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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Live Stacking

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Back in my Meade DSI CCD imaging days, the Meade software featured automatic live still-frame stacking (as well as saving the individual frames). It was magical how a faint DSO would slowly grow and appear on my laptop screen while sitting outside shooting and it inspired me to keep shooting more frames, adding more time. It REALLY added interest and fun to what can otherwise be a rather boring process of capturing still frames. I think it would be a fantastic addition if live stacking were added!
4 years 9 months ago #40401

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Replied by Gene Lauria on topic Live Stacking

I concur! Something that operates like Sharpcap would be awesome. I am now doing mostly Electronically Assisted Astronomy (EAA) which I think is really going to catch on. I can see so much more with my camera doing live stacking than I can visually from my moderately light polluted (Bortle scale 7) back yard. I currently use Sharpcap and it works great but I still have to use a USB cable which stinks because I control everything else wirelessly with INDI/Ekos. The latest version of Sharpcap however has a mode where you can load the images for live stacking from a folder. You can use INDI/Ekos to put the files in the folder and then load them into Sharpcap. The only problem is that when I tried this when it first came out, you couldn't apply and image processing to the live image (such as color balancing and stretching) so it was pretty useless for live stacking in this mode. However, I tried it recently off-line, (i.e. from a old folder that had some images I took last year) and it seemed to work. I am going to try it again soon to see if the later version now allows for adjustments while taking the images with the camera.

In any event, as you mentioned, it would be wonderful if a Linux developer of this community could make an INDI / Ekos version of live stacking. Perhaps if more of us request this feature maybe Jasem can develop one (like he doesn't have enough to do!)
4 years 9 months ago #40405

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Replied by Alfred on topic Live Stacking

Gilles has done some work on live stacking a while ago. Check it out here:

indilib.org/forum/ekos/3814-live-stackin...-and-ekos.html#29047
4 years 9 months ago #40420

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Replied by Clive Stachon on topic Live Stacking

You can "cheat" (its windows only software) by using Astrotoaster (Deep Space Stacker engine) and just monitor the folder where your stills are saved - works with DSLR raw images (i.e. CR2 indi calls it naive for Canon) and/or FITS. Works! :-)

Also I believe Martin M on EAA on SGL has written a stacker,in Python (but not QT) that works on Windows/Mac and I think Linux .
RPI3 Ubuntu 16.04 / AMD desktop Kstars under Ubuntu 16.04 Mounts :azeq6 ,SWAZGoTo

RPI3 Fedora testing out on AMD desktop Fedpra 28 - running kstars 2.9.4 , Indilib 1.7.4 ?????
4 years 9 months ago #40426

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Replied by Tom Bardenwerper on topic Live Stacking

Stash, you beat me to it!

I just found Astrotoaster and was about to share what I found here. Other than not being built into Ekos, Astrotoaster seems like it's exactly what I am looking for and looks very promising. I'm going to try it out the next clear night I'm out (in about two to four months the way the weather's been lately, grrr) and I'll post how well (or not) it works. Since it sounds like you've already used it, perhaps you you can share your thoughts on it?

Here is the download link to Astrotoaster:
www.astrotoaster.com/download
4 years 9 months ago #40427

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Replied by Clive Stachon on topic Live Stacking

attached pic is not using Indi and Astroaster (but I have done it ) - I too am more interested in EAA - havent the patience for long image hrs on one subject.

Note you need a decent CPU/SSD etc if you want fast stacking with Astrotoaster in my experience .

The example is Mod Canon 100d via C 9.25 - might have been unguided
RPI3 Ubuntu 16.04 / AMD desktop Kstars under Ubuntu 16.04 Mounts :azeq6 ,SWAZGoTo

RPI3 Fedora testing out on AMD desktop Fedpra 28 - running kstars 2.9.4 , Indilib 1.7.4 ?????
Last edit: 4 years 9 months ago by Clive Stachon.
4 years 9 months ago #40428
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Replied by Rob Lancaster on topic Live Stacking

I did some work with Live Stacking in Ekos last February, but did not finish it. I still have the code though. . . Maybe later this summer we can work on this again.



The following user(s) said Thank You: Eric, Oliver, T-Studio, Alan Archer, AstroNerd, Craig, Brian, Peter Sütterlin, Tom Bardenwerper, Spartacus and 1 other people also said thanks.
4 years 9 months ago #40429
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Replied by T-Studio on topic Live Stacking

I am very looking forward to it.
4 years 9 months ago #40613

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Replied by Rick Wayne on topic Live Stacking

Oh shoot, late summer is Crazy Time for me with Ski Patrol, we also have a release coming up at work. Otherwise I would love to get in on this. In very general terms, what's the build environment like for Ekos? I live mostly in Visual Studio these days but have certainly done time in gcc-land as well.
4 years 9 months ago #40627

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Replied by Jasem Mutlaq on topic Live Stacking

We'd love to get more help on this. I wrote a guide for GSoC students that can help: edu.kde.org/kstars/gsoc.php

So basically you need the following:

1. Kubuntu 18.04
2. Qt Creator
3. Compile KStars from Git: indilib.org/forum/general/210-howto-buil...st-libindi-ekos.html
4. Open CMakelists.txt in kstars top directory in QtCreator
5. Compile and run KStars and start hacking away.
4 years 9 months ago #40633

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Replied by Rick Wayne on topic Live Stacking

OK, absolutely no promises but if I can scrape up some time, I'll see what I can see.

I'll have to do it on the down-low, though. Otherwise I'll get The Look from my wife, and "That's great, dear. What project are you giving up to make time for it? Hmm?"
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4 years 9 months ago #40634

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Replied by Bernd Limburg on topic Live Stacking

Hi,

some live stacking feature in Ekos would be highly appreciated! :woohoo: :) Especially if one doesn't have a Windows machine, like me...

CS, Bernd
The following user(s) said Thank You: Ray Wells
4 years 1 month ago #48813

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