i feel you, even though i have my setup a few meters away from me once i have set it up, i stopped using INDI a few weeks ago once everything went downhill for my equipment for no apparent reason (maybe the atik driver messed things up) and i will do another test at a later date once i automate my windows setup. i switched back to windows so i can get some imaging time after two years of hiatus, so every small detail has to work almost perfectly since every year i get less and less time for imaging due to my work hours. My advice is to test different software if your gear doesn't work with the current one, what software to use i am not sure since i have been away from the hobby for two years so others may have better solution, just don't give up the hobby the frustration of not doing your favorite hobby it will eat you inside.

Also just finished my observatory and it works great. Even my roof works from Indi. Everything is great, except my qhy camera, so nothing can be used at the moment since the chain is broken

It would be nice with a way to revert to old versions of Indi using apt. Can't the automated build system be set up to build old 'major' or 'stable' releases in addition to the latest such that we can easily switch between versions?

I have a master plan...
I will attempt to use PHD to polar align this mount on the next clear night, even if I have to look like a popsicle by the end of it, do not care.

Now, I had a light bulb moment today, on how to align the mini guider to the telescope (at the moment it is not correctly set).
I'm going to set the mount in the home position, weight down, scope straight up.
I will take a capture&solve using the QHY5 and adjust the grub screws to move the guider, rinse and repeat until the guider solved image is aligned with what the mount is pointed too according to the interface.
It might not make sense now but I will take some screenshots later on (or whenever I can...)

You can revert to previous packages using apt-get askubuntu.com/questions/138284/how-to-do...-package-via-apt-get

The only solution really is to have controlled updates and saved images. On a RPI is simple as you just save the current image and create another backup SD card. That way once its working you dont change anything unless you are forced too - even in that situation you create a "snap shot" of your system before doing the upgrade/changes. This way if its a software problem caused by an update you can quickly revert back to a "working" image.
Of course that doesn't help if you are 100's of miles away but even then using multiple bootable o/s on the same h/w should be still possible assuming you can control power up and remote connection. Even perhaps Docker or Sanboxing if you "pc" can stand the strain.

Can I ask a silly question why are you doing Pole Alignment each time on,what I assume is , a static observatory? Perhaps I misread your text.

In the end I dont think anyone on this site (or other Astro sites) have not had one or more nights when nothing goes right - thats why its so sweet when it all works - Buy a punch bag for Xmas

I have an idea,,,, maybe we could create a compatibility matrix somewhere online where we can all contribute what equipment we use and some sort of rating for each combination to say it works well or not....
Basically some sort of table where each row contains mount,camera1,camera2,filterwheel,focuser,roof/dome,weather,switcher,usb-hub,power-supply, other.

It's a not a silly question at all.
Let me explain, last time I was here I did re-align the mount using github.com/ThemosTsikas/PhotoPolarAlign (I worked on the first version of this tool).
It does work quite nicely, and so far managed to get some good long exposure pictures. Anyway, I then decided to try the Ekos polar alignment, and posted my results in the following thread www.indilib.org/forum/mounts/4056-polar-...-this-a-bad-one.html and as you can see, the results from it was quite bad ie: telling me my mount is way off.

Fast forward to now: I left the camera I used to polar aligned at home (UK) and decided to try 100% the ekos polar alignment tool.... but it turned out that there is a bug which I wasn't aware off and the rest is history as they say...

That's a brilliant idea, I do like it.

Thanks, but I can't seem to find the old indi packages. 'apt-cache showpkg indi-full', for example, shows only versions 1.7.6 and 1.7.4. Where do you find the old builds ?

@gonzothegreat so how was this night's attempt? and your Atik firmware?

@universalmaster I believe apt-cache only retains packages you actually installed.

No, it uses the sources listed in the sources.list file to generate a local file list of the packages on the servers:

See here
debian-handbook.info/browse/stable/sect.apt-cache.html

Most files listed here
launchpad.net/~mutlaqja/+archive/ubuntu/ppa

are also from the end of 2018.

At least I can't find old packages of indi....

When you guys say ditch the QHY5 is this the old one that Orion has a rebranded version as Orion Starshoot? or are you refereeing to all QHY5 such as QHY5-II