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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Starlight Instruments Focuser Boss II & HSM20

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I'm seeing multiple problems, so my goal is to work through them, and then write detailed instructions for others who would wish to use the same setup. Starlight puts out quality instrumentation, and I'd like to provide others with what I wish I had to make it as simple as possible.

I am using a Focuser Boss II, connected over serial USB, right now directly to the Stellarmate on RPi3.

My initial issues are rather simple; *there is no selection for Focuser Boss II in Focuser and there is no selection for HSM20 in Model*. I understand redundancy to coders may be dismissable, but it is not intuitive to end users. If someone would have me submit a request for this, I will, but I strongly suggest allowing these names to be displayed for simplicity.

First question: I have selected Focus Lynx. What do I then select for Model in INDI Control Panel if I am using HSM20 ("Handy Stepper Motor")? If you have a link to an old topic, please provide it- my searches have turned up nothing. It seems to work with multiple selections from Model, but I don't want to guess these things because it's a costly system.
4 years 6 months ago #43557

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Here's the message I receive every 1000ms:

"2019-09-01T15:00:15: [WARNING] Unable to read focuser status....
2019-09-01T15:00:15: [ERROR] Controller error: END
2019-09-01T15:00:15: [ERROR] Controller error: Reverse = 0
2019-09-01T15:00:15: [ERROR] Controller error: Hnd Ctlr = 0
2019-09-01T15:00:15: [ERROR] Controller error: RemoteIO = 0
2019-09-01T15:00:15: [ERROR] Controller error: TmpProbe = 1
2019-09-01T15:00:15: [ERROR] Controller error: FFDetect = 0
2019-09-01T15:00:15: [ERROR] Controller error: IsHomed = 1
2019-09-01T15:00:15: [ERROR] Controller error: IsHoming = 0
2019-09-01T15:00:15: [ERROR] Controller error: IsMoving = 0
2019-09-01T15:00:15: [ERROR] Controller error: Targ Pos = 23761"

I've tried several cables, none work. The focuser moves both in and moves out, but lacks context.
4 years 6 months ago #43582

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hi Jnowat,
attached three screenshots of the configuration I use for my HSM30 + Focuser Boss II (you asked in another message but here seems more on topic).

HSM -> High Speed Motor, I guess; as there's also a 'FeatherTouch Motor Hi-Speed' selection in the 'model' menu in the 'connection' tab.

I think that the generic name Focus Lynx has to be used because not only Starlight's Feather Touch is using that protocol. Maybe aliases could be used to specify different focusers.

There's an extensive documentation explaining all this:
indilib.org/devices/focusers/focuslynx.html

You tried different cables. But are you referring to the connection from RPI to Focuser Boss II or from Focuser Boss II to the HSM20?
note that the connection to the HSM20 has use a POE cable (usually provided with the HSM motor) not a standard network cable.

ferrante
4 years 6 months ago #43595
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Ferrante,

Thank you kindly for your reply- I appreciate you and I apologize for being too vague in some statements. Yes, I have tried three Cat5e cables (Boss/HSM20 connection)- no difference. When I first start up, the error messages, starting with "[WARNING] Unable to read focuser status...." appear. I can Focus Out 100 steps, but after cannot Focus In at all. I cannot Focus In period. My versions are the same as yours, but my firmware has just been updated to 2.3.4 (no differences observed after updating firmware).

I was at a point where I began to follow the pseudo-tutorial that you linked to, but then Focus In commands either stopped working, or still acted as Focus Out.

I suppose what I'm asking for Ekos, is that "/SI Focus Boss" is added to the FocusLynx name, and "/HSM" is added to the FeatherTouch Motor Hi-Speed or Hi-Torque model names, which makes everything straightforward. I realize I'm dealing with an Optec FocusLynx controlled shipped as the FocusBoss, but can't we make things a little more straightforward, and just call it FocusLynx/ SI Focus Boss?

I'm also having a difficult time capturing the debug logs for this module, but it's likely my own doing.

Best, Jacob

Edit: This setup works fine when the serial USB is plugged into my Windows10 PC, using FocusLynx Commander program over ASCOM- leading me to the strong belief that the fault lies in INDI, somehow my hands, or a combination of both.
Last edit: 4 years 6 months ago by Jacob Nowatzke. Reason: Adding ASCOM functionality detail
4 years 6 months ago #43656

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Here are the logs for a quick run-through of the Focus Lynx (another question I have, is can we please have an option to *not* display the FocusLynx F2 if we don't have a second focuser attached to the controller? It seems like a waste of space, especially when you're having a difficult time with malfunctions and the continuous crashing that KStars like to do- confusing the F1 and F2 is something I do too often; not very user-friendly in my opinion.

It seems the absolute focus position command works, but is not reflected in steps count box, just to the left of steps entry. Focusing In does not work and gives error. Focusing out works once, but after does not move the motor and does not display an error.

File Attachment:

File Name: log_12-06-47.txt
File Size:309 KB


Best,
Jacob
4 years 6 months ago #43659
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Thank you for the detailed reports. I emailed Mr. Philippe Besson to see if he can shed some light here since he is a lot more experienced in the driver than I.

Can you please check Optec Supported Devices document and see which focuser is yours?
4 years 6 months ago #43675

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Hi Jasem, thank you for your continued work in this community. Once I get KStars working for my setup, I'll never leave it.

As I suspected for my FT HSM20:
Am I alone in thinking that placing "Focus Boss" and "FeatherTouch HSM motor" in the focuser and model menus, respectively, is intuitive- even if redundant? I had chosen some other selections thinking that maybe the QuickSync models weren't the right match. Had there been a selection for HSM, I would have quickly concluded it was the driver at fault, and not me. I have no reason to believe the motor was damaged by my improper selections, as I followed up with the attachment to Windows and saw that it still functioned as expected.

Tonight I attempted my first autofocus routine, starting with the mount parked in CWD, just to see if I could get a frame, get a star, and move the focuser. Sadly, I only got one shot because of clouds that quickly moved in, but I did not hear any movement when it focused in 100 steps, after which it froze.

I will be submitting a ticket on the Stellarmate side as I also saw some issues with Pegasus UPBv2 not connecting, which is new to me. I'm hoping to get a few more hours under clear skies in the next few days, in order to submit a more complete and thorough log, but if necessary, I could share the log I've described.

Best.
4 years 6 months ago #43679

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Hi Jacob,

Thank you for the detailed response. Is this just a matter of adding an alias?

FocusBoss = "FA"
FeatherTouch HSM motor = "FB"

You can see the models listed here in the source code.
4 years 6 months ago #43696

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Hi Jasem / Jnowat,

INDI has a dedicated Starlight EFS driver while Starlight Focuser Boss II uses FocusLynx driver (*).
Following Jnowat issues choosing the right driver / model, a proposal could be:
- For the controller make an alias 'Starlight Focuser Boss II' on FocusLynx.
- Filter, if possible, model selection: Starlight could show only models 'FeatherTouch HSM' and 'Hi Torque' (cannot find this model on the website, it's an old one?).
- Change the name of the model 'FeatherTouch Motor H-Speed' to 'FeatherTouch HSM'.
- Keep 'Starlight EFS' as a separate driver because it is a different hardware and software.

What do you think?
Ferrante

(*) As far as I understand from their website (not very clear, so correct me if I'm wrong), Starlight Instruments sells three focus motor controllers:
- Starlight EFS (Electronic Focusing System): controls 1 focuser only, no wifi or temp probe option. For all HSM motors (btw is HSM is Handy Stepper Motor as jnowat said).
- Focuser Boss II (powered by Optec FocusLynx): controls 2 focuser and other adds on. For all HSM motors.
- Micro Touch. For Micro Stepper Motors.
Last edit: 4 years 6 months ago by Ferrante Enriques.
4 years 6 months ago #43701

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Jasem,

Yes, I believe alias is a fitting term. Can you see how a Feather Touch HSM motor owner, like myself, would automatically choose
lynxModels["FeatherTouch Motor Hi-Speed"] = "SO";
    lynxModels["FeatherTouch Motor Hi-Torque"] = "SP";

rather than the actual
lynxModels["FocusLynx QuickSync FT Hi-Torque"] = "FA";
    lynxModels["FocusLynx QuickSync FT Hi-Speed"] = "FB";

Assuming the lynxModels["name"] are the source to the menu's names dropdown I see in INDI control panel, and that "FT" stands for Feather Touch, I think it would be user-friendly to list as:
lynxModels["FocusLynx QuickSync/ FT HSM Hi-Torque"] = "FA";
    lynxModels["FocusLynx QuickSync/ FT HSM Hi-Speed"] = "FB";

I know it's simple, but wow did I have to jump around forums to find any sort of reference. I'm also assuming there's an actual population of user who own a Focus Boss/ HSM motor and use INDI, but INDI has of course been growing.

My other point is this:

Mr. Besson's manual begins, "The FocusLynx/Focus Boss II hub allows precise remote operation of the motorized focuser. Different type of motor could be controlled by this hub...", so I argue that it is more user-friendly to list "FocusLynx/FT Focus Boss II" as the model, rather than simply FocusLynx.

I do not doubt that little tweaks like this will cut down confusion, and thus allow new INDI users quicker success to their first light with INDI- and I am so very near my own first light through KStars/INDI, so I think I can feel for them moreso than others.


I recently received a Pegasus UPBv2, and found that the instruction PDF appendix shows the RJ45 scheme for connecting to HSM motors. I will pick up some extra connectors tomorrow, test motor/autofocus tomorrow night with the UPBv2, and see if the motor gives me any trouble. I'm determined to get this motor working under INDI one way or another.

Happy equinox,
Jacob
4 years 6 months ago #43702

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Ferrante,

You posted while I was replying as well (not sure why mine posted in triplicate, sorry for waste of space).
I think the high-torque selection is just that- if the motor needs extra torque for a heavier equipment load. I believe I remember reading it somewhere very recently, but have been through many documents on this motor lately. Speaking of, I think somewhere "Hi-speed motor" and "handy stepper motor" got mixed up by somebody.

Yes, I think either your solution, my solution, or something in between would be great- all in the name of making the path to first light with INDI more streamlined and user friendly. I think this is on the right path for sure.
Thanks for your succinct input, Ferrante. You clarified points I had not even considered.

Happy equinox,
Jacob
4 years 6 months ago #43705

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I ha e deleted two of the duplicate posts for you... :)
4 years 6 months ago #43706

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