INDI support

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mads0100@gmail.com
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Re: INDI support

#21

Post by mads0100@gmail.com »

https://sourceforge.net/projects/indi/

This is where I’d start.
spata
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Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2021 9:10 pm

Re: INDI support

#22

Post by spata »

yoandresmza wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:40 pm Hi, I'm new here.
Any chance in adding support for INDI devices?
It would be a breakthrough as it would give your already great software a lot of flexibility. This would allow users who have an observatory at home to connect to the devices remotely without the need to have a laptop in the telescope (it would be enough running the INDI server on a Raspberry for example).
Please consider it. They could become the only AP software manufacturer to do so and make a big difference to the rest.
Thanks!
Andres
not sure if it has been mentioned and is probably not what you want but is an okay workaround. I use kstars/ekos on a pi4 and live stack with sharpcap via folder monitoring. wireless n/5ghz is plenty fast for live video and the $12 usb3 thumbdrive that runs the pi4 is keeps up @ 400mb/s.
mads0100@gmail.com
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Re: INDI support

#23

Post by mads0100@gmail.com »

Yea, that's a really good point. I might give that a shot soon. Thanks for the idea!
mlines
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Re: INDI support

#24

Post by mlines »

Can I put in a plea for adding Indi driver support.

Sharpcap does not work on my laptop due to it being a business laptop and my company having a software probe installed that trips up the Sharpcap "anti hacking" test.

I have to run Sharpcap in a virtual machine but this does not always capture the USB port where the camera is attached, wasting hours of time whilst trying to simply use Sharpcap to polar align.

It is fabulous for polar aligning, far better than other products but on my system is unreliable due to external factors
Kopa
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Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2020 6:26 pm

Re: INDI support

#25

Post by Kopa »

Hi
not sure if it has been mentioned and is probably not what you want but is an okay workaround. I use kstars/ekos on a pi4 and live stack with sharpcap via folder monitoring. wireless n/5ghz is plenty fast for live video and the $12 usb3 thumbdrive that runs the pi4 is keeps up @ 400mb/s.
That is the same workaround I have been using. Went to Pi4/KStars/Ekos/stellarmate/astroberry for a cheap version remote control. Looked daunting at first but it just works. Internal Platesolver better than ASTAP in poor quality skies and polar alignment with no polaris visible is great in my experience.

So was looking for INDI Support Plugin in Sharpcap as in APT and CCDciel but is not supported.

So another workaround I use with sharpcap is Virtualhere (£35). (Free to try with only 1 Usb active).

Virtualhere server runs on the Pi4 and Virtualhere client installed on PC. Anything connected to the Pi USB outside is picked up as if it was plugged on PC. I can then Open Sharpcap and cameras, mount, guider etc is accessible remotely.

Because my scopes FL are 1000mm, 400mm and 180mm I don't bother imaging planets. My setup has a minimum exposure of 0.5sec before dropping frames in Sharpcap so fine for longer exposures in sharpcap.

Vince
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Re: INDI support

#26

Post by admin »

Hi,

for those still interested in this, I now have a prototype version of SharpCap that will work with ASCOM Alpaca for remote device access. There appears to be a thing called 'indigo_agent_alpaca' (see https://github.com/indigo-astronomy/ind ... ent_alpaca) that makes Indigo devices largely available for Alpaca/ASCOM clients, although the documentation is rather sparse for this.

I must admit that I have never quite got to grips with the differences (or similarities) between INDI and Indigo, so I'm not sure if this helps with INDI rather than Indigo.

I hope to make the Alpaca capable version of SharpCap available for alpha/beta testing relatively shortly.

thanks,

Robin
mads0100@gmail.com
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Re: INDI support

#27

Post by mads0100@gmail.com »

Hey Robin,

I'll test it for you. I'm sorry, I don't frequent your forums as much. If you send me an email I'll gladly work it into my routine when the weather allows. I was just looking at ALPACA to see if I could do it myself.
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Re: INDI support

#28

Post by admin »

Hi,

this functionality is now available in the beta versions of SharpCap 4.1 (which you can find download links for in the beta testing forum - viewforum.php?f=38). It will certainly work with ASCOM Alpaca devices and should autodiscover them on the local network. I haven't tried the Alpaca to INDI thing personally yet, but presume that it can be made to work.

cheers,

Robin
T-Studio
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Re: INDI support

#29

Post by T-Studio »

I would also like to see support for the INDI driver.

The ability to connect ShapCap to the INDI driver has the following advantages:

1. Powerful linkage function

INDI does not require a POTHHub (or Device Hub) as ASCOM calls it, and all drivers are capable of multi-client (distribution of multiple applications) control.

Parts that require driver cooperation functions such as PlateSolving and autofocus are very stable.

2. Very fast PlateSolving

StellarSolver for use with INDI drivers


has already been ported to Windows, but it cannot be used without connecting with the INDI driver. (Only the INDI driver has not been ported to Windows.)

In the case of INDI, the driver can be used in cooperation as standard, so Solver and autofocus can be used very stably.

But Linux doesn't have mature live stacking apps like your program.

If ShapCap supports INDI, Linux users will be happy, and Windows users will be able to perform stable linked operations (PlateSolving, autofocus, etc.).

I've been doing astronomical observations with Windows and Ascom for a long time, but I feel that INDI is much more stable in terms of linkage and solver.
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Re: INDI support

#30

Post by admin »

Hi,

did you have a chance to try the 4.1 beta and the indigo/alpaca bridge (linked above)? That would be my preferred option providing that it works in a usable manner.

thanks,

Robin
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