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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Hitech Astro DC focuser problem

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Thank you so much Jasem. Really appreciated.
5 years 10 months ago #26098

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Hi Jasem,

If it helps I have been assured by David Grennan in a recent mail that he would do anything to help you to get something up and running. He also appreciated your efforts.
Meanwhile I have been trying with the new Kstars 2.9.6 and have attached logfile. The odd thing is that although I get messages in INDI control panel saying that the focus controller is connected and moving in steps of e.g. 100 the focusser itself doesn't move at all.
When running under windows and the factory software with ASCOM driver it works fine.
5 years 9 months ago #26327
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P.S. Just in order to be complete I have to mention that in earlier attemps with Kstars 2.9.5 I did get some movement in the focuser but it appeared to stop working after a few commands. I also attached the logfiles of that trial.
5 years 9 months ago #26328
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I have committed the new updated HitechAstroDC focuser to indi_dev branch, but as it doesn't work here, I have no idea how to proceed. The code is in Github if anyone is interested to take a look at it, but HID communication with the driver fails beyond the initial handshake.
5 years 9 months ago #26329

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Thanks Jasem. Appreciate all the work you’ve done. I will check on Github.
Kind regards.
5 years 9 months ago #26330

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Jasem,
I have worked with the Hitechastrodc focuscontroller from Kstars 2.9.6 and on some occasions I did get a response. The strange thing is that on one occasion it would react and if I try again with a complete shutdown and restart of Kstars the focuscontroller indicates a step change in indi control panel but no movement of the actual focuser. The times it worked I managed to focus in and out, within ekos as well as the indi control panel. The fields for setting an absolute position are greyed out and not accessible. I have attached the logfiles as well as screenshots.
5 years 9 months ago #26617

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Two more logs attached.
5 years 9 months ago #26618
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You are still testing the old driver. The new driver is in a different INDI branch here: github.com/indilib/indi/tree/indi_dev

I haven't made any progress on the driver and I don't know how to proceed really. If anyone wants to take a look at the driver and figure out what the HID communication is not working, you'd be doing us a great favor!
5 years 9 months ago #26621

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Hi Jasem. Looks like I'm stuck with my 'cursed' Hitechasto focuscontroller. No one was seems to be interested in having a go into finding a solution.
Have you contacted David Grennan since? He said he would help any way he could.
5 years 8 months ago #27392

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Hello,

i've no solutions for the driver, but yet (after one day over the mount) it works ...

Hitecastro DC Focus, Ubuntu Mate 16.04LTS, PI3B+, Kstars/ekos

I've removed definitively the powered USB HUB, and after many many tries it works with this parameters:
Polling 5000ms (yeah, 5 seconds) (so, between 300ms and 2000ms it runs too but with a lots of commands dropped, then is the hitec lost for 40s )
Speed 50 or 100 (<50 no function)
Max travel 10000

Steps: between 4000 and 10000 it runs but no update for the position (tiks)
between 20 and 4000 it runs perfectly, only wait 12s (12 seconds) to start another command

Position: for a move of 2000 steps, the position move of 4000
many tries: always x2

no safe position (limits visible in .cpp)
override below 0, i've reached -2200
I didn't test the override > 10000 (Max travel ?)

At startup the tiks (position) is always 49800 (position not saved)
all others parameters are correctly saved

I think I use the older driver (but already corrected, default polling = 500ms)
I've to see how the new one runs with my setup
Last edit: 5 years 7 months ago by Caux.
5 years 7 months ago #28277

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Hi Damien, thx for sharing your findings on the Hitecastro DC focusercontroller. I have the DC2 focuscontroller which does not work at all in Ekos but meanwhile bought the original edition of the DC controller which works fine except for absolute position choice which is greyed out in Ekos. So I can not ask the controller to go to a position of my choice. Autofocus is also erratic but that is probably due to the fact that I have a focuser without steppermotor. Justlike you I miss a minimm and maximum travel stop. I use the driver of Ekos 2.9.7.
5 years 7 months ago #28360

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You're right, I Have this one:


Tested it with last Upgrade, 3 hours outside, "real condition", 5000ms polling, speed 50, step 100, all ok
rel position always > 50000, but that's not a pb

If the DC2 use the HID layer over the USB Protocol.... pfouuu :( designed for Windows...
sorry, that's far away of my knowledges
5 years 7 months ago #28368

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