100 replies to this topic

[hcf]

My cameras work perfectly on the same hub when not using VH (i.e. usb cable from hub to laptops) no matter what transfer speed 40 or 100 on the driver settings. 

 

It is not transmission/ connection/ speed issue. I see couple of astro camera issues on the VH forum that the final problem/solution was not found.

The problem maybe that the high speed transfer uses some exotic USB features which are not supported by a software emulator like VH. That is why it does not work.

 

The hope is, slowing down the transfer speed, prevents use of these exotic USB features, making it work on VH.

Edited by hcf, 11 November 2020 - 01:16 PM.

[dlwmacgregor]

Hcf

yes my ZWO cameras are USB3 on a powered USB3 hub. The connection is almost instantaneous and the camera model and info is detected from any of my laptops but no images are saved anywhere including an sd car on a card reader on the same hub. 

 

I might be missing something. So close but not working. 

Do you see the Camera in the USB Monitor dialog box in APT?

[MikeECha]

The problem maybe that the high speed transfer uses some exotic USB features which are not supported by a software emulator like VH. That is why it does not work.

 

The hope is, slowing down the transfer speed, prevents use of these exotic USB features, making it work on VH.

I tried all kinds of speed settings while on VH and none worked. However, I just realized that lowest I tried was 40 which is as low as the slider on the driver goes. I did not try to input a lower number by hand. I will try that when I have a chance.

[MikeECha]

Do you see the Camera in the USB Monitor dialog box in APT?

Yes, both show correctly on the usb monitor in APT

[sameera]

I tried VH based set up couple of times and just want to share my observation if that helps.

 

My configuration was as follows: all equipment connected to a usb hub; the usb hub is connected to a RPi4 which is running the VH server image; a router (GL.iNet GL-AR750S in non-VPN config); a wired connection between the router and VH/RPi4; windows laptop running VH client connected to the router's wireless network.

 

First problem was with Celestron focus motor, it identifies the focus motor but continues to disconnect. Sometimes I was able to move the motor for few seconds but it disconnects. I did not troubleshoot this, instead connected CGX mount, the focus motor etc, via wifi in CPWI (I've installed Celestron wifi dongle so it has its own network. Then the next problem is you have two networks to connect to. I used a usb dongle in my laptop for the second network.)

 

Everything else seems to be working fine. ASI6200, ZWO EFW, Polemaster, all connected fine.

 

The test in the field; I ran a polar alignment successfully with polemaster via VH, but obviously I was sitting next to the mount. Then I moved back inside my car about 20 yards away and took several dozen images with different filters of moon using ASICap, the EFW rotated fine and the images were downloaded without a problem. 

 

The only problem I found was that the wifi connection dropped when I walked fast between the mount and the car. 

 

On a later day I tried SGP at home. Everything in relation to the configuration works fine. It cools down the camera as expected. But the image never downloads after an integration. I saw the following error in VH server log which i suspect related to the download attempt (ignore the date, which I never corrected in RPi4, but i did this test about a couple of weeks back).

Tue Jun 30 11:53:04 2020 kern.info kernel: [11423.935574] usb 2-2.5: reset SuperSpeed Gen 1 USB device number 3 using xhci_hcd
Tue Jun 30 11:53:04 2020 user.warn vhusbdchpi4[627]: Error 22 discarding urb 0x22516800 for device /sys/bus/usb/devices/2-2.5, Invalid argument (abort endpoint)
Tue Jun 30 11:53:04 2020 user.warn vhusbdchpi4[627]: Error 22 discarding urb 0x2255b5a0 for device /sys/bus/usb/devices/2-2.5, Invalid argument (abort endpoint)
...

I also noticed during the image download attempt, the task monitor in windows shows a bust of network activity for VH client (an image is about 130mb for ASI6200) indicating some data transfer. 

It seemed to me there is some difference between ASICap and SGP. But I did not investigate this any further.

[Astro1]

Guys 

 

So reading the many posts on this topic it seems there is a way forward but that there may be issues with VH and ASI cameras, also any camera when using high data transfer , I.E planetary mode. I use the 294 MC pro and todate only ever in long exposure mode ( always in excess of a minute except when framing a subject or focusing ) .

 

Are there any astronomers that have the 294 successfully set up with a Rpi4 and VH ? 

 

Duncan  

[gordtulloch]

Honestly given how good KStars/EKOS/PhD are on the Pi as a very complete stand-alone solution with a big battery, the utility of sending all that traffic over the network rather than just setting up a sequence in EKOS and letting it run all night kind of escapes me.

[MikeECha]

Honestly given how good KStars/EKOS/PhD are on the Pi as a very complete stand-alone solution with a big battery, the utility of sending all that traffic over the network rather than just setting up a sequence in EKOS and letting it run all night kind of escapes me.

To me, the problem with the "Ekos_ystem" is Linux. When all is good great, but when I run into a problem Linux is a black box to me. I can fix anything in windows. 

[dlwmacgregor]

Honestly given how good KStars/EKOS/PhD are on the Pi as a very complete stand-alone solution with a big battery, the utility of sending all that traffic over the network rather than just setting up a sequence in EKOS and letting it run all night kind of escapes me.

I have to totally agree with you there.

AstroDMx_Capture as well.

[hcf]

Honestly given how good KStars/EKOS/PhD are on the Pi as a very complete stand-alone solution with a big battery, the utility of sending all that traffic over the network rather than just setting up a sequence in EKOS and letting it run all night kind of escapes me.

There still isn't a good livestacker on Linux/Indi/Ekos  like Sharpcap, is there?

[sbradley07]

There still isn't a good livestacker on Linux/Indi/Ekos  like Sharpcap, is there?

I believe the upcoming release of Ekos is adding live stacking.  I have the Stellarmate 1.5.5 beta and live stacking is in there.  

 

ASTAP also has live stacking. 

Edited by sbradley07, 18 November 2020 - 03:04 PM.

[hcf]

I believe the upcoming release of Ekos is adding live stacking.  I have the Stellarmate 1.5.5 beta and live stacking is in there.  

Thanks, that is good to know.

[gdsolz]

For those having issues, you might want to look at your WiFi performance. I have been using that rig for about a year with no interruptions or disconnect using a USB 3.0 camera (QHY163M). It might make more sense with the following picture. All the USB devices are then forwarded to my laptop that stays inside during the night. My link speed between the telescope and the laptop is usually in the 900mbps+ range. I found the wifi antenna on the raspberry pi a bit weak if you are more than 20-30 feet from it. 

 

[MikeECha]

For those having issues, you might want to look at your WiFi performance. I have been using that rig for about a year with no interruptions or disconnect using a USB 3.0 camera (QHY163M). It might make more sense with the following picture. All the USB devices are then forwarded to my laptop that stays inside during the night. My link speed between the telescope and the laptop is usually in the 900mbps+ range. I found the wifi antenna on the raspberry pi a bit weak if you are more than 20-30 feet from it. 

 

FullSizeRender.png

Great to hear it works.

 

Is the router connected to your network in bridge mode then the Pi connected to one of the gigabit Ethernet ports on the bridge?

[dlwmacgregor]

Great to hear it works.

 

Is the router connected to your network in bridge mode then the Pi connected to one of the gigabit Ethernet ports on the bridge?

That wouldn't be very useful for those who have the RPi outside connected to their scope.

[MikeECha]

That wouldn't be very useful for those who have the RPi outside connected to their scope.

Not sure what you mean. The picture on the post shows a router on top of the scope and it appears that there is a blue ethernet cable coming out of the pi just behind the Vixen bar. 

 

Regardless, I am trying to make VH work with camera first.

 

Usefulness is a relative term.

 

Do you know in what mode is that router being used?

 

How do you have yours connected?

[dlwmacgregor]

My mistake. I commented before looking at the picture.

[gdsolz]

Not sure what you mean. The picture on the post shows a router on top of the scope and it appears that there is a blue ethernet cable coming out of the pi just behind the Vixen bar. 

 

Regardless, I am trying to make VH work with camera first.

 

Usefulness is a relative term.

 

Do you know in what mode is that router being used?

 

How do you have yours connected?

The router is standalone, it is only connected to the Raspberry Pi with an ethernet cable. 

[MikeECha]

The router is standalone, it is only connected to the Raspberry Pi with an ethernet cable. 

So you made a network with the router just for the pi and the imaging laptop. I will try that. It is not all I wanted as this way I woud not have internet connection on my imaging laptop but it is one step closer to what I would consider my ultimate solution. That is a good idea. 

 

I tried the bridge route because I wanted to do all in my home network but the spare router I had was an N. My home wifi network is Ax and did not work. 

 

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. 

[TelescopeGreg]

So you made a network with the router just for the pi and the imaging laptop. I will try that. It is not all I wanted as this way I woud not have internet connection on my imaging laptop but it is one step closer to what I would consider my ultimate solution. That is a good idea. 

 

I tried the bridge route because I wanted to do all in my home network but the spare router I had was an N. My home wifi network is Ax and did not work. 

 

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. 

802.11AX should be backwards compatible with 802.11N.  What were you trying to connect to what?

 

I sometimes use an old (very old) home router as a stand-alone network.  There are times, as yet not fully understood, where Astroberry on my (headless) Raspberry Pi refuses to connect to the home network, and my laptop refuses to connect to the Astroberry Hotspot directly either.  Seems like there's a cloud over the rig, absorbing all the WiFi signals; VERY frustrating.  Going wired, laptop to router, and router to Pi, solves this.  The router is one from my "to be recycled" pile that only does 802.11B/G, I think, but happens to use little power, and runs from the same 12v battery that runs the mount.  I don't use its wireless connection, so the ancient WiFi standard is irrelevant, and the 100mbit ethernet ports are plenty fast enough for VNC.

 

The router is simply providing basic DHCP services to both sides, and connecting them together.  I connect from the laptop to the Pi with its IP address.  I could do the same with some static IP addressing and a cross-over cable, but this is easy to set up if I have to; normally I get from laptop to Pi via the home WiFi network.  I just need to remember to not trip on the wires...

[MikeECha]

802.11AX should be backwards compatible with 802.11N.  What were you trying to connect to what?

 

I sometimes use an old (very old) home router as a stand-alone network.  There are times, as yet not fully understood, where Astroberry on my (headless) Raspberry Pi refuses to connect to the home network, and my laptop refuses to connect to the Astroberry Hotspot directly either.  Seems like there's a cloud over the rig, absorbing all the WiFi signals; VERY frustrating.  Going wired, laptop to router, and router to Pi, solves this.  The router is one from my "to be recycled" pile that only does 802.11B/G, I think, but happens to use little power, and runs from the same 12v battery that runs the mount.  I don't use its wireless connection, so the ancient WiFi standard is irrelevant, and the 100mbit ethernet ports are plenty fast enough for VNC.

 

The router is simply providing basic DHCP services to both sides, and connecting them together.  I connect from the laptop to the Pi with its IP address.  I could do the same with some static IP addressing and a cross-over cable, but this is easy to set up if I have to; normally I get from laptop to Pi via the home WiFi network.  I just need to remember to not trip on the wires...

Yes, I know they are backward compatible.

 

I am trying to use the Pi as a USB server using VirtualHere (VH). Someone here in CN got this to work and it is what I wanted the Pi for. That way all my astro programs and device drivers run on my laptops in Windows. I tried the Linux/Ekos route and I did not like it at all. They are no match for Window and ASCOM in my opinion in terms of stability and ease of troubleshooting.

 

I was using my old N750 as wireless bridge, meaning home_network_router ~~wireless~~ N750_in_bridge_mode_outside ===>cat 5e cable ===>Pi4 with my laptops inside the house. That way my Pi4 is part of my network and I can connect to it with VH. But the N750 is an N WiFi and lot slower than Ax. Most opinions about this issue on the net is "you need fast wifi for the Pi.."

 

 As I said in an earlier post, everything connected to the PI is accessible and works from any of my laptops with VirtualHere (VH) client, even the camera cooling control. BUT, the only thing that does not work is the most important one: I can not get the images to write to a disk no matter where the disk is including on the PI.

 

I just setup this same router as normal wifi router, with its own network (no internet of course), with the Pi connected to the ethernet port (following posts #88 and #93) and one of my laptops connected wirelessly to that network as shown on the pic and I get the SAME results: No images!

 

I do not know if the problem is with VH server of with the Pi hardware or settings. I have been trying everything I read and nothing works for me.

 

I will keep reading and trying out things as I find them. The problem is that I do not know Linux so I can not troubleshoot on my own. I have to keep searching, reading, understanding and then trying. This is how this this hobby goes anyway.

 

Thanks 

[TelescopeGreg]

Ah, ok.  Apologies; I thought the Pi's WiFi was being used.

 

How far is the WiFi link between the home and the N750?  A good Ethernet cable can go 100m without any sort of repeater.  If not a replacement for the WiFi link, perhaps a way to locate the N750 closer to the home router for a better signal?  The MIMO techniques used in high-speed WiFi degrade rapidly with distance and in open space.

[MikeECha]

Ah, ok.  Apologies; I thought the Pi's WiFi was being used.

 

How far is the WiFi link between the home and the N750?  A good Ethernet cable can go 100m without any sort of repeater.  If not a replacement for the WiFi link, perhaps a way to locate the N750 closer to the home router for a better signal?  The MIMO techniques used in high-speed WiFi degrade rapidly with distance and in open space.

The scope is bout 100ft or less. There is no problem with the wifi strength. As I wrote above, I have tried the Pi wired and wireless with same results. I am sure that is not a network speed related problem. I suspect that is a software problem, be it camera driver, imaging software, Pi/linux USB port settings, VH server or some combination of these. The cameras can work on USB2 speed with my laptop so the issue it is not USB speed.

 

I will keep trying.

[gordtulloch]

I have to totally agree with you there.

AstroDMx_Capture as well.

Absolutely, thats my planetary capture solution

[Astro1]

I'm with Mariner 2 here as I am a ZWO camera man as well.

 

I have great times with my set up running via a USB 3 cable but want to go the wifi route , preferably with a Rpi rather than a mini pc  etc , from what I can read all seems to work apart form the ZWO image down load.

 

Duncan