Argo Navis / ServoCAT / Astroberry

Hi Everyone,

I'm using an home-made Newtonian 8" scope with ServoCAT + Argo Navis + Hitecastro DC focuser + Lodestar Starlight Xpress guide cam + Nikon camera body.
I'm looking to control the system using Astroberry on a Raspberry pi, meaning Linux/ Kstars/ INDI. All equipments are connected through a USB hub. I control the Raspberry from a remote portable PC using VNC Viewer, as described by Astroberry's guidelines. Launching Ekos within Kstars I connect without trouble to the Argo Navis, guide camera, Nikon DSLR and DC focuser and can take images, etc.
The trouble is that I cannot control the telesscope through the Argo Navis. I know that the AN is speaking to the ServoCAT, as the red blinking 'DSC' LED turns solid after a one star alignment from the AN itself. However, when I send a move commands to the scope, nothing happen and no error message is send.
Here is the configuration:
- AN serial 1 connected to the rapberry with the dedicated cable + DB9 to USB converter.
- Serial 1 at 9600 baud and Startup on 'meade'
- AN serial 2 connected to the DSC port on the servoCAT
- Serial 2 at 19200 baud and Startup on 'servocat'
- No connection on the ServoCAT 'PC Port'

Do anyone of you know about such configuration smilie

Any insight or help would be appreciated.

Take care.
Didier

Bonjour Didier,

The quick response is that in order to perform GoTo's you will need to interface KStars to the ServoCAT rather than to the Argo Navis.
However, I don't recollect if there is an INDI driver for the ServoCAT using "servocat" protocol and I would need to check.

What happens is that the ServoCAT relays requests for positions and tracking information to the Argo Navis from the PC.

Hi Gary,

Thank you for this promt answer. I just changed my setting: removed the serial 1 cable and connected the raspberry to the ServoCAT PC Port.
However there is no 'ServoCAT' in the mount profiles of Kstars. I tested LX200 Basic and Classic but did not succeed to connect.
It may be more about ServoCAT settings. I will also contact your colleague Gary Myers.

Many thanks again! smilie

Didier

Hi Didier,

The ServoCAT definitely won't respond to Meade protocol commands.

You can fill the Argo Navis FROM PLANETARIUM catalog entry either by connecting to the Argo Navis directly using the Meade LX200 protocol
or via the ServoCAT by a program with a servocat driver.

However, to initiate a GOTO from the planetarium, that can only be done by using a program with a servocat driver.

Otherwise if you use the approach where you directly interface to the Argo Navis using the meade protocol, you will need to press the GoTo button on the ServoCAT handpad.