I am 99% sure i have your code loaded Alain and i have been testing the new Smart Hard Controller 2+ that can have the BME280 weather sensor instead of on the OnStep PCB.

The smart hand controller sends the weather data to OnStep with LX200 commands.

I see temperature numbers in the Focuser tab in Ekos.

Chad

Thank you chad,
So I could send a pull request to include the stuff into Official Indi
I didn't know this SHC with BME280. I'll have a look.

Seems interesting the new pcb. But the integration of the bme280 into the hand controller seems strange to me because for sure the Temperature will be wrong since each time you hold the hand controller in your hands the temperature will be false.

Well yeah, the problem with the BME280 on the OnStep computer is the drivers that power the stepper motors are always warm.

So putting it on the hand controller is an option that may have better temperature data. Depends on how the user wires all of this up.

This is Howard's latest PCB for the SHC. The BME280 integration we are just starting to test.

Chad

Yeas, I had the same fear for mine so by the end I did mount it at the end of a shielded cable in a little tube and I can located near the mount where T° is more representative.

I agree with Alain here.
Simple solutions are usually the best.
Complex solutions are rarely needed, and always have drawbacks, either immediately or in the future (technical debt).

Having the BME280 on an SHC will work, but also incurs some considerations, such as:

- We now need an SHC that is always connected
- We need an ST4 port
- If it is a WiFi SHC, then it needs a power source
- In either case, we have one more device that polls OnStep constantly
- More cables ...

Related: I have a room sensor based on the BME280, and to exclude the heat generated from the ESP8266 that runs it, I just extended the cable from the case. That is all that is needed.

To All,

I have issued a pull request for version 1.18 that enables Focuser Temperature Compensation Control (Compensation is done at firmware level) .
Hope this will help some people.

Latest lx200_OnStep driver version 1.18 was successfully merged into main branch of Indi.

Packaged versions should be available soon for most common distros:
- Raspberry
- Ubuntu
- Stellarmate

For other distros, either one has to wait that maintainers update the packages or compile from source.

Finally got my changes uploaded:

github.com/james-lan/indi/tree/azwing-mychanges

Mostly amounts to checking on probe (I think all OnStep > 3.6 are good. However, Not sure if all versions will return or if they'll timeout.) Changing types to use double specifically vs the int (and it handles that error, if not doubles) and moving it to it's own update function.

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The (BMP/BME)280 series temperature isn't the most reliable for ambient conditions, as the temp sensor is intended mostly to compensate the pressure sensor. It will be a bit hotter than all the other sensors I've tested by 1-2C, unless read only rarely. (30sec+) It is good for low power though. I've used them for wifi sensors that last for a *long* time on batteries.

Hello,

I’ve been out for two weeks and wasn’t able to test anything, sorry.
Yesterday I tried to compile INDI and in two OnStep tabs - weather and focuser - the right temperature is presented. Well done, thanks!

Unfortunately, I couldn’t make KStars working properly - the compiled version has some issues - most likely with optical train, as it wasn’t possible to set it working - and in the end EKOS still uses weather temperature in the focuser module.

It might be operating system related, as I compiled and tested it on Raspbian OS.
Tonight I’m going to try on Ubuntu and we'll see what happens.

I used many BMP280 and BME280 sensors in environmental / weather stations and like to confirm, they are not the ultimate source of temperature level. Also my other sensors, like e.g. SCD41 use internal temperature measurements only to determine, if the ambient temperature compensation is properly adjusted.
That’s why I voted for extending INDI functionality in order to be able to use telescope temperature probes, like Dallas DS18B20, for more precise calculations.

James,

I will take a look in your changes and will include it into my Master.
Issuing a pull request might be delayed a bit since I am pretty sure some other request will arise from users.

Wieslaw,

the fact that Ekos is using or not the right temperature is not relevant for the focuser T° compensation.
The compensation is done by the firmware and this is OK.
The less control functions we have on Ekos side the better.
All the low level controls should stay in the firmware ensuring they work in standalone mode.
In my opinion Ekos should stay a high level scheduler and process only sequences.
Indi Control panel function is to adjust setpoints and display status ...

OnStep as a firmware should do everything else even is connected only with a simple push button blind hand controller.