Can I Use Smartguider Camera for PHD

[steve2310]

Hi all

These last few months I have been using LVI's Smartguider 2 and although it can be frustrating at times, generally on the whole, it's okay.

Anyway, as I trawl through the forum I notice a lot guys/girls on here use PHD guiding and they seem very happy with it.

Having downloaded PHD I thought I might like to give it a whirl however I can't quite work out if I can use the Smartguider Camera (which I think is a QHY5) with my laptop/phd software. I just cant get my head around it.

The smartguider camera has an ethernet cat5e type connection and I'm not sure where/how to connect this to my laptop. Added to this my laptop has no COM port so how would connect my laptop to the mount re: ST4 cable. It's all a little perplexing and I really hope I dont have to buy another guide cam if i want to pursue this route of guiding.

Any help/advice would be really welcome.

Steve

[Merlin66]

According to the manual (p22) the camera (a Aptina MT9V032) has a compatible ST-4 port, so this could be used direct connected to the ST-4 port on the mount.

The issue would be if the Aptina camera is recognised by PHD...don't know....

The connection from the camera to the PC...????

If it's serial you can get a USB> serial adaptor (I use the KEYSPAN version)

But... having read the MANUAL I don't think PHD would do anything that the LVI doesn't do for you right now..

http://www.lvi-cameras.com/pdf/lvi_smartguider2_manual_eng.pdf

[steve2310]

Thanks Merlin for the info......It just seems that users like the greater control in phd and it's a lot easier to manage (apparently). I'll look into further.......

Thanks, Steve

[Merlin66]

I think you may hear those comments, because they DON'T have a LVI guider ;-)

[steve2310]

That's a good point......thanks again.

[mark7331]

I used to own an LVI but changed to a QHY5 with PHP because the LVI just didn't cut it when it came to serious guiding. It was OK but very temperamental and had quite limited control options. After months and months of stressful semi-guiding I switched to the PHP setup and now I can guide without many issues. Just my experience - it could be that I'm just useless at driving an LVI!

I thought about using the camera with PHP but the connectors are non-standard so I couldn't get it connected.

Hope it helps

Mark

[steve2310]

Thanks for that Mark, that's really helpful. Looks like I might be going down the same route.......