disable capture during timelaps generation

[mgarza]

During timelaps generation I observe very often fails due to memory issues (module overly gets disabled, capture memory allocation error - I've connected a HQ cam to a RPI ZeroW2). Is there the possibility to add the functionality to disable imageing during timelaps generation?

[EricClaeys]

Probably not. We warn users about the Pi Zero and Zero 2 not having enough CPU power and memory to create timelapse videos.
It would take a fair amount of development to be able to pause other work and the number of people who would use tat feature is small.
The best solution right now is a new Pi.

In a future version of Allsky we plan to allow splitting the work so one Pi just captures images and another computer processes them. That will allow the Pi Zero to work well.

[jack01235]

I too have a zero 2W and have come across the same problem. Have also wondered about pausing the daytime capture but figured that because the guys have specified the pi zero not to be sufficient i guessed they would not go down that path.
I have resorted to disabling the save of daytime captures and just capturing nighttime. Now thinking of culling some of my overlays and have been tweaking the delay between captures and experimenting to find the sweet spot between exposure time and delay, all while i look for a reasonable priced 2nd hand pi to replace my zero2w
Thanks Eric for all your work on the project. I often come here and find the answers to my problems but guess this ones not an easy tweak
Jack

[EricClaeys]

@jack01235, thanks for the feedback. It keeps me going.

What behavior do you see when the Pi 2W is creating a timelapse while daytime images are being taken? It doesn't work, or it's just super slow?

[mgarza]

Thank you Eric for all your effort it's a great program.

In my case only the module overlay gets disabled due to a capture memory allocation error.
I've tried to reboot after timelaps, but it seems the daytime overlay stays disabled after power-up.

[jack01235]

Hi Eric
In answer to your response everything still works. It just becomes super slow, but then i think that's just normal with so little memory on the zero2w. Always happens at the changeover from night to day while processing the timelapse etc. If I turn off the option to create timelapse etc everything runs fine.
While i have them on, most mornings i get the message that

"X uploads have been aborted waiting for others to finish. This could be caused by very long module processing time or short delays between images"

I have been toying around with the settings and have arrived at a somewhat sweet spot between exposures and delays etc.
If i just leave it running, then on 99% of the days it creates the startrails, keogram and Timelapse without any problems.
But i haven't tried to turn on the daytime capture again just yet. Am planning to try this in the next day or so.
Purely memory Issue for the time being i can live with it
Processing timelapse etc on another machine sounds interesting. Is it possible that the images could be transferred to say a second Pi zero2w and then processed on it without affecting the allsky camera/capture on the main unit?
Jack

[Alex-developer]

Thank you Eric for all your effort it's a great program.

In my case only the module overlay gets disabled due to a capture memory allocation error. I've tried to reboot after timelaps, but it seems the daytime overlay stays disabled after power-up.

Can you try disabling the 'watchdog timer' in the module manger settings. Disabling this will prevent Allksy from disabling the overlay module.

[EricClaeys]

In the next Allsky release which we are testing now, you can have different overlays during the day and night. It will be interesting to see if having no daytime overlay helps for you.

@Alex-developer, any idea on the "daytime overlay stays disabled after power-up" problem?

[EricClaeys]

@jack01235, we haven't discussed how we'll implement remote processing, but the images have to get to the 2nd computer somehow. FTP or another file transfer protocol will likely be used