michael8554

No problem, the mercury in the tuna will get him first......... Michael

This is the way to get high quality uncompressed video from a DSLR: http://www.astropix.com/html/i_astrop/eq_tests/canon_one_to_one_pixel_resolution.html ichael

Yes, daytime tests on a LX200GPS worked fine with PHD2, also Colin's driver cured the Custom Guide Rate problem I mentioned that's inherent with the old LX200GPS /R ASCOM Driver. Top marks Colin.!

Never mind the software, a guiding prog will need 1 to 3 second exposures, deep sky objects will require 30 second exposures at least. Michael

Hi Gabe Every scope has a range of focus (the distance from the front of the scope to the eyepiece) dictated by the in and out movement of the focuser. In your case the focuser is nearly all the way out with the THING (a diagonal) attached. If you remove the THING then you've removed a chunk from that distance, the eyepiece is now much closer to the front of the scope. To get focus back you have to move the focuser that chunk further out, to place the eyepiece back where it was in distance from the front, which you can't do. So basically you don't remove the diagonal. Michael

I got the same error message I'm afraid. I uninstalled v5 first, did I need to do that ? Also noticed that although I installed the NET 5.1 package, it shows 4.7 was installed at that time...... ? Michael

Ran Meade.net.Setup.0.5.0.0.msi First it asked me to install NET 5, which said it was only compatible with Win7 onwards. Windows XP is still used by a great many people, including myself until a few weeks ago, most astro progs work with it. Fired up PHD2 and looked for a new driver in the Mount window. Nothing obviously new, but I didn't remember seeing Meade Generic (ASCOM) before. By a process of uninstalling and reinstalling your driver I determined Meade Generic (ASCOM) was yours. Tried to connect and got this message: "Failed to load served COM class assembly ASCOM.Meade.net.Focuser.dll Unable to load one or more of the requested types. Retrieve the Loader Exceptions property for more info." The PC locked up for about 20 secs but then cleared and I could close PHD2. Are there any files you would like to see? Michael

The LX200GPS guys said your driver will send some commands the 200 will ignore, and will probably be missing some commands, but no harm will come from trying it, so that's what I'll do! Michael

SC = South Carolina Try Astromart or Cloudy Nights A complete dead mount for spares might be easiest to find. Michael

With the current LX200GPS/R ASCOM driver, when I set a custom Guide Rate with the handbox (say 90), when I connect with PHD2 it resets to 66. So I set to 90 after connecting with PHD2, which holds for that session, and is still present when I next switch on, but reverts to 66 next time I connect PHD2. Andrew Johansen gave me this info regarding the ASCOM driver. I understand that :Rg10.0# resets the Guide Rate. Looking in the "Meade LX200GPS\Telescope.cls" source Inside the "Let Connected()" function the code finds the mount and does some checks At about line 720, ( after everything is done ) it calls a function called Reconnect, which looks like it is meant to reset some old data. Inside Reconnect, ( at about line 2108 ) they forcibly reset the guide rate with no way to override it.

I see on the ASCOM Forum that many astro manufacturer's ASCOM drivers are flakey, and the poor user often has considerable trouble correctly uninstalling and reinstalling before the thing works correctly. I also see on the ASCOM Downloads instructions NOT to use the 497 on the 200GPS and vice-versa. Hence my reservations. Michael

An aquantance in the States with a LX200GPS is very excited at the many new ways of connecting to the scope your new driver will allow, but it will be a while before he can try it out. Michael

B***mer indeed, what went wrong? Michael

Why?

That's just asking for trouble, I won't be risking corrupting my LX200GPS ! I've posted a query on the LX200GPS Forum, there are developers there that will know the answer, but I suspect Autostar 497 and Autostar II are way different. I'll get back to you. Michael

David_Duarte has posted some images on SGL using this camera, he may be able to advise on drivers ? https://stargazerslounge.com/profile/59908-david_duarte/ Michael

You also need the lens to be no more than 45.46mm from the sensor to achieve infinity focus. 45.46mm is the backfocus of Pentax M42 threaded lenses. You can get infinity at less than 45.46mm, but more than 45.46mm and the lens focus will run out of travel. Apparently the ASI 224 sensor is 12.50mm into the body, leaving a 32.96mm gap to the lens. So the 28mm extension from a set like this may get you close enough, then you need a M42 1.0mm to 0.75mm converterno thicker than 4.96mm : https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Macro-Extension-Tube-Ring-Mount-Adapter-For-M42-screw-mount-Zenit-Zeiss-Pentax/230998682313?hash=item35c8982ac9:g:5x8AAOxyhodRuW8m Michael

https://www.astroshop.eu/handcontroller/meade-autostar-iii-handbox/p,59642 Lightswitches only Michael

Either contact Skywatcher USA direct, or one of the dealers in LA, doesn't seem to be anywhere closer to Iowa. Look for a part number on the board. Michael

There's no way to make it GoTo, the Meade Magelan and the Eks only make it Push To. You declutch the Dec and move it to the required Dec reading, then reclutch and finetune. Michael

Very DIY, but dave eks made a board you hook up to US Digital encoders on each axis, I think you used a Palm or Compaq Pocket PC..? https://eksfiles.net/digital-setting-circles/ Michael

Doesn't seem to be an option in the user guide to "Set max slew rate" like Meade's have. I suppose you could manually slew at a reduced rate to near your target, then GoTo ? Michael

Thanks Julian, I'll give Metcheck a whirl. Michael

Saturday night the BBC forecast was for Clear Skies from 22:00 to 02:00. It was 90% cloud for the whole period. The forecast didn't change during that period. My impression is that accuracy has dropped since they dropped the Met Office and went to MeteoGroup. Michael

For planetary DSLR imaging, here's how you should do it for best quality: http://www.astropix.com/html/i_astrop/eq_tests/canon_one_to_one_pixel_resolution.html Michael