I switched the mount to Ethernet long ago when you first suggested it. It's not been a problem since I reverted from NUC to the PI. Everything always connects now except Pyxis rotator and Cloudwatcher. The two LEAST needed things at this point. I'm now wondering if Stellarmate SD download would allow me to use this "mystery serial port assistant" ? The demo video looked quick and easy but on the 3-4 machines I've cilcked it - "there is no serial port assistant present". (seems I've asked about this 6 times and no answer yet found.) I'd be happy to buy the SD ISO for this one feature. But I don't know if I'd have to give up my current setting and config in astroberry to use the Stellarmate ISO. (It would seem so).

My most serious issue right now is I need to talk to someone using INDI and a NexDome. I'd like to ask what firmware they're running in the rotator and shutter. (mine is non existent) and fairly use it's outside of the INDI code. Warm spell - suns out for 12+ hours, if I could get the dome issue resolved today I could do some real kstars testing tonight. But without any dome control I'm SOL.

Ron,
About selling, use the Ethernet, yes best not to pay too much attention to me.
I respond here to the Park3 difficulty to try and keep the other thread focused on the communication issue.
It should not be a problem to get it to use Park3. First thing to check is that the mount knows correctly where it is. There is a procedure to go through which is documented in Michael's driver outline write up acknowlegeing that the mount gets lost sometimes. Includes making sure the site panel information is still correct and recovering by, if it is needed, unlocking the gears and moving the mount to Park3 position. Then changing back to the recommended unpark from last park position. When you make changes to the panel of course you have to go to options and save the changes. When it involves any changes to parking I also go to the site panel and do a "Write Data" there since otherwise it didn't seem to persist. Go through the park slew unpark routine a couple of times to make sure it has stuck
time and location information is correct & that the mount can unpark and repark and
Tom

thanks - I keep plugging away at it. Last night I went back to windows since I'm now trying the PI as a INDI server. I thought - why use linux that I don't know my way around in that well yet. a new kstars installs again on windows and parking was working well last night for testing. (I can't drive the shutter or dome to actually image = ( I have a message and some quesitons to the author of the driver for the dome. ODDLY in the latest kstars install... under dome drivers I saw 4? -5? NEDDOME options listed? and one Nexdome. Which I picked. Not sure what that issue is. The final operation looks to be worth the growing pains.

I'll jump in here too. I've been working on a Pi system also with Astroberry. I'll just list what I've done so far below. Progress slow, but picking up again since our "spring" weather is starting, ice is melting, and I'm getting motivated to get something working.

Build a Pi 3B+ with Astroberrry installed
Got it working with my ASI guider camera. I have a Canon 60Da that I need to try on it still.
Had some issues with my Nexdome rotator and shutter suddenly. Computer wouldn't see the rotator. Swapped the Arduino and it's connecting again.
Verified operation with ASCOM and 0.5.2.3 version.
Put 1.1 firmware back on.
Can see the dome connection fine with the Device manager in INDI.
Can see the headings change when I "rocker" the dome motor.
Can see the voltage, and version of both shutter and dome.
Still haven't figured out how to make the rotator turn with the software yet ,but at least it can see it's connected.
I do have a full desktop computer I can put Linux or even Astronomy Linux on with the full Kstars / INDI and dual boot to Windows if needed (I'm hoping to go full Linux eventually)
I got the client/sever working between the Pi as server, and another computer as Kstars client (that's a pretty slick setup!)[/li]

That's where I'm at. All just "bench testing" for now to learn it all before putting it outside in the observatory.

My gear:
Nexdome
Meade LX200 Classic 12"
Orion 80ED
ASI120mm-Mini guider (still awaiting 1st light!)
Canon 60Da (hope to get a ASI294 Pro in the near future)

Tom

Dome finally synced up. I'm leaving power on and it seems to stay synced. (last time we lost power in a wind storm I lost shutter/rotator sync. So I'm doing some SLAVE testing. I love how the dome tracks with the scope. In SGP it waits until the scope is done slewing then can take 20-30 seconds to start moving the dome!

The one thing I don't like, not sure why... but during EKOS connect... (start). My lens cap opens and there isn't enough clearance to allow this and it JAMS against the dome. Even the dome started slaving when I unparked the dome. I wish the devices had less "FREE WILL".

would this be solved by unchecking "autostart/connect" and doing each device manually?
video of my slaving tests. I'm clicking in Kstars and right clicking and selecting AP experimental - slew.

www.facebook.com/HouseofPhotography/vide...216319102803034/?t=0

Lens cap? what driver controls that?

I see Ron got his dome and shutter synced up, and tracking with the scope. I've reached that point in my configuring and wondering how to get that working on mine.
I'm using the same 1.1 version of the firmware, and LX200 Classic.
I got the scope connected and slewing, it will take some time to learn the controls, syncing, parking....etc.
The dome is rotating, but is only going less than 1/2 the speed as it did with Win7 and ASCOM with the 0.5.2.3 firmware. Is there a parameter in the code someplace I can tweak to increase the speed?
The shutter is having issues. It connects and I can see the voltage and such, but then still have the red indicator. I powered it off/on again and it opened - once. Then I couldn't connect again to close it, even with a green indicator. I moved it with the toggle wondering if the magnet was causing something, but no change.

Ideas?
Tom

Lens cap? what driver controls that?

SNAPCAP driver works well until I left it open and upon boot up it defaults to park and closed up against the dome. (I fixed it yesterday).

Tom, odd considering you're reading its voltage. OH - I did have some issue like that. Make SURE you're dome is UNPARKED. And doesn't hurt (I dunno if it matters) to make sure the mount is unparked and tracking.
Especially if you have the dome lock to mount settings different than I do. I have it set to ignore dome at this point I believe.

SOOOOOOOOO - last night - night 2 with Kstars/Ekos. COLOR in my b/w images, could not find how to shut it off (I got the easy answer on here today).
Then I don't see a way to adjust subs at all. But then today I thought - why not call up another viewer to monitor the subs dir. (so a solution but I was trying to eliminate multiple applications and Kstars/ekos/indi already hog 3 windows, then a fits window is 4.
They need to be integrated into one like SGP does.

plate solves are fast even using astrometry. (sold on that). SOLD on the planetarium portion. (love it) love how I can click a goto and the target appears in the sub name! (no need to enter it). or look it up like in SGP.
LOVE the WCS (just wow). so much I LOVE about it. However I was trying to auto focus and trying to guide last night to learn and was so frustrated I said "I'm done" and closed up and decided to go back to SGP.
After a good night sleep - and some logical reasoning - I've decided to continue with testing it.

Hopefully Jasem is following this.

So - my issue. I ran the simulator and was guiding fine. All made since. (I'm very good at PHD2) but prefer integration. Now with simulator out. I selected my scope and settings of...

guider: SX lodestar
VIA:? I put AstroPhysics Experimental ??????
EXP 1 sec bin 1x1
no effectss, directs all checked.
BELOW guiding rate says .5 I tried that and 1.0 which is AP's recommendation.
FL 912 (my 1216 and .75 FR) guiding data and pulse length have xxx in all of them? I suspect that fills in during use?

So... I cilck capture and a star and 'guide' and I await calibration. It does what appears to be calibration, but the movements are HUGE. I mean there isn't enough sky to calibrate one direction. (Obviously a major error in my settings?) but where?
So my scope is literally slewing 10 inches per calibration step! I have ABORT and no matter what I tried it make huge movements.
ANYONE?

So next I go to Focus. I've watched the video Jasem made (looks great) but it did 11 iterations and said complete and I'd take a sub that was grossly out of focus? Then I'm not sure what but something was binning. (the XS lodestar) and when I went to the 1600mm it seemed like it was being bin'd and I couldn't make it 1x1. Frustrated - I went to bed and said I'll go back to SGP tomorrow. But I can't give up yet this program does SO MUCH SO WELL.

Ok, I'll check the lock/unlock thing. I tried parking the scope and wasn't sure what it did to "park", but when I tried slewing again it said it must be unparked. I tried that and said there was something that wasn't supported with the mount or something to unpark. I didn't try rebooting the whole thing, but that probably would have worked.
I haven't gotten the scope to move with the dome yet either.
Anyone know what the difference between "home" and "park" is? I did run the dome calibration (it took a long time since it's moving slowly now) and set the home position where the magnets line up. It seems to rotate to there when I hit the home button.

Any programmers out there know where I can change a code setting to make the dome rotate in a similar speed as it did in 0.5.2.3?

Tom

Yes HOME is at the magnet. 0 degree's. I like park there too but I believe it can be different. (park).
Mine is same. I'm running tests as I type this. I have some new video clips?
My only issue has recently been... when I parked the scope, (fine) when I parked the dome. It went to park position but the shutter was left open. I'm looking for a way to close shutter when parked but no luck so far. I'd hate to click park and go to bed and have it remain open.

SURELY I don't trust it yet to image and go to bed like I did SGP knowing if clouds come in it will close up, but getting there day by day.

Unrelated question, but when you take images or plate solving shots I assume that the plats solves are sent directly from the Pi server (or whatever is in the observatory) to Astrometry.net? When taking actual images are they saved on the remote client and all the server does is control stuff?

I haven't tried the Pi yet in the observatory, I need to find a good place to mount it. Probably near where the computer is on the wall, then run cables down my conduit. I do have a powered USB hub that I'll put on the pier/scope somewhere. I'm totally wireless so I don't want to have it on the scope moving around.