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

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Raspberry PI 4 and ZWO ASI 120MM mini

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Last weeks I upgraded my rig with a Raspberry PI 4 and a Pegasus Astro Ultimate Powerbox V2. On the raspberry PI 4 I have installed the latest version Astroberry.

My rig uses a ZWO ASI 120MM mini guiding camera which worked excellent with my pervious Raspberry PI 3 with Stellarmate. Now it is acting strange. When using Ekos the ZWO ASI 120MM won't work always. Sometimes it stops and I get the message "getExposureStatus failed".

I read in previous threads that this could be a firmware issue and USB3. But the camera works well with PHD2 and it is connected through USB2 ports.

What do I miss or can I fix ?

Here is the part of the log when it goes wrong :
[2019-12-16T08:56:09.243 CET DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - ZWO CCD ASI120MM Mini : "[DEBUG] CCD Frame ROI x:0 y:0 w:1280 h:960 "
[2019-12-16T08:56:09.258 CET DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - ZWO CCD ASI120MM Mini : "[DEBUG] Setting frame buffer size to 2457600 bytes. "
[2019-12-16T08:56:09.259 CET DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - ZWO CCD ASI120MM Mini : "[DEBUG] Requested CCD Frame is (0,0) (1280 x 960) "
[2019-12-16T08:56:09.259 CET DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - ZWO CCD ASI120MM Mini : "[DEBUG] CCD Frame ROI x:0 y:0 w:1280 h:960 "
[2019-12-16T08:56:09.309 CET DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - ZWO CCD ASI120MM Mini : "[DEBUG] Setting frame buffer size to 2457600 bytes. "
[2019-12-16T08:56:09.316 CET DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - ZWO CCD ASI120MM Mini : "[DEBUG] StartExposure->setexp : 1.000s "
[2019-12-16T08:56:11.602 CET DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - ZWO CCD ASI120MM Mini : "[DEBUG] ASIGetExpStatus failed. Restarting exposure... "
[2019-12-16T08:56:11.679 CET DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - ZWO CCD ASI120MM Mini : "[DEBUG] StartExposure->setexp : 1.000s "
[2019-12-16T08:56:13.992 CET DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - ZWO CCD ASI120MM Mini : "[DEBUG] ASIGetExpStatus failed. Restarting exposure... "
[2019-12-16T08:56:14.194 CET DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - ZWO CCD ASI120MM Mini : "[DEBUG] StartExposure->setexp : 1.000s "
Gunther
Remote PI : Raspberry PI 3B+ with Stellarmate 1.16.2 /
Telescope : Skywatcher HEQ5 /
Camera : Canon 700D
4 years 3 months ago #46987

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Did some tests today. It seems that the ZWO ASI driver is conflicting with the EQMOD driver and the Pegasus driver. When I only launch the ZWO ASI driver it works. It also works with the Canon driver.
Gunther
Remote PI : Raspberry PI 3B+ with Stellarmate 1.16.2 /
Telescope : Skywatcher HEQ5 /
Camera : Canon 700D
Last edit: 4 years 3 months ago by Gunther Fleerackers.
4 years 3 months ago #46989

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After searching a couple of hours in logs and on this forum I came on a message of Copello :

So I changed under the control tab of the indi-drive for the ASI120MM Mini the format from 16 bit to 8 bit. It seems the ASI120MM Mini works then with the Pegasus and the EQMOD drivers. Tomorrow there should be some clear skies so I can test this in the field.

Gunther
Remote PI : Raspberry PI 3B+ with Stellarmate 1.16.2 /
Telescope : Skywatcher HEQ5 /
Camera : Canon 700D
4 years 3 months ago #47000

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Hello Gunther,

If the ASI 120MM mini has the same controller as the 120mm/130mm (USB2), then I guess you will have always trouble in 16 bit (and probably also in 8 bit mode).
As mentioned before, I was able to use my 130mm in 8 bit, however, after switching to RPi4 and latest Raspian Kernel the trouble
started again. It looks to me that the 120/130 are very picky to timings. There exists implementation where it is explicitly checked for
if (is_asi120)
	usleep(150000);
       ...
and other weired checks for 120mm.
I did a lot of testing with timings and even tried the firmware update from ZWO to fix the USB buffer size problem.
>tar xvfz ../zwo_fwtool_usb2.tar.gz
bin/
bin/firmware/
bin/firmware/ASI130MM-compatible.iic
bin/firmware/ASI130MM.iic
bin/firmware/ASI120MC-compatible.iic
bin/firmware/ASI120MM-compatible.iic
bin/firmware/ASI120MM.iic
bin/firmware/ASI034MC.iic
bin/firmware/ASI120MC.iic
bin/firmware/ASI034MC-compatible.iic
bin/x86/
bin/x86/zwo_FWTool_USB2
bin/x86/zwo_usb2_cam.conf
bin/readme.txt
bin/armv7/
bin/armv7/zwo_FWTool_USB2
bin/armv7/zwo_usb2_cam.conf
bin/x64/
bin/x64/zwo_FWTool_USB2
bin/x64/zwo_usb2_cam.conf
>./bin/x64/zwo_FWTool_USB2 
Error: Firmware binary or target not specified
./bin/x64/zwo_FWTool_USB2: FX2LP firmware programmer
Usage:
	./bin/x64/zwo_FWTool_USB2 -h: Print usage information
 
	./bin/x64/zwo_FWTool_USB2 -i <filename> -t <target>: Program firmware from <filename> to <target>,
		where <target> is one of:
			"RAM ": Program to internal or external RAM
			"SI2C": Program to small I2C EEPROM, IIC file to be provided
			"LI2C": Program to large I2C EEPROM, IIC file to be provided
however, the 130mm still functioned very unreliable. After several months of frustration and also buggy SDK, every new ASI SDK release is like
playing lottery, I gave up and bought a used Starlight Xpress Loadstar which works very reliable and well.

Cheers
Thomas
4 years 3 months ago #47003

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For the record, the ASI 120MM Mini does not have the same USB controller issues that it's bigger version has.
4 years 3 months ago #47008

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I can confirm the mini works just fine. I've bought the ASI120mm Mini mono last month and it seemed to work all OK with Stellarmate on a Rpi 4. Using the USB 3 or USB 2 port didn't matter.

I've returned the item to the shop nonetheless, to get a camera from another brand, because I noticed some weirdness with capturing images from my ASI1600mm. When I selected the 1600 for imaging, it returned an image from the 120 or it messed up the integration time. I can't exactly recall what happened.
Also If I want to use PHD2 for guiding, EKOS still loads the 120 because I use the 1600 for imaging. I decided to buy the ToupTek USB 2 version with the IMX290 detector. This way I can select whether or not the guide camera is loaded by EKOS or not (not if used by PHD2).
ToupTek and Omegon also have a camera with a sensor that is used in the 120MM mini, at a similar price.

Cheers!
Bart
4 years 3 months ago #47010

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Can anyone confirm ZWO ASI 120mm MINI will work with Astroberry on a RPi4 for PHD2 guiding? Thanks
3 years 5 months ago #61416

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