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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

ASI120MM (USB2) kinda worked

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A couple of months ago, I bought the Stellarmate OS and installed it on a Pi4. At first, my ZWO ASI120MM would not work, but after reading a bunch I updated the firmware with "Compatible" and it worked just fine. However, I was unable to get my Nikon D5100 to work using the relay shutter release.

I have since installed Astroberry on the same Pi4. Now my Nikon D5100 relay shutter releases works, but I cannot get my ASI120MM to work. I reflashed it back to the original firmware - no change. Regardless of firmware, when I click "Capture", the capture, loop, and guide buttons all depress simultaneously. I don't recall this happening when running Stellarmate.

Could I just need to update Ekos or something? I am running the latest version of INDI driver (1.4) according to sudo apt-get install indi-asi

Thanks!

UPDATE: I just swapped in my QHY cam and it works fine *and* the button behavior is the same as with the ASI. While I might be able to use the QHY for guiding, I'd rather get my ASI working.
Last edit: 4 years 4 months ago by Paul Nixon.
4 years 4 months ago #46204

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The ASI120MM and MC cameras (USB2 version) have been discussed many times on this forum. With the original firmware they do not adhere to the USB2 standard and that’s why they do not work.

People have had mixed experiences flashing them with the compatible firmware. For some people the cameras work, for some people they work in 8 bit mode and for some people (like me) they do not work at all.

Bottomline: if it works you’re in luck. If it doesn’t work then you’re better of using another camera. In your case the QHY camera works so just use that. Or purchase an ASI120MM-S or MC-S (USB3 version) because they work flawlessly.

Please search the forum for ASI120 to see the long discussions we have had about this camera before.


Clear skies, Wouter
4 years 4 months ago #46206

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Hi Wouter,

I read many posts where people had mixed luck with this camera - I was unsuccessful with it using the Stellarmate OS until I flashed the firmware with "compatible". Then I was able to use it without too much difficulty.

When I tried the Astroberry release/distro, the 120MM showed up in Ekos, but it gets stuck in an infinite loop. I downgraded the firmware to "stock" and it behaves the same way.

I am curious why it worked in one flavor of Linux but not another given the "driver" should be the same (INDI) and if there's anything else I can try.

We need clear skies here!

Cheers,
Paul
4 years 4 months ago #46208

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Hi Paul,

Apart from the INDI driver there is a binary driver from ZWO. Then Stellarmate OS and Astroberry possibly use different Linux kernels that treat USB2 with different levels of strictness. Between those two anything can happen, I suppose. Sorry, that’s the best I can make of this.


Clear skies, Wouter
4 years 4 months ago #46210

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Thanks Wouter,

No problem - thanks for the reply.

I have a second Pi4 I can experiment with. Maybe I'll get that set up and do a side-by-side and see where they are different.

Cheers!
Paul
4 years 4 months ago #46225

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Small update.

I have the other Pi4 up and running Stellarmate, and yes it does "work" with the ASI120MM in that I am able to get both a still capture and stream. However, I noticed in dmesg loads of the following:

[ 1776.252914] Voltage normalised (0x00000000)
[ 1790.813167] Under-voltage detected! (0x00050000)
[ 2013.376620] rpi_firmware_get_throttled: 9 callbacks suppressed
[ 2013.376626] Voltage normalised (0x00000000)
[ 2023.776774] Voltage normalised (0x00000000)
[ 2805.870667] rpi_firmware_get_throttled: 10 callbacks suppressed
[ 2805.870673] Under-voltage detected! (0x00050005)
[ 2810.030745] Voltage normalised (0x00000000)
[ 2812.110848] Under-voltage detected! (0x00050005)
[ 2816.270900] Voltage normalised (0x00000000)
[ 3077.579767] usb 1-1.4: USB disconnect, device number 7
[ 3106.807130] usb 1-1.4: new high-speed USB device number 8 using xhci_hcd
[ 3106.937959] usb 1-1.4: New USB device found, idVendor=03c3, idProduct=120a, bcdDevice= 0.00
[ 3106.937976] usb 1-1.4: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 3106.937989] usb 1-1.4: Product: ASI120MM
[ 3106.938001] usb 1-1.4: Manufacturer: ZWOptical company
[ 3106.938012] usb 1-1.4: SerialNumber: 00000
[ 3149.078063] Under-voltage detected! (0x00050005)

(the reason the cam is identified at the end of the string is I had just plugged it in after replacing the original USB cable. All part of testing).

However, when I switched to a different power supply, I'm still seeing lots of "usb 1-1.4: reset high-speed USB device number 4 using xhci_hcd" but NO Under-voltage.

Maybe that doesn't matter or is otherwise meaningless. Maybe it explains why the cam works for some and not for others.
4 years 4 months ago #46270

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Another small update -

Now the ASI120MM works on the Astroberry Pi4 - but the QHY 224C works on neither.

{head shaking}
4 years 4 months ago #46278

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With the rain dashing any hopes of outside observing, I've been testing my ASI120MM indoors, and it seems it does work with the Stellarmate, but not with the Astroberry. Wondering if this might be a library difference, kernel difference, driver difference, or what? It would be nice if I could copy and paste a config file or whatever from the Stellarmate to the Astroberry.

Thanks!
4 years 3 months ago #46419

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