Guiding conversion project for 200p and EQ5

[Quatermass]

Ah you have to get up early to catch those bargains sounds like a good one to never mind Im sure there will be another one come up soon mean yl its on with the modding..

[1981suede]

Ah you have to get up early to catch those bargains sounds like a good one to never mind Im sure there will be another one come up soon mean yl its on with the modding..

Indeed, you really need to be quick to the draw. I've found an HEQ5 pro for ₤500 so won't need to do a large amount of Modding. I do plan on using the finderscope to guide hence my following of your thread. Which adapter have you bought to use the webcam with the finderscope?

[Quatermass]

I got my adapter from Morgans here...

Buy Philips SPC880 1.25 inch webcam adapter at Morgan Computers

And that will go into my make shift loo roll and foam holder.

[Quatermass]

The nice thing about the loo roll and foam holder is it holds the camera in tight and is easy to take out if you need to put the finder scope end back on again. Just cut a loo roll in half wrap tightly around an eye piece then tape it along the cut and put it into a foam pipe the sort they use for lagging pipes. Works great and very cheap.

[Chris]

Not a bog standard solution there QM, ah do yo get it bog -loo roll

Edited February 2, 2012 by starfox

[Quatermass]

Not a bog standard solution there QM, ah do yo get it bog standard -loo roll

Yes thank you it has a nice Flush fit to it

[1981suede]

I'm confused QM. Does the Logitech fit into the SPC880 adapter?

Talking of which I just missed out on an SPC900, IR filter and adapter for ₤45. I suck at buying stuff on astro buy and sell.

[1981suede]

Not a bog standard solution there QM, ah do yo get it bog -loo roll

Here he is, the man that stole my mount, my scope and my heart on astro buy & sell. BOO that man

[Quatermass]

yes it will fit both the spc880 and the quick cam 4000, I too suck at buying bargains as I dont have enough money to buy them.

[Quatermass]

Here he is, the man that stole my mount, my scope and my heart on astro buy & sell. BOO that man

I dont dare go on astro buy and sell in case I am tempted by the evil one

[1981suede]

I dont dare go on astro buy and sell in case I am tempted by the evil one

What's that? The EQ6

[Quatermass]

No that is the one that appears to me in my dreams and hunts my empty wallet, still one can dream

[Quatermass]

Is this the one that Chris has got looks very nice

[malc-c]

Not a bog standard solution there QM, ah do yo get it bog -loo roll

Yes thank you it has a nice Flush fit to it

That last one certainly has an "actress said to the bishop" air about it

:D:D

Edited February 2, 2012 by malc-c

[Quatermass]

He he I am quite pleased with my bog roll- foam adapter a highly sophisticated piece of technical equipment if ever there was one

professor pat pending would approve I feel.

[1981suede]

Is this the one that Chris has got looks very nice

Yeah, that looks like it. Feel free to stop rubbing it in whenever you like

[Quatermass]

I feel your pain would love to have one myself but bills must be paid and this cold weather dont help.

Sent from my GT-S5670 using Tapatalk

[The_PSY3NTIST]

Right it's time to take the plunge. I'm off to RVO again! I will return with the dual axis motors this time. Time to get some images and learn some processing techniques before I get the eq6 (which is going to be no time soon) wish me luck

[1981suede]

I feel your pain would love to have one myself but bills must be paid and this cold weather dont help.

Sent from my GT-S5670 using Tapatalk

It's alright. I just bought a used HEQ5 pro instead

[Quatermass]

Right it's time to take the plunge. I'm off to RVO again! I will return with the dual axis motors this time. Time to get some images and learn some processing techniques before I get the eq6 (which is going to be no time soon) wish me luck

Good luck and hope it all goes well I will keep posting my progress on here for you all. Fitting the dual axis kit and the st4 port was easy peezy by the way.

[The_PSY3NTIST]

Not in stock come in on Monday. Grrr

[Quatermass]

Not in stock come in on Monday. Grrr

Oh dam that is annoying hate it when then happens.

Any way back to the thread subject matter.

I got my Logitech Quick Cam Pro 4000 today and having looked inside the chip it is the same as Stan's, a ccd chip so I guess that is good.

I got it set up on windows 7, plugged it in and it worked first go. Windows just updated the driver and no problems at all getting it working:) I currently have it pointed out my window at the back garden here is a shot.

I will take my finder scope off the telescope tonight and just do some tests with that to see how it looks when it captures from the finder scope providing the clouds play nice that is

Had confirmation that my guide port usb adapter from shoe string astronomy is on its way. Once I have that I will have everthing I need to test it all out so here is my check list.

EQ5 dual axis motor kit from Rother Valley Optics £95.89p

ST4 port kit from shoe string astronomy £12.60p

Guide port usb adapter from shoe string astronomy £56.28p

Webcam adapter from Morgons £11.98p

Total spent so far 176.75p my budget was £180.00

Webcam Logitech quick cam pro 4000 given to me by my good mate Steve, Laptop already have that, and PHD guiding software free from Stark labs.

For the guide camera I have used my skywatcher 10x50 guide scope that came with the skywatcher 200p. To do this I simply unscrewed the eye piece off the end and used a loo roll and pipe lagging foam. Cut the loo roll down the middle and about an inch off the end as well. Wrap it tightly around a standard eye piece to get a nice fit and then tape it up so its snug. Place this into the foam pipe lagging and then that all goes inside the finder scope so it looks like this. Then place your camera in the loo roll tube, it fits nice and is easy to take it all out if you want to use it as a finder scope again. To change focus you can turn the lens at the top of the finder scope. It works its cheap and will save you money.

I hope that helps you following the thread as it a long one and its annoying having to go back and forth to find the information.

The next step will be when I get my GPUSB adapter and a clear night. I will go outside and set up my gear as shown in this diagram with the addition of my Canon 350D SLR camera attatched to the telescope with a T- Ring and my remote digital camera timer.

So keep watching the thread as I will post my results on here for you all. Any questions fire away.. QM

Edited February 3, 2012 by Quatermass

[stan26]

Excellent QM, at least getting the quickcam up and running was painless enough. Did you get a pic of the sensor? All quickcam pro 4000's have CCD sensor, its the type that's different i.e sharp or sony. The sharp version isn't as great but you should still be ok with it. The sony sensor is more sensitive.

Now just need that GPUSB and your ready to go!

Stan:cool:

[Quatermass]

I took it apart and looked at the picture you had posted on a previous thread, it was the same sensor type as yours so I guess that's the ccd one. It looks like it has a broken tooth on the board on the bottom row. Didn't want to take it apart too much in case I broke something.

Looking forward to trying this all out properly when the GBSUB arrives next week. I have got my fisherman's bivvy all ready to cart everything out there with and have table rigged up with a chair and everything. Hardly what I am used to doing but it makes it a bit more interesting having phd to play with as well. Looking forward to the challenge of getting some results now.

[Cozzy]

Job well done on the 'mod' QM, I do like / prefer using my 80mm as a guide scope much less fiddling about, there was a gap in the clouds up here the other night so gave my tracking a go from the conservatory / outhouse through the doors at a star, 'roughed north pole' set it off, it kept the star on the webcam chip for 40+ mins.