I'm shocked to say you're right, it's not open source. I thought it was - certainly it doesn't look like Nicola has tried to monetize the software so wonder why he hasn't open sourced it?

I'll ask him...

AstroDMXCap is a fine program, but for what I'm doing I need a flexible sequencer. For a series
of targets, goto, platesolve, setup camera, start data at a given H:M:S, rinse, repeat up to 50 times
in a given night. I haven't worked with the Ekos scheduler in detail, but Ekos does support all these
functions, just not setting up a streaming data collection. Or does it?

Thanks,
Matt

> But AstroDMX does not seem to be open source... or is it?

No, to say it very clear: this is NO open source software with an applicable standard license we are used in the field of real open source and all the long term security for the code. You can read on their download page.

I suspect software, that only relies on a self-made “software license” text and seems to be “free” but is in fact not. Not in the sense of open code, where the community can distribute. There is no reference to an officially legal license text, this can change any time (either in the one or the other way ).

But, I do not have a problem with a real dual license for example like EKOS/Stellarmate as long as the major base of the software will be open source. I personally am not interested in another monolith software clone like N.I.N.A.. But hey, be free to use this if you think it's worth the effort. I'll rather stay with the long existing Stellarmate/EKOS which sources it ideas and development of projects like Google Summer of code and various high-end developers worldwide instead of one developer (Nicola Amanda Mackin). No offense, this is a free world.

But I do not like to run behind every new software trend.

I use Firecapture on an intel based stellarmate, this just works and until more powerful arm machines are available. It's as simple as this

Cheers, Axel

I heard from her (my apologies for misgendering you Nicola!) who indicated she didn't intend to either monetize nor open source DMXCapture.

As a sometime planetary imager, I tend to agree with Axel that adding real planetary imaging to the already overly complex EKOS UI seems to be wasted effort, versus perhaps a UI update (although honestly I find the EKOS UI perfectly fine versus trying to cram everything on a single screen) or adding livestacking to the desktop interface (right now I livestack with ASTAP which is also fine but a hassle with filters and calibration etc.) There are lots of excellent planetary imaging packages out there including FireCapture and AstroDMX so it's not like we don't have something. Honestly, planetary imaging is so different than DSO imaging (finicky to position the planet on the sensor for example) that right now I don't do planets because it's a hassle to dismantle my DSO rig and assembly a planetary rig with different filters, ADC, Barlow etc.)

That being said to meet the OP requirement it just sounds like the ability to capture a SER file instead of a FITS is a pretty simple requirement that won't require much change. From what I can tell there just needs to be a change to the Capture tab to include SER in the Format field instead of FITS, 8 or 16-bit. I guess there would need to be a duration field as well since the exposure would be needed.

The latest Firecapture comes in an ARM64 version, which I have been able to load on my Rpi4 (I boot over the USB3.0 port from an SSD, I run a server version of Ubuntu 22.04, Kstars 3.6.8, along with Firecapture v2.8 ). I use Kstars to control all the equipment, up until I am ready to capture the Planetary videos, I then disconnect the main imaging camera, start up Firecapture and proceed to use it to capture videos. Firecapture does have a complex interface, but it gives you direct access to all the ROI and other functions that make it convenient in this process. (Although I have used the 'streaming' options in the Indi Control Panel for the camera to do the same). I find that the fps is limited by the camera (ASI533MC) which does not have a high speed mode for 8-bit capture, so I can only reach around 60 fps. But this has been sufficient to produce very decent images of Jupiter and its moons (using my C9.25).



My feeling is that while incorporating all the functionality of Firecapture into Kstars would be amazing (yet adding even more increased complexity to the code), it really is only necessary that the two programs work hand in hand seamlessly. If I did not have to disconnect the main camera from Kstars (I have not tried not doing this) or if Kstars could just reference a call to open a Firecapture page, that would really be a great step forward to adding planetary imaging to Kstars.

That is just my opinion.