StarDodger

Hmmm, don’t know about that.. 🤔

I didn’t think that EQMOD worked over USB, but only via the handset port... but of course I may be wrong

Are the rings manufactured by skywatcher, as I had some from overseas once with a similar problem, they were about 2mm out of spec, I was trying to save money, and as we know that does not alway work, I ended up buying a popular named brand rings in the end, so in fact ended up wasting money...So lesson learned for me.. 👍

But should you really need to on a new item, it seems to me that at at the prices of these scopes, everything should fit properly right off the bat, without the need for faffing about with bits of rubber of cork... just my opinion..

Sequator is an excellent stacking programme, and easier and better than DSS, IMHO.. https://sites.google.com/site/sequatorglobal/download And APP on the renters license for an all in one solution, it’s stacking is the best out there... 👍

This is how mine looks with the extra weight, also if you can slide the main weight up the shaft as close to the head as possible but you will need more weight, it helps as there is data to prove that it’s better for the motors as it uses less inertia to move and so improves guiding and tracking...

I just don’t get why you need to add a threaded bar onto the counterweight side like that, it’s much easier to just balance the scope end and add weight to the side of the scope that needs it to achieve balance and then slide main weight down a bit to counter it, there is no need whatsoever to add that bar with washers to the counterweight....it’s pointless and unnecessary....

You really don’t need to do that, balance on a single scope rig is only needed on 3 axis and not 4.... but if it works and you are happy..but it really does not add anything to the set up...when you balance RA it’s just the sum of one end against the sum of the other....simples...the CEM 60 counterweight shaft is angle moveable to help with this This bolt circled in the image below has to be loosened and the bar can be moved in the direction of the arrows to achieve balance Now when balancing the DEC axis then you have two axis to worry about, so you may need extra weight at either the front or back of the scope or possibly on one side or the other...

Well if you connect as I said above, you will have USB 3 direct from rpi4 to the camera..

So you would have EQMOD cable from mount to rpi4, and then USB 3 cable from rpi4 to camera hub, and then other items connect to camera hub..sorted...but like I say you would have to use different software, as sharpcap will not work with rpi, (as it’s linux based) you can only use ATP or Kstars / Ekos

Not sure what you mean here, you just have power and an Ethernet cable your mount, and that’s it, or even can be done over WiFi so not even an Ethernet cable, and then USB 3 on the rpi4 which sits on the mount and houses all the INdI drivers for your kit.. simples...

Well, yes, you could connect all your kit to the rpi4 USB 3 ports, and then the rpi4 unit to your laptop with Ethernet cable, and then you can run either the windows version of Kstars with the rpi4 as the INdI server, or APT on the laptop with indigo sky on the rpi4 as the indigo server....so yes you have the two options, but you can’t do it with any other imaging software...so what software would you normally use.... ?

I got the Stellarmate all working on the rpi4 now in 4K with and without a monitor attached, over VNC and Remote Desktop...so I’m a happy bunny...no more raspbian issues for me....as I don’t like using the very latest builds which you have to when built from Source, as that are very often buggy... At least with Stellarmate it just updates to stable builds as it uses PPA on Ubuntu mate...

VNC does now work in 4K with my Stellarmate on the rpi4... I have made changes to the config.txt file and 4k now works perfectly, with and without a connected monitor via VNC, web based noVNC and via Remote Desktop and XRDP.... so all good. indigo does not do all that INdI does as it does not auto start with ekos as INdI does, and there is not the same level of user control over some of the drivers... sorry but let’s agree to disagree..

No, you are correct on all counts...

Be careful with the Astro Baby end float adjustment guide, as it’s a little bit outdated and not strictly correct... It states if I am not mistaken , that you need to tighten the end float nut until a bit of binding occurs then loosen a tad...well if you tighten enough to get a little binding you may well have already damaged the small end float bearing and knocked it slightly out of shape, (I did) so my advice just tighten enough to take out and radial play, that’s all it needs...two fingers on the tightening tool or circlip pliers is all that’s required, just over finger tight..

Hold on, I have that same issue now too, mine is doing that exact same thing, have you just updated or built it from Source by any chance..?. I think there is an issue with the latest Kstars build, I have re built three times and still the same, so don’t do anything yet as it may well not help...I have told the developer..

Indigo does run well on raspbian, but so does INdI, and the issue is that indigo is not good with Kstars / Ekos...

Aslo, remember that the Stellarmate OS for the rpi4, is only a beta version, as Ubuntu Mate is not officially supported yet, and my be a while, so Jasem, the INdI and Kstars developer, has just hacked the Stellarmate to work on the rpi4 to try it out...so there will be issues, which I am having, as I need it to run in 4K mode when no monitor is attached and running it via VNC, but will not work, yet raspbian Buster will run like this...and there are other bugs, so don’t expect perfection from this just yet..

It is easier than people first think, but I would never go back to windows...you don’t need to even think about INdI but it will be there in the background, running the drivers for your kit, you only need to concentrate on using Kstars and ekos, and the INdI control will be there for changes you may need to make to individual drivers....

Exactly, it will start up with ekos in the background..

What do you mean you can’t get INdI to run, how are you trying, see my reply above.. i hear many people say they can’t start INdI, but it does not have to be started manually, it runs in the background automatically when you start ekos from within Kstars...the INdI control panel will pop up on startup in ekos..

Yes when you open Kstars and then ekos, you need to create a user profile with all your kit listed in the drop down boxes, then save, you don’t need to start INdI it will start automatically when you start ekos to start your imaging session, try with the simulator profile first that’s built into ekos...

Yes, he had updated to work with rpi4 and raspbian buster.. and does work very well, and plenty of extras in there too..

Yes here you go.. https://github.com/rlancaste/AstroPi3