15 replies to this topic

[Alex McConahay]

I've been practicing..........picked a location, built a script for it. And ran it many times. It works fine as far as I can tell. 

 

Now, I will be going to watch the eclipse. I will wind up someplace in the area of totality (maybe even near where my practice sessions were specified!!!). BUT.......probably not precisely where my script was written for. 

 

SOOOOOO........ 

 

Do I still need internet on eclipse day? 

 

I will have a gps to give me a precise location, and it will be working off cell towers, satellites, etc. But not connected to the computer running Orchestrator. So, I can get the coordinates, and put them into the computer manually. 

 

My clock (in the computer) will have been set and synchronized properly before I leave Internet accessibility (at most a few days before the eclipse). 

 

Will I need the internet from that point on?

 

I am assuming when I reset the location, the script will RE-calculate the timing, and re-write the script......(without having to access the internet). 

 

Is that correct? Or do I need the internet if I change observing position?

 

Alex

 

[winbag4]

You won't need internet. Seems like you're set!

[Anhydrite]

your script will adjust based off the position you input in EO.

 

If the position is different, and that causes the length of totality to change significantly, you may have issues depending on how you did your script.

 

If you just based everything on C2 time...you will be good....but if you based it off MAX or C3, you may get some overlapping picture times if totality is much shorter at the new location.

[agavephoto]

I'd expect the clock in your computer to drift noticeably. If you can use GPS to set the clock again or connect GPS directly, that will be better.

Edited by agavephoto, 27 March 2024 - 03:51 PM.

[Anhydrite]

I'd expect the clock in your computer to drift noticeably. If you can use GPS to set the click again or connect GPS directly, that will be better.

I wouldn't expect it to make much of a difference for most people.

 

Unless your PC is a potato.

 

I ran the entire 2017 Eclipse off my system PC clock and it was fine.

 

Easy to test right now.  Sync the clock, Turn the clock settings to "manually set time" on the PC and let it run for 3-6 hours, then check time.gov and see how far off the time is.

[starrycanuck]

Alex, I ran some tests today (what else does one do when the rain is almost horizontal ? ) and I have been able to get EO to run without Internet access on my W10 laptop. It does take measurably longer (about 2 minutes) to get through the loading process but then starts script execution as expected,

 

The unusual startup delay had me thinking there as a real problem and the behaviour when no network is present suggests something is going on but EIO seems to get past it. 

[Alex McConahay]

That is good to know. I would have been agitated after a few seconds of that two minutes.

Thanks

Alex

[Alex McConahay]

Before you work too hard at it, be sure that the free version can incorporate any changes in the script or any other commands than those that come with it.

Alex

[Daniel Dance]

You do not need the internet.

 

In fact you DON'T want the internet.  Once everything is working, you want to kill ALL internet connections and updates.  You don't want windows to put an update on your computer that screws everything up.

 

Imagine this:   You're connected to the internet, and a new windows update is downloading while you're imaging the eclipse.  Something happens, and you need to reboot your computer to reset Eclipse Orchestrator.  However, a new windows update was just downloaded in the past hour.  Now when you reboot, Windows is going to install the new update during boot-up and this takes 5 minutes.  Except, totality starts in 1 minute.  You're @#$@ed!!!

 

Turn your laptop into AIRPLANE mode.   And disable automatic updates in your Control Panel.

 

Again, once everything is working properly NEVER NEVER connect to the internet again until after the eclipse!!!!!!

[Anhydrite]

Alex, I ran some tests today (what else does one do when the rain is almost horizontal ? ) and I have been able to get EO to run without Internet access on my W10 laptop. It does take measurably longer (about 2 minutes) to get through the loading process but then starts script execution as expected,

 

The unusual startup delay had me thinking there as a real problem and the behaviour when no network is present suggests something is going on but EIO seems to get past it. 

EO shouldn't be looking for internet connectivity.

 

Loading speed shouldn't change.  I suspect something else was going on.

[starrycanuck]

You do not need the internet.

 

In fact you DON'T want the internet.  Once everything is working, you want to kill ALL internet connections and updates.  You don't want windows to put an update on your computer that screws everything up.

 

....

Yup. I ran the test with network off fully expecting it to be a yawner ... didn't quite turn out that way as EO's behaviour is definitely different on startup if network is not connected.

 

And yeah, nothing is being updated on that machine unitl after the eclipse.

 

EO shouldn't be looking for internet connectivity.

 

Loading speed shouldn't change.  I suspect something else was going on.

Once registered, agreed, can't think of any reason for EO to go to the network.

 

Nevertheless, the delay is measurable and repeatable by enabling airplane mode or dropping the WiFi connection, leaving radios enabled and then starting EO.

 

EO doesn't create log entries during the delay so seems the application level is unaware of any error or either times out and gets on with things.

[Anhydrite]

 

 

Nevertheless, the delay is measurable and repeatable by enabling airplane mode or dropping the WiFi connection, leaving radios enabled and then starting EO.

 

EO doesn't create log entries during the delay so seems the application level is unaware of any error or either times out and gets on with things.

In airplane mode, I have zero delay when starting EO.

 

It starts up really fast like always.

 

This also matches my experience in 2017 with EO.  There must be something causing the application to stall for you.  Not sure why it manifest when you don't have connectivity.

[chvvkumar]

In airplane mode, I have zero delay when starting EO.

 

It starts up really fast like always.

 

This also matches my experience in 2017 with EO.  There must be something causing the application to stall for you.  Not sure why it manifest when you don't have connectivity.

Same, EO starts up in exactly the same time with or without internet.

[starrycanuck]

Could be a difference in camera bodies or something else specific to my hardware setup. 

 

I'm using a Nikon Z7II (not officially supported by EO) which works with some notable quirks (sets incorrect file types, generating nonsense shutter speeds like 1/65534 and can required complete restarts to resolve some connection issues). There are some other threads on CN that discuss the Z body quirks that Z body users have encountered with EO.

 

Entirely possible that my experience might be a driver level quirk ... there are certainly other visible issues that specifically related to the camera body model.

 

Anyway, all good especially as the weather forecast is improving for the eastern end of Lake Ontario!

[Alex McConahay]

Thought just came up.

I planned and practiced for centerline with 4:21 or something of totality. Weather looks poopy. If I chase a sucker hole off centerline and totality is only 2:00 or something, does eclipse orchestrator simply rewrite the script to accommodate? (After I tell it new location)

Or do I have to do something?

Alex.

[Raginar]

It’ll adjust the script based on location.