HEQ5 Syntrek + EQMOD

[jbrazio]

That presentation even talks about pulse guiding that I assume is what I called previously "make it send the recalculated GOTO coords once in a while", much more elegant name indeed. :-)

Thanks to everyone that participated on this thread but specially to Stephen.

Cheers !

[jbrazio]

For a webcam, use the ASCOM/EQMOD connection directly to the mount from PHD and allow EQMOD to handle to guide instructions, then you don't need any ST4 capability.

Do you have any estimation on how CPU intensive is this task ?

[Macavity]

Randomly: I think one might be surprised at the capabilities of commonly used computers. My Samsung NC10 Notebook can run EQMod(!), CdC and Video capture software, simultaneously. It struggles, slightly (or not?), but impressive, nonetheless.

I've even used my "Sammy" to drive an additional screen... Run Registax in real time etc. A decent screen (bigger than a Notebook!) would be useful. But modest Laptops (beatup ex-Home PC) are capable of doing quite a lot, I sense...

[Stephen]

Do you have any estimation on how CPU intensive is this task ?

Minimal.

Randomly: I think one might be surprised at the capabilities of commonly used computers. My Samsung NC10 Notebook can run EQMod(!), CdC and Video capture software, simultaneously. It struggles, slightly (or not?), but impressive, nonetheless.

I've even used my "Sammy" to drive an additional screen... Run Registax in real time etc. A decent screen (bigger than a Notebook!) would be useful. But modest Laptops (beatup ex-Home PC) are capable of doing quite a lot...

Agreed. My netbook (Lenovo S10 : original one) with 1GB processor and RAM runs CDC, EQMod, Artemis Capture/Nebulosity, PHD, Stellarium and a couple of other random apps during a session quite well

[jbrazio]

Are you guys still running XP or 7 on those notebooks ? I'm planning to use my HP mini the only problem is that I currently run Linux on it and will have to switch to Windows.. :-/

[Stephen]

XP : Linux support (primarily drivers for cameras and stuff) tends to be even more lacking than OSX support!

[jbrazio]

IMO the problem is not imaging devices support that nowadays is almost out-of-the box for a lot of webcams for instance, the real problem is the ASCOM.. there is no version capable of running under Linux as far as I can tell.

[Stephen]

True, but someone would still have to write an ASCOM/Device driver to tie it all together

[jbrazio]

ASCOM role is only abstraction from the hardware ?

Nevertheless this is the tip of the iceberg.. EQMOD and alike are all based on Windows so that's also a no-go.

[Plantins]

Slightly off topic!

An EQ6 PRO Syntrek mount can be upgraded to goto just by simply changing the handcontroller to the Synscan. Can the EQ6 PRO Synscan be used as a Syntrek by changing the handcontroller to the Syntrek?

At times I just want to view lunar & planetary and don't want to have to keep going through the alignment routine.

[Spikey]

Slightly off topic!

An EQ6 PRO Syntrek mount can be upgraded to goto just by simply changing the handcontroller to the Synscan. Can the EQ6 PRO Synscan be used as a Syntrek by changing the handcontroller to the Syntrek?

At times I just want to view lunar & planetary and don't want to have to keep going through the alignment routine.

In a word Yes

[Spikey]

Ascom is reliant on dot net so is bound to Windows. Ascom-x which is the Linux version never seems to move on.

[jbrazio]

How about mono ? That's still .net but platform agnostic if the programmers are carefull enough..

[chrisshillito]

How about the user adopts a 'platform agnostic' mentality and simply selects the platform that best delivers a well proven, reliable method of astronomy automation with extensive driver and application support. Currently this is Windows & ASCOM.

Chris

[jbrazio]

Now we'll get really offtopic.. As people are allowed to choose the color of their shirt they should also be allowed to use Windows, Linux or OSX and on top of that if you are given the choice between a BMW for free and an equivalent Mercedes regular price which one would you choose ?

[Spikey]

I'd choose the one that existed and wasn't vapourware

Skywatcher released their mount control API for use with Iron Python, not seen any Linux stuff yet.

Kstars is written with Linux in mind. There are Stellarium & Cartes du Ciel versions for Linux which also offer mount control.

Or you could always write your own?

[jbrazio]

Spikey I didn't understood your point, could you please reformulate ?

[RogerTheDodger]

Now we'll get really offtopic.. As people are allowed to choose the color of their shirt they should also be allowed to use Windows, Linux or OSX and on top of that if you are given the choice between a BMW for free and an equivalent Mercedes regular price which one would you choose ?

You can use whatever OS you want, but why should someone program on it just because you want to use it?

[chrisshillito]

Now we'll get really offtopic.. As people are allowed to choose the color of their shirt they should also be allowed to use Windows, Linux or OSX and on top of that if you are given the choice between a BMW for free and an equivalent Mercedes regular price which one would you choose ?

Just in case you've forgotten the topic YOU chose is "HEQ5 Syntrek + EQMOD". Nothing I said was off topic or intended to take the discussion off topic.

I've really no interest in forcing you down any particular route, only in informing you of the facts.

EQMOD and ASCOM are based upon windows technologies. There in no Linux EQMOD. As far as I'm aware there is no one working on porting EQMOD to Linux. There is a reduced function EQMOD type copy for the Mac but that has been developed seperately and is not part of the EQMOD project (and so I guess mention of it is firmly off topic so I apologise for that )

If I were developing EQMOD commercially then I just might consider widening the potential market by offering multi-platform support. However, EQMOD is not developed commercially. It is written and supported by a few volunteers in their spare time. Given our limited resources and time it therefore makes sense for us to concenrate our imediate efforts on the platform currently used by the majority of amateur astronomers - windows.

Chris.

[jbrazio]

You can use whatever OS you want, but why should someone program on it just because you want to use it?

It seems I'm not the only one..

Just in case you've forgotten the topic YOU chose is "HEQ5 Syntrek + EQMOD". Nothing I said was off topic or intended to take the discussion off topic.

I was the one going off-topic by using a automotive analogy, that's what I intended to explain before doing the comparison.

I understand the limited time of the developers and so on.. but the advantage of a open source project is to have more people on board (The Cathedral and the Bazaar) but it seems, from what I've googled that the project just won't go forward maybe because they have to shift to a client-server architecture and stop using ActiveX/COM ? Well that's what INDI does. ;-)

In the end of the day the problem is that the abstraction layer sitting between the hardware and the software is not a well known and widely accepted standard; and for something to qualify as a standard must be platform agnostic.

[Spikey]

Ultimately it's not going to happen anytime soon.

So I'm afraid you will need to make use of Windows if you want to make use of EQMOD - this is a fact.

Let's be careful not turn this into one of the silly my OS is better than your OS discussions that have no place in an astronomy forum.

[jbrazio]

That's a fact that I accepted since the beggining hence I asked which version of Windows were people running on their notebooks.

Let's be careful not turn this into one of the silly my OS is better than your OS discussions that have no place in an astronomy forum.

I was careful enough to compare a BMW to a Mercedes.. :-P

[Spikey]

That's a fact that I accepted since the beggining hence I asked which version of Windows were people running on their notebooks.

I was careful enough to compare a BMW to a Mercedes.. :-P

It is possible to drive both

[kirkster501]

I've suddenly got all confused about the ST4 port (I'm a AP beginner so please be gentle ;-) )

OK, so I have mu mount under the control of EQMOD - all works. Cool.

So I get a guider with ST4 port. You guys say that the ST4 port from the guider connects to the ST4 port of the mount.... I was under the impression that the ST4 from the guide camera went back to the PC first and then yet another cable from the PC connected to the ST4 port on the mount?

So if I understand correctly, is it that the feedback from the guide camera (directly connected to the mount) gets back to the PC - which can then do its nudging - through the "main" PC (EQmod) to mount cable? That's cool if so....

Thanks, Steve

[Spikey]

I've suddenly got all confused about the ST4 port (I'm a AP beginner so please be gentle ;-) )

OK, so I have mu mount under the control of EQMOD - all works. Cool.

So I get a guider with ST4 port. You guys say that the ST4 port from the guider connects to the ST4 port of the mount.... I was under the impression that the ST4 from the guide camera went back to the PC first and then yet another cable from the PC connected to the ST4 port on the mount?

No the ST4 cable connects directly from the ST4 port on the camera to the ST4 port on the mount

So if I understand correctly, is it that the feedback from the guide camera (directly connected to the mount) gets back to the PC - which can then do its nudging - through the "main" PC (EQmod) to mount cable? That's cool if so....

Basicaly, the guiding software such as PHD watches the chosen guide star for movements and sends corrective movements (similar to pushing direction buttons) to the mount via the cameras direct connection (ST4).

Thanks, Steve