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Sky Safari - bluetooth telescope control?


stev74

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Hi, I have a celestron nexstar 8 se and like many had a lot of questions about this setup. Searched for weeks and read every post and watched every video. Bought the items last week and follow directions and could not get it to work. After many hours of troubleshooting replacing wires, adapters, null modem or not I was ready to give up. But as really stubborn people do, this morning I thought "Can't let this thing beat me" so I went on modifying one thing at a time, one setting, cable etc. after a couple hrs I heard the sound and it connected, but couldn't figure what It was. Then it hit me, powwww, the bluetooth adapter MUST be off during alignment, once aligned, turn it on, voila it works. Funny how something so simple could cause so much trouble. I am not saying this will solve everyones issue, but I had not seen anyone anywhere bring this up. So, if you have a nexstar and you're ready to throw your scope out a window, give this a try!

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Only just read this thread - really interesting.

Probably a daft question, but I assume it's not possible to use this method or similar to get a GOTO to track a satellite during a visible pass?

Obviously you could get it to move the scope to where the satellite will be and then try manually tracking when it comes into the field of view, but it would be cool if the software could make the scope slew to match the satellite's apparent path across the sky! :cool:

Suspect that's a step too far though in terms of accuracy / real-time control required?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi guys,

I had one of these which i got off ebay many years ago, can i use THIS? or must i use the suggested item from other post?

Hi budgierless, I thought you were sorted with your bluetooth adapter? Don't you just connect your BT adaptor to your mount with the cable? This would only be of any use with a laptop. I see from an earlier post that you have a Skywatcher 130p(?) which I guess is on their Synscan GOTO mount. I believe this mount is the same as Celetron's SLT mount which is what my 130p is on. I had huge difficulty finding a compatible USB-serial adapter for that mount. In the end only the Tripp Lite adapter would work for me - but that was just my experience.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

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Hi budgierless, I thought you were sorted with your bluetooth adapter? Don't you just connect your BT adaptor to your mount with the cable? This would only be of any use with a laptop. I see from an earlier post that you have a Skywatcher 130p(?) which I guess is on their Synscan GOTO mount. I believe this mount is the same as Celetron's SLT mount which is what my 130p is on. I had huge difficulty finding a compatible USB-serial adapter for that mount. In the end only the Tripp Lite adapter would work for me - but that was just my experience.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Hi dave,

Indeed you are right, the bluetooth is not problem, Yes i am now only dealing with connecting to a laptop, which now now part of the setup before.

Thanks fro letting me know what USB-serial adapter you used, as i can add it to my wishlist,  its very instresting that i just come to this last post to check out that one cable as i found the one i stated in a bag of PC bits, and its says its R232, so just wonder if i would be saving a pound or two if the item truns out to be what i need, I havent had the change to test yet as im away from home now, that is why i asked in this thread.

what was the issue with your difficulty finding a compatible USB-serial adapter, in what way did it not work, the PC or the device?

cheers

Phillip

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Only just read this thread - really interesting.

Probably a daft question, but I assume it's not possible to use this method or similar to get a GOTO to track a satellite during a visible pass?

Obviously you could get it to move the scope to where the satellite will be and then try manually tracking when it comes into the field of view, but it would be cool if the software could make the scope slew to match the satellite's apparent path across the sky! :cool:

Suspect that's a step too far though in terms of accuracy / real-time control required?,

Gav, yes you are right in assuming you can't track objects such as satellites or the ISS with Sky Safari unfortunately (as far as I know) although it will take to you to or slightly ahead of an object like that so you maybe able to track them manually from there. I do believe there are a couple of programs that will track satellites, the ISS and even aircraft but as far as I know they are only compatible with certain Meade or Celestron mounts and they also need to be connected to a laptop and although there is a basic free version you'd be paying a few hundred dollars for that capability.

Hi guys,

I had one of these which i got off ebay many years ago, can i use THIS? or must i use the suggested item from other post?

Yes that one should be fine, certainly worth trying as you only need the USB to RS232 once to change the Baude rate of your Bluetooth adapter to 9600bps (via a laptop or PC) and once it's set you don't need to change it again.  :smiley:

Edited by stev74
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Hi Phillip,

The issue was the same with all the adapters I tried - the laptop just wouldn't see the mount. I didn't know what was causing the problem to start with and it was only when a friend from my local stargazing group (Pig on SGL) came round with his kit that I started to get to the bottom of the problem. In the beginning I thought it might be a problem with my craptop, a very old 2005 Acer Ferrari, but his new laptop wouldn't work either. There just seems to be a compatibility issue with the chipsets in the adapters and the SLT mount. His Nexstar worked fine with his kit but mine wouldn't play at all. Once I followed the recommendations of others and bought the Tripp Lite adapter everything fired up straight away and I had my scope being guided by Stellarium.

Try your USB-Serial adapter before ordering an alternative as it might well work for you considering yours uses Skywatcher's Synscan software but if it doesn't work then I'd recommend the Tripp Lite and hopefully you won't go through the weeks of pain and trips to the post office that I did.

Dave

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

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Philip,

I've just read Stev74's reply and it seems I may have gone off in the wrong direction with my replies. I thought you were looking to connect your mount to your laptop - sorry!

Dave

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

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Philip,

I've just read Stev74's reply and it seems I may have gone off in the wrong direction with my replies. I thought you were looking to connect your mount to your laptop - sorry!

Dave

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

yes & no, my adapter is old, and yes i have software cd for it, will its still work with windows 8.1, so its good to have another option, without me thinking to wipe my laptop to XP for that to work.

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  • 4 months later...

I have SkySafari on my Note 2 phablet controlling my 300P GOTO via a bluetooth adapter. It all works fine except that when I disconnect the bluetooth connection the mount goes nuts. I have to switch it off to avoid damage.

Does anyone else see this? Any suggestions on how to prevent it?

Thanks!

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  • 1 month later...

Woo Hoo!!!!   Just got mine all connected and it worked first time! Got this adapter from fleabay:

 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/381004685532?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Set it to DTE(saves the need for a null modem) and changed baud rate to 9600 and away it went!!!!

Glad to hear it works......I ordered the same one a couple of days ago....expecting it next week!

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  • 2 weeks later...

OK......I think I'm missing something with the set up. I'm trying to change the baud setting via PC using teraterm. But, for some reason I can't type anything into the box........almost like the keyboard doesn't work.

I have the Bluetooth adapter connected via usb to rs232 and powered up via usb.

I open teraterm..........make the connection to com 7 and change the baud to 921600.

From here in I am supposed to type in the change.......But I can't type..........nothing at all.......................................any ideas?

I also tried in hyper terminal.......and got the same response.

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  • 1 year later...

Rather than starting a new thread I was wondering if this info is still correct and the best way to connect to android.

My obsey pc has died again and connecting to a tablet would be a good solution.

Looking at the price of the bt serial adapters is it better to buy skybt and are there any uk stockists?

Any current info would be good as Google is not helping much at the moment.

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Rather than starting a new thread I was wondering if this info is still correct and the best way to connect to android.

My obsey pc has died again and connecting to a tablet would be a good solution.

Looking at the price of the bt serial adapters is it better to buy skybt and are there any uk stockists?

Any current info would be good as Google is not helping much at the moment.

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Rather than starting a new thread I was wondering if this info is still correct and the best way to connect to android.

My obsey pc has died again and connecting to a tablet would be a good solution.

Looking at the price of the bt serial adapters is it better to buy skybt and are there any uk stockists?

Any current info would be good as Google is not helping much at the moment.

Yes everything is the same just follow the most recent info with regards not needing the null modem and you should be fine. There are UK stockists but since I bought mine they seem to have doubled in price worth a Google search though just in case or order from overseas.

BTW my setup is still working flawlessly after all this time.

Edited by stev74
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Thanks for that, just found this on ebay .

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141694570340?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I presume it's correct looks the same from your pictures.

I'm not to sure how I'm going to change the baud rate yet as I'm on windows 10, presume the software listed will work.

I have read all the thread and not much on the power side of things, I have a 12v stabilised supply that powers my mount I presume this will be OK?

Just hope it gets a fast journey from China :-)

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A big thanks to all who had input to this thread. 

Works like a dream , fantastic mod for 34 quid. It will be nice to use sky safari for direct control.

Credit to the Chinese ebayer  ,  posted on 22nd delivered on the 26th  full set of import stamps etc, how do they do that??

Just need to install it permanent on my mount and get some clear skies.

Anyone keep the bt serial adapter outside in the obsey?  Wondered if they are prone to damp?

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  • 5 years later...

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