Thomas Stibor's profile

The simulator settings are hold in property

SimulatorSettingsNP

which are also
saved: SimulatorSettingsNP.save(fp)
but indeed changing values in the property and saving them e.g.

SimulatorSettingsNP[SIM_XRES].fill("SIM_XRES", "CCD X resolution", "%4.0f", 512, 8192, 512, 1280);
SimulatorSettingsNP[SIM_YRES].fill("SIM_YRES", "CCD Y resolution", "%4.0f", 512, 8192, 512, 1024);
SimulatorSettingsNP[SIM_XSIZE].fill("SIM_XSIZE", "CCD X Pixel Size", "%4.2f", 1, 30, 5, 5.2);
SimulatorSettingsNP[SIM_YSIZE].fill("SIM_YSIZE", "CCD Y Pixel Size", "%4.2f", 1, 30, 5, 5.2);

are subsequently loading back the property does not work. Also the step sizes do not seemsto be correct (e.g. X resolution can only be changed in 512 pixel steps, etc..)

Another property is

ResolutionSP

:

inline static const std::vector<std::pair<uint32_t, uint32_t>> Resolutions =
        {
            {1280, 1024},
            {6000, 4000}
        };

// Resolution
    for (uint8_t i = 0; i < Resolutions.size(); i++)
    {
        std::ostringstream ss;
        ss << Resolutions[i].first << " x " << Resolutions[i].second;
        ResolutionSP[i].fill(ss.str().c_str(), ss.str().c_str(), i == 0 ? ISS_ON : ISS_OFF);
    }
    ResolutionSP.fill(getDeviceName(), "CCD_RESOLUTION", "Resolution", SIMULATOR_TAB, IP_RW, ISR_1OFMANY, 60, IPS_IDLE);

This property is used so far I can see only used in 3rdparty in toupek driver but nowhere else:

[indi-3rdparty]$ grep -r "CCD_RESOLUTION" .                                                                             master
./indi-toupbase/indi_toupbase.cpp:    IUFillSwitchVector(&m_ResolutionSP, m_ResolutionS, m_Instance->model->preview, getDeviceName(), "CCD_RESOLUTION",

[indi]$ grep -r "CCD_RESOLUTION" .
./drivers/ccd/ccd_simulator.cpp:    ResolutionSP.fill(getDeviceName(), "CCD_RESOLUTION", "Resolution", SIMULATOR_TAB, IP_RW, ISR_1OFMANY, 60, IPS_IDLE);

How about removing CCD_RESOLUTION/ResolutionSP property and refactoring the CCD_Simulator code?

Read More...

Hello Patrick,

there is an excellent video by C. Buil (though in french only): La Star Adventurer GTi sous toutes les coutures
where he uses the mount in combination with a custom build 3D printed spectroheliograph (called Solex, Starex resp). In the last 3rd of the video he additionally measures periodic error etc...

I use the previous version of the GTi mount with my Canon 700D and Star Analyzer 100, and also with the Solex spectroheliograph and 420mm Refractor (all unguided).

Read More...

The Skywatcher Star Adventurer GTi have a payload of max. 5kg. How heavy is payload loaded on the mount?
I have the previous Skywatcher GTIi version of the mount, which suppose to loaded 5kg. But with 5kg payload you can technically not use the mount at all.

Read More...

Hi there,

updating recent supernovae data results in error:

error downloading supernova data: Connection refused

Checking kstars.kcfg shows:

<entry name="SupernovaDownloadUrl" type="String">
         <label>Maximum days passed since detection</label>
         <whatsthis>Maximum days passed since detection.</whatsthis>
         <!-- <default>https://indilib.org/jdownloads/kstars/tns-daily.csv.gz</default> -->
         <default>http://kstars.bluedynamics.net:8000/tns/files/tns-daily.csv</default>
</entry>

The current default URL:

http://kstars.bluedynamics.net:8000/tns/files/tns-daily.csv

is not accessible.

Read More...

On the stargazerslounge forum is an interesting discussion on: Alt-azimuth tracking speed formula?

Read More...

Jasem, thanks for fixing the pierSide issue.
I think except the last alignment HC imitation, the AUX driver is getting closer and closer being complete.
Regarding the last alignment, how about saving the encoder values (saveConfigItems) when the AUX driver disconnects.
In the connection tab one could add a property, such as "cold start (start at index)"
and "warm start (last alignment)". We could extend the function startupWithoutHC(bool isColdStart),
and send as currently implemented in case of cold start:

AUXBuffer data(3);
// EQ GEM start with 0x40 and other modes at zero index.
data[0] = (m_MountType == EQ_GEM) ? 0x40 : 0x00;
data[1] = 0x00;
data[2] = 0x00;

and is case of warm start the last stored encoder values.

I am currently at holiday and cannot sniff what the HC is sending in terms of last alignment. When I am
home I will report. I believe "last alignment" shall be the last encoder values.

Cheers
Thomas

Read More...

The authors of PHD2 (Bruce Waddington and Andy Galasso) have a presentation on PHD2 Best Practices
see: PHD2 Best Practices

On slide 9 and 10 is written:

Get a good calibration, then re-use it

Re-do calibration only when necessary

Equipment change in existing profile (don’t do this –
use a separate profile instead)
Change in mount guide speed settings
Rotation of guide camera or OAG by more than a few degrees

So the common wisdom is to keep the calibration and re-calibrate only when e.g. rotating the guiding camera....

Read More...