Häufig gestellte Fragen zu INDI

Was ist INDI?

INDI is the Instrument-Neutral-Distributed-Interface control protocol developed by Elwood C. Downey of ClearSky Institute. KStars employs device drivers that are compatible with the INDI protocol. INDI has many advantages including loose coupling between hardware devices and software drivers. Clients that use the device drivers (like KStars) are completely unaware of the device capabilities. In run time, KStars communicates with the device drivers and builds a completely dynamical GUI based on services provided by the device. Therefore, new device drivers can be written or updated and KStars can take full advantage of them without any changes on the client side.

Ist die Unterstützung für weitere Geräte in Planung?

Yes. We plan to support major CCD cameras and focusers and extend support for more telescopes. If you would like INDI to support a particular device, please send an email to indi-devel@lists.sourceforge.net

What operations does KStars provide to control the telescope?

It depends on the particular telescope you’re running, but the minimum three operations are Slew, Track, and Sync, which you can issue directly from the sky map. Your telescope must be aligned for those operations to perform correctly. Some telescopes offer you more operations like site management, slew modes, focusing, parking, and more. You can access the telescopes extended features from the Tools → Devices → INDI Control Panel... menu item.

What’s the difference between Slew, Track, and Sync exactly?

The command Slew orders the telescope to move to a particular target, and once the telescope reaches its target, the telescope keeps tracking that target at a sidereal rate (i.e., the rate at which stars move across the sky). This works well for stars, Messier objects, and about everything outside our solar system. But solar system objects travel differently across the sky and so the telescope must Track the objects as they move.

Therefore, you need to issue a track command if you want to track an object with non-sidereal motion. On the other hand, Sync is used to synchronize the telescope’s internal coordinates with that of an object you select.

Kann ich ein entferntes Teleskop steuern?

Yes. You can start an INDI server on the machine connected to your telescope and the server will listen to requests from KStars clients. Once you’re connected, you can control your telescope directly from the sky map. This procedure is described in detail in the Remote device control section.

When I try to Connect, KStars reports that the telescope is not connected to the serial/USB port. What can I do?

This message is triggered when KStars cannot communicate with the telescope. Here are few things you can do:

  1. Überprüfen Sie, ob Sie sowohl Lese- als auch Schreibrecht für den Port haben, mit dem Sie eine Verbindung herstellen wollen.

  2. Prüfen Sie das Verbindungskabel, stellen Sie sicher, dass es in einem guten Zustand ist und testen Sie es mit anderen Anwendungen.

  3. Prüfen Sie die Spannungsversorgung des Teleskops, stellen Sie sicher, dass es eingeschaltet ist und dass das Teleskop ausreichend versorgt ist.

  4. Select the Tools → Devices → INDI Control Panel... menu item and set the correct port in the INDI Control Panel dialog. The default device is /dev/ttyS0

  5. Restart KStars and retry again.

KStars reports that the telescope is online and ready, but I cannot find the telescope’s crosshair, where is it?

KStars retrieves the telescopes RA and DEC coordinates upon connection. If your alignment was performed correctly, then you should see the crosshair around your target in the Sky Map. However, the RA and DEC coordinates provided by the telescope may be incorrect (even below the horizon) and you need to Sync your telescope to your current target. You can use the right-click menu to center and track the telescope crosshair in the sky map.

Das Teleskop bewegt sich nicht flüssig oder bewegt sich überhaupt nicht. Was kann ich tun?

Dieses Verhalten beruht meistens auf falschen Einstellungen, bitte prüfen Sie folgende Stichwortliste:

  1. Ist das Teleskop ausgerichtet?

  2. Is the telescope alignment mode correct? Use INDI Control Panel to check and change these settings (Alt/Az,Polar, Land).

  3. Ist die Zeit und das Datum des Teleskops korrekt?

  4. Sind die Einstellungen für Längen- und Breitengrad des Teleskop-Standortes korrekt?

  5. Ist die UTC-Einstellung des Teleskops korrekt?

  6. Sind die Teleskopachsen für Rekt und Dekl ordentlich geschlossen?

  7. Ist die Einstellung des N/S-Schalters des Teleskops für die Erdhalbkugel (falls vorhanden) richtig?

  8. Ist das Kabel zwischen dem Teleskop und dem Rechner in Ordnung?

If you think all settings are correct but the telescope still moves erratically or not at all, then please send a report to indi-devel@lists.sourceforge.net.