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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Setup with everything remote

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Hi forum,

Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate it!
I am new to this forum so here goes!

I have a Celestron NexStar 4SE, with a Raspberry Pi Zero W attached, and a Raspberry Pi 4 with HQ camera attached, and also a Windows Laptop.

I am wondering if anyone has a moment to help me get them all communicating.

Installed on the pi-telescope (RPi on CNS4SE), I have the IndiServer installed, which works kind of fine (it works, but I can't seem to change my mount from polar align to Alt-Az).
Installed on the RPi 4 I have Indiserver and PHD2.

How do I get these modules to speak to each other in a nice language, that doesn't cause errors?

Dan
Dan
Hardware hacker/software tinkerer

Celestron NexStar 4SE (RPi0W, indilib)
RPi4 4gb (indilib, PHD2) w/ RPi HQ Camera (tracking & plate-solving (hopefully!!))
SvBony SV165 finder scope (hopefully ^^^ plugs into...)
Celestron NexImage 10
ZWO ASI120MC-S
Orion SkyQuest XX12i (for later!)
3 years 3 months ago #65010

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Dan,

Welcome to the forum and merry Xmas! I’d advise you to install KStars and use Ekos (which is a module) to control all your hardware. Note that your mounts needs to be aligned with stars before you can use it with INDI.

Wouter
3 years 3 months ago #65011

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Hello Wouter!

Thanks for the quick reply!! I have kstars on the above-mentioned PC and EKOS(?) most probably since I can open it via the shortcut. Any step by step you can point me to?

Info: I can get an image if I use the camera as a device on indiserver.

Dan
Dan
Hardware hacker/software tinkerer

Celestron NexStar 4SE (RPi0W, indilib)
RPi4 4gb (indilib, PHD2) w/ RPi HQ Camera (tracking & plate-solving (hopefully!!))
SvBony SV165 finder scope (hopefully ^^^ plugs into...)
Celestron NexImage 10
ZWO ASI120MC-S
Orion SkyQuest XX12i (for later!)
3 years 3 months ago #65013

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Hi Dan,
There are many tutorials online that should help you get started. See for instance the What Is INDI link in the menu at the top of this page.

Wouter
3 years 3 months ago #65014

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Hi Dan
I have a similar setup to what you have. In my case it is a Raspberry Pi 3 on the mount (vs your Pi Zero W), an Aaeon Up computer (vs your RPi4) on the scope and a Windows desktop (vs your Windows laptop).
On the RPi3 I have Ubuntu 20.04 server installed, INDI and INDI Web Manager . The wifi is set up as a hotspot. The clock is set up to synchronize from the Aaeon-UP. It connects only to the mount via USB
On the Aaeon UP I have Ubuntu 20.04 desktop installed, INDI, INDI Web Manage, PHD2 and chrony. The inbuilt wifi connects to my home wifi network . A wifi dongle connects to the hotspot. PHD2 uses a direct connection to the guide camera rather than INDI (not necessary but it works better for me). In INDI Web Manager I define a remote connection to the RPi3 INDI driver. chrony acts as a NTP server for the RPi2 to sync to as it cannot access the internet. (except when I connect the LAN). Connected to this device are the guide and imaging cameras, filterwheel and focuser.
On Windows I have KStars/EKOS installed which connects to the INDI server on the Aaeon-UP (and which in turn chains to the INDI server on the RPI3). I also installed TightVNC to talk to the Aaeon-UP.

INDI Web Manager starts automatically on the two Ubuntu machines and starts up the required drivers. I then start PHD2 (via VNC connection from Windows) . Then I start Kstars/EKOS (actually the order is not that important). Select a target in Kstars, unoark the mount slew. Then in EKOS platesolve to align on the target and from these use EKOS to focus and start capturing.
I currently haven't automated the startup of PHD2 not star selection and guiding initiation from EKOS but I believe that is possible.

I'm happy to provide more info on how to set things up - as much as I can remember :) - or you can use the various guides/tutorials
The following user(s) said Thank You: Daniel O'Brien
3 years 3 months ago #65017

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Hi again Wouter,

Thanks for the advice, I had a read through how the system operates, so I understand it a bit more. Just the confusing bit is the fact that even clients are servers(?), so that comes across as quite bizarre. I guess more maximum flexibilty and less code, the inter-server communication with hardware clients connected makes for a robust system. I have now got some things set up, like the RPiCam and the telescope, just that the NexStar driver doesnt have Alt-Az as selectable for some reason. Other than that it mostly works so far which is pretty thrilling. Just have to figure out KStars and all its bloody buttons lol!!

Dan
Dan
Hardware hacker/software tinkerer

Celestron NexStar 4SE (RPi0W, indilib)
RPi4 4gb (indilib, PHD2) w/ RPi HQ Camera (tracking & plate-solving (hopefully!!))
SvBony SV165 finder scope (hopefully ^^^ plugs into...)
Celestron NexImage 10
ZWO ASI120MC-S
Orion SkyQuest XX12i (for later!)
3 years 3 months ago #65021

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Hi kengs

Now that sounds like my kind of setup! :D

I have the camera and telescope communicating with my laptop, so its a good start. Now I just need to figure out PHD2/EKOS/KStars.

I have Kstars installed, when I open EKOS, I get asked about remote devices etc, for which I have neither of the 2 choices, and the "Other" option button crashes the application. (annoyance!!)
I am half-assuming that cancel was the right option because I was then greeted with setting up a new profile. It seems only one host can be chosen? (But my equipment is on 2 hosts?)
Guidance with basic config would be handy, as well as the PHD2 integration if you have time.

Thanks and kind regards!
Dan
Hardware hacker/software tinkerer

Celestron NexStar 4SE (RPi0W, indilib)
RPi4 4gb (indilib, PHD2) w/ RPi HQ Camera (tracking & plate-solving (hopefully!!))
SvBony SV165 finder scope (hopefully ^^^ plugs into...)
Celestron NexImage 10
ZWO ASI120MC-S
Orion SkyQuest XX12i (for later!)
3 years 3 months ago #65022

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Hi Dan
INDI is always a server and everything else is a client. A client can only to connect to one INDI server but... an INDI Server can talk to another INDI server and pass through commands from the client to the other INDI server

Here are screenshots showing how I set things up:
First one is the EKOS profile which connects to 192.168.0.102 my Aaeon UP computer on the scope. Guiding is by PHD2 which also runs on that computer. PHD2 has to be enabled as a server under the Tools menu for EKOS to talk to it.


INDI Web Manager runs on 192.168.0.102 and Autostarts profile "AAEON + Remote StarGo" which I created. It has local (to the Aaeon computer) the ZWO CCD, ASI EFW and Optec TCFS drivers. It also connects to the RPi on 10.42.0.1 (the wifi hotspot) to get the Avalon StarGo mount driver


INDI Web Manager is also running on 10.42.0.1 and Autostarts profile Avalon M-UNO which I created. It has local (to the RPi computer) the Avalon Stargo New driver. Note the difference in the driver name but that is just how it happens to identify itself to INDI Web Manager vs another INDI server.


Cheers
Ken
3 years 3 months ago #65027
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Hi Ken

Thanks so much for the guide on how to set it up! I have got everything communicating finally, now to figure out alignment and all that jazz with PHD2.

Dan
Dan
Hardware hacker/software tinkerer

Celestron NexStar 4SE (RPi0W, indilib)
RPi4 4gb (indilib, PHD2) w/ RPi HQ Camera (tracking & plate-solving (hopefully!!))
SvBony SV165 finder scope (hopefully ^^^ plugs into...)
Celestron NexImage 10
ZWO ASI120MC-S
Orion SkyQuest XX12i (for later!)
3 years 3 months ago #65092

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