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malc-c

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Everything posted by malc-c

  1. Adam, I've reported your OP to the team with a request to make the first post a sticky post so it's always available as it will prevent others damaging their mainboard or connectors.
  2. That's common practice with a lot of thing, not just telescope mounts. Mounting the mainboard to a cover plate is nothing new. The EQ6 has the mainboard attached by standoffs to the metal cover, however in these mounts the cable harnesses to the motors, encoders etc are of significant length to allow the plate with board attached to be removed far enough so access to the connectors is possible without damage to them or the board. Conversely there are mounts like the HEQ5 where you have to remove all the gearing and stepper motors just to gain access to the two screws that secure the mainboard to the mount. The one thing in common is that Synta don't want to make access simple and easy. It is also common to have that claim of "warranty void if cover has been removed" with a little sticker over one of the securing screws. One thing I would add is that people should be mindful of UK consumer law, in particular the section that basically states that a consumer would expect the product to last a reasonable amount of time based on the cost. If you have spent several hundreds of pounds, if not thousands, on a mount you would expect it to last longer than the normal 12 or 24 month warranty. However if after the warranty period you brake that seal then they are with in their right to charge for any fix rather than be cornered to repair it free of charge should the mount fail just a couple of months outside the warranty. I do think the "no serviceable parts" is a misnomer. I've repaired several mainboards, often replacing the microcontrollers so these boards are serviceable. Granted the newer mounts use ARM processors and need more than a soldering iron to repair them, but it's still doable. Thanks for posting your findings.. maybe the admin can make your OP a sticky in the relevant section so that the warning doesn't get buried.
  3. I'm sure they will sort it out...
  4. IMO if the mount responds to the commands to rotate in RA when doing the plate solving, but then fails with any goto commands then there is no hardware fault with the motherboard. Before you send the board back to RVO can you try one thing. On a normal windows PC (not an ASIAR device) install ASCOM and EQMOD. Connect the mount and using the EQMOD Toolbox utility set up EQMOD to use the correct port and setting for whatever cable (EQDIR or USB) used. Then launch EQMOD, set the slew speed to 4 and click and hold each of the NSEW buttons to see if the mount moves. If when trying to connect to EQMOD via he Toolbox utility EQMOD keeps launching and then closes with a comms error then this would indeed confirm the issue is with the motherboard in the mount. If it seems to work without any errors then try running the attached application which uses raw commands to interrogate the mount and produce a report like the example below If RVO say the replacement is chargeable as the rig is outside the normal warranty period you may still have a case under UK consumer law as given the price of the mount you would expect it to last a reasonable amount of time or use, and clearly as this has low mileage you have a strong argument. Regretfully as you have mentioned the fact you have tried a USB cable to connect the mount to the PC (which basically is what the ASAIR is) the control board is likely to be one of the ARM based boards and I lack the equipment to be able to replace the processor and reprogram the board for you. This would be a last resort should the purchase of a replacement seem the only option left. You are right about the design, in that there is very little protection against over voltage or to prevent the serial ports in the processors being blown. And the replacement cost is anywhere between £100 - £160 depending on the mount. However I'm sure the guys at RVO will sort thing out for you should the board prove to be faulty. SyntaTester3906 (1).zip
  5. It was nothing glamorous. I started there in 1981 as an admin in the main office in Welwyn. The main warehouse / accounts / payroll etc was based in Newbury. The office was basically a base for the individual directors of companies that formed the Tasco group other than the sports brand Head which was based in Newbury. My main duties involved processing customer orders, answering the phone, and managing the sample stock that the directors took with them to sales meetings etc. I became the "technical adviser" when Halley's Comet came round, taking calls from people wanting to know what to expect and how best to observe it. I then was given the title of Product Manager when we employed a new admin to take over the admin duties, and I then assisted the in house designer to produce the full colour brochures etc. It was at this time I tried to get the directors to carry a more professional range of telescopes but in the end it often came down to profits and given the numbers it never really met the criteria. The best selling scope at the time was the 11TR, which whilst the optics were OK could never really be classed as a serious astronomical scope, mainly given the wooden tripod and mount. I then move to the toy and hobby company, and basically became the directors right hand man. I attended the regular toy and hobby fair in London, mainly as I had an interest in RC models and Astronomy so could answer technical questions. Sadly as I started as a junior position (advertised for a school leaver - I was 21 at the time) the salary never really increased to where it needed be and I ended up leaving Tasco in 1987. The MD and his wife were fantastic people (sadly passed away a few years back), as were the rest of the staff. It felt more like a family than going to work. Anyway, sorry for the OP taking this off topic... but yeah it was a period of my life I enjoyed.
  6. No problem. What you have sounds fine, and it's not really going to need "upgrading" immediately. Lets hope for some clear skies so you can christen the thing 🙂
  7. That will be back in the 1980's then... I worked for Tasco around that time and whilst I had the title "Product Manager" I struggled to persuade the directors to bring in one or two of the higher end telescopes and binoculars that Tasco made for astronomical use. Having said that, at the time their standard 10 x 50 zip focus proved a decent allrounder.
  8. This is a really puzzling one as you state that it was slewing in both axis when doing an alignment routine, but subsequent goto's only the DEC was fine, and with the handset both axis are not responding. With the handset connected directly to the mount and the mount powered on the handset will send an initial command of :e1 and :e2 which communicate with the microcontroller (either two 16F886's or an ARM chip) and should result in the card version and firmware version being returned. If nothing comes back then the handset displays the "No response both axis" message. I was going to suggest the issue could be with the EQDIR / USB cable used to connect the mount to the computer, but the fact you get the same issue with the handset (assuming the correct cable and port is used) would rule that out. From the first image I can's see any cable connected to the mount - can you elaborate how you are connecting the mount to the control computer? - If using a bluetooth or wi-fi adapter try removing it and using a dedicated EQDIR cable, or if your mount has a built in USB port, then use a short A-B USB cable and set the corresponding port that the computer assigns to 115200 baud rather the the default 9600 required for the EQDIR cable. If you are just using the handset and standard curly RJ cable, thus removing the computer from the equation, and neither now respond then it would seem that the mainboard has developed a fault (probably a blown Q3 if its a new board with USB).
  9. Part of the problem is that there is that there is still some element of error when using a perfectly aligned polar scope (especially with older polar scopes) as the "bubble" in which polaris is placed is so large that you could fit three or four Polarises across the diameter. Whilst this is fine for visual, for imaging it needs to be a little more precise. Yes there is a fair bit of confusing, even on forums. There has always been conflicting opinions of having to have an EQ mount true and level. Before I placed my rig in its own observatory my workflow was to place the mount level with the N leg of the tripod facing North, then without the telescope fitted perform the polar alignment. Once I was happy with the alignment the mount would be placed in the default home position (weights down in line with the N leg of the tripod and DEC axis correctly rotated and also in line with the N leg of the tripod) I then fitted the scope. Power was then applied and a 3 star alignment performed, and the scope then set back to the home position form the controller before selecting the target to observe.
  10. I would recommend shelling out £30 - £40 for a 12v 5amp supply form Rother Valley optics or FLO. That way you know you have something suitable for the mounts that they sell, and should something go wrong and it stops working then you have a better change of having it replaced with as little hassle than through the Amazon return process, or direct to a Chinese supplier. 5 Amps will give you enough headroom to cover the surge in current when the steppers start the slew. The current draw once moving for both steppers is around 1.8 - 2.0 amps. The mainboard only draws around 40mA so doesn't really impact the load. The other advantage of buying form FLO etc is that you'll know it will work, and has the right barrel connector. The mainboard lacks any real reverse voltage protection, other than blowing a large diode or inductor, which then means a repair or replacement board.
  11. Graeme, any length of timber used as a beam will be able to support more if used vertically due to the grain structure. Ideally the beam should be placed on top of the two posts so that the weight gets transferred through the posts (like a compressive force). If you place the beam between the posts then you are reliant on the screws or bolts taking the weight. Diagonal bracing will help tie thing together if it's impossible to make these changes at this stage. Neal's suggestion of turning the existing beam into a T beam by using a 4" x 2" is a good idea. You could go one step further and add a second beam identical to the existing to for an I beam. Use a decent waterproof adhesive between the beams and secure with screws every 12-18". Granted this may seem overkill, especially as they only support the roof when the observatory is in use, but over time the weight could cause the beam to sag and cause problems, so having a belt and braces approach and over engineering things is the best method
  12. I agree, the wood used to support the roll off roof needs to be a little more substantial, or the existing supported by some cross-bracing. Other than that I think you've done a fantastic job.
  13. As Geoff mentioned, worth reading the manual as that covers the points raised.
  14. Oh right...stand corrected. Strange that the V3 and V5 appear identical, yet the V4 changed design..
  15. Things may be different in the US, so some of the advice may not be relevant. Having set up one society, and co-founded another it's not an easy task. It's not so much the practical things like finding a hall to have meetings, or sourcing guest speakers, more so getting people to sit on the committee or volunteer to participate in activities such as manning a stand at local fetes and events. You also need people you can trust, especially when it comes to the treasurer position as they could be handling lots of money when the society / club grows. The strength of any society / club is its members, and without members the club / group / society will soon go under. So they need to feel that they are getting value for money, and I mean that in the literal sense. In order to hire halls, cover guest speakers, or newsletter production (some still like hard copies) you need to have a membership fee. At the start it's very likely that you will be paying these things out of your own pocket until the membership grows and the costs are covered. There is nothing to stop you getting together in a bar and talking astronomy with other like minded people over a beer or two, which is fine, and many a society started that way. On the opposite end you could be entered into a contract hiring a hall on a monthly basis, with a prominent astro related guest speaker attending to talk to several hundred people. But if you lean towards the latter then it has to be run almost like a business. You'll need 3rd party public liability insurance just in case joe public suffers an injury or an accident happens when they are attending an event you've organised. In the UK there is a federation of astronomical societies and any UK astronomical society becoming affiliated to them as a member can get cover through them at a reduce fee.
  16. I would assume that all the SW handsets are physically the same size, and the versions relate to the internal hardware and firmware ?
  17. Rich, a quick google suggests that the cables are available to suit specific cameras as one end will be fitted with a connector suitable for Canon or Olympus etc - Looking at the images the jack plug is TRS, that's tip, ring and sleeve Full details of how it works can be found in the StarAdventure user manual - Here is FLO's mini guide which should help Never used it, but Google is a wonderful thing !
  18. Finally the second EQ6 board that had a hole blown out of it was fixed this evening. The old PIC was updated to the current firmware as well. So that's 2 x EQ6 mainboards for the exchange program. 👍
  19. The thing is that whilst Resolve is a powerful application, and may look daunting at first, it is simple to use - with drag and drop to the timeline, simple in and out trimming and pre-sets for rendering the final video. If you do then want to get fancy with effects or transitions beyond basic wipes or crossfades it's all there
  20. HitFilm Express is one, but if you really want a decent powerful program that is free then it has to be DaVinci Resolve
  21. Two ways to check. Insert the EQDIR cable, then open device manager, and under Ports section see what's listed. Normally it will state FTDI or Prolific. If it doesn't state the chipset used then click on the properties button and select the Details tab. In the "property" dropdown list select "Hardware ID's and in the value box below it the chip ID will be listed. For example, I have a Lynx Astro EQDIR that just gets listed as USB Serial Port (Com4), but under the ID it states "FTDIBUS\COMPORT&VID_0403&PID_6001" - If you just get something like "ACPI\VEN_PNP&DEV_0501" then simply google that string and download the driver that matches.
  22. I've used an old version of APT for years now. I did try NINA several years back, but having an old D400 SLR found that NINA lacked the ability / functionality to operate serial controlled shutter release, even though the interface appears to suggest it did. After consultation with the developers via the discord server I was informed that whilst the interface has the option, the code behind it was never written as cameras such as the D300 and D400 are obsolete ! - In fact it was the snotty, somewhat arrogant replies I got that from the developers that made me revert back to APT, which caters fine for my needs.
  23. No worries, glad to hear you got to the bottom of it. CdC is not too hard to get to grips with, and typically, once you have right clicked on the target and sent the mount to slew to it the application can be minimised if required as it's more or less done it job... Anyway, pleased to hear you resolved the issue and have a working solution.
  24. I think you need to re-read the thread... If you want to image DSO's then guiding is a must. In order to guide, BOTH axis need to be motorised in order to make small corrections in both plains. You don't need goto functionality, but most mounts that have options for basic drive also tend to have better more precision stepper motors than those which feature in the goto system for the same mount. An example being the EQ5 from Skywatcher. For £87 you can buy a standard single axis drive with basic handset seen here. For a further £12 you can get the same system, but with dual axis motors like this Entry level guiding is offered with the enhanced dual axis kit retailing around £150. All of these drives use DC motors to move the mount. Stepper motors only come with the go-to option, which also give the further option of interfacing with a PC for full software control. Naturally give the kit includes a Synscan handset and control board these upgrades are not cheap, being more than double the cost of the enhanced drive at around £360. But imaging isn't cheap, and things like the mount plays a bigger part of things compared to visual needs. Having the option to run precision motors to provide decent tracking with out requiring the software to work hard is something that needs to be considered at the start, it may also save money in the long run. If you are unsure of the direction you'll end up going, or the full upgrade (assuming the mount has that ability) is above your budget then choose a mount such as the EQ3 / EQ5 used in this example. that accepts the enhanced drive kit.
  25. Some excellent advice given already. From personal experience I would agree with what's already been stated, that a 150PDS / EQ5 combo would be better than a 200PDS on the same mount, especially if you intend or feel that you will be heading towards imaging rather than visual. The HEQ5 has more precision and fine tuning than the EQ5, and as already mentioned has a decent load carrying ability. I originally purchased a 200P / EQ5 set up, and after a short period of visual use ended up dipping my toe into imaging. I purchased a second hand HEQ5 and fitted an Orion Optics secondary of the same dimensions of that fitted in the 200PDS and have been very pleased with the results.
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