BYE Feature Request

[JTWaters]

I was imaging last week and started a run that lasted 90 minutes.  During that time somebody bumped my mount and I didn’t know about it.  Would it be possible to do a quick analysis that compares the image just taken to the previous image to determine if the star fields have shifted by ‘n’ pixels and if so abort the run and issue an audible alarm?  This would be an optional setting for the user.  I understand that this would be difficult to code and be problematic for wide-field imaging.

 

Another way would be to work with the Open PhD Guide developers and have them provide an alarm status when PhD loses ‘lock’ on the guide star or the guide star starts to run-away.  This alarm signal would then instruct BYE to ‘abort’ the run and issue an audible alarm to the user.  This would require coding coordination between the Open PhD developers and O’Telescope.  This assumes that users will be using an auto-guider.

 

Jim

Phoenix, AZ

[fkleinha]

Fritz,

 

Please feel free to start a new thread rather than add an unrelated request onto an old thread.

Sorry.  I am new to this forum and barely know how to do anything, but needed a quick answer to this question.  I'll try to be smarter next request.

[Cmahesh]

I am a happy user of BackyardEOS premium version for about a year. I wish to suggest few new features/improvements for your next updates.

1) Official support for controlling the camera over wifi.

2) Please try to negotiate with PEMPRO team to get BYE/BYN support for PEMPRO's image acquisition.

3) Improve the sequencer so that lights, darks, biases, flats can be programmed in a single sequence (like in SGPro). 

4) When darks/bias frame types are selected take the exposure without opening the shutter so that we don't have to cover the telescope manually. If camera firmware/SDK doesn't allow it then display a warning message reminding to cover the telescope.

5) When bias frame type is selected automatically select the fastest shutter speed available for the camera. 

6) Possibility of saving image file as TIFF only.

7) Ability to view some important data about image such as minimum, maximum and average pixels values (help in getting correct exposure for flat frames). 

8) A BYE/BYN remote app for iOS, Android and Windows mobile devices that can connect via wifi be used to control BYE.

[astroman133]

In reply to your suggestions:

 

1) control of the camera via WiFi must be supported in the Canon SDK

 

2) Have you asked Ray Gralak about integrating BYE as a camera app for PemPro? The O'Telescope web site has a downloadable document that describes how to use the External API. The integration should be a piece of cake for him to implement.

 

3) There have been previous requests to enhance the capture plan to support mixed frame types in different rows of the plan and to allow the programmed pauses which would give the opportunity to cover the objective or hang a flats light source. However, I am not sure why you would benefit from the ability to mix bias frames with other frame types in a capture plan. Bias frames are typically shot infrequently since they are not temperature dependent. There is no need to shoot new bias frames for each target.

 

4) I believe that the Canon SDK does not support capturing an image without opening the shutter. However pausing before and after dark and flat frames is a good idea.

 

5) If you must select the ISO it is a simple thing to also select the exposure.

 

6) How would allow saving images only as TIFF files help your workflow?

 

7) It has been previously requested that the histogram be changed to show the histogram of the linear, raw, unstretched image, rather than a histogram of the embedded JPG. This would help determine the correct exposure for flats. However, if you are using an artificial light source for your flats, you would only need to determine the optimum exposure once.

 

8) Guylain has previously said that rewriting BYE/BYN for iOS will not happen. This is because it would be a complete rewrite, not a port. In fact, it is in a pinned thread here --> https://www.otelescope.com/index.php?/topic/454-mac-version-of-bye/#entry12517

[s3igell]

I am a happy user of BackyardEOS premium version for about a year. I wish to suggest few new features/improvements for your next updates.

 

Welcome to the BYE/BYN Forum, CMAHESH.

 

The standard practice for submitting a new set of Feature Requests would be to Start New Thread (perhaps multiple).  Maybe the Moderator - Guylain - can split your latest Post off into a New Thread for us.

 

This is a decent list of Feature Requests, and some are "Rather Good" (some so Good that they have already been Submitted).  Might I suggest that you spend a bit of time reading through the Past Threads in this Feature Request Forum, so that you'll both encounter those Threads (and the responses which Support or Explain "Why Not") and learn how Other Users have found ways to Work Around or Work Through similar Feature Requests.

It will probably even strengthen your appreciation of BYE/BYN.

 

Happy Reading, and Clear Skies!!

[Gordb]

Hi Guylain. I see from the Astromi.ch website that you are now a distributor for MBox. I've tried to connect to it using your info above but have so far been unable to connect. Will you be adding this as a direct connect option as was/ is the Stickstation and confirming the connexion process?

 

Many thanks,

 

Gord

[Gordb]

Sorry, I didn't notice this was part of another topic. Perhaps this should be a new thread?

 

Cheers,

 

Gord

[admin]

Hi Guylain. I see from the Astromi.ch website that you are now a distributor for MBox. I've tried to connect to it using your info above but have so far been unable to connect. Will you be adding this as a direct connect option as was/ is the Stickstation and confirming the connexion process?

 

Many thanks,

 

Gord

 

Yes, I have 10 MBox in stock and 6 MGBox.  I just got them yesterday.  I will try to support the MBox in the next release but I have not even tried one yet so no promises... but it is just a matter of time now... I will get to it eventually.

 

Thanks

[Gordb]

Thanks Guylain.  The MBox seems to work quite well.  Looking forward to your next update.

 

Cheers,

 

Gord

[admin]

On 2/1/2017 at 7:02 PM, admin said:

 

It does not for now... but it may work as-is as I think the MBox produces the same boltwood file as the StickStation.  Try the StickStation option in BYE with the MBox... it may work as-is.

 

The MBox is now supported.  And for a shameless plus I'm also an MBox dealer and I have several in stock.

https://www.otelescope.com/store/category/115-astromich/

Regards

[admin]

Thanks Guylain.  The MBox seems to work quite well.  Looking forward to your next update.

 

Cheers,

 

Gord

 

MBox is supported in BYE 3.1.9 and BYN 2.0.2.  Both available for download right now.

[Gordb]

Thanks Guylain!

[astroman133]

This thread should probably be moved to the Feature Suggestion Box Forum.

 

Actually, the PHD2 already allows programs like BYE to monitor PHD2's operation. The Event Monitoring system can send messages like LockPositionLost or StarLost to a connected application like BYE. There are several more events which generate messages.

[JTWaters]

I didn't know about the Future Suggestion forum.  If PHD2 already generates these events were are half way home.  IMHO this would be a nice feature and selling point.

 

Are these PHD2 events documented?

 

Jim

[astroman133]

Yes...here --> https://github.com/OpenPHDGuiding/phd2/wiki/EventMonitoring

[JTWaters]

It looks like the Admin has to move this topic to the Future Suggestion forum.  Sorry for posting in the wrong forum.

 

I found the PHD2 events.  'StarLost', GuidingStopped', 'LockPositionLost'...etc.  Not sure about run away guide star.  My CGEM has a tendency to run away in DEC.

 

Jim

[admin]

I just moved this thread in the Future Suggestion forum

[s3igell]

PHD2 also produces an Audible Alarm during a "Star Lost" Event.

 

It would be good if BYE could react to PHD2 in such a case, but this may push Guylain to start the Arduous process of updating BYE/BYN to use of the newer PHD2 Server Protocol.

This would also allow BYE advances in the Dither process to communicate when the Dither is COMPLETED, and to leverage a few other recently-added PHD2 Server Messages.

[astroman133]

Sounds like you need to tune PHD for your CGEM. You should try PHD2's Guiding Assistant. It can analyze your mount's performance and make suggestions for changes to the guiding parameters.

 

It also seems that your runaway guide star would be related to the StarLost event. If the guide star moves further than the "Search region (pixels)" value between exposures the star will be "lost". Increasing the search region value can help to keep from losing the guide star, but will not give you the good guiding that you need. Since the mount does not track in Dec, this guide star drift is most likely due to polar misalignment. PHD's Drift Align tool can really help. If you can get close with a polar scope and/or the All Star Polar Alignment functionality in your CGEM then the Drift Align tool can, with practice, allow you to get very close to perfect alignment pretty quickly.

 

BTW, I only live a couple of hours away from you, in Sierra Vista. If you camp, you should consider coming down to our star party at Kartchner Caverns State Park on October 1st. It is probably not a good event for imaging, but fun nonetheless. We set up solar scopes around noon and switch over to nighttime rigs after dinner. We usually run until about 10PM, but can stay later. With good weather we have had 20-25 scopes set up and upwards of 300 people attending. We often get members from the Verde Valley club who RV and set up their gear with us.

 

If you haven't been to the Park before, you should also consider reserving a spot for one of the cave tours. The cave is pretty amazing!

[s3igell]

It also seems that your runaway guide star would be related to the StarLost event. If the guide star moves further than the "Search region (pixels)" value between exposures the star will be "lost". Increasing the search region value can help to keep from losing the guide star, but will not give you the good guiding that you need. Since the mount does not track in Dec, this guide star drift is most likely due to polar misalignment. PHD's Drift Align tool can really help. If you can get close with a polar scope and/or the All Star Polar Alignment functionality in your CGEM then the Drift Align tool can, with practice, allow you to get very close to perfect alignment pretty quickly.

There are also a number of Non- Polar Alignment Error causes for Star Lost:  Poor Seeing, Thin High Cloud, Lens Flare...  I've also had Star Lost for Bird-Flock Over-Flight, Bird Landing on Scope, Fly Crawling on GuideScope Lens, and Cow-Lick (my favorite story - a Herd of Range Cattle wandered into the Dark Site and one Heifer started LICKING the Scope!!).

[astroman133]

I love the animal-caused reasons for loss of a guide star.

 

Of course there could be other causes, but with a CGEM I assumed that his setup is portable rather than permanent. One of the most critical issues for a portable mount is to quickly get a polar alignment that is close enough for good autoguiding. I zeroed in on this as the most likely cause.

 

If you habitually image in areas of poor seeing and still have transient loss of the guide star as an issue, I would suggest lengthening the exposure time. It may help.

[JTWaters]

Thanks all for the inputs.  I do think it would be useful for PHD2 to send these event signals to BYE.  I understand the issues pointed out above.  As for my occasional CGEM DEC problems I am going to pull apart the DEC assemble and try to find what's going on.  This only occurs if the balance is offset to the east.  I also have a DEC backlash issue to fix.

 

Jim

[fkleinha]

USB Weather Station:

 

I understand that the Blue Astro Stick Station is out of production.  The US supplier, Deep Space Products now recommends the MBox Meteostation.  It is a USB weather station too.  Does or will BYEOS support this?

fritz kleinhans

 

[admin]

USB Weather Station:

 

I understand that the Blue Astro Stick Station is out of production.  The US supplier, Deep Space Products now recommends the MBox Meteostation.  It is a USB weather station too.  Does or will BYEOS support this?

fritz kleinhans

 

It does not for now... but it may work as-is as I think the MBox produces the same boltwood file as the StickStation.  Try the StickStation option in BYE with the MBox... it may work as-is.

[astroman133]

Fritz,

 

Please feel free to start a new thread rather than add an unrelated request onto an old thread.

[Ron Hillstromb]

  I tried the Stickstation with the MBox software and it worked with that software too.  I turned on Boltwood file option.  I tried it with BYE 3.1.8 and using either Auto Detect and Stickstation did not result in a display on the main page of BYE.  I also tried with the Stickstation software as normal and it worked.

 

  I had high hopes it would work since the Stickstation worked with the MBox Software.    Others should check since my setup, Win 10 on a Surface 3, may not work for some reason and it will work on a different set of hardware.  The price for the hardware listed on the USA site is close to the price on the Swiss site.

 

Ron

[Ron Hillstromb]

_{After further use the Stick station and MBox software has one problem using as Stickstation + MBox software.  It is supposed to write Boltwood files to Documents Directory.  I can not find the files or the 10MicronRefraction.txt files in any directory.}

 

  _{Again could be my setup for this configuration.} 

 

  _{It may work fine in the proposed MBox + MBox software set up or even MBox + Stickstation software.  The file in MBox for Boltwood files is Boltwood.txt vs Stick_boltwood.txt in Stickstation.} 

 

_Ron 

 

 

[admin]

Then using the text file option properly configured in BYE will work.  In fact the StickStation option in BYE uses the text file option with a pre-defined file format.