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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

My first session

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My first session was created by Alfred

First of all let me express my excitement for what this fine piece of software is able to do for me. What a superb job you've done, Jasem and team!

During my fist night session running KStars/Ekos a few things came up that I would like to clarify.

I still can not figure out what "snoop devices" are and what they are being used for. The default for "Filter" is set to "CCD Simulator" which doesn't make much sense to me.

I am delighted with plate solving and how it makes things so much easier. I also had WCS activated. It did work nicely although it put a lot of stress on my system (which I had been warned about in the settings). So I decided to disabled it. However, I keep being warned it was enabled whenever I start Ekos and I have to turn it off by hand. How do I disable WCS completely? What I did was disable it in INDI/QHY CCD QHY5-M- (then saved configuration in "Options"), disabled it in INDI/Canon DSLR (also saved configuration) and disable WCS in FITS processing. Is there anything else that I should do in order to turn it off completely?

Although I am running an FS-2, the "Astro-Electronic FS-2" driver doesn't work for me at all. The mount just won't slew. We had discussed the same issue years ago shortly before Indi V1.0 was released. The issue was fixed in V1.0 but apparently somehow creeped back in. I have to resort to LX-200 basic which works perfectly apart from the fact that there is no motion control panel available in LX-200 basic as opposed to FS-2. There is a "mount control" window but it is non-functional. Speed is fixed at 1x, the arrows are without effect and clicks at "GOTO" won't work either.

The QHY CCD driver works for my QHY-5 clone but freezes frequently. It will take exposures, it will guide but it won*t stream. Every action that is being aborted leads to a freeze.

The Canon DSLR (5D Mk2 in my case) driver has an issue with Live Video. I can activate it once and when I close the live view window I can hear my camera click as it should be the case. But when I activate Live Video again I can not switch it off again. The window closes but my camera is still stuck in Live Video. There is no other way than power down, power up the camera to fix this. Also, when a Sequence Queue is being abandoned the camera will send the wrong photos. It won't send the most recent picture but the one taken before. Very strange, indeed.

I am wondering how to make my EKOS settings permanent. For example when I edit my "CCD and Filter Wheel" settings they will be reset to default after restart. I'm sure there is an option to save settings but for whatever reason I can't find it.

All my comments refer to the most recent version of Indi before V1.7 was released. I'm sure many of the issues are user related. Any hints/suggestions what I should try? Thank you very much and keep up the excellent work!
5 years 11 months ago #24985

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Replied by Jasem Mutlaq on topic My first session

1. You don't need to touch "snoop devices" or worry about it unless you're doing something weird since for the most part it is taken care of automatically by Ekos.
2. WCS is also forcibly enabled when you use Polar Alignment Tool since that tool cannot work without it. I just disabled it in Options --> Astrometry.net options and I don't see any warnings about it getting enabled again? I also disabled "Auto WCS" in FITS options and that also sticked around.
3. Any links to the old issue of Astro-Electronic FS-2? I don't recall.
4. QHY drivers are not yet reliable, especially for clones.
5. I heard reports about this, better include the full log with CCD & Capture logs enabled. The command is sent again to the camera but for some reason it does not respond the 2nd time around... could possibly be a GPhoto bug.
6. Most Ekos settings are saved. For CCD and FIlter wheel, you mean the sequence? Just save the sequence and then open it again next time you use Ekos.
5 years 11 months ago #25005

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Replied by Alfred on topic My first session


Ok.


That was it! I didn't uncheck WCS in Astrometry. Thanks!


indilib.org/forum/mounts/790-fs-2-won-t-slew-solved.html#4684


These QHY drivers are a mess for years already. During night sessions it is a real paint in the A when your guider freezes and you have to start all over again. I remember years ago there was another QHY driver called "qhy-old" which did work perfectly. For whatever reason it has been removed. The new one performs unreliably to put it mildly and streaming doesn't work at all. Which alternative guiders are known to work flawlessly, maybe even with a bigger size detector?


Yes, probably GPhoto related.


When I go to "CCD & Filter Wheel" and tick "Duration" and "TS", change the ISO value or change FITS to Native, these settings will be removed once INDI is restarted.

I have a rather simple question re guiding. Is dithering supposed to work with LinGuider or is it going to work using internal guiding only? Many thanks for your time!
Last edit: 5 years 11 months ago by Alfred.
5 years 11 months ago #25018

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Replied by Jasem Mutlaq on topic My first session

Dithering should work with all internal and external guiders. QHY drivers are getting better though, but there is some way to go.

Regarding TS, duration..etc.. everything is set to default. If you want to save them, save them as a sequence file (.esq).
5 years 11 months ago #25024

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Replied by Alfred on topic My first session


I think I should investigate the issue directing ghoto2 commands to the camera directly. Which gphoto2 command(s) does Ekos send to the camera in order to activate live view? I believe the issue is the same one that andreas.d described here: "Further Test in this behave: Both driver run the camera fine with or without mirrorlockup until I do the liveview thing. I could reproduce it. Everytime after the second liveview, when the mirror stays up, the erratic behave of the capture with mirrorlockup is there. " indilib.org/forum/ccds-dslrs/3257-canon-....html?start=12#24860 It affects Canon 5D Mk2s as well as the EOS700D. I'd send a bug report to m.meissner if needed.
Last edit: 5 years 11 months ago by Alfred.
5 years 11 months ago #25145

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Replied by Jasem Mutlaq on topic My first session

Ekos does not send any command, it's all handled by INDI Gphoto driver. You can find the functions startLiveVideo and stopLiveVideo in gphoto_ccd.cpp

Most of the low-level GPhoto call are made in gphoto_driver.cpp
5 years 11 months ago #25150

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Replied by Jasem Mutlaq on topic My first session

I believe I fixed this issue. Will make another release for the driver in a bit.
5 years 11 months ago #25158

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Replied by Alfred on topic My first session


Jasem, I got an ASI294 which I now use for guiding. The fiel of view is much larger and overall it works much better than my old QHY since I'm now able to use streaming which did not work with QHY. (I did however encounter the same problem that xsnrg reported (recording .ser) and follow this topic closely.) Internal guiding did work right away (didn't try dithering there), albeit a bit too slow for me to like it. I went on and tried linguider and PHD2. Guiding in PHD2 did work very well but dithering did not. After taking a picture the log reports "Dithering" but nothing happens. Once timeout has passed (tried 20s and 45s, no change) "PHD2: There was no dithering response from PHD2, but continue guiding." and "Dither complete." messages are shown and the next picture is being taken. I have attached a logfile. Are the many "Error could not open the named file" messages to blame? Any idea how to rectify this? Thanks an awful lot!
5 years 10 months ago #25656
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Replied by Jasem Mutlaq on topic My first session

I really don't use PHD2 much myself so Robert knows about this a lot more than I do, but I just did a quick test with the simulators so it all appears to be in order. You have issues with simulators or just ASI?
5 years 10 months ago #25665

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Replied by Alfred on topic My first session

Are you suggesting I should substitute ASI with ccd-guider-simulator and check out whether the problem still exists?
5 years 10 months ago #25693

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