Which Auto-guider?

[Peje]

So I'm sure this topic has been raised before but my phone app seems to not want to let me search properly!

I've been toying with buying the orion starshoot one as I seen somebody mention it on the forum and it seems great value for the money...admittedly to my untrained eye!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Orion-52064-StarShoot-AutoGuider/dp/B001EPND18

A friend also shared with me details of another one,

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/guide-cameras/skywatcher-synguider-autoguider.html

I'd appreciate any thoughts on this, my setup will be permanently at home and tethered to my PC. I'm using an NEQ6 Pro with an Orion Europa 200 scope.

Pete

[Tinker1947]

Why not a ST-80 and a CCD.......

[Peje]

Why not a ST-80 and a CCD.......

I was planning to strap this on the back of an ST80, is that not it's normal use case?

[Tinker1947]

My ST-80 this has a Lodestar in the end but there are cheaper CCD that do the job....its sitting on a 10" Newt

[StargeezerTim]

I've been using the lacerta MGEN for a couple of months now. I'd recommend it, it always finds guide stars and is straightforward to use. The instructions are not the greatest but the unit is intuitive to use and very quick to set up and is well made. 

It cost a bit more than the synguider and the LVI guider but the camera is more sensitive and you can get a reasonable price from the european astro outlets.

Hope this helps. there are also some good reviews on this site. Tim

[Purplehayze104]

i use a QHY5L-ii & an 9x50 finderscope never had problem with finding any stars also good for planetary imaging if ya fancied a go

clear skies

john

[laser_jock99]

I've tried a number of guide cameras but the best I have encountered are the SX Lodestars. The sensitivity is such that I have never failed to find guide stars even in the dim corner of an Off Axis Guider (OAG) prism.

If you're ever thinking of bigger scopes and OAG's in the future then the Lodestars are the way to go.

[Peje]

I've been using the lacerta MGEN for a couple of months now. I'd recommend it, it always finds guide stars and is straightforward to use. The instructions are not the greatest but the unit is intuitive to use and very quick to set up and is well made.

It cost a bit more than the synguider and the LVI guider but the camera is more sensitive and you can get a reasonable price from the european astro outlets.

Hope this helps. there are also some good reviews on this site. Tim

Thanks Tim, that's too far a stretch for my budget but appreciate the info. Basically I'm looking at total budget of 500 to include guider, finder scope and whatever other bits I need

[Peje]

I've tried a number of guide cameras but the best I have encountered are the SX Lodestars. The sensitivity is such that I have never failed to find guide stars even in the dim corner of an Off Axis Guider (OAG) prism.

If you're ever thinking of bigger scopes and OAG's in the future then the Lodestars are the way to go.

The Lodestar ones are just too expensive for me it seems, thanks for the info though

[Peje]

i use a QHY5L-ii & an 9x50 finderscope never had problem with finding any stars also good for planetary imaging if ya fancied a go

clear skies

john

That could be another option within my budget. I take it this simply connects to the mount via the ST4 and usb to PC for PHD to do the control?

[kalasinman]

That could be another option within my budget. I take it this simply connects to the mount via the ST4 and usb to PC for PHD to do the control?

Despite the assumption that the Lodestar must be better as it costs more, some recent testing shows that the chip in the QHY5L-II and others is more sensitive in the mono version.

Yes, either by ST4 or USB. I've used mine both ways, as I recently implemented ASCOM. Works great.

[Steve Ward]

The Synguider is a very capable tool , gives me subs well in excess of the needs of my DSLR ... half-hour no problem and has gone further with no issues.

[Peje]

The Synguider is a very capable tool , gives me subs well in excess of the needs of my DSLR ... half-hour no problem and has gone further with no issues.

Thanks Steve. How easy is it to setup and use? Do you use it standalone or via the pc?

[Peje]

Despite the assumption that the Lodestar must be better as it costs more, some recent testing shows that the chip in the QHY5L-II and others is more sensitive in the mono version.

Yes, either by ST4 or USB. I've used mine both ways, as I recently implemented ASCOM. Works great.

When you say usb or ST4, do you mean you can use it standalone just powering and connecting ST4 to mount?

[kalasinman]

When you say usb or ST4, do you mean you can use it standalone just powering and connecting ST4 to mount?

Yes, with ST4 guider to mount and PHd it will guide the mount very well. The USB to laptop connection is used for ASCOM.

[Peje]

Yes, with ST4 guider to mount and PHd it will guide the mount very well. The USB to laptop connection is used for ASCOM.

Thanks. At the minute it's a toss up between this and the Synguider

[Joseki]

If you're going to have a pc next to it I'd go with a QHY5l-ii or asi120mm and phd guiding.  I'm not sure there's much need for a stand alone solution in that case and you can then also use it for lunar/planetary/solar imaging.  2nd hand ones do come up around £100-150.  Whether you need a ST80 or just an adapter for a finderscope I don't know but there's a ST80 on ABS right now (nothing to do with me): http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=100076   

[Peje]

If you're going to have a pc next to it I'd go with a QHY5l-ii or asi120mm and phd guiding. I'm not sure there's much need for a stand alone solution in that case and you can then also use it for lunar/planetary/solar imaging. 2nd hand ones do come up around £100-150. Whether you need a ST80 or just an adapter for a finderscope I don't know but there's a ST80 on ABS right now (nothing to do with me): http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=100076

That is a very valid point about the lunar and planetary imaging. I've contacted the seller of the st80 to see about postage costs

[Purplehayze104]

That could be another option within my budget. I take it this simply connects to the mount via the ST4 and usb to PC for PHD to do the control?

yes that's all there is to it, worked fine so far for me tiz quite a sensitive bunny as when I had a go imaging M31 when was wetter behind the ears I manage to pick it up in the cam/finder combo when slewin about, got mine from Modern Astronomy site.

regards

john

[StargeezerTim]

Thanks Tim, that's too far a stretch for my budget but appreciate the info. Basically I'm looking at total budget of 500 to include guider, finder scope and whatever other bits I need

You can get the lacerta for £406, at todays rate.

https://www.astromarket.org/astrofotografie/autoguiders/standalone-guiders/

and an orion 50mm guidescope for £74

https://www.astromarket.org/advanced_search_result.php/keywords/orion%2050mm/search_in_description/1/language/en/page/3

The only other thing you need is a cable from the MGEN to the DSLR that you can get for about a fiver!

Do check out Astromarket when you decide what you want, you get a much better price from them and I've had no problems with them... Tim 

[kalasinman]

Here's some questions I have about stand alone auto-guiders.

Can you image the moon or planets with it?

Does it control with ASCOM without it's own HC?

Will it feed images to plate solving software?

If any of the above answers is no, then IMO you are spending a ton of money that's no better than a QHY5L-II mono as a guider and painting yourself in a corner as well.

I haven't bothered to compare pixel size or sensitivity.

[Peje]

You can get the lacerta for £406, at todays rate.

https://www.astromarket.org/astrofotografie/autoguiders/standalone-guiders/

and an orion 50mm guidescope for £74

https://www.astromarket.org/advanced_search_result.php/keywords/orion%2050mm/search_in_description/1/language/en/page/3

The only other thing you need is a cable from the MGEN to the DSLR that you can get for about a fiver!

Do check out Astromarket when you decide what you want, you get a much better price from them and I've had no problems with them... Tim

Is that a true standalone guider?

[ollypenrice]

The standalones get a mixed press. When they work the owners are happy. When they don't they're stuck.  Unless imaging without a PC is your aim then I'd go for a camera and PC solution running PHD or another guide programme. If you have a problem you can change to a different guide programme to see if that works for you. This has happened to me once or twice.

Olly

[StargeezerTim]

Is that a true standalone guider?

Yes, No laptop needed...

[Peje]

If you're going to have a pc next to it I'd go with a QHY5l-ii or asi120mm and phd guiding. I'm not sure there's much need for a stand alone solution in that case and you can then also use it for lunar/planetary/solar imaging. 2nd hand ones do come up around £100-150. Whether you need a ST80 or just an adapter for a finderscope I don't know but there's a ST80 on ABS right now (nothing to do with me): http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=100076

Contacted the seller, don't think they're overly fussed about selling. Took a few emails to get details and cost sorted then they said they didn't want to arrange delivery and I'd need to sort that out. For the extra money I'll just order a new one.

Thanks for letting me know about this one though, it was worth a shot