Rustang

If anyone else has anything to add that would be awesome but I will take a look at everything in the week, digest it all and give it ago.

That would be lovely especially during the summer, I'd rather be sleeping! 😊

OK cool, that all seems a little clearer, I don't help myself by my mind getting all upset and confused when it all seems a bit to much. Yes I'm using a DSLR, astro modded Canon 650D

I was going to try PHD2 for the guiding part which I have since downloaded. I thought I could just continue with the handset aswell but it seems not!

Thanks everyone for your help so far 👍

Sorry, DSOs

I will have a read of that in the week, cheers 👍

Sorry guys, its probably me not explaining things properly. All I'm after doing is getting my set up ready to guide, I have the mount, guide cam and guide scope, and have downloaded the PHD2 software, its just putting it all together properly to read each other through what every cables i need. As said, the mount is the older HEQ5 Pro with the SynScan hand set. It seems the drivers that Ive downloaded for the guide cam have allowed PHD2 to read the camera but that is as far as I have got. I'm still unsure what cables need to go where to get everything up and running. If I have to lose the Synscan hand controller then so be it. Below are the 3 different cables I have and there's one more but that's the one the goes from the guide camera to the computer. So what devices/sockets do they need to go to and from!? Is PHD2 going to be useable with what equipment I have?

So I've now got this far, I've got the drivers for the guide scope and PHD2 can see the camera now. I have installed the only driver that seems to be there for my mount (see image) but when PHD2 gives me the list of mounts to connect to, nothing along the lines of skywatcher appears apart from skywatcher telescope. So if I've downloaded a driver for the sky scan hand set I'm guessing then the cable would have to come out of the outset and not the mount!!?

Ok I see, so if I was to go down this route, I would have the USB cable running from the guide camera to the computer then where do I put the other cable that goes from the mount to the computer, i. e does it go into the hand controller socket on the mount or the ST4 Auto guide socket!? So is there no way to guide by doing my normal set up then have an auto guide running as well!?

Without the controller,how do you set up the mount then, type in coordinates, pola align, star align etc!?

The EQ cable has the same fitting as the one that's currently connecting the handset to the mount so will not fit into the middle socket on the handset.

If anyone else has any ideas, as always any help is greatly appreciated.

I was hoping this was going to be fairly straight forward! 😞 Should have taken up badminton or something else simple lol.

Looks like I was given one of them when I brought the mount, so if I take out the left socket from the controller that goes into the mount and put in that cable, that goes into the computer then, when I start up to do my normal set up, star alignment and send off to what ever I'm imaging, will that all still be done via the hand set or PHD2 as the hand set will obviously be no longer plugged straight into the mount!? Ive got comfortable setting up with the handset so I'm not sure I'm comfortable coming away from that on top of getting my head around the software to control guiding if you see what I mean.

Older version so into one of these - see picture!? So once ive downloaded all of the drivers they should in theory, happily chat to one another!? Regards Russ

So I have the time today to finally look at doing a dummy run to get my auto guiding equipment up and running, let the headache begin! 😄 I'm currently looking through the web but thought i would start this thread to help clarify some things Equipment: Mount: SW HEQ5 PRO Guide camera: ZWOASI120MC Software: I have decided to start with PHD2 After watching a recommended video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt0luBLaHDw&feature=youtu.be The video states its best not to use the ST4 cable but to have the guide cam connected to the computer and the same for the mount, it then states that ASCOM will work with PHDS to guide. What's Ascom?, I had never herd of it, I still dont really know what it is but I have downloaded it!. It also says to download the driver for my mount?. If someone could give my a guide for dummies to get this set up working that would be great. Some other questions. There is the hand controller socket and the ST4 auto guide socket on the mount, I'm guessing then that I will plug the guide cam into the guide ST4 Socket but what socket goes from the mount to the computer!? I still need the hand controller to star align and bring me onto the target so there is no other spare socket! ? Is it just easier to start by using the "not recommended" ST4 cable from the guide camera straight into the mount!? I'm mainly asking for help again because my brain can be incredibly slow to understand software etc sometimes so for me its easier to ask you experts for a clear and simple answer.

I've got a decent LPF and recently brought what I need to guide but haven't got round to trying it out yet, there's just not enough clear nights and when ever there is I just want to image and not faff around! 😁 I will get there though, as you say I know it will help 👍

Best description ever! 😂

Blimmey, I could only dream of 20mins, I'm not guiding yet plus light pollution will also put a stop to me ever achieving that, fair play 👍

Stunning

Lovely images, excuse my still learning mind but how are you managing 1200sec ( 20min) exposures!? I've probably read something wrong! 😊

Its only because I know of one forsale that it made me wonder what one would be like in regards to astrophotography? I know they are seen as great scopes for visual use. Russ

Thank you , that's very helpful, I think I may take a punt and see how one goes for now

I have a power bank that could run it so would be ok in that respect