Ascom Confusion

[hayju01]

I see another post very similar but i've possibly not the same.

So i consider myself a computer literate person, am an IT Manager after all with 20 years in the business but I have to admit defeat here and yes i would read the manual if I knew which one

So I got tightvnc working with a view to be able to keep an eye on what i was imaging but then i got to thinking i've got the cables why not do control as well? Then I thought some more and wondered why do I need to do the guiding/control?

Surely there must be a way to have my laptop capturing images and some guide software making sure the mounts tracking is keeping up.

So i figured I would need

1. Cables for guiding plus my usual imaging kit

2. Capture Software with Planetarium mmmmm hey old MaximDL (not free but if it works i might be prepared to pay for)

3. ???? what am i missing??????

Oh well.

So I had briefly played with Stellarium and guiding with my old Goto AZ so i thought I'd start there and sure enough within minutes I guinding my mount all over the skies

Right now can I do the same in MAxim? Er Nope appears it needs Ascom now this is where I'd lost myself last time and why i'd not gone down the route of computer guiding. I had confidence that as it wasnt 2am I may stand a better chance. I looked and I had various bits of software that seemed related to this already installed

ASCOM Diag

ASCOM Profiler

ASCOM Platform

EQASCOM

Non of these seemed to do what I wanted and a few threw up activeX errors......so i removed the lot.

Installed ASCOM and patch

Installed EQAScom

Seems to have installed the same software and Ascom PLatform still errors..........

If i'm right and understand what i have read I need to

A. Create a POTH hub

B. Connect Maxim to this

C. Connect Stellarium as well

Some where in there (presumably in A) I have to make the connection to the scope.

Can someone tell me or point me to some instructions on what I need to do?

Thanks,

Justin

[steppenwolf]

I think there is a slight confusion here with terms - my understanding is that it is not 'GUIDING' that you want to do at this stage but operating your mount in a GoTo sense from your laptop?

Maxim can do this for you as can many other programs including the free Cartes du Ciel planetarium software. We need to know exactly which mount you have first of all including confirmation that it has GoTo facilities via a hand controller.

Depending on the mount, there are two possibly ways of using computer control so over to you for more info. on the mount, please.

[hayju01]

OK sorry for the confusion.

What I am thinking is that I can have some capture software running which has the object on the screen, and like in Registax i can set this as the ROI and then start caputuring.

The software will not only capture the image but also guide the mount as well to keep the object 'on the chip' during the capture.

Does that make sense?

I am using a NEQ6 Pro and have the Serial cable connected from PC to Synscan HC and I have been able to operate the mount using Stellarium.

Thanks for the quick response.

Justin

[Cornelius Varley]

OK sorry for the confusion.

What I am thinking is that I can have some capture software running which has the object on the screen, and like in Registax i can set this as the ROI and then start caputuring.

The software will not only capture the image but also guide the mount as well to keep the object 'on the chip' during the capture.

Does that make sense?

I am using a NEQ6 Pro and have the Serial cable connected from PC to Synscan HC and I have been able to operate the mount using Stellarium.

Thanks for the quick response.

Justin

Software like that would be very useful, but I don't think it exists. Generally astrophotographers use a separate programme and dedicated guide camera to guide the mount when imaging, usually PHD or Guidemaster.

Peter

[hayju01]

Thanks Peter, now why does that not surprise me :-) Something so simple, the code exists in Registax and other software for the alignment process and yet no ones thought of putting it in capture software. If only I was still a programmer.....

Ok, so having established that its not possible, I assume that having maxim capture and Stellarium do the goto is possible?

Where would I start with that?

Or should I just stick with capturing in Sharpcap and run Stellarium at the same time and use that to nudge the mount when it needs it?

[Cornelius Varley]

If you are capturing in Sharpcap, that suggests planetary or Lunar imaging with a webcam. In which case autoguiding your NE6 is unnecessary. The mount will track well enough for webcam imaging.

Peter

[BlueAstra]

One step at a time! First you need to get Ascom/EQMOD working with your mount. Some info first:

What PC/Operating System are you using?

Are you using a USB-Serial adapter to connect to the handset, if so which one?

The first step would be to install/run Ascom/EQMOD successfully on your PC, then get it to control the mount. Then you can also use 3rd party software (CdC, Maxim) to control the mount.

Guiding using PHD or Maxim can be done totally independently to the above, if your guidecam has guider outputs, usually involving a separate connection to a guide camera via USB or USB hub. If it doesn't then you will need to use the pulseguiding option which does require a mount control connection.

BTW, the EQ6 mount in the Ascom chooser is actually a hub so it can support multiple connections from different software. You don't need the POTH hub. Check out these forums for more advice:

EQMOD : EQMOD - open source EQ mount control

EQ6 : Atlas, EQ6, SkyScan & SynTrek Mounts

ASCOM-Talk : ASCOM Initiative Discussion List

[hayju01]

Opps!! sorry:icon_eek:

OK so I have gone through and uninstalled all Ascom related stuff. Rebooted and installed

Ascom 5b

Ascom Update 5.5.1

EQASCOM

I am able to control the mount through MaxIm or directly through EQASCOM pad.

Opps just realised rushing ahead again

Windows 7

Yes, I am using a Prolific USB - Serial

I don't have a guidecamera just the SPC900 that I use for imaging, I assume I need to set that up in MaxIm next, just ready the help net on how to do that.

but I'll wait for conf that thats my next step :-)

Thanks for your help,

Justin

[BlueAstra]

OK. Check with device manager what COM port is assigned to the Prolific USB-Serial Adapter. Then run EQMOD/EQASCOM/Toolbox and under driver setup check you have the same COM port assigned (alternatively you can search for the COM port in toolbox with the binocular button). The default port details are 1000/2/9600.

[hayju01]

OK thanks. got that its assigned to COM7 and the toolbox is seeing it and we have mount control :-)

So I'm thinking (dangerous i know) that maybe i dont need Maxim afterall, its not going to give me much extra. I can continue to use Sharpcap and the Ascom pad nudge the scope?

Or have i missed something?

Sorry to be a pain

[BlueAstra]

You can use any Ascom compatible programme (Stellarium, Starry Night, Maxim, CdC, etc) to control the mount, ie align it and move to different targets and track them. Whichever programme you use, you will normally have access to the EQMOD control panel which allows you to nudge the scope independently. You can use EQMOD by itself, but then you will have to manually find your targets and select the right tracking mode.

Once you have found the target and are tracking it you can then use your capture programme to get video clips or single exposures.

[hayju01]

Thanks BlueAstra and all.

As my laptop is short on disk space (10GB) i'd rather keep the programs installed on it down to a minimum and as I will need to be 'mountside' to finetune targetting and focus I can use the mount HC for the initial goto.

Really appreciate all ther help guys :-)

Justin