Bug 458640

Summary:	PHD2 Timing Out, INDI and Kstars/PHD2 don't agree
Product:	[Applications] kstars	Reporter:	Jon Bryan <jbryan2>
Component:	general	Assignee:	Rob <rlancaste>
Status:	REPORTED ---
Severity:	normal
Priority:	NOR
Version:	3.6.0
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	macOS (DMG)
OS:	macOS
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Jon Bryan 2022-09-02 16:01:12 UTC

SUMMARY
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***

I am running 3.6.0 on my MacBook connected to my rig, and 3.6.0 on my iMac in the house to control it remotely.

I had a problem (again) last night with PHD2 timing out while trying to download from my ASI120MM guide camera.  After trying multiple times, restarting INDI, restarting Kstars on the iMac, I went into the INDI camera settings and discovered that the exposure time was set to a very small value, even though I'm sure that Kstars and PHD2 both thought it was at 2 seconds.  I set it to 2 in the INDI camera configuration and tried again, and it worked!

Now I have to moan a little.  I started up my sequence and went to bed, since it was 2:30 by that point.  Then when I got up and checked at 6:30 I discovered that it had taken six exposures and crashed hard out of Kstars.  Really disappointing, since the seeing was first-rate for the first time in weeks, and my little mount was consistently guiding better than an arc-second as long as the wind wasn't blowing.  I could really love Kstars if it didn't do these things to me.

Comment 1 Rob 2022-09-03 16:03:45 UTC

I'm sorry this happened to you.  The first question is really which thing is causing the problem.  From what you said, it could possibly be KStars, or INDI, or PHD2, something with the network, or something with the camera.  Is this problem easily reproducible?  Maybe try playing with it in the daytime and see if you can repeat it?  If you can reproduce it, then we can narrow down what could be causing the problem by eliminating variables.

Comment 2 Jon Bryan 2022-09-03 18:39:30 UTC

It’s happened a number of times, but this was the first time I got it going again without restarting Kstars on both ends. There may be some issue with my Xfinity router, because I’ve had several occasions when images were coming across really slow and I “fixed” it by rebooting the router, but that doesn’t seem to be related to this problem with it timing out and exposure time getting out of sync.  I’ll certainly let you know if I figure out a way to reproduce it.

-Jon

> On Sep 3, 2022, at 10:03 AM, Rob <bugzilla_noreply@kde.org> wrote:
> 
> https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=458640
> 
> --- Comment #1 from Rob <rlancaste@gmail.com> ---
> I'm sorry this happened to you.  The first question is really which thing is
> causing the problem.  From what you said, it could possibly be KStars, or INDI,
> or PHD2, something with the network, or something with the camera.  Is this
> problem easily reproducible?  Maybe try playing with it in the daytime and see
> if you can repeat it?  If you can reproduce it, then we can narrow down what
> could be causing the problem by eliminating variables.
> 
> -- 
> You are receiving this mail because:
> You reported the bug.

Comment 3 Rob 2022-09-03 19:13:44 UTC

What I am thinking of with reducing variables would be to see if using the internal guider vs using PHD2 is causing the issue.  Then to try not using the indi driver for the guide camera and using the internal driver in PHD2 for the guide camera instead.  Then to try using an ethernet connection instead of a wireless connection.  Then to try running kstars on the same computer rather than remotely.  Each test could try to see if a particular thing has an effect, then you can isolate the problem.  But first, it needs to be reproducible.