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Raspberry Pi Autoguider Project


TasKiNG

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I've been busy with my new Raspberry Pi2 to turn it into a autoguider computer that is small enough to mount on the telescope.


It is running LinGuider and has only 2 connections, USB to camera and 5V power.


It is set up as a wireless access point and is running VNC so you can bring the screen up on your phone or tablet computer.


LinGuider  supports a number of QHY &  ZWO's ASI120 cameras.


 


I'm using a RT5370  WIFI dongle that I bought off eBay for less than £4.


RT5370.jpg


 


If you want to have a go at configuring a Pi2 as a guiding computer then you can get my install notes from :- https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/59414211/Astro/Software/PI2_Guider_Install.zip


You may have to view the Notes text file in Notepad if you are using MS Windows as it is in unix format. 


 


Here's a pic of it running the LinGuider software, with my iPhone being used as the screen:-


 


PiAstroNet.jpg


 


Just need to mount it in a box now and use a 5V regulator to power it from the 12V.


Edited by TasKiNG
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Dave,


i have used one of these http://www.prodctodc.com/dc-12v-to-5v-water-proof-usb-interface-converter-car-power-supply-buck-module-p-137.html#.VQ2E_PysVqY off fleabay(£4) - added advantage delivers higher amps and two USB power connectors (you will need type a to micro usb for pi if not using pins). 


 


On a similar note - dont know if you already knew but I have found out(read it on a site somewhere techie) why USB so slow on PI(and PI 2) - it shares the Ethernet port and the USB ports on the same BUS . Guess that's partly why you have had slower FPS.


 


I find this combo s/w (VNC,SSH etc) useful for talking to the PI - gives you lots of options http://mobaxterm.mobatek.net/download.html free version of course


 


Glad you are getting somewhere with the PI guider


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Thanks Clive, that converter looks great 


I have openssh and vsftpd installed on the pi and use Cyberduck on the Mac to sftp to it.


 


The Pi Autoguider will integrate with a Power Supply/Dew heater project I am working on.


Basically the power supply will be controlled by an arduino card with 4 of the PWM outputs being used to drive power transistors to vary the power to 4 off dew heaters.


There will be a lead from the power supply that plugs into a box on the telescope that contains the pi and also four Dew heater outputs and a 12V for the mount.


This, along with using the Sunco camera for videoing planets should keep the number of wires down to a minimum :)


 


The Arduino PSU / dew heater design is working, Just need a big box and a leisure battery.


Edited by TasKiNG
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Thanks Clive, that converter looks great 

I have openssh and vsftpd installed on the pi and use Cyberduck on the Mac to sftp to it.

 

The Pi Autoguider will integrate with a Power Supply/Dew heater project I am working on.

Basically the power supply will be controlled by an arduino card with 4 of the PWM outputs being used to drive power transistors to vary the power to 4 off dew heaters.

There will be a lead from the power supply that plugs into a box on the telescope that contains the pi and also four Dew heater outputs and a 12V for the mount.

This, along with using the Sunco camera for videoing planets should keep the number of wires down to a minimum :)

 

The Arduino PSU / dew heater design is working, Just need a big box and a leisure battery.

Agree on the min wires. Yes Arduino are very useful little devils especially when you can buy 5 for under £10(Nano's) - great for single function work. What are you using to talk to the Arduino's from the PI "Pi Autoguider will integrate with a Power Supply/Dew heater project " ,  

 

If you need more info on video for planets, SGL have a good forum on just that .Although they tend to use Samsung 2000,Minitrons, X2 Lodestar but have some impressive results plus do "Video Live" broadcasts.  they use this site http://www.videoastronomylive.co.uk/  

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Clive,


Yea the Arduinos are great value. I bought 2 UNO's for less than £10 off fleabay.


The pi will not be talking to the the arduino.


The Arduino is driving an I2C 20x4 line display that shows the voltages ( 12V, 5V & variable ). It also shuts down the output if it goes above a set threshold.


The display also shows the % power for each dew heater output and there is a keypad that can be used for dew heater output select and increase/decrease power.


There will be a lead from the power supply that connects to the box on the telescope that contains the Pi. and also has the 4 dew heater connectors and 12V output to the mount.


Once it is all built up I will post some pictures and the arduino code on the forum.


 


Graham,


The arduino Mega is not powerful enough to be used as an auto guider. I think it only has a 16MHz clock and it cannot run linux.

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This is very interesting-thanks for sharing Dave. Always a zed me how much ingenuity is shown by the amateur astro community [emoji106]

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Clive,

Yea the Arduinos are great value. I bought 2 UNO's for less than £10 off fleabay.

The pi will not be talking to the the arduino.

The Arduino is driving an I2C 20x4 line display that shows the voltages ( 12V, 5V & variable ). It also shuts down the output if it goes above a set threshold.

The display also shows the % power for each dew heater output and there is a keypad that can be used for dew heater output select and increase/decrease power.

There will be a lead from the power supply that connects to the box on the telescope that contains the Pi. and also has the 4 dew heater connectors and 12V output to the mount.

Once it is all built up I will post some pictures and the arduino code on the forum.

 

Graham,

The arduino Mega is not powerful enough to be used as an auto guider. I think it only has a 16MHz clock and it cannot run linux.

Dave ,

Arduino running Linux ??? Heard or RTOS/FreeTos real time kernels being used . Have you a link to where you get the boot loader and what version of Linux runs on any Arduino board. I knew the Arduino IDE runs on Linux but Linux itself on a Arduino board - live and learn  :)

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Dave ,

Arduino running Linux ??? Heard or RTOS/FreeTos real time kernels being used . Have you a link to where you get the boot loader and what version of Linux runs on any Arduino board. I knew the Arduino IDE runs on Linux but Linux itself on a Arduino board - live and learn  :)

 

LOL. you got me wondering what I had put in my reply to Graham :)

Not sure where you got that from as I put "The arduino Mega is not powerful enough to be used as an auto guider. I think it only has a 16MHz clock and it cannot run linux."

Edited by TasKiNG
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