Is there a Non-Mod Auto-focus solution for an older JMI NGF series focuser

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Is there a Non-Mod Auto-focus solution for an older JMI NGF series focuser

#1

Post by Gulf Coast Guy »


I've had a JMI HGF CM focuser for my SCT for years and need to find out if there is an auto-focus solution for it that doesn't involve adding encoder(s). My expectation is to use it with NiNA. (Canon EOS XTi (400D)
OTA's: 203mm f10 Meade SCT (LXD75); Antares 80mm Refractor w/William Optics APOGrade f6.9 objective; Orion Starseeker 80 f11.2 Refractor
Mount/tripod's: Meade LXD-75 EQ; Orion Starseeker IV ALT/AZ; Celestron Heavy Duty ALT/AZ Farpoint UBM (Universal Binocular Mount)
Eyepieces:Meade - 26mm plossl, 12mm Astrometric; GSO (OPT badge) 2" Superview 50mm & 30mm 1.25" 15mm; TMB Planetary Series 9mm, 6mm, & 4mm: 10mm & 23mm 60° that came with the 80mm f11.2
Barlows: Orion 2x Shorty; Meade 4000 Series 3x
Binoculars:Brunton 10x50 Celestron Skymaster 15x70 Oberwerk 25x100 IF delux
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Re: Is there a Non-Mod Auto-focus solution for an older JMI NGF series focuser

#2

Post by Gulf Coast Guy »


I'm pretty sure It's PCFC - PC Focus Control. [http://www.jimsmobile.com/buy_motor_controls.htm#Hints][/url] I just don't see it in the NiNA Documentation.
OTA's: 203mm f10 Meade SCT (LXD75); Antares 80mm Refractor w/William Optics APOGrade f6.9 objective; Orion Starseeker 80 f11.2 Refractor
Mount/tripod's: Meade LXD-75 EQ; Orion Starseeker IV ALT/AZ; Celestron Heavy Duty ALT/AZ Farpoint UBM (Universal Binocular Mount)
Eyepieces:Meade - 26mm plossl, 12mm Astrometric; GSO (OPT badge) 2" Superview 50mm & 30mm 1.25" 15mm; TMB Planetary Series 9mm, 6mm, & 4mm: 10mm & 23mm 60° that came with the 80mm f11.2
Barlows: Orion 2x Shorty; Meade 4000 Series 3x
Binoculars:Brunton 10x50 Celestron Skymaster 15x70 Oberwerk 25x100 IF delux
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Re: Is there a Non-Mod Auto-focus solution for an older JMI NGF series focuser

#3

Post by dghent »


As someone who is toiling on a revamp of the NINA documentation at this very moment, I can honestly say that we just cannot enumerate each and every focus system NINA is known to work with. What I can say is that NINA can interface with any ASCOM Focuser driver that is compliant with the ASCOM Focuser API. JMI's PC Focus Control box looks like what you want, and use their PCFC ASCOM Driver to interface with it, and allow NINA to control it. I would of course contact JMI themselves to be sure since they produce the product.
Scopes: Astro-Physics 130GTX (w/ FocusBoss), CFF 92mm f/6, Telescop-Service 130mm f/7, Orion XT10i dob (Protostar flocking, Moonlite focuser retrofitted)
Mounts: Astro-Physics Mach1GTO, Rainbow Astro RST-135, Fornax LighTrack II
Solar: DayStar Quantum, Quarks: H-alpha Chrom+Prom, Ca-H, Mg I-B2, Baader Herschel Wedge
Cameras: QHY294C, ZWO ASI1600MM, ASI174MM, ASI290MC, ASI290MM-Mini
Software: N.I.N.A., SharpCap Pro, TheSkyX, AS3!, PixInsight, ASTAP
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Re: Is there a Non-Mod Auto-focus solution for an older JMI NGF series focuser

#4

Post by Gulf Coast Guy »


dghent wrote: Fri Jul 19, 2019 4:24 am As someone who is toiling on a revamp of the NINA documentation at this very moment, I can honestly say that we just cannot enumerate each and every focus system NINA is known to work with. What I can say is that NINA can interface with any ASCOM Focuser driver that is compliant with the ASCOM Focuser API. JMI's PC Focus Control box looks like what you want, and use their PCFC ASCOM Driver to interface with it, and allow NINA to control it. I would of course contact JMI themselves to be sure since they produce the product.
Thank you for your response and your time.

No need to apologize. Dedication is to be applauded. Shoestring Astronomy has one that look s exactly like it The FCUSB.If you don't mind, one question. If it is possible how is auto-focus, with something like a 400D with no live mode, accomplished with a non-absolute focuser? I would assume iterative trial images.
OTA's: 203mm f10 Meade SCT (LXD75); Antares 80mm Refractor w/William Optics APOGrade f6.9 objective; Orion Starseeker 80 f11.2 Refractor
Mount/tripod's: Meade LXD-75 EQ; Orion Starseeker IV ALT/AZ; Celestron Heavy Duty ALT/AZ Farpoint UBM (Universal Binocular Mount)
Eyepieces:Meade - 26mm plossl, 12mm Astrometric; GSO (OPT badge) 2" Superview 50mm & 30mm 1.25" 15mm; TMB Planetary Series 9mm, 6mm, & 4mm: 10mm & 23mm 60° that came with the 80mm f11.2
Barlows: Orion 2x Shorty; Meade 4000 Series 3x
Binoculars:Brunton 10x50 Celestron Skymaster 15x70 Oberwerk 25x100 IF delux
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Re: Is there a Non-Mod Auto-focus solution for an older JMI NGF series focuser

#5

Post by dghent »


The vast majority of motorized focusers do not have encoders; they're all relative and as a result count the number of stepper motor steps in one direction or the other from a reference point. So the focusing routine is the same wether it's a DSLR or an astrocam. The only thing encoders provide is the focuser electronics knowing the true position of the drawtube at any time, even after being powered off and manually moving it. With non-encoder focusers, you have to make sure you start from a reference point (ie, racking the focuser all the way in and then telling the electronics, usually via the focuser's driver, that it's at the 0 position.)

Regardless of encoders or no encoders, or DSLR or astro cam, focusing is indeed an iterative process. It's handy of course to first move the drawtube to the general area where the image will be in focus and then start the AF routine from there. I generally have this range noted on my systems and will command the focuser to move to that area first. The exact value and position for focus will depend on additional factors such as temperature, filters that are in the optical path, and altitude of the object(s) that are being focused. In NINA it's important to have the focuser step amounts set, and it's generally better to start with larger step sizes. There are some discussions around this on the recent pages of the NINA topic on the Cloudy Nights forum, and I want to digest this information into its own documentation section.
Scopes: Astro-Physics 130GTX (w/ FocusBoss), CFF 92mm f/6, Telescop-Service 130mm f/7, Orion XT10i dob (Protostar flocking, Moonlite focuser retrofitted)
Mounts: Astro-Physics Mach1GTO, Rainbow Astro RST-135, Fornax LighTrack II
Solar: DayStar Quantum, Quarks: H-alpha Chrom+Prom, Ca-H, Mg I-B2, Baader Herschel Wedge
Cameras: QHY294C, ZWO ASI1600MM, ASI174MM, ASI290MC, ASI290MM-Mini
Software: N.I.N.A., SharpCap Pro, TheSkyX, AS3!, PixInsight, ASTAP
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Re: Is there a Non-Mod Auto-focus solution for an older JMI NGF series focuser

#6

Post by Gulf Coast Guy »


Under RS232 or Mount for bulb shutter it states "DSUSB cables are not supported since they don’t expose a COM Port!" Please tell me that's not referring to the Shoestring Astronomy product. That's all I have for the XTi. If that's the case I'll have to look elsewhere, probably APT

Thanks again for the time.

GCG
OTA's: 203mm f10 Meade SCT (LXD75); Antares 80mm Refractor w/William Optics APOGrade f6.9 objective; Orion Starseeker 80 f11.2 Refractor
Mount/tripod's: Meade LXD-75 EQ; Orion Starseeker IV ALT/AZ; Celestron Heavy Duty ALT/AZ Farpoint UBM (Universal Binocular Mount)
Eyepieces:Meade - 26mm plossl, 12mm Astrometric; GSO (OPT badge) 2" Superview 50mm & 30mm 1.25" 15mm; TMB Planetary Series 9mm, 6mm, & 4mm: 10mm & 23mm 60° that came with the 80mm f11.2
Barlows: Orion 2x Shorty; Meade 4000 Series 3x
Binoculars:Brunton 10x50 Celestron Skymaster 15x70 Oberwerk 25x100 IF delux
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Re: Is there a Non-Mod Auto-focus solution for an older JMI NGF series focuser

#7

Post by dghent »


That does refer to Shoestring products, sadly. One of the team members asked the owner of Shoestring Astronomy if he could make a 64bit SDK available so that 64bit applications can directly interface with his products, especially the DSUSB, and he declined to do so. Because it is the project's policy maintain feature and hardware support parity between both the 32bit and 64bit versions of NINA, we had to decline implementing support for Shoestring hardware unless that situation changes.

I do have an old DSUSB that I also used with my XTi many, many years ago, and I thought it was a great product when I used it as an astrophoto greenhorn and find Shoestring's unwillingness to provide a 64bit SDK pretty unfortunate. Staying 32bit only puts a definite expiry date of January 2038 on his products, a smidge over 18 short years from now.
Scopes: Astro-Physics 130GTX (w/ FocusBoss), CFF 92mm f/6, Telescop-Service 130mm f/7, Orion XT10i dob (Protostar flocking, Moonlite focuser retrofitted)
Mounts: Astro-Physics Mach1GTO, Rainbow Astro RST-135, Fornax LighTrack II
Solar: DayStar Quantum, Quarks: H-alpha Chrom+Prom, Ca-H, Mg I-B2, Baader Herschel Wedge
Cameras: QHY294C, ZWO ASI1600MM, ASI174MM, ASI290MC, ASI290MM-Mini
Software: N.I.N.A., SharpCap Pro, TheSkyX, AS3!, PixInsight, ASTAP
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Re: Is there a Non-Mod Auto-focus solution for an older JMI NGF series focuser

#8

Post by Gulf Coast Guy »


dghent wrote: Sat Jul 20, 2019 3:14 am That does refer to Shoestring products, sadly. One of the team members asked the owner of Shoestring Astronomy if he could make a 64bit SDK available so that 64bit applications can directly interface with his products, especially the DSUSB, and he declined to do so. Because it is the project's policy maintain feature and hardware support parity between both the 32bit and 64bit versions of NINA, we had to decline implementing support for Shoestring hardware unless that situation changes.

I do have an old DSUSB that I also used with my XTi many, many years ago, and I thought it was a great product when I used it as an astrophoto greenhorn and find Shoestring's unwillingness to provide a 64bit SDK pretty unfortunate. Staying 32bit only puts a definite expiry date of January 2038 on his products, a smidge over 18 short years from now.
I guess I'll have to make one and buy another USB to Serial adapter. Do you have a preferred brand ? I huse one for Mount control now (Meade Autostar 497).
OTA's: 203mm f10 Meade SCT (LXD75); Antares 80mm Refractor w/William Optics APOGrade f6.9 objective; Orion Starseeker 80 f11.2 Refractor
Mount/tripod's: Meade LXD-75 EQ; Orion Starseeker IV ALT/AZ; Celestron Heavy Duty ALT/AZ Farpoint UBM (Universal Binocular Mount)
Eyepieces:Meade - 26mm plossl, 12mm Astrometric; GSO (OPT badge) 2" Superview 50mm & 30mm 1.25" 15mm; TMB Planetary Series 9mm, 6mm, & 4mm: 10mm & 23mm 60° that came with the 80mm f11.2
Barlows: Orion 2x Shorty; Meade 4000 Series 3x
Binoculars:Brunton 10x50 Celestron Skymaster 15x70 Oberwerk 25x100 IF delux
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Re: Is there a Non-Mod Auto-focus solution for an older JMI NGF series focuser

#9

Post by Gulf Coast Guy »


dghent wrote: Sat Jul 20, 2019 3:14 am That does refer to Shoestring products, sadly. One of the team members asked the owner of Shoestring Astronomy if he could make a 64bit SDK available so that 64bit applications can directly interface with his products, especially the DSUSB, and he declined to do so. Because it is the project's policy maintain feature and hardware support parity between both the 32bit and 64bit versions of NINA, we had to decline implementing support for Shoestring hardware unless that situation changes.

I do have an old DSUSB that I also used with my XTi many, many years ago, and I thought it was a great product when I used it as an astrophoto greenhorn and find Shoestring's unwillingness to provide a 64bit SDK pretty unfortunate. Staying 32bit only puts a definite expiry date of January 2038 on his products, a smidge over 18 short years from now.
I guess I'll have to make one and buy another USB to Serial adapter. Do you have a preferred brand or UART chip? I use this one for Mount control now (Meade Autostar 497).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004Z ... =UTF8&th=1
OTA's: 203mm f10 Meade SCT (LXD75); Antares 80mm Refractor w/William Optics APOGrade f6.9 objective; Orion Starseeker 80 f11.2 Refractor
Mount/tripod's: Meade LXD-75 EQ; Orion Starseeker IV ALT/AZ; Celestron Heavy Duty ALT/AZ Farpoint UBM (Universal Binocular Mount)
Eyepieces:Meade - 26mm plossl, 12mm Astrometric; GSO (OPT badge) 2" Superview 50mm & 30mm 1.25" 15mm; TMB Planetary Series 9mm, 6mm, & 4mm: 10mm & 23mm 60° that came with the 80mm f11.2
Barlows: Orion 2x Shorty; Meade 4000 Series 3x
Binoculars:Brunton 10x50 Celestron Skymaster 15x70 Oberwerk 25x100 IF delux
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Re: Is there a Non-Mod Auto-focus solution for an older JMI NGF series focuser

#10

Post by Gulf Coast Guy »


I need some help, I guess.
I purchased the FCUSB with assurances that if it did not work to my satisfaction They would work with me on it to my satisfaction .
Ther is no focuser entry for the FCUSB as I was told and expected so I connected it thru the POTH HUB. Nina recognizes the hub as connected and passes setup commands thru.
I opened an imaging panel and activated the focuser, or at least I think I did correctly. I entered a small NUMBER FOR THE TARGET AND CLICKED ON move. IMMEDEATLY the the "moving indicator became checkedthen "THE FOCUSER began to turn and the position number began to increment.
I actually think this has a better than even chance of working. What I think I need is a set of forward and backward manual controls that I haven't been able to find on NINA"s focuser panel. Any help here would be greatly appreciated.
OTA's: 203mm f10 Meade SCT (LXD75); Antares 80mm Refractor w/William Optics APOGrade f6.9 objective; Orion Starseeker 80 f11.2 Refractor
Mount/tripod's: Meade LXD-75 EQ; Orion Starseeker IV ALT/AZ; Celestron Heavy Duty ALT/AZ Farpoint UBM (Universal Binocular Mount)
Eyepieces:Meade - 26mm plossl, 12mm Astrometric; GSO (OPT badge) 2" Superview 50mm & 30mm 1.25" 15mm; TMB Planetary Series 9mm, 6mm, & 4mm: 10mm & 23mm 60° that came with the 80mm f11.2
Barlows: Orion 2x Shorty; Meade 4000 Series 3x
Binoculars:Brunton 10x50 Celestron Skymaster 15x70 Oberwerk 25x100 IF delux
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Re: Is there a Non-Mod Auto-focus solution for an older JMI NGF series focuser

#11

Post by JayTee »


Don't forget we have one of N.I.N.A.'s developers as a member of this forum. His user name is "cuiv" give him a PM and see if you can't a direct answer from him.

Cheers,
JT
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
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Re: Is there a Non-Mod Auto-focus solution for an older JMI NGF series focuser

#12

Post by Gulf Coast Guy »


JayTee wrote: Sun Aug 11, 2019 3:32 am Don't forget we have one of N.I.N.A.'s developers as a member of this forum. His user name is "cuiv" give him a PM and see if you can't a direct answer from him.

Cheers,
JT
Thanks, JT. I sent a PM with a request for assistance.

GCG
OTA's: 203mm f10 Meade SCT (LXD75); Antares 80mm Refractor w/William Optics APOGrade f6.9 objective; Orion Starseeker 80 f11.2 Refractor
Mount/tripod's: Meade LXD-75 EQ; Orion Starseeker IV ALT/AZ; Celestron Heavy Duty ALT/AZ Farpoint UBM (Universal Binocular Mount)
Eyepieces:Meade - 26mm plossl, 12mm Astrometric; GSO (OPT badge) 2" Superview 50mm & 30mm 1.25" 15mm; TMB Planetary Series 9mm, 6mm, & 4mm: 10mm & 23mm 60° that came with the 80mm f11.2
Barlows: Orion 2x Shorty; Meade 4000 Series 3x
Binoculars:Brunton 10x50 Celestron Skymaster 15x70 Oberwerk 25x100 IF delux
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Re: Is there a Non-Mod Auto-focus solution for an older JMI NGF series focuser

#13

Post by Gulf Coast Guy »


Looks like NINA VERS. 1.9 might help me out.

-An excerpt from the new feature post from the NEWS on the website.:
Quick focuser movement buttons have been added (fine/coarse move IN/OUT) to the focuser views
If this is implemented for the POTH Hub focuser entry may be what I need.
OTA's: 203mm f10 Meade SCT (LXD75); Antares 80mm Refractor w/William Optics APOGrade f6.9 objective; Orion Starseeker 80 f11.2 Refractor
Mount/tripod's: Meade LXD-75 EQ; Orion Starseeker IV ALT/AZ; Celestron Heavy Duty ALT/AZ Farpoint UBM (Universal Binocular Mount)
Eyepieces:Meade - 26mm plossl, 12mm Astrometric; GSO (OPT badge) 2" Superview 50mm & 30mm 1.25" 15mm; TMB Planetary Series 9mm, 6mm, & 4mm: 10mm & 23mm 60° that came with the 80mm f11.2
Barlows: Orion 2x Shorty; Meade 4000 Series 3x
Binoculars:Brunton 10x50 Celestron Skymaster 15x70 Oberwerk 25x100 IF delux
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