I'm totally confused! Please help with my EQ5

[CelestialHaz]

Hi All,

I'm a bit confused with my latest purchase and despite searching SGL as well as the WWW I haven't been able to make sense of what I have.

I purchased an EQ5 mount (used) which has got the RA and DEC motors and the basic hand controller (2x 4x 8x and up down left right buttons) and the battery pack. This is all well

However I noticed that the hand controller has been modified whereby there is now a 3rd cable coming out of the hand controller that has a serial connector on the end.

Along with the accessories I also received a custom interface which is a little plastic enclosure which has a male seriel port on one side labelled guide, a male parallel connection on the other side and 2 female parallel ports on the top of the box labelled Cam1 and Cam2

I'm guessing the customised serial cable from the hand controller will connect to the serial port labelled 'guide' on the interface, the male parallel connects to the PC and then the 2 female parallel ports can have cams attached for guiding and imaging.

My question is...(obviously this is an old setup) but is anyone familiar with this setup. Does it give me any capabilities such as using software to guide/goto using just this setup? Where if any do I get drivers from and also can this be connected dorectly into the PC

Sorry I know there are a lot of questions here but I really am confused with this so any help would be very much appreciated

Thanks

[Merlin66]

Sounds like the set up is designed for modded webcams which use the parallel port type plug.

This would only give you guide corrections, not GOTO capability.

If you want to use a guide camera (say mounted on a finder, or small refractor (ST80)) then you'd need a connection from the camera to a PC, be running PHD guide software and a connection from the computer to the serial plug on the hand controller.

As most laptops etc don't have serial ports any more, unfortunately this means another adaptor - a USB to Serial (I use the Keyspan adaptor)

HTH

[FairviewSteve]

I'm not sure what all that parallel connection business is all about but as a guess I would agress that it is for some sort of guide scope.

If I were you I'd have a look around on the internet to see if you can get the hand controller and additional box of tricks that makes it a go-to. You already have the motors fitted for it. Not sure if the hand controller and box of tricks is available new, you may have to look on here or eBay for it.

Steve

[CelestialHaz]

Merlin/Steve Thank you for your responses. I'm beginning to understand the concept now.

Merlin just following on your PHD software and the serial connection. Funnily enough I do have a USB to serial adapter. So if I install the drivers for that, I then connect the serial plug on the hand controller to the converter, is there any other drivers/software I need to get it talking to PHD?

I'm most likely to get a USB camera as I don't have any parallel types so I guess the interface isn't really of any use in that instance?

Thanks again

[peteftm]

You can download phd for free.I used a QHY5 guide cam with it and worked perfectly together.That was with my old HEQ5 pro mount though...

[steppenwolf]

The description of the adapter here reminds me of the interface used by guiding software called Guide Dog Software so it might be worth checking that out too.

[todd8137]

ring the guy up who you got it off and ask him

[CelestialHaz]

Todd I have tried to contact him but am unable to get through...I think he may be away on holiday but I will try him again in a couple of days

Thank you all for the suggestions which I will pursue.

I'm also looking into the option of adding a ST-4 port to my hand controller which will give me more options