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Add Wanderer ETA M54 driver documentation
Documentation for the WandererAstro ETA M54 Electronic Tilt Adjuster INDI driver, including connection guide, operation instructions, troubleshooting, and hardware specifications. Companion to: indilib/indi#2386
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---
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title: Wanderer ETA M54
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categories: ["auxiliaries"]
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description: INDI driver for the WandererAstro ETA M54 Electronic Tilt Adjuster, a 3-point motorized tilt adjustment device for optical train collimation.
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thumbnail: ./wanderer-eta.webp
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---
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## Overview
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The Wanderer ETA M54 is an ultra-thin (5mm) electronic tilt adjuster with three independently motorized adjustment points. It mounts between optical train components using M54 threads and allows precise tilt correction with 0.001mm resolution over a 0–1.200mm range per point.
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The INDI driver communicates via USB serial (CH340 chip, 19200 baud) and provides independent control of all three tilt adjustment motors with real-time encoder position feedback.
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## Features
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- 3 independent motor position controls (0.000–1.200mm range, 0.001mm step)
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- Real-time encoder position readback
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- Zero All function to return all motors to home position
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- Configuration save/restore (positions are remembered across sessions without triggering motor movement on reconnect)
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- Position verification via continuous status stream polling
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## Connection
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Connect the Wanderer ETA M54 to a USB port. The device uses a CH340 USB-to-serial adapter.
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1. In the **Connection** tab, select the serial port (typically `/dev/ttyUSB0`)
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2. Baud rate is fixed at 19200 (configured automatically)
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3. Click **Connect**
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The driver reads the device's continuous status stream to verify the connection and displays the firmware version.
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> [!TIP]
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> On Linux, if you get permission errors, add your user to the `dialout` group (Debian/Ubuntu) or `uucp` group (Arch Linux):
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> ```
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> sudo usermod -aG dialout $USER
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> ```
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> Then log out and back in.
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## Main Control
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![INDI Control Panel](./images/indi-control-panel.webp)
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### Target Positions
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Each motor point has its own target position property with an individual **Set** button:
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- **Point 1 Target** — Set position for motor 1 (0.000–1.200mm)
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- **Point 2 Target** — Set position for motor 2 (0.000–1.200mm)
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- **Point 3 Target** — Set position for motor 3 (0.000–1.200mm)
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Each motor moves independently. Setting one point does not affect the others.
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### Current Positions
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The **Current Positions** group shows real-time encoder readback from all three motors. These values update automatically every 2 seconds and reflect the actual physical position of each adjustment point.
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### Zero All
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The **Zero All Points** button moves all three motors to the 0.000mm position sequentially. Use this to return the device to a flat (no tilt) state.
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### Firmware
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Displays the firmware version reported by the device.
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## Operation
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### Adjusting Tilt
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1. Connect to the device
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2. Set the desired position for one or more points using the individual target fields
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3. Click **Set** next to the point you want to move
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4. The motor moves to the target position; readback updates in real-time
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5. Repeat for other points as needed
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The driver waits for each motor to reach its target (within ±0.005mm tolerance) before reporting completion.
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### Saving Configuration
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To preserve your tilt settings across sessions:
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1. Set all points to the desired positions
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2. Go to **Options** → **Save Configuration**
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On the next connection, the saved positions are restored as targets without triggering any motor movement. Motors only move when you explicitly click **Set** or **Zero All**.
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> [!IMPORTANT]
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> The device does not have absolute position memory across power cycles. When powered on, the motors report their physical position from the encoders. The saved INDI configuration stores your last-used target values for convenience.
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## Troubleshooting
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| Symptom | Cause | Solution |
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|---------|-------|----------|
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| Timeout reading from device | ETA not powered or wrong port | Check USB connection, verify port in `dmesg` |
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| Unknown device identifier | Wrong WandererAstro device on port | Ensure the ETA (not rotator/cover) is selected |
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| Permission denied | User not in serial group | Add user to `dialout` or `uucp` group |
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| Motor does not reach target | Mechanical obstruction | Check optical train for binding; reduce target value |
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## Hardware Specifications
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| Parameter | Value |
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|-----------|-------|
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| Interface | USB (CH340 serial adapter) |
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| Baud Rate | 19200 |
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| Thread | M54 × 0.75 |
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| Thickness | 5mm |
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| Travel Range | 0–1.200mm per point |
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| Resolution | 0.001mm |
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| Adjustment Points | 3 (120° spacing) |
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| Power | USB bus powered |
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# Display Names (Human-Friendly - Required)
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driver_name: Wanderer ETA M54
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manufacturer_name: Wanderer Astro
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# Categories (Required - can be multiple)
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categories:
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- auxiliaries
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# Additional Metadata (Optional)
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website: www.wandererastro.com
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executable: indi_wanderer_eta
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platforms: Linux, BSD
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author: cfuture81
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version: 1.0

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