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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

HEQ5 support

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Replied by Rob Lancaster on topic HEQ5 support

What camera is not supported by GPhoto? I'm surprised because it supports A LOT of cameras due to all of the folks who are into photography.
6 years 1 week ago #24261

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Replied by Greg on topic HEQ5 support

The Pentax K-3Ii closes its shutter immediately. I’ve tried everything. But I’d still want to use the SynScan driver.
6 years 1 week ago #24265

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Replied by Rob Lancaster on topic HEQ5 support

I'm not sure if this would help you with the shutter issue, but I found this via a google search:

www.pentaxforums.com/forums/16-pentax-ne...ability-gphoto2.html

It sounds like a similar problem and involves Pentax as well.
6 years 1 week ago #24267

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Replied by Csaba Kertesz on topic HEQ5 support

Regarding the GPhoto. I was also surprised that e.g. the Canon M-series cameras were not supported at all a few years ago and I could just dig some discussions when some preliminary support was added a year ago. The GPhoto-compatibility must be checked always for the camera.

I also point people to EQMod driver if it is feasible, but there are use cases when synscan driver is needed, I admit. Did you check this page?

indilib.org/devices/telescopes/synscan-telescope.html

I updated the description since you left the negative review.

I think the most important to update the firmware of the handset. When I refactored the Synscan driver some months ago, it was completely broken in some aspects. Handset firmware V3.37/V4.37 and up should be okay, but earlier versions can have missing support in the communication protocol, I don't support them at all. On the other hand, please check your setting in "KStars Configure/INDI/Time & Location". If "KStars Updates All Devices" is selected, your Mac will sync its time and the location in KStars to the handset. If this setting is not selected, KStars gets the location from the handset. Please report your progress, there can be some nuances on Mac what we can look into if macOS works specially in this matter compared to Linux.

"But I'm finding that the driver is screwing up the time settings in the hand controller - after disconnecting and checking the time, its no longer correct."

Can you a bit more specific? Do I understand correctly?
1. You connect the handset to Mac.
2. The time is updated correctly to the handset.
3. You disconnect from the Mac and the time is reset to a wrong value.

If this is the case, I would need more information about this situation with an example.
- What was the time before connecting?
- What was synced?
- What was the wrong time after disconnecting?
- How did you disconnect from the Mac? Did you stop INDI before removing the cable?
- Was the handset powered during the whole process or was it temporary disconnected from DC power at any point?
The following user(s) said Thank You: Jasem Mutlaq
Last edit: 6 years 1 week ago by Csaba Kertesz.
6 years 1 week ago #24277

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Replied by Greg on topic HEQ5 support

Thanks @rlancaste. I'm one of the main respondents on that thread and provided some information for the GPhoto2 developer so that the K-5II is now supported. I've raised an issue on Github and hope Marcus Meissner will respond.
6 years 1 week ago #24292

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Replied by Greg on topic HEQ5 support

Thanks @kecsap, I'll try some more testing tomorrow to give you some answers.

(PS: I was out last night and used Kstars mount control (since no hand controller) and it worked pretty nicely so I was able to align my scope but again its not preferred - It awkward and risky for the laptop in -15c temperatures.)
6 years 1 week ago #24293

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Replied by Rob Lancaster on topic HEQ5 support

I had my equipment set up outside the last two nights. It was definitely cold here too. But I was inside and the Raspberry Pi was outside serving up the devices to my laptop which was inside. Have you tried this kind of setup? It is much more comfortable for both you and the laptop. I was watching a movie and sitting in front of the fire and my laptop was next to me on a table running the sequences. The raspberry PI was outside in the freezing cold, but it is much cheaper than the laptop.
6 years 1 week ago #24294

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Replied by Greg on topic HEQ5 support

Yes, this is exactly what I do except I have my car since I have to drive to darker skies. Unfortunately this doesn't work so well when your camera is not supported! I hope to have my modified K5ii back soon, then I won't have this problem but still, I would like the synscan driver working as its the manufacturer's supported method.
6 years 1 week ago #24295

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Replied by Greg on topic HEQ5 support

Thanks @kecsap, I just tested out some things as you mentioned and its interesting...

Firstly I have v3.39.03 of the firmware which to my knowledge is the latest for V3 HCs. Yes, Kstars setup to update devices. I did not operate the system in any way. Just connected and then disconnected.

I entered incorrect data so that I could see whether it corrected it. It did so in most cases but changed others incorrectly:

Entered at the HC:

Date: 3/18/2018
Time: 17:41:44
Location: 73 09 W 44 27 N
Time zone: -3
Elevation: +20m
Daylight savings: yes

Then I connected to a remote stellarmate that had the HEQ5 connected via USB2Serial - when I tested before with the Mac, it exhibited pretty much the same symptoms.

Then I disconnected and checked the settings in the HC:

Date: 03/19/2018 (correct)
Time: 18:45:54 (correct)
Location: 74 09 W 45 27 N (correct)
Time zone: 00:00 (Wrong!!! should be -5, or -4 for daylight savings)
Elevaton: +20m (unchanged but does not agree with the Ekos device control pane which says 60.96m)
Daylight savings: No (Wrong!!! Should be YES with -5 for time zone or NO with -4 for time zone)

So time zone, daylight savings and elevation are issues.
Last edit: 6 years 1 week ago by Greg.
6 years 1 week ago #24319

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Replied by Csaba Kertesz on topic HEQ5 support

Time zone+daylight savings: I think the handset does not care about these settings, the time itself what matters. I did not implement this part, but I never noticed because the driver worked without any problem with incorrect timezone settings.
Elevation: There is no way to set the elevation via serial protocol. It is most likely reset by the handset when longitude/latitude are set.

If you find these settings crucial for you, you should disable the handset update in KStars.
Last edit: 6 years 1 week ago by Csaba Kertesz.
6 years 1 week ago #24320

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Replied by Greg on topic HEQ5 support

How can time matter but not time zone or daylight savings.
6 years 1 week ago #24321

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Replied by Csaba Kertesz on topic HEQ5 support

You mentioned that

Time: 18:45:54 (correct)

The handset will use these numbers and the latitude/longitude, it does not care about if the timezone is incorrectly set, if the local time is correct.
6 years 1 week ago #24322

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