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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Re:Re:Looking for all MAC users of Kstars / Ekos

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Also please note that as I said before, 3.1.0 on Mac is very much in its beta stages right now because QT broke my build script in January that I have been making to use the Mac version for the last 2 years. So I have been working very hard over the last few weeks to rewrite the whole thing to use craft. It has been a lot of work. So if there are still issues in 3.1.0, I am not surprised. Please let me know about issues with the new Mac build primarily. That is all I am really working on right now.

Thanks,

Rob
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5 years 1 month ago #34809

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Hello Rob, thanks for your quick reply. Again, I fully acknowledge that this project is run by volunteers, and it's clearly an amazing and powerful package once everything is running as it should, which is why I have persisted as long as I have. Thanks for your patience and understanding; I also do unpaid work outside my fulltime job and know the pressures it entails, and how the best of efforts aren't always appreciated or understood by the end users.

As far as separating the issues, I'm pretty new to all this so I'll do my best...

I have edited my camera issue above to clarify; essentially it seems to be only a problem with the preview and live view function, not the capture. All cameras seem to only give a white screen during live view no matter what, but the images actually captured are fine. I don't know anything about lldb, but I will shuffle the cameras as I can and report back.

The crashes happened in quick succession, when I was operating the Mac. Interestingly they happened when KStars seemed pretty much idle; there was no problem when it was doing the harder work like slewing, imaging etc. These are the only crashes I've seen since moving from 2.9.8.

The mount issues seem to be EQMOD, Jesam gave me instructions to try to reset the system but I can't due to the screen access issues I mentioned; they are clearly Linux/SMate based, I will need his help with that to try to clear it.

I'm away for work for the next week anyway so I won't be able to test anything. Looks like things are moving quickly with this side of the project, hopefully fixes for these issues aren't far away.
5 years 1 month ago #34828

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I have to hang in there. I also have issues with the preview feature and the liveview from time to time. When i was focusing my miravian g2 the last time using the preview function of the capture module, my cam kept disconnecting after every second shot with the message „voltage readout failure and usb readout failure“

Yesterday when i was trying focusing again, i used the loop function in the focus module and everything went flawless.

I have to say that this is happening on the last nightly build for linux though.

Last time after several cam-crashes i had the problem that kstars wouldnt even start anymore. Had to do a complete uninstallation and reinstall it.


Also i have this „white picture issue“ with my guidingcam asi 120 from time to time.

But this is absolutely random.

Maybe this is of interrest.

Atm i have a bit hardware probs in terms of backfocusdistance.
When i have solved this issue, i can jumpnin and start with testing the kstars for mac version.

Cheers
Niki




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Skywatcher EQ6-R | Lacerta 10" Carbon-Newton | Lacerta MFoc Motorfocus | Moravian G2 8300 Color | Canon EOS 5DMarkIIIa | Lodestar X2 guiding cam | KSTARS 3.4.3. on my outdoor-Laptop with KDE-Neon/Plasma | KSTARS 3.4.3. on Remote-IMac with Catalina | KSTARS 3.4.3 on Remote-Macbook Air with Catalina
5 years 1 month ago #34829

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Ok now I understand what you mean about the picture now that you said "white picture". I think the issue you are referring to has to do with the image stretch and display of images in the fitsviewer. I suspect this does not have anything to do with your camera or the connection to kstars actually. It has everything to do with the stretch that is being applied and the either the brightness or signal to noise ratio of the items in your image if I understand your issue correctly. I have observed similar behavior in a couple of different circumstances myself recently.

One situation in which I have seen it was when some of my images were too short and had too little signal to noise ratio. They stopped showing a noise pattern and went all white. I'm planning to look into the cause of this. In the past, when this has happened, it just showed a dimmer noise pattern, but something seems to have changed in that regard. But a longer exposure time fixed the problem and showed a noise pattern again.

The other times I have seen it go all white was when the exposure time was too long. For instance when using a ZWO camera and taking pictures or viewing in live video during the daytime or in a room in your house with the lights on, you have to make the exposure time for images or frames in a video EXTREMELY short because the ZWO cameras are so sensitive. The last time I put it on live video in a room, I had to basically cover up the camera with my coat before I could see any details in the screen that were not over saturated. I would like to see if we can change the live video controls to allow exposure times shorter than 1 ms, because that is just too long with a ZWO camera for some targets like the moon and bright planets.
5 years 1 month ago #34831

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Yes you are right. When the exposure is too long, this is clear. But i had this sometimes with gain 1 and 0.01sec.

I can confirm that i also think it has only to do with stretching, say, only the Interpretation of the pictures is „wrong“ but the pictures themselves are ok.

Another thing i would find nice, would be a gain setting in the capture tab. Or is there one, i just cant see?

Have to go now and shorten my Moravian OAG with the angle-grinder :)

Cheers, Niki


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Skywatcher EQ6-R | Lacerta 10" Carbon-Newton | Lacerta MFoc Motorfocus | Moravian G2 8300 Color | Canon EOS 5DMarkIIIa | Lodestar X2 guiding cam | KSTARS 3.4.3. on my outdoor-Laptop with KDE-Neon/Plasma | KSTARS 3.4.3. on Remote-IMac with Catalina | KSTARS 3.4.3 on Remote-Macbook Air with Catalina
5 years 1 month ago #34836

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I was able to run 3.1 with no issues other than the attached config issue which popped up right when I launched EKOS. All hardware loaded, but it's been cloudy so didn't get to test beyond that.

Last edit: 5 years 1 month ago by Andrew Burwell.
5 years 1 month ago #34885
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Yes please, GAIN setting in Capture module, great idea!
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5 years 1 month ago #34886

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So that box that popped up is not an issue, it is the new feature that I added so that you can update the config file inside the app bundle to match the location of your computers index files. I added it to fix the issue that was reported the last time I posted the dmg of the path to the index files in the config file being incorrect.
5 years 1 month ago #34898

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Just a short chime, to say that I too use a new Macbook (Air) now to to connect to my astrorig. I was just connecting via VNC to the Linux box that was running INDI/Kstars, but lately its just been too buggy to be reliable.

So now I use the Mac to run the OSX version of KStars and connect to the same Linuxbox (NanoPC T4) and that works great! It's fast, and I solved the issue of download times by installing a 500GB Solid State Drive card onto the NanoPC and have EKOS save files to it instantly. Then I connect to the NanoPC via SMB and share that SSD on my Mac. I can then download files at a later time easily.

I connect the Macbook to the NanoPC via a local wifi network.

The NanoPC rides shotgun on my mount and all my equipment is plugged into the NanoPC which has both USB2 and USB ports. One 12V powercable leads to a saddle on the mount which uses a RigRunner powerstrip #405 to distribute power to the cameras, focuser, NanoPC, and dew heater.

The NanoPC (running INDI) connects to the iOptron CEM25P via iOptron's StarFi wi adapter. It's flawless.

PS: I too would love to see the GAIN and OFFSET settings right on the Capture screen, so they can be incorporated easily in an imaging session.

So when I go out in the field, here's what happens:

1. I setup the mount and attach the entire astrorig to it. I store my complete imaging rig all assembled in a Pelican case. I just take it out of the case, and attach it to the mount. No assembly required. This includes my WO STar71, ASI1600MM Pro, OAG with Lodestar X2, Filter wheel, dew heater with temp probe, NanoPC T4 (Lubuntu), and powerstrip.



2. I turn on the mount and wait for it to aquire it's GPS settings. While it is doing that, I adjust the balance of the imaging setup.

3. I turn on the NanoPC T4 and 6 seconds later it has connected to the Starfi (iOptron CEM25P) and is broadcasting it's own network.

4. I Open my MacBook, connect to the Nano's network, and start KSTARS/EKOS.

5. Ready to roll! I do a polar alignment, and start my imaging session.

That whole setup from car to imaging takes about 30 minutes.



Peter
Last edit: 5 years 1 month ago by Peter Kennett.
5 years 1 month ago #34903
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Hey quick question if that’s OK, how are connecting to the mounts wifi and concurrently presenting a different SSID back to your Mac?

Also what case are you using on the nano and also was OS image is this little guy based on?

Thanks in advance.
5 years 1 month ago #35003

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Agree 100%, it’d be great to set the gain in the capture screen. I can see the ISO setting but it’s greyed out for my ZWO camera.
5 years 1 month ago #35004

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My NANO PC sets up a wifi network upon booting. It's crazy, as it has this network up and running in 6 seconds from power on.
The Starfi has a mode that connects to the NanoPC's wifi network.
(I will verify all the settings when I get home)

My Mac also connects to the same NanoPC wifi network to gain access to INDI, and the shared drive folder (SSD).

I am running Lubuntu.
The case is the clear plastic one (top and bottom only).
I tried the steel fully encased one, but it seemed to run very hot that way.
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Last edit: 5 years 1 month ago by Peter Kennett.
5 years 1 month ago #35010

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