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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Fresh Ubuntu Install?

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Replied by MountainAir on topic Fresh Ubuntu Install?

Just a suggestion…For those who are not already well-versed in Linux, this platform can be mind-numbingly confusing.  I just wrote about 2 pages of examples for you, but I’ll boil it down this way instead: most people who ask questions here have already burned up Google and they’re exhausted (from their day jobs, this hobby, and now learning a very alien operating system).  They just need a helpful point in the right direction.Cheers and clear skies!  :-)
2 years 11 months ago #70193

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Yes it is confusing. But the link I posted literally is the first hit I get when I search on Google. Have you tried that at least?

Also, with RPi it is really easy to set up a virtual frame buffer with the correct dimensions. With any other device, like the mini PC you're using, it is exceedingly hard. You'll need to set up Xorg to use a frame buffer and then an .xinitrc again with a frame buffer to get this working. I have been using a mini PC for about two years and in the end I gave up because a Raspberry Pi 4 with 4 Gb just performs better. Even with the virtual frame buffer and using a wired network, there were a lot of hick ups in the virtual display and things like plate solving just didn't perform very well. I had to wait for over a minute for a solution to come and with an RPi it is about 2 seconds. Not kidding!!!

My advice: use the mini PC for something else and get you a Raspberry Pi 4. That works and it works really well. There are scripts that can help you to install Ubuntu and KStars and they work. If you don't know Linux very well then a mini PC is just too hard. I have been using Linux for over 20 years and found it hard to configure my mini PC. Just my $0.02 :)
2 years 11 months ago #70228

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Replied by MountainAir on topic Fresh Ubuntu Install?

For me, the RPi4 is out because of my full-frame cameras. Jasem and I troubleshooted it, and Kstars just isn’t able to use > 2gb RAM [EDIT: I was referring to KStars on Stellarmate OS]. I get a few frames into my session and those ASI6200 images cause Kstars to crash unless I turn off all kinds of features that I need. The Pi is also laggy even on LAN, which is a big irritation of mine.
Last edit: 2 years 11 months ago by MountainAir.
2 years 11 months ago #70231

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Replied by AirBourn on topic Fresh Ubuntu Install?

Agreed - My 2600MC beats up on the SM and the WiFi 2.4 versus USB3 is irritating.  Have a 16G mini now.
2 years 11 months ago #70232

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I use an ASI6200MM with a Raspberry Pi 4 with 4 Gb and if I switch off the FITS viewer, KStars runs all night without crashing. If KStars doesn't run on an RPi then why would it run on a mini PC? Also, why isn't KStars able to use more than 2 Gb of memory? Are you running a 64 bit Ubuntu on the RPi? Finally, yes the Pi is laggy for me to but not nearly as much as on the mini PC.
2 years 11 months ago #70233

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Replied by Jose Corazon on topic Fresh Ubuntu Install?

Concur with Wouter here.

I am also using both systems, mini-PC as well as the 8 GB version of the RPi4 and I prefer the RPi4 BY FAR.
I run Ubuntu 20.04 on both systems and I do not concur with the VNC being laggy. I am using 5GHz connection to the Pi4, image transmission is near instantaneous, and the Pi4 is considerably faster than the mini-PC. 867 Mbps vs 433 Mbps.

That being said, both work for me, and once set up for the night, I don't care much about the mini-PC being more laggy on VNC. I just let it run and collect my frames in the morning.

You must be doing something wrong with your setup.

Jo
2 years 11 months ago #70234

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Replied by Scott Denning on topic Fresh Ubuntu Install?

The responses here have gotten seriously off-topic. The OP is asking for help with KStars & INDI on a mini-PC running ubuntu.

I do this all the time, and find it to be a fast & reliable workhorse. I also run several other systems on Pi4's. They are all wonderful.

There's no reason you can't use an ubuntu miniPC for astro. I like my miniPC because it also runs FireCapture really fast due to its built-in SSD, and because I can dual-boot it into Windows for the occasional foray into other software that doesn't run under ubuntu. Loads of people run INDI and KStars on x64.

Agreed it sounds like there's a problem with the NoMachine configuration since you are having the blank screen even with a physical monitor connected to the HDMI port.

Here is a hopefully useful troubleshooting thread:
knowledgebase.nomachine.com/AR03P00973

 
2 years 11 months ago #70236

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Replied by Jose Corazon on topic Fresh Ubuntu Install?

Agreed! Just what I wrote as well.
Both work just fine.
My mini-PC is now almost 3 years old and I find the Pi4 is performing better.
But Ubuntu and Kstars work perfectly fine on both systems.
The problems come in with the different flavors of virtual desktops. I still think x11VNC is the simplest solution by far.
Working flawlessly for me for 2 years +.

Jo
2 years 11 months ago #70238

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Replied by MountainAir on topic Fresh Ubuntu Install?

I think this is relevant to the OP given how this discussion has evolved, so I'll mention it.

I neglected to mention that my RPi4s run StellarMate OS, not a full Ubuntu AMD64 version.  I don't know what OS StellarMate is based on, but I assumed there were x86 limitations involved.  Jasem said it should be able to address 3GB, but I haven't seen progress on that ticket in a while.

The 123MB files from the ASI6200s, especially when taken at short durations (higher frequency) from my RASA astrographs, would drive the RPi4 CPUs to 100% and various processes failed when hitting the RAM allocation cap. I saw this first when trying to take Bias and Dark frames in the refrigerator, but then noticed it even on my 30-second exposures in the field.

When I'm imaging from 3 different rigs in parallel, I need to see the images for several reasons -- I cannot disable the FITS viewer.  I also need to calculate the HFR so I can autofocus throughout the night, as these large reflectors can really drift with the dramatic temperature changes I see (triggering autofocus based on temp change has been less reliable for me than watching the HFR of the images).  The RPi also took forever to save these images to SD card (really decreasing my RASA sub counts), they really have a mediocre WiFi antennas, etc.  My Mini PCs are 2.5x faster, have twice the RAM, run 64-bit Ubuntu, have super-fast NVMe SSD, WiFi 6, faster graphics for displaying the DSS overlay, etc. and I already had them sitting there. Bigger hardware just works better for what I'm trying to do.

<strong>So, for the OP: </strong> Those commands worked fine for me installing KStars on Ubuntu, and the HDMI dummy plugs really solved a lot of problems with my screen sharing in the other thread (but check the recommendations above).  If you want to give RPi4 a shot, it's a great platform for typical use but it just couldn't scale well with my fast astrographs and 48 and 61mpixel cameras unless I started turning useful stuff off.  That was on StellarMate, though; installing Ubuntu x64 on RPi4 seems like it would perform better... but since you have the MiniPC already, it should work great for you!

 
Last edit: 2 years 11 months ago by MountainAir.
2 years 11 months ago #70248

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