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Hardware Development / Re: AstroEQ running on MKS GEN L (RAMPS 1.4) board
« on: November 09, 2021, 11:29:23 »Ugh.. well that was short lived. It was slewing around great. I parked it because I had an axis reversed. Closed out of eqmod, loaded the config utility, and it no longer saw the com port. So I unplugged and re plugged a few times, still no com port. And a windows message that the USB device was not recognized. Then on 2 other computers, the same. I guess don't buy cheap clone boards. Not even sure who made the original.When buying genuine board only good thing is that you are supporting original developer. Clone boards are just as good as "genuine" one (some variants are even better) and I doubt your failure is related to board vendor.
Currently using ramps 1.4 MKS Gen L with TMC2130 drivers (configured not in SPI mode)
One important note when using TMC SSS (TMC2208, TMC2209, TMC2130, TMC5160...):
If you supply +5V VIO (logic) to these drivers BEFORE VM (say +12V VMOT), you will burn them and most likely burn attached μC unit as well, which is happening when you attach μC to USB without previously supplying +12V to the RAMPS. This applies to Arduino Mega Shields and standalone boards as well, and can happen not just when flashing, but also when using the board in many scenarios, for instance if main battery dies while device is still attached to USB, if you unplug power supply or if you turn off the device before unplugging USB from PC. This is the most likely the case of your failure. There are two ways of preventing this to happen:
a) Unsolder fuse from +5V USB port
If You use RAMPS 1.4/1.5 as shield on Arduino Mega, just unsolder fuse F1 from Arduino Mega 2560 PCB, which is located on righthand side of Arduino Mega 2560 USB port (it is 3x5mm SMT fuse) and thus cut off powering Arduino from USB. This way you will be safe with any USB cable in the future. If You are using MKS Gen L (or similar standalone board), find and unsolder same fuse off the PCB, it should not be hard to locate, look near USB port also righthand side.
b) or make special USB cable
Alternative is to always use specially prepared USB cable with +5V (red wire) cutted off. This will produce the same effect but will make your setup cable-dependent, which is something easy to forget.
@TCWORLD
I believe this info is important and worth mentioning on AstroEQ Tutorial & FAQ page.
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AstroEQ Support / Re: RA Axis Coordinate Jumps
« on: June 08, 2021, 14:19:49 »
Maybe you can try without INDI then? I mean with ASCOM-EQMOD if you have windows machine nearby, just to isolate the cause.
3
Mount Support / Motor directions
« on: June 08, 2021, 12:55:01 »
My DEC axis misbehave.
In ASCOM-EQMOD it worked excellent. But when connected to INDI server on raspberry Pi, at the beginning, DEC axis moved in opposite direction, but GoTo software reported it moves wher it should. I tried every possible option in INDIlib, double checked everything (pier side, park side, date, time, location, hemisphere...), whatever I do the result is the same. If i set DEC reverse in INDIlib, then it moves where it should, but GoTo software now reads the opposite direction, because this option does not only reverse motor direction but also encoder values, so doesn't help at all.
To fix this, I had to reconfigure AstroEQ and set option "Declination Axis" to "Backward". Then it moves as it should and it reports back to GoTo software correct encoders values. But guess what, now I have the same problem when connect AstroEQ directly to ASCOM-EQMOD. And option "DEC recerse" in ASCOM-EQMOD did no help, because even though it reverse slewing commands, it reports back to GoTo software reversed encoder values, so it show moving south when it actually moves north and vice-versa, just the same as in INDIlib.
I have this problem only with DEC axis. My question is what option "Forward" and "Backward" in AstroEQ Config Utility do? Does it only reverse motor direction, or it does also reverse internal encoder values? Is there anything I could try to make AstroEQ works the same on ASCOM and INDIlib or reconfiguring firmware every time is only option? Is there any way either in ASCOM-EQMOD or in INDIlib EQMOD to reverse motor direction only, but not encoder values, that would be helpul?
In ASCOM-EQMOD it worked excellent. But when connected to INDI server on raspberry Pi, at the beginning, DEC axis moved in opposite direction, but GoTo software reported it moves wher it should. I tried every possible option in INDIlib, double checked everything (pier side, park side, date, time, location, hemisphere...), whatever I do the result is the same. If i set DEC reverse in INDIlib, then it moves where it should, but GoTo software now reads the opposite direction, because this option does not only reverse motor direction but also encoder values, so doesn't help at all.
To fix this, I had to reconfigure AstroEQ and set option "Declination Axis" to "Backward". Then it moves as it should and it reports back to GoTo software correct encoders values. But guess what, now I have the same problem when connect AstroEQ directly to ASCOM-EQMOD. And option "DEC recerse" in ASCOM-EQMOD did no help, because even though it reverse slewing commands, it reports back to GoTo software reversed encoder values, so it show moving south when it actually moves north and vice-versa, just the same as in INDIlib.
I have this problem only with DEC axis. My question is what option "Forward" and "Backward" in AstroEQ Config Utility do? Does it only reverse motor direction, or it does also reverse internal encoder values? Is there anything I could try to make AstroEQ works the same on ASCOM and INDIlib or reconfiguring firmware every time is only option? Is there any way either in ASCOM-EQMOD or in INDIlib EQMOD to reverse motor direction only, but not encoder values, that would be helpul?
4
AstroEQ Support / Re: RA Axis Coordinate Jumps
« on: May 28, 2021, 02:24:40 »
I had many problems with INDIlib on Raspberry which normally don't appear on PC. My outdated GPS receiver suffered from week number rollover, RPI did not have RTC at the time (added I²C device later), and INDIlib stubbornly updates time from GPS device even though you told not to in config and there was no internet on remote location for NTP to work. Even Chrony forced GPS or fake-hwclock time on Armbian. Nevermore, the thing is, to isolate this problem try running INDIlib on desktop PC instead of RPi and then add libs one by one to be sure the problem is in INDIlib or host OS or some 3rd party lib.
5
DIY AstroEQ / Re: EEPROM read in progress! on Mega 2650
« on: May 28, 2021, 01:55:50 »
Right, I did not solder ST4 or R21 yet. I just tryed to enable this option so I would be able use advanced HC in future, but this brought me into the problem I described above. The thing is that not even reconfiguring was possible anymore or any kind of serial communication other than uploading new sketch. I tomorrow i will repeat and add 1k resistor between pins 21 and 23 to see what will happen. Auto EEPROM repair apparently worked but after that it hangs on reading before opening config utility. I thought reflashing will erase eeprom and start with fresh configuration...
6
General Discussion / Re: What can AstroEQ do for me?
« on: May 25, 2021, 23:02:30 »
Not just that, with addition of an raspberry and INDI server your mount could have GoTo abilities with phone app. I use it that way on CG5 AS-GT with NEMA17 and GT2 belt drive. No backlash, no freeplay, 400 steps per revolution in 1/32 microstep mode gives resolution equal to HEQ6. Besides that, raspberry can use GPS usb dongle, and gamepad, onky sky is the limit thanks to AstroEQ...
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DIY AstroEQ / EEPROM read in progress! on Mega 2650
« on: May 24, 2021, 11:56:55 »
Recently I built my own telescope controller which consist of Raspberry Pi acting as an INDI server connected to RTC, GPS, Joystick and AstroEQ based on Arduino Mega 2650. While I was experimenting with various things I run into an problem that I would like to point on here so it could help other users to avoid this kind of situation or fix the issue if they already run into it:
Problem description:
AstroEQ Configuration Utility stall on "EEPROM read in progress!"
While using debug version of AstroEQ utility I found that it repeatedly sends :O21 and waits for response which nevers come back.
Fix:
How to avoid this probelm:
When I first run into this problem, I tried everything, even manually erasing every bit of EEPROM but without luck, only bootloader burning actually helped. I also repeated various scenario to find actuall reason for running into this problem and I found it. This "EEPROM read in progress!" kind of situation happen every time if you try to set ADVANCED HC DETECT option to enabled with Arduino Mega 2650 - so, until somebody find a way either to make this option work with Mega or disable this menu item when working with Mega - spare your time and just don't try to enable it.
Some strange things
It actually may be possible to fix this probelm even without burning bootloader into Mega but it requires specific AstroEQ firmware versions whch one day may not be available into download section, but for now, you may try it's this way if you don't have other Arduino or Atmel programmer for bootloader burning. I tried this and it went seemingly normal, but it would not work with ASCOM anyway, so I have to burn bootloader and start everything from scratch again, but you may try:
1. In Arduino IDE write simple sketch that will go through all 4096 bytes of EEPROM and write 0 to each of them. This step is optional, it's just good to be sure to get rid of some orphan chunks if any.
2. Load AstroEQ firmware into Arduino IDE and upload, in current case it will be 8.0.3
3. Run AstroEQ Configuration Utility and do not check for updates, just flash again (in current case it will be 8.18), afterwards it will find EEPROM faulty and do it's autorepair thing. Afterwards you will be prompted for configuration again. Do not enable ADVANCED HC DETECT or you will run into "EEPROM read in progress!" loop again. and try to upload this configuration. After this point you may update to latest version of firmware again. AstroEQ Configuration Utility worked normally, but there was no connection between EQMOD and AstroEQ so I gave up on future testing and reflashed bootloader again, because I already had other Arduino as ISP ready for the job.
Problem description:
AstroEQ Configuration Utility stall on "EEPROM read in progress!"
While using debug version of AstroEQ utility I found that it repeatedly sends :O21 and waits for response which nevers come back.
Fix:
- You have to burn bootloader in your Arduino Mega 2650 again (regardless of the version of bootloader you already had). Fortunatly for me, I already have other Arduinos around (Uno and Nano) so I used that approach - Arduino Uno/Nano as ISP to burn bootloader into Arduino Mega 2650. Chances are that you may also have other Arduinos if you go for AstroEQ on Arduino platform, so this may help you as well. Procedure is rather simple and described in details (wiring and flashing) in this two minute video:
Arduin Uno as ISP to burn Bootloader to Mega 2560. Everything below this step is exactly the same procedure like you are flashing fresh AstroEQ to new Arduino Mega 2650 for the first time, so you can actually skip steps 2 and 3, but I will describe what I did, just to be sure because it works. - Download AstroEQ firmware and AstroEQ configuration utility from AstroEQ git repository, specifically from this downloads folder. Extract AstroEQ Arduino firmware, load it into Arduino IDE, reconfigure IDE again to use appropriate board and COM port and upload firmware.
- Run AstroEQ Configuration Utility and click on Update firmware. In my case it will burn 8.18. Be sure to select appropriate COM port and AstroEQ Arduino Mega 2650 from dropdown menus. Once firmware is flashed, it will repair EEPROM automatically and load configuration utility normally so you are good to go from here on. Afterwards, you can run AstroEQ Configuration Utility again to check for new firmware and update firmware to lastest version, in my case it's now 8.20. Be aware if AstroEQ Configuration Utility actually find new firmware on the server, after downloading it will automatically reset firmware dropdown menu to very first entry so you must select COM port and firmware for Arduino Mega 2650 in this dropdown again before proceeding with update. Once again, after update is done, it will load configuration normally and everything will work normally.
How to avoid this probelm:
When I first run into this problem, I tried everything, even manually erasing every bit of EEPROM but without luck, only bootloader burning actually helped. I also repeated various scenario to find actuall reason for running into this problem and I found it. This "EEPROM read in progress!" kind of situation happen every time if you try to set ADVANCED HC DETECT option to enabled with Arduino Mega 2650 - so, until somebody find a way either to make this option work with Mega or disable this menu item when working with Mega - spare your time and just don't try to enable it.
Some strange things
It actually may be possible to fix this probelm even without burning bootloader into Mega but it requires specific AstroEQ firmware versions whch one day may not be available into download section, but for now, you may try it's this way if you don't have other Arduino or Atmel programmer for bootloader burning. I tried this and it went seemingly normal, but it would not work with ASCOM anyway, so I have to burn bootloader and start everything from scratch again, but you may try:
1. In Arduino IDE write simple sketch that will go through all 4096 bytes of EEPROM and write 0 to each of them. This step is optional, it's just good to be sure to get rid of some orphan chunks if any.
2. Load AstroEQ firmware into Arduino IDE and upload, in current case it will be 8.0.3
3. Run AstroEQ Configuration Utility and do not check for updates, just flash again (in current case it will be 8.18), afterwards it will find EEPROM faulty and do it's autorepair thing. Afterwards you will be prompted for configuration again. Do not enable ADVANCED HC DETECT or you will run into "EEPROM read in progress!" loop again. and try to upload this configuration. After this point you may update to latest version of firmware again. AstroEQ Configuration Utility worked normally, but there was no connection between EQMOD and AstroEQ so I gave up on future testing and reflashed bootloader again, because I already had other Arduino as ISP ready for the job.
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