Although there is a full implementation for the SV305 and SV305PRO in the PHD2 codebase; when compiling on Linux this code is not built. Nicola modified the PHD2 source to overcome this limitation and then compiled and linked against the SVBONY SDK. This allowed PHD2 on Linux to fully control the SV305 camera via a direct implementation. That is to say, the camera was controlled directly via the SDK and not via an INDI interface. An INDI server was used only to control the mount, not to control the guide-camera.
Equipment used
Fedora Linux laptop running AstroDMx Capture for Linux for imaging.
Fedora Linux laptop running PHD2, multi-star pulse auto-guiding
Celestron AVX GOTO mount.
SVBONY SV165 Guide-scope D=30mm F=120mm.
SVBONY SV305 camera for pulse-guide.
Bresser Messier-AR-102-xs/460 ED, f/4.5 refractor modified for motor focus.
ZWO ASI178MC CMOS OSC, USB3.0, 14-bit imaging camera.
JJC DHS-1 USB Lens Heater Strip Dew Remover on the imaging scope and the guide scope.
AstroDMx Capture for Linux was used to capture 14 x 3 minute exposures of M3 with matching dark frames. Bias frames were also captured.
Click on an image to get a closer view
Screenshot of AstroDMx Capture for Linux capturing data on M3
The SVBONY functionality in PHD2 under Linux worked very well which proves all that is required for regular adoption of pulse-guiding with the SV305 and SV305PRO is for the developers of PHD2 to activate the SVBONY implementation by default under Linux.
SV305 camera mounted as the pulse-guide camera on the SV165 guide-scope
