DaveL59

just for fun and in case anyone wants to make something up and doesn't have a prism handy (or a cheap mirror diagonal) I thought I'd try a plain mirror. This fell off the handle of a travel hairbrush so taped to some card and positioned under the camera. Had a quick play under a clear window of sky and it quickly found its location and reported directions to Saturn. Couldn't test further as too much cloud now but could be a simple and cheap option if you fancy making your own rig, just rob the OH's makeup kit 😉 update: having cleared a bit again I gave it another go and it was quite happy finding its position as I aimed it randomly at patches where some stars showed. Am actually quite liking this app now I've got it unlocked and able to play about. Will have to get it out with a scope at some stage soon I think tho might have to shuffle a couple things around first to get a decent mount out there (or refit to the LT70 lol).

mine actually were off the bay, seem to work fine but do seem to drain the battery quite fast if not careful. I tend to tighten the lock screw then power off else a slight bump and it turns back on and before you know it, no power. When it arrived that was exactly what I think had happened as the battery was all but dead but at least there was a spare in the pack 🙂

sounds like it'd fit then 🙂 Will PM you about postage etc

kind of you John. Just measure the one on the TAL finder and its a smidge under 30mm thread diameter: Doesn't look to have much of a thread internally either so perhaps was never made to carry filters or its just an odd size. If yours matches up then yes please 🙂

can't say I have but some comments on sites selling them say they're junk, need drivers etc. Cheap for a punt but don't expect great things. Better to mod a webcam really or look at something like the svbony range.

hmmm test fitting this OVL VPL filter and it doesn't meet the thread in the TAL diagonal, just slides in past them 😞 Fits the eyepieces just fine both TAL and Vixen ones and also the Celestron erecting diagonal on the LT70 I just received. Was hoping to fit one on the diagonal and the other on the eyepiece to make it simple to adjust the darkness by only needing to turn the eyepiece. On the Celestron diagonal tho you get an odd half dark half light view, probably down to the prism arrangement so not really useful on that one. Might have to see if I can get a different nosepiece for the TAL diagonal at some stage. Of course taking a couple bits apart it seems to be threaded externally cut into the end of the tube than the eyepieces which are threaded internally. Might not be so easy to sort then. I've an Svbony star diagonal en route so once that arrives I'll see if that fits ok and if it performs or the nosepiece can be transferred. Luckily I have a larger filter box to store this in, albeit split so they fit side by side 🙂

what's the weight of the binos? Something like this might work, can't vouch for it tho as never owned one https://www.amazon.co.uk/BV30L-Professional-Aluminum-Mid-Level-Camcorder/dp/B078X8TKRL/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=video+tripod&qid=1601985540&sr=8-4

here you go

I've a similar issue with the older TAL when I want to use a regular 1.25-inch EP as those old russian ones are 32mm diameter so the standard EP's rattle and can easily drop out if not careful. Electrical tape might be a better solution than duct tape, less stick mess left behind 🙂 For the plossls you might find the right diameter fit on astroboot tho they're closed for refurb at the moment.

might help to say what eyepieces you're looking for eyecups for as there's a few places you can obtain from. For plossls I've bought some from astroboot that fit and work fine but they aren't tall such as you'd maybe want for LER. Others have made DIY eyecups using bicycle inner tube cut and folded to suit their requirements so that may be an option. For the barrel change the 1.25-inch nosepiece tube will be of too large a diameter to fit the body unless you can get some engineered to suit.

hmm should work but not quite a trad crowbar, you'd normally do something like this tho not simple in a pre-built circuit but can be done. Adam if you do add a zener in for this I'd stick a note by the fuse too, to remind you to check the zener diode before replacing so you don't end up just popping fuses should it have triggered and then get real frustrated with what's mysteriously going on 🙂

are you planning to use the bino's seated or standing? The issue with standing is to get a tripod that can reach the required height which will mean legs extended and possibly the centre pillar extended too. Takes its toll on stability unless its a very solid tripod. There are some that are geared for video use that may suit but not having experience of these I can't vouch for any in particular. The tripod I have is a Pyser model and works fine but I mainly use a monopod (Giottos 5570) for the binos. Saves tripping over the extended legs etc. Having said that I'm not using anything near a 100mm pair which I'd imagine are quite heavy.

that's odd Paul as I've run Linux headless in the past but it's been quite a while since I ran Ubuntu, v14 or so. Are there any BIOS settings that are preventing passing the POST and therefore not getting as far as the bootloader? Likewise is the bootloader (GRUB or whatever) set to auto-pick a default or does that wait on your input? I also use VNC here on the woeful one and mobile devices, handy and it just works tho across winwoes systems I mainly use RDP. edit: have you tried to reboot with the screen keyboard and mouse all disconnected?

Not surprised really, if they'd sent you mirrors and let you fit them they can't then still cover the scope under warranty since you will have taken it apart and repaired it. If they do the repair then they will warranty their work and the entire scope which is how things usually work. Same with everything else such as cars etc.

oh wow, so I noticed my skycam showed much clearer skies and decided to have a play with this starsense app, not with the scope tho, just rested on the ground aiming at the sky. Initially tried handheld but it kept complaining about movement. Found its location after a minute or so and then directed to the chosen target, Mars and then wanted to re-solve and give further directions. So I can confirm it works quite nicely. So I decided to then try in with my home-brew prism rig. Seemed to work even quicker than with their mirror at fixing its location and then re-solving when closer to target. This was with the Samsung Note-10 since my Note-3 isn't gonna play nice, well the app didn't want to play with it... I'd say a nice result, for sure I'll build a carrier for the prism once the bits arrive and then the bulky OEM holder can go back on the LT70 scope 🙂

gave the scope a quick test pointing at Mars and the Moon a short time ago in a brief break in the cloud. Using the SV171 zoom it performed very well with no false colour on the moon at all. Wobbly as heck when adjusting anything but with the tripod legs extended no surprise there. Nice that it's so light that going for a smoke and seeing a clear patch it was literally seconds to pick it up and pop it into the garden and enjoy the view. My others take much more effort. So not too bad for a very low cost scope really. No chance to try the starsense tho as too much cloud and wasn't long before the next lot engulfed everything. It does warn about the moon and suggests aiming elsewhere but that side of the visible sky for me was all cloud so it'll have to wait for another night.

my daughter has one of these on order for my birthday https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Telescope-2-1-25-Inch-Eyepiece-Holder-Carrier-Bag-Sponge-Inside-Portable-Case/163754276544?hash=item262083f6c0:g:CfIAAOSw5Z9fNmJ6 Hopefully being close to the body it'll not need any extra heating 🙂

I've ordered some acetal sheet to make up a rig for the phone using either a prism or mirror but while I wait for that to arrive I thought I'd have a play using some acetate sheet, flock and a prism from a 10x50. and in the joby phone holder Not ideal as I had to set the phone low in the holder and of course the power button is pressed if you clamp the holder too far lol. Kinda works tho 🙂

at least you got a result if they can turn it around quickly 🙂 You can always repaint the inner of the tube later on if you want, or flock it which would probably perform better.

easier to take another boxed scope from stock than to have to source a replacement pair of mirrors that likely aren't sat on the shelf for the supplier.

yep and it did exactly that, ping, oh WTF! hmmm oh well 😄

snap! 😉

I tried, but new toy = resistance is futile Sure it's a bit wobbly when adjusting but actually it ain't too bad really. Tripod feels real lightweight so I'm wondering if it'd sit better if I can transfer the mount yolk over to a foto tripod but not too fussed at the moment. The diagonal does appear to be a mirror rather than an erect image prism which was unexpected. Awkward to insert into the focuser tho even with the screws backed right off so tolerances not good. Focuser is plastic but held that huge SV171 zoom fine and gave a fair view of distant tree tops even zoomed to 8mm. Slight CA perhaps but otherwise a pleasant image given the flat grey skies here. Looks tiny compared to some of my others pictured here 🙂 So this could be a nifty little lightweight grab n go perhaps... edit: scrub that comment about the diagonal, my bad I realise after viewing through it that it is erecting after all, doh! I've an svbony dielectric mirror one on order to improve the use under stars.

Hi John The motor drive would only be for the RA axis unless you got a dual motor version. You'd need to make sure the mount is set up so the RA axis is aimed north and have the latitude set up so that once on target the RA drive will track reasonably to keep the object in view. For a finder are you thinking something electronic, or a manual unit such as an optical or RDF? Bear in mind that the finder will help you get the target in view for the lower mag (25mm) eyepiece but you'd then need to centre it possibly using a higher mag eyepiece (10mm) so that it'd be on the sensor of the camera you are using. Unfortunately making the EP and camera parfocal isn't likely to be easy so you may still have to run to and fro to tweak. You might have some success fitting parfocal rings to the eyepiece so they match the camera without needing to adjust the focuser position, assuming there's only a small amount of travel, or measure how much travel and get an extender tube of the required length. A remote focuser that you can operate from the PC would be easiest but likely won't be cheap if even possible on your scope.

I recently received an SVBony SV171 8-24 zoom eyepiece and it seems good tho I've not done any real testing yet given the poor weather we've been having over here. There's some reports on CN to say it seems to be reasonably good and at that price I thought it worth a look. Very weighty and feels a quality build and the brief test it seems to work well. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001337671438.html?spm=2114.12010612.8148356.47.38767fb2bhWdu6 Might be a bit heavy for the scope you have tho but they do a 7-12 zoom which is lighter. Also just ordered an SVBony diagonal but the more expensive metal bodied one and is at a nice price if you can wait for it to arrive: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32881221402.html?spm=2114.12010612.8148356.9.62ae2b74z43HwF Description says its dielectric so hopefully should perform well.