2023 replies to this topic

[mlord]

Would it be possible to get a schematic of the circuit Gen3a?

Post #3 of this very thread: https://www.cloudyni.../#entry12343255

[mlord]

Then I could go looking for what could lead to the unreliable operation on the SE.

The best way to go looking for the SE problem, is to turn on VERBOSE mode on the HomeBrew:  hit the letter 'v' on the Arduino Serial Monitor (115200).  Then power on the mount, and observe what happens and where it fails.  The message trace will show where things went wrong.

[Zoroastro]

Hi Mark - what is the purpose of the diode on the 12V line from the J12 to the DC-DC converter?

 

Cheers,

Luca

[mlord]

The Diode prevents a USB connection from attempting to power the entire telescope mount. 

[KenF9000]

I finally managed to get the board built, compiled the script, uploaded it to the device,

 

This what I get:

HomeBrew-v5.28: AUXRELAY=0 MOUNTUSB=1 GPS=1 BLOCK_CFM=1 SSFORWARD=0 NUNCHUCK=1:0
000001590 wifi_mode_switch: server_mode
esp32_wifi ON, Server mode
wifi_begin_server_mode:
esp32_wifi ON, softAP, ssid=HomeBrew-9F1F94, passkey=
GPS detected
000002735 Sending : auxbus_tx: 3b 03 e2 10 fe 0d
000003741 Sending : auxbus_tx: 3b 03 e2 10 fe 0d
000004746 Sending : auxbus_tx: 3b 03 e2 10 fe 0d
000005751 Sending : auxbus_tx: 3b 03 e2 10 fe 0d
000006756 Sending : auxbus_tx: 3b 03 e2 10 fe 0d
and so on.......

 

I have a red led lit on the ESP and a flashing blue led on the GPS module.

 

After a while I get

000066058 Sending : auxbus_tx: 3b 03 e2 10 fe 0d
000067063 Sending : auxbus_tx: 3b 03 e2 10 fe 0d
GPS Fix: true
GPS Time to Fix: 65.840 secs
GPS Start timeout: 120 secs
000068068 Sending : auxbus_tx: 3b 03 e2 10 fe 0d
000069073 Sending : auxbus_tx: 3b 03 e2 10 fe 0d

and so on ....

 

The red led is still on but the GPS flashes red led and blue led.

 

I presume all is ok.

 

Note this is not connected to a scope at this time.

 

Is there a guide on how to set this up and what it does, how to use it?

Any help appreciated.

 

Thanks to mlord for the design and to Michel Racine for the youtube vid on building it.

[mlord]

That all looks fine.  When you plug it in to the mount, and then power-on the mount, look for three consecutive bright BLUE blinks from the processor board (the silver side).  Those indicate everything is well and working.

 

After confirming that, the GPS works exactly like a Celestron SkySync (but more modern), and the HomeBrew-xxx WiFi works exactly like a Celestron SkyPortal dongle.  So you can read about those two for more information.

 

Cheers

[KenF9000]

That all looks fine.  When you plug it in to the mount, and then power-on the mount, look for three consecutive bright BLUE blinks from the processor board (the silver side).  Those indicate everything is well and working.

 

After confirming that, the GPS works exactly like a Celestron SkySync (but more modern), and the HomeBrew-xxx WiFi works exactly like a Celestron SkyPortal dongle.  So you can read about those two for more information.

 

Cheers

 

Brilliant, thanks for that. I'll hook it up.    

[KenF9000]

It lives.

 

One problem I did have was I was trying to use Sky Safari to talk to the scope, well that did not work.

Downloaded Celestron Sky Portal. 

 

It works.

 

  

[soupy01833]

question

when I download the .bin file it loads just fine

I want to run oled so I download the 5.28 ino file.  rename it to .ino
it compiles and uploads but the esp32 gets stuck in a boot loop,  no idea why


and @mlord  thank you for the board.,   it came quick

Edited by soupy01833, 06 April 2023 - 11:43 AM.

[coollick]

SkySafari will work too if SkyPortal works, just needs to be configured for Celestron WiFi, see post #193

[pbddict1]

Installed the OLED and BN180 GPS!!

 

 

 

[KenF9000]

Installed the OLED and BN180 GPS!!

 

PSX_20230406_125942.jpg

 

PSX_20230406_125919.jpg

 

PSX_20230406_125853.jpg

With OLED I get a <SSD1306AsciiWire.h> not found, i've tried a few OLED libraries but the one that includes the mentioned ".h" file eludes me.

Would you mind stating the library you used, thanks.

Edited by KenF9000, 06 April 2023 - 12:39 PM.

[mlord]

I don't use OLED myself.  But that include file appears to be part of the "Arduino SSD1306Ascii Library".

Google finds it without any problem.  Eg. https://www.arduinol...s/ssd1306-ascii

Edited by mlord, 06 April 2023 - 01:10 PM.

[mlord]

when I download the .bin file it loads just fine

I want to run oled so I download the 5.28 ino file.  rename it to .ino
it compiles and uploads but the esp32 gets stuck in a boot loop,  no idea wh

We found/fixed another instance of that behaviour not long ago.  Old bugs in the code that never caused issues with the 1.xx versions of the Arduino IDE, but which crash with the 2.xx versions.  Perhaps you've found another of those!

 

 

[KenF9000]

I've just found it at: https://github.com/g...an/SSD1306Ascii

 

For those stuck on the same issue, download the ZIP file using the green "Code" button, select "Download ZIP"

From the IDE, select "Sketch", then "Include Library", then select the "Add .ZIP Library" (its near the top), locate your downloaded zip and import/install it.

 

The code then compiles.

[soupy01833]

We found/fixed another instance of that behaviour not long ago.  Old bugs in the code that never caused issues with the 1.xx versions of the Arduino IDE, but which crash with the 2.xx versions.  Perhaps you've found another of those!

Maybe i need to wipe out my Arduino library and start over.  it compiles fine but maybe I have a library that is not correct,

 

 

[SieglindeFestkochend]

The best way to go looking for the SE problem, is to turn on VERBOSE mode on the HomeBrew:  hit the letter 'v' on the Arduino Serial Monitor (115200).  Then power on the mount, and observe what happens and where it fails.  The message trace will show where things went wrong.

My interim status regarding the problems with the NexStar SE and the HomeBrew Gen3x:

 

• If the ESP32 is running at 80 MHz, it is not always already booted up when the HC scans via the serial bus everything that populates the mount. Then the HC sometimes finds a NexStar GPS, or no mount (16/17) or the message "Application Start" can be seen in the HC...
   
• If the HomeBrew is already booted up because it was powered by USB before you turn on the mount, this will result in a trouble-free start of the mount with HomeBrew Gen3x.

Here's how I researched further:

• In my NexStar SE, when the ESP32 is running at 160 MHz, it's always booted up before the HC scans. This results in trouble-free operation on a NexStar SE with OLED an anything else. Unfortunately, power consumption increases.

To specify the CPU frequency, see the sketch by Mark Lord, Line 13: "and also CPU Frequency = 80/160Mhz (WiFi/BT)"

If this post doesn't belong here or contains incorrect information, I would be grateful for a hint.

 

 

Thanks again, Mark

Edited by SieglindeFestkochend, 06 April 2023 - 04:40 PM.

[mlord]

Is your hand-controller firmware up-to-date?  The latest firmwares seem to take much longer at startup now.  Either way though, I also always use 160MHz for the ESP32 CPU now.  I will update the instructions to match that.

[soupy01833]

i am good now  setting cpu frequency to 160  seems to have resolved my boot loop

[SieglindeFestkochend]

Is your hand-controller firmware up-to-date?  The latest firmwares seem to take much longer at startup now.  Either way though, I also always use 160MHz for the ESP32 CPU now.  I will update the instructions to match that.

HC: NXS 5.34.2065

MC: 5.14 5.14

Edited by SieglindeFestkochend, 06 April 2023 - 04:38 PM.

[soupy01833]

Installed the OLED and BN180 GPS!!

 

PSX_20230406_125942.jpg

 

PSX_20230406_125919.jpg

 

PSX_20230406_125853.jpg

 

Did you design the enclosure yourself?

[pbddict1]

Did you design the enclosure yourself?

 

"Design" might be too strong a word!!

 

Yes I did make it from scratch.

I measured Mlord's board, made a box to fit it, and then added some holes for stuff to poke out of

Autodesk Fusion 360 is awesome (and free)

[soupy01833]

I normally use tinkercad

I might try to do something off coolicks original stl

[mlord]

I hope to have .STL for a basic Gen3c enclosure to post here by the weekend.

[coollick]

I normally use tinkercad

I might try to do something off coolicks original stl

If you want to tinker...https://www.tinkerca...ngs/dk77gXFjQE0