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Backlash and possible driver protocol conversion of my arduino DIY focuser.

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I've been using a DIY arduino driven focuser to drive motors on several different scopes for some time now but have recently decided I need backlash control for the one using a small gearhead stepper, while still being able to turn it to 0 for the belt driven ones. I recently did a complete rewrite of my arduino code using the accelstepper library and added backlash compensation, but it's emulating the moonlite protocol which has no backlash feature itself (according to the release paper circulating). So... preamble completed, on with my question!

If I change to a different protocol which one would be the easiest to match with an indi driver that does have backlash compensation?
and if so, can I get a copy of the protocol used?


Also, does anyone have arduino focuser code that emulates a different protocol from moonlite and that has working backlash controls via the indidriver?
All the ones I've found in searches are using moonlite, but it never hurts to ask.

I did a text search of the indi-focus drivers code and found several that have it mentioned and am going through looking at indi code to try to decide which one to switch to but many of them are very complicated.
4 years 4 months ago #45909

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THis is the problem with using someone else's communcation protocol, you are restricted to what they supply, in some cases you need to be compatible with their bugs.

I think it's better to define your own protocol, that way you have control over what is defined and implemented.

I've always defined a protocol as follows:
Every command starts with a single character, followed by a parameter if required and a terminator character.
This always causes a response consisting of the same command character with optional data and a terminator.
The terminator character must never appear in the data.

This works well with a Arduino, the library functions provide all the support needed.

Backlash would be:
send 'b#' return 'b500#' current backlash is 500.
send B600#'' return 'B600#' set backlash to 600.

Chris
4 years 4 months ago #45913

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Thank you for the input. I could do that but then I would also have to write my own driver which would largely be redundant given the number and complexity of current ones.

To reiterate the OP...
What I'm after is to see if anyone has already made an arduino focuser serial using a different protocol with a backlash feature that already has a working driver in the system.
Last edit: 4 years 4 months ago by Ray Wells.
4 years 4 months ago #45921

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Ray, have you tried the MyFocuserPro2 driver it uses Arduino, has backlash compensation a recent Indi driver was written by Alan. I’ve tried it on an MyFocuserPro2 I built a while back for use on ASCOM I just updated the firmware to version v291 and it works I believe there may be a version v292 by now there’s a long thread on here about it

indilib.org/forum/focusers-filter-wheels...erpro2-and-indi.html

Regards Alan
The following user(s) said Thank You: Ray Wells
4 years 4 months ago #45967

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Thanks I'll check that out. I looked at it once long a go but found the code difficult to follow and went a different route. I'm a bit more experienced now so maybe I can bend it to my hardware needs now. Sounds like they continued development as well so if nothing else that new driver might have the protocol I can use. Jasem also mentions another full opensource driver in that thread I'll check out too. :side:

[update: ] I thought that sounded familiar. I started with a very early version of that same code originally. Looks like mr. Brown also needed a few more commands so this might be just what I'm looking for. :D
Last edit: 4 years 4 months ago by Ray Wells. Reason: update
4 years 4 months ago #45976

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