Cable lengths for HEQ5

[earth titan]

Fed up of making spaghetti every time I run an imaging session. I'm therefore going to make a 'loom' to keep things tidy. Any guidance on maximum cable lengths that can be used? The ones I need to check are:

USB lead to canon 1000d

USB from QHY5 autoguider to PC

ST4 autoguider to mount cable

I'm going to run the Canon and joystick from a powered hub as my net book only has 3 ports. Anyone see a problem with this?

[Spikey]

I run everything at the mount on an unpowered hub and just run a 10m USB repeater cable into my netbook inside. Get the odd dropout when setting up but once running its fine.

[dmahon]

how do you control the mount? If you use EQMOD and a cable to the PC, you can dispense with the ST4 cable.

USB maximum is 5m, unless you get active cables. Another option is to have a powered USB hub at the mount and then just have a single long USB cable.

[Merlin66]

I'd definately second the powered USB hub at the mount.

I have a Maplin seven port powered hub below the NEQ6 tripod, to make sure the same gear is always plugged into the same port - each port and cable is identified.

I use EQMOD, but I also use the ST-4 port for guiding.

I wish I could find a similar solution for all the power cables! I seem to have 12V wires coming and going everywhere -although I do use a couple of 4 port cigar adaptors, there never seems to be enough - mount/ camera x3/ spectroscope/ dew heaters etc etc

[kookoo_gr]

I power the mount with a 3m power supply cable, i have a 3m usb cable for the imaging camera and a 2m cable for the guide camera, the filter wheel has its factory usb cable, 1.5m and power supply cable. I control the mount with a usb to TTL cable which is 2m long. As for the spaghetti. i have used a small spiral plastic tube that an and i placed all the camera and filter wheel cables in it to keep them tidy. As for the mount cables i have them loose since the mount rotates at the ra axis and they are fine. All the usb cables end up at a 7 port dc powered supply usb hub beneath the mount and i connect the mount at the pc. I cntrol teh mouny via wireless ps2 joystick. Finally you can try this DIY project Google ????????? (i hope you can understand most of the text here, google translate does not work very well at many words of the page i posted)

[earth titan]

Finally you can try this DIY project Google ?????????

I like the idea of that. Might have to look into it. There is spare space in there so I might think about it.

Thanks everyone.

[Macavity]

Not a lot to offer, but I've had many a sleepless night (sic!) pondering optimum CABLE configurations <G>. FWIW, I "velcro" an EQMOD adapter to one side of my HEQ5. I ponder attaching a USB hub on the other side... but see no immediate need. Cables to Dew Heaters are... semi-detached - Attached to the "pillar", whatever. Camera (VIDEO) cables are distinctly "free form"...

I sense one "does one's best". I'm trying to move away from the mundane (for me, slightly obsessive! LOL) aspects of observatory construction... particularly re. the "electrics" - Doing some practical observing?