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Stephen

By Stephen
in The Astro Lounge

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vulcan

vulcan

Posted
Posted
In which ways?

RS-232 ??? - Virtually obsolete on modern computers. Why not USB or BlueTooth then you don't need unreliable adaptor cables?

Ergonomics - general construction that breaks your back, polarscope that breaks your neck, adjustment screws that break your fingernails. This is bad human interface design!

The handset interface and display - any cheap phone is miles better but here in 2011 there are smartphones and MP3 players with easy to use touch displays - in colour.

I won't even start on control layout and aesthetics!

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Euan

Euan

Posted
Posted
RS-232 ??? - Virtually obsolete on modern computers. Why not USB or BlueTooth then you don't need unreliable adaptor cables?

Seems a bit backward, but I'm still a big fan to be honest. OK so you have to get a USB adaptor if you have a laptop, but there is nothing more stable than a PCI RS232 card IMHO.

It's low speed control so a high speed interface isn't required. I work in AV automation and I would use RS232/485 over USB, Ethernet and Bluetooth control anyday. It's still the no1 control standard in AV.

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Euan

Euan

Posted
Posted

Just watched the video and that does look the dogs, but as usual with Skywatcher it all comes down to price

The handset interface and display

I have to agree with you on that, I hate that handset, EQMOD all the way ;)

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Carbon Brush

Carbon Brush

Posted
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Very much agree with Euan. I work in industrial controls.

The high signal levels (voltage) and low data rate of RS232 mean that it is extrmely resilient to electrical interference. Add to that, with the correct choice of components little features like 15000 static discharge immunity are there.

The interace provided on laptops and the like is very much driven the fashion and the requirements of the home computer market. We all want high data rates and preferably no wires. Or if we do need a wire/plug, it has to be tiny.

Oh did I mention temperature? Many of the consumer products are fine at room temperature, but not at extremes. As a general rule the industrial products are going to work at sub zero temperatures.

RS232 and other 'old fashioned' communications methods are far from dead. It is just that they don't feature on clever phones and new laptops.

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Whippy

Whippy

Posted
Posted
RS-232 ??? - Virtually obsolete on modern computers. Why not USB or BlueTooth then you don't need unreliable adaptor cables?

Ergonomics - general construction that breaks your back, polarscope that breaks your neck, adjustment screws that break your fingernails. This is bad human interface design!

The handset interface and display - any cheap phone is miles better but here in 2011 there are smartphones and MP3 players with easy to use touch displays - in colour.

I won't even start on control layout and aesthetics!

Fair enough, but I'd rather have all that (and TBH I don't see them as big issues) and it'll be accurate rather than something that looks great and is easy to use but can't track for toffee.

Tony..

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pete_l

pete_l

Posted
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RS-232 ??? - Virtually obsolete on modern computers. Why not USB or BlueTooth then you don't need unreliable adaptor cables?

Give me a simple, reliable wired point-to-point connection any day. The biggest issue with USB is that every time I plug something in to a different port it gets re-instantiated and comes up with a different port number so configurations have to be manually updated/debugged, sometimes it even insists on reinstalling drivers. Even in the same USB port, if something else in a different USB socket has changed, that can affect the port number which is assigned.

As fas a bluetooth goes: nice idea, in practice it's too fussy about connections, idents and range. All you need is for another piece of equipment to interfere with the signal and your mount is off, wandering the skies on it's own ;), out of control. If wires are good enough for the mount's internal connection they're good enough for me to connect it to a computer.

I won't even start on control layout and aesthetics!
But it's only used at night :rolleyes: It's dark, so no-one will see it
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shaunster

shaunster

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display - any cheap phone is miles better but here in 2011 there are smartphones and MP3 players with easy to use touch displays - in colour.!

Your using this at night, very few people would like a touch screen colour display that destroys night vision.. ;)

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NickH

NickH

Posted
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It's worse than that...the whole thing has been put back abut a year, the one they have is a pre-production model... they are re-designing the whole thing!

What you see here is a one off not what you'll eventually get...

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fatwoul

fatwoul

Posted
Posted

I prefer the name EQ8.

As for the looks of the thing, I like it. I like the "retro" feel of some of this stuff. Give me something that looks like it belongs in a high school science lab over something that is trying to look like a Porsche any day!

What I particularly like about the current photos of this mount is that it looks utilitarian.

I was also glad to hear it. When I first got my EQ6, the noises made me wince, but now I'm used to it, I think I would miss the sounds!

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JamesM

JamesM

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I'm looking forward to any new development that moves forward from the NEQ6. Like everything else, price will be the key element here and there is a healthy price gap in the market that could help fund a greater load capacity. On a smaller point, I wonder if they can redesign a polar scope that has a little diagonal on the back to assist easier viewing?

James

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