter change problem is a show stopper for using the Stellarmate: I can‘t attach the filterwheel with USB because I need the inputs for the guider, main cam, focuser and mount. A powered USB hub is still another point of failure, another line up the mount and another device that needs power. I‘ld rather switch back to the Eagle I have been using, even with the higher power consumption and bulk.

My „deadline“ to get this setup going is 4 weeks for a dark side trip - is anyone working on the problem? I have some development experience, but not enough to tackle this issue myself (I‘ve checked the code but found no glaring problem) - but glad to provide any assistance I can. Is there a bounty program for INDI/EKOS?
1 year 3 weeks ago #91016

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I‘ve tried to reply in this topic, but somehow that got lost (moderation?). Anyway, while investigating this same problem (which seems to be EKOS and not driver-related) I updated with apt-get and now the ASI driver for the guider keeps crashing. So if it turns up again, please just disregard my latest post. The EKOS/INDI version bundled with Stellarmate is still not production-ready, it seems. Back to Windows for me.
1 year 3 weeks ago #91017

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I have QHY268 and the filter wheel directly attached to it (not USB). I get the filter wheel issue in that it doesn't connect sometimes, but upon disconnecting and reconnecting again it gets connected. It's an SDK issue and not related to INDI/Ekos.

Are you on SM OS 1.7.5 ? and on stable channel? If yes and you still have issues please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
1 year 3 weeks ago #91020

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Yes, I'm on 1.7.5 stable. This is my setup:
A QHY294M and the FW connected to it (not USB), an ASI290MM guider, a ZWO EAF and a RST-135 mount, connected to a RPi 4B with the latest 1.7.5 stable Stellarmate image.
All devices get ample of power from LiFeO4 or mains, through industrial-grade buck-boost converters set to appropriate voltages (15V for the mount, 5V for the RPi, 13.2V for the camera). Ampere limit on each output is 10A (mount, RPi) or 20A (camera). I checked the power quality with an oscilloscope. The peripherals work fine in other software/driver packages with the same cables. The QHY has a huge initial current draw (7A) which prompted me to put it on its own supply. I tried on two different RPi samples. TL;DR: This is not a hardware or power supply problem.

I set everything up and out of the box had the following problems, some of which are not related to the FW issue (so maybe the mods might want to move this):
  • I need to connect the QHY camera to power and wait until the filterwheel has initialised before connecting USB/booting the RPi, otherwise the camera and filterwheel are not recognised.

  • The filterwheel will never connect on the first try: I have to connect the camera, then disconnect everything, then deselect the filterwheel in the "optical trains" dialog, then restart EKOS, then connect the everything again and then select the filterwheelt in the optical trains dialogue again
  • Once that is done, it works from the INDI dialog page of the camera.
  • EKOS only completes one filter change, afterwards it gets stuck on "changing filters". The INDI dialog still works then. A restart of EKOS fixes this sometimes, but sometimes it needs a reboot of the RPi.
  • After a few exposures, the image returned from the camera is all-black and takes a long time (1 minute, approx) to download. There is no error I can find in the logs. This can only be fixed by a reboot of the RPi, not by a restart/reconnect of the camera, EKOS or INDI
  • .
  • In the target section of the app, you can not put in custom RA/DEC coordinates
  • In the guider section of the app, you can not manually select a guide star.

  • You have to manually synchronise the cooling settings between the exposure dialog and the INDI settings, otherwise the camera will switch back and forth between temperatures, eliciting long wait times. Also, there's no way to expose "as is" and not set the cooling.
  • The network settings aren't always retained over a reboot
  • During PA, the refresh will sometimes stop, which needs a full new run
  • .

I then updated with apt-get, hoping this would pull in a more stable version of EKOS/INDI and in addition got the following problem. The other problems were not fixed (although I didn't do much fussing around after this):
  • On connect, the ASI driver will crash. I can not get the guider cam to work anymore, at all.

I tried Stellarmate for the first time three years ago. I have, in the past, wasted a huge amount of time troubleshooting malfunctioning astro equipment and am burned out. If it doesn't work, it doesn't and I move on. I'll leave this bug report here and if you wish, you can work from there - or don't. I don't doubt that this is a project of love with a lot of time and effort poured in, but it's not for me currently.Sorry to be so open, but it was a buggy mess and it still is. I'll check back in another three years if this has changed. Good luck!
The following user(s) said Thank You: Jasem Mutlaq
1 year 3 weeks ago #91021

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