groberts

Sorted! 

For the record they say 8.3nm + v1.2.20 driver.

However, I also want to say what great support I got from Starlight Express.  Emailed them this afternoon (Saturday) and in less that 30 minutes they replied- now that's what I call service + good cameras too! 

1. The pixel size for the Starlight Express Lodestar x2 is given as 8.2nm x 8.4nm. 

Would the average of 8.3nm therefore be correct for use with PHD2?

2. What is the correct driver to use with this camera & Windows 10 Pro?

Graham 

Yes all is now working with both laptops  the driver just self loaded + just needed to sort the ports out. 

I appreciate your help Alan, now on to the other things that need sorting out - watch this space!

Graham 

Thanks Alan, pity but that's something of a reality check. 

I do have a spare + new Lynx FTDI cable / connector but as the exisiting Prolific one already worked well thought I'd just switch it over but, as they say, the rest is history and astronomy!  I'll give it one last try and if that doesn't work, which seems likely, will change the cabling for the Lynx, which I presume will also be OK with Windows 7?

Graham

4 hours ago, groberts said:

Thanks Alan, sounds like it should be OK then 👍

Famous last words    

After plugging in the EQDirect cable it was recognised in the Device manager + said it was working properly but in fact did not work and on closer inspection under driver says "PL2303HXA PHASED OUT SINCE 2012 PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SUPPLIER"!  After hours messing around its still not working.

Looking on Google this seems to be a common problem and, in fact, usually only means that it won't work with a more up-to-date driver.  I therefore copied over the driver file dated 2015 (is the correct thing to do?) from my Windows 7 machine (which still works fine with the older computer) but now get a "Code 10" error.

Aware of the fake Prolific EQDirect problems  I purchased my EQDirect cable from a mainstream astro supplier (can't remember who now) and it's always worked fine, except now with Windows 10.

Any suggestions of what to do would be most welcome.  I'm not entirely sure I copied the old driver correctly - copy & paste - so if there's a better way or another source that could work?  Although not proven I can certainly see the logic of using the older version, afterall it still works well on the the older machine.

Graham 

Thanks Alan, sounds like it should be OK then 👍

I already have a working EQASCOM computer controlled setup using an EQDirect cable that works well and now want to set-up another Windows 10 laptop.  Unfortunately I last did this a few years ago and can't remember what I did then! 

Using a USB computer port to Mount  EQDirect cable, do I need to add a dedicated driver for the EQDirect - I already have EQMOD and ASCOM installed and working with another computer (see previous comment).  If so where can I find it?

Graham 

Thanks again Alan, much appreciated + will try it if still needed.

Graham  

Yes there is no "Ports / COM & LPT" in Windows 10 which is present on my Windows 7 setup, even with something plugged in, though the item works OK (so far).  

Generally this is fine with me but, as I said, with EQASOM it is often necessary to change the Port number and if I can't see it I can't change it.  How do I get round this?

Thanks Alan.  I should clarify more, when I say 'ports' actaully what I can see are USB root hubs etc not ports which I cannot find anywhere, let alone  ID their number etc. Any ideas where I might find them?

Graham

Previously when using Windows 7 it was possible to view the built-in USB ports in Device Manager to ID their number and, as if sometimes is necessary when using  EQASCOM with EQDIRECT, change the Port number.  I'm currently moving over to Windows 10 and am unable to find the port numbers any more - can anybody please point me in the right direction? 

Obvioulsy I go into Device Manager and (as has been suggested elsewhere on Google) turn on the "View-Hidden Devices". There are ports there but unlike with Windows 7 I can't see how to ID or change their assigned Port number.

Graham

1 minute ago, SyedT said:

I have a laptop from 2015 which doesn't have the colour-coding, but the USB 3.0 ports are definitely 3.0, confirmed by the faster hard drive transfer speeds etc. An easy way to test it would be to compare hard drive transfer speeds between the ports.

I think all looks good now (see above) but I'll take a look at that too - just to be sure!

The funny thing is, my existing astro laptop a Samsung is way back from 2012 and that is colour coded.

Graham

Ah why didn't I think of that?  Great thanks Lee - I wonder what powered means? 

Of course I appreciate what it says but aren't all USB ports powered or unpowered and, in practical terms, what's the difference - I've nver seen that before except when using hubs?  

Graham 

OK that puts my mind at rest - presumbly pre-colour coding then.

It's a T440p ThinkPad 500Gb SSD +15 RAM bought from Microdream, who so far have been good.  As I said, it looks great but as we all know,  with astrophotography USB cables and ports cane often be the weak link and I was conerned I'd bought a pup. 

Now to start the task of installing the many programs needed!

Many thanks, Graham

I have just puchased a refurbished Lenovo Thinkpad laptop for  dedicated astrophtography use.  Outwardly it looks very good but I'm concerned about the USB ports.  It was advertised as 2xUSB 2.0 and 2xUSB3.0 ports but visual inspection shows they're all black coloured i.e. no blue ones as per USB3.0 convention. 

I have looked at the Device Manager  and there's something about USB 3.0 there but it's not clear to me if that confirms any of the ports are USB 3.0?  Finally, however, two of the are ports are labelled with the little USB 3-wire symbol and the letters SS. Resorting to Google it seems to that the SS does denote these are in fact usb 3.0 ports and perhaps being an older computer are not colour coded i.e. blue.

Can anybody please provide advice on these USB ports + in particular if I have, as advertised, 2xUSB3.0 and 2xUSB3.0 ports?  Moreover, if these SS marked ports are USB 3.0 are they likely to cause any problems working with any modern USB 3.0 specced equipment e.g. astro cameras?

Graham 

Hmm, contary to my wishes it feels like I'm going down a technology rabbit hole here and in the KISS principle will maybe stick with staightforward (some of the time!) computer control.  Many thanks anyhow.

Graham 

Many thanks, as is often the case this has sent me in a completely new (and unexpected) direction which, however, looks very interesting. I've had a brief look and have a few inital questions before delving deeper into things:    

• Not clear why StellarMate has to run with Raspberry Pi + how, or is it stand alone?
• I'm not keen on moving away from my current software which is Windows7 + ASCOM/EQMOD + CdC + PHD2 + APT image capture - will StellarMate work with these or is it necessary to use EKOS + INDI etc.?
• The StellarMate website I'm looking at is all in US$ - is there a UK/European version + does it come from the USA?

Graham

Tahnks for the comments - that's a pity about the non-ZWO support, which I suspected and is defintately something of a drawback.  Will take a look at the Raspberry Pi idea but prefer something out the box.   

Graham 

Toying with the idea of getting one of these rather than current setup of direct PC control for mount/guiding/image capture.

However, I have a few questions + think I've read about isssues of compatililty:

• Is this only good for use with ZWO cameras?  I use a ZWO ASI1600MM-Cool for imaging but with a Starlight Xpress Lodestar X2 for guiding - is this a problem?
• Can an auxillary USB hub be run from the Air Pro if addtional USB ports are needed?
• From experience what's the Wifi range?
• Anything else to think about + pros & cons?

Thanks Graham    

Bingo! Merci Patrick 

Thanks Patrick - once in the correct directory do I then need to do anything else in the SetUp / Catalogue window to get things working?

Graham 

Thanks guys but I'm still struggling with this!

You'll see from the screen grab below that SH2 is indeed indicated in theSetUp catalogue list but when I look at the directory there's nothing there.  I therefore downloaded the given catalogue into the said directory (cat/sh2) and it still doesn't come up when I search for an SH2 object in CdC. 

I suspect I'm doing something wrong  - any thoughts please?

Graham

3 hours ago, Andy R said:

YouTube channel stargazine https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV7I4X4eUSGn-_P9MDolYHQ

Thanks Andy - that link's very useful, is it somewhere on the wesbite too, can't see it?  

Unfortunatly I had to miss the real time StarGaZine meeting last Sunday - where can I find the recorded version of this or any past meetings?

Graham 

Can anyone please direct me to a download source for the Sharpless Catalogue for use with Cartes du Ciel?

Graham