Hi
This was the most frustrating imaging problem I had ever come across ! One thing you require from an imaging set up is reliability but you never knew when this problem would raise its head and destroy an automated session !
The issue went away in my rig when I started using the RPI4 4 GB version. I suspect the cause of it is to do with the combination of the specific USB bus architecture which the particular platform utilises and the protocol that ZWO uses to effect a data transfer to the host. The RPI4 is far superior to its predecessors both in terms of memory, processing power and bus architecture. I believe the usb bus is more dedicated and not shared with other resources like the network and operates at usb 3 speeds which immediately makes it more compatible with my ASI 1600mm-c which was the unbuffered version ! I am using the hub provided by the camera which also hosts the guiding and Atik filter wheel and I do not get this problem now.
I have a feeling that if the usb bus is more of a shared resource, then depending on how device priority is assigned on the bus, the data transfer protocol when downloading an image (which I guess needs high priority at the time of transfer) becomes unreliable due to bus contention issues. All this is dependent on the particular hardware platform architecture and hence the problem is not solely due to a single bit of software or hardware but is system dependant - which helps explains its multiplatform nature.
I hope that helps !
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Thanks for your response Guido. It is also difficult for me to connect to home wifi in the garden . I use a LAN connection with PLC terminals for remote control from the house so I do not need a WiFi dongle. I use the Astroberry hotspot for local setting up focus etc before doing the imaging run indoors with the LAN connection.
Cheers
Ian
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Hi Radek
Thanks for your response. Yes I've experimented with the dmesg command and I can sometimes get the Pi to recognise the UART but it doesn't appear to be communicating with the mount properly .
I agree it looks like a dodgy cable and I have ordered another .
Great work on your latest Astroberry image BTW ! The RPi 4 has definitely got what it takes for a much better astrophotography experience.
Cheers
Ian
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Thanks very much Wouter.
Your response is very useful as it now enables me to troubleshoot my connection.
I fear my lead is slightly dodgy but at least I can see what is going on - or not !
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Hi
I normally connect to my NEQ6 mount using EQMOD over bluetooth with Astroberry. This works OK but I have experienced the occasional random disconnection. I have decided therefore to go back to the good old reliable method of using a wired connection to the mount using USB to TTL conversion. I made up a cable using a FTDI chip a while back and it worked fine on the ASCOM based windows system I was using then. I now want to use the same cable on an INDI connected system using Astroberry. However it doesn't want to connect when I simply plug the cable in and try and connect the EQMOD mount. The default port setting is /dev/rfcomm0 and if I try to scan for other ports on the connection tab I get a message saying "no candidate ports found on the system for EQMOD connection". I notice however you get this message even if nothing is connected ! It may be therefore that the RPi is not sensing the connection at all and there is a physical problem with the cable. I seemed to remember when using the said cable with Ascom there was a FTDI driver that I needed to download.
Am I expecting too much to expect a connection simply by connecting the cable and trying to connect using the existing EQMOD Indi dirver in Astroberry ? Or is there a setting I am missing or another driver. ? The EQMOD Indi driver works ok using Bluetooth as the medium and I would have though this was more complex.
Thanks for any Info
Cheers
Ian
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Ah thanks Bart this is what I was looking for. When I looked at the priority settings on the edit connection Tab the hotspot was at -999 ! I have now adjusted this so it is above my home wifi and it boots up connected to the hotspot . QED
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Thanks Avocette - yes that sounds good. I use both the hotspot and the home wifi so perhaps a bit drastic ! I was hoping there was some setting for the default network on boot up but at least your way sounds solid.
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Hi
Congrats on moving Astroberry to Raspbian for use on RPi4 ! It certainly fills a gap.....
I just wanted to ask whether you can set the default wifi connection to Astroberry hotspot on start up ?
It used this on initial boot up but after I connected to my home wifi for upgrade it now appears to default to that on boot up even if I shut it down with it connected to the hotspot
Thanks for any info
Ian
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