Hey All,

Quick one (a problem I had a long time ago, which fixed itself.. but now picking things up again i'm having).

My KStars direction / movement is inverted when using ekos to control the mount. My guess is something to do with the southern hemisphere, mount is celestron wifi ALTAZ.

To simplify things in terms of logs, I did a quick connect, and a couple of seconds of *UPWARD* movement. The mount itself moves correctly upward. Logs attached.

Mount location seems to set correctly (KStars location also set to Sydney, Australia).
[2022-06-03T13:54:30.356 AEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - Celestron WiFi : "[INFO] Observer location updated: Latitude -33:54:59.0 (-33.92) Longitude 151:16:59.0 (151.28) "

However in diving into things, it seems the problem is the encoder direction might be inverted? As (see below) the AL output is decreasing rather than increasing.

[2022-06-03T13:55:21.398 AEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - Celestron WiFi : "[ALIGNMENT] Axis2 encoder 16749335 -> AL 0.5983° "
[2022-06-03T13:55:22.500 AEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - Celestron WiFi : "[ALIGNMENT] Axis2 encoder 16747967 -> AL 0.6276° "
[2022-06-03T13:55:23.603 AEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - Celestron WiFi : "[ALIGNMENT] Axis2 encoder 16748597 -> AL 0.6141° "
[2022-06-03T13:55:24.713 AEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - Celestron WiFi : "[ALIGNMENT] Axis2 encoder 65600 -> AL 358.5924° "
[2022-06-03T13:55:25.808 AEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - Celestron WiFi : "[ALIGNMENT] Axis2 encoder 168330 -> AL 356.3880° "
[2022-06-03T13:55:26.911 AEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - Celestron WiFi : "[ALIGNMENT] Axis2 encoder 231990 -> AL 355.0220° "

Am I just completely down the wrong path here? The actual conversion from encoder numbers to AL seems to be correct from my calculation, so is it either that isNorthHemisphere() isn't firing correctly (I haven't found where that sits exactly yet), or does this model of mount have the encoder output reversed?

J

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For future posterity, this behaviour seemed to correct itself once I upgraded OSX from Catalina to Big Sur.

Likely an incompatibility with the last version of OSX... not great.. but fixable as long as your laptop isn't too old!

Cheers,
Jack

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Ok in some further testing this morning, KStars on Windows works 100% fine. The issue only occurs on OSX.

Given it's not an INDI issue, i'll see what I can find out on the KStars side.

Will come back with the outcome either way!

Cheers,
Jack

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Oh yes I know that's there. It's unchecked (I did try check it, with the opposite outcome).

But to be clear, I slew the telescope left using the left pointing arrow in the mount control, and my telescope slews left correctly. *However* the little reticule in KStars showing the position of the telescope moves RIGHT.

Same goes for all directions. If i flip the reverse button, and click the left button the telelscope slews right.. but then kstars moves left.

It's very strange.

Jack

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Hey Gents,

While it's likely more a user error on my side, @Fabrizio i did compile the new version of the driver and am having an issue ( www.indilib.org/forum/general/8632-inver...kstars-movement.html ). Likely something non driver related.. but just in case!

Jack

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Hey Everyone,

I started using stellarmate a few weeks ago, and had a few issues which I got sorted out. I have however decided to start from scratch per se, and installed indi on a fresh install of Ubuntu on my raspberry pi, with KStars / Ekos on my macbook.

Connections all work fine, and control to my dslr and scope work (almost) fine. The issue is... the mount controls through KStars do the right thing.. left moves the scope left, right right, up up, down down. *However*.. within KStars the direction indicated moves the *opposite* direction.

I've got my time and geo set in KStars correctly (was my first thought, as i'm in the southern hemisphere).. and i'm sure it's just a setting i'm missing somewhere or something that's strange.

Any pointers?!

Cheers,
Jack

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Ok problem solved! But for those in future that may come across a similar issue, turns out it's because the alignment subsystem is turned off in this particular version of the celestron drivers. Easy to fix by clicking on the alignment subsystem button in the alignment section of the indi drivers. Ignore the green light, and make sure the button text is bold (that's when it's on).

Thanks for the help!

Jack

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Thanks Fabrizio, good to know it's sorted out in the next version.

I'm using the drivers through a stellarmate OS install, so won't touch the specific driver and wait for an update through that (and in the meantime enable the subsystem).

Happy to have an answer after a few days of testing though.. so thanks for the pointers! (Of course its now cloudy haha).

Cheers,
Jack

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Hang on a minute. I think I have a breakthrough!

I had assumed that the alignment subsystem was active due to the green light to the left of it. However I decided to click on it anyway... and.... bam KStars was pointing roughly where it should be! Image attached of how it looks before and after (bold is apparently on?).

Have tried another quick test from scratch, but clicked that after connecting and before syncing.. and things are happening! (yay!)

Is this alignment subsystem not active by default? And just a step I was missing?! Hopefully this helps others if they have a similar issue!

Jack

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Ok, seemingly still no luck.

I ignored any external alignment (it's now daytime) and just tried to sync two approximate sky points within KStars as described. This started with the scope pointing approximately toward menkar, aligning that, then slewing it (using kstars) to the west approximately where Enif would be and doing a second sync.

The telescope pointer within kstars started due north on the horizon, then swung west when i slewed the scope west. However it has not taken into account either sync point.

I've attached the log for the quick test run. Also added a picture of the (i think) relevant sections cut out if thats easier. And finally have added the alignment section of the indi control panel, showing 3 sync points registered.. and the alignment subsystem active.. but not much else?

Edit: Just in case 2 points wasn't enough.. added another vague sync point at Apheratz.

Thanks for the pointers so far... hopefully I can get things sorted eventually!

Cheers,
Jack

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Fantastic thankyou, i'll give that a go tonight.

I had tried by right clicking on the main map at the location and hitting sync, but that wasn't doing the trick. Hopefully this does!

Thanks,
Jack

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Thanks Fabrizio! Sounds like i've just been missing a step.

When you say HC here "using the Motion Control HC of Kstars".. could you just clarify what you mean by that? I may just be a bit daft but unsure where exactly I should be looking!

Cheers,
Jack

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