INDI Lib Client

[pdenny1968 2]

Hi

 

I believe PixInsight has added INDI Client capabilities to it's suite of functions for camera control.

 

http://indilib.org/

 

Is this something that has made it onto the BYEOS radar as a future feature?

 

I have been experimenting with power efficient cable free remote operation of my imaging setup recently and  have added a Raspberry Pi 2 to my mobile power unit which provides power to my mounts, camera and dew heaters etc. So far I've got my LX200gps fully connected and operating via INDI server running on the Pi 2 connected via WiFi back to my PC running KStars as an INDI client in a VM.

 

I have also managed to get my Canon 60D connected and working for image capture via KStars. It works, but it is buggy and not reliable or solid enough for my liking. Not yet anyway, and I don't think too many people are working to develop KStars at the moment. One things for sure, it's not BYEOS! Not anywhere close to being in the same ball park IMO.

 

It would be great if BYEOS had the ability to connect to a remote camera via the INDI Server/Client platform.

 

Cheers.

 

Pete

[astroman133 687]

Pete,

 

Connecting to, and communicating with, the camera is a function of the Canon SDK. BYE uses the SDK to query the camera and to control it.  It seems to me like INDI support would have to come at the SDK level.

 

Am I wrong to say that if an INDI driver were written for Canon EOS then any client application could interact with the camera?  If so, then if BYE supported INDI it could be in the role of a client app.

 

I only read about INDI as a result of reading your post, so maybe I don't understand INDI correctly.

[pdenny1968 2]

The 'Driver is part of the INDI Server, that is running on the Pi 2 (Ghoto2.lib that supports a whole range of cameras). Hence I can already connect to it an take images with similar control to that provided by BYEOS.

 

 If I understand it correctly, all BYEOS 'INDI client' would have to do is pass the required function to the remote 'INDI server' which will then do the heavy lifting as it were, and pass the image back to BYEOS.

 

Many Clients can connect to the server for all sorts of functions, Scope control, Dome control etc etc. It looks like a great platform. 

 

I'm no software expert, which is why I ask the question here.

[pdenny1968 2]

Ok, for anyone who is interested I found a solution to my need to get a fully remote and power efficient set up that allows me to continue to use BYEOS (my preferred platform, and without doubt, the best there is!).

 

I'm running 'Virtual Here - remote USB' server on a Raspberry Pi 2 running the latest Raspbian Jessie image. This is installed in my Portable Power Station that comprises a 90Ah Deep Cycle battery and 6 fused 12V power outlets. One of the outlets powers a Hub that connects my Canon 60D, USB>Serial adaptor for my LX200GPS (used when at home), and a Neximage imaging WebCam, which in turn are all connected to the Raspberry Pi

 

All connected USB devices are then available to any other PC running Windows, Linux or OSX using the 'Virtual Here' Clients, which make the remote devices appear as a locally attached USB devices that are then available to any software that needs to access them. This can be your local network or via the Web.

 

This all works perfectly and I can highly recommend 'Virtual Here'  it to anyone wanting to do a similar thing.

 

I am now running BYEOS in Windows 10 to control the DSLR, while at the same time, running Ubuntu 15.04 in a VM which in turn is running KStars to control the LX200 and Webcam. 

 

The download times for the DSLR images to the PC are 2-3 times longer than if directly connected, but this is not an issue for me.

 

Not having a permanent observatory at home, and not wanting to leave a laptop/pc running out in the cold and damp while I image, this is a perfect solution. I can sit indoors and control everything remotely, or if I drive out somewhere, I can sit in the car with the laptop

 

I do still very much like the INDI platform. It is developing well and has many users. The only issue is the lack of mature Windows based software clients to connect to it. Hopefully this will change in the not too distant futue

 

Cheers.

[AWSBarker 0]

Hi Pete,

 

It's taken me a month but based on your message below I used VirtualHere to help drive my remote observatory using BYE.

At the observatory I use VirtualHere server on Lubuntu and at home BYE running on Windows XP virtual machine. 

 

I do have a slight issue with download times. Like you this is not critical normally but for dawn/dusk Flats based on exposing the sky through a T-shirt filter I find 30 Flats can take 2-3minutes to complete. The light levels do change enough in that time to mean an adjustment in exposure to retain same light levels. I'm still unsure of the final effect on the Flat master once everything is averaged etc. I suspect not a great effect.

 

My question maybe for Guy: is it possible to force a 'burst' of exposures, say 20 x 0.5s (total approx 10s) and get BYE background worker to process them?

 

I've tried to put by 60d into burst mode but it doesn't seem to change the way BYE processes each exposure - currently waiting for each download to complete before next exposure.

 

Thanks for any feedback

Andrew.

 

 

[admin 393]

 

My question maybe for Guy: is it possible to force a 'burst' of exposures, say 20 x 0.5s (total approx 10s) and get BYE background worker to process them?

 

I've tried to put by 60d into burst mode but it doesn't seem to change the way BYE processes each exposure - currently waiting for each download to complete before next exposure.

 

 

BYE automatically waits for the download to be complete before moving along to the next picture.

 

Regards,

[dts350z 28]

Wouldn't planetary mode be the thing for this ( 'burst' of exposures, say 20 x 0.5s (total approx 10s))?

 

That will be 5x zoom (1:1 pixels) and jpeg/avi but at least rapid frames.

 

I forget if the API covers Planetary?

[astroman133 687]

He probably needs RAW flats to use for calibrating RAW lights. Planetary images are always JPGs.

[s3igell 289]

My question maybe for Guy: is it possible to force a 'burst' of exposures, say 20 x 0.5s (total approx 10s) and get BYE background worker to process them?

 

I've tried to put by 60d into burst mode but it doesn't seem to change the way BYE processes each exposure - currently waiting for each download to complete before next exposure.

 

Consider setting the Save-To: setting to Camera just before Starting the sequence of Flats.

 

This should avoid the Delay due to Image Download.  (Of course, the Canon SDK provides no way to later Transfer the Files via USB to the PC, so you'll be on the hook for that action.  And the Files won't have benefit of BYE Filenaming or EXIF Data.)

 

And remember to set Save-To: back to PC before shutting down BYE or before starting another Capture Plan.

 

BYE automatically waits for the download to be complete before moving along to the next picture.

 

Regards,

Except for "Save-To:" Camera, correct...

 

He probably needs RAW flats to use for calibrating RAW lights. Planetary images are always JPGs.

While not terribly applicable, Flats do NOT need to be produced at the same ISO as the Lights.  But they DO need to be RAW...