How to set up astrotrac with PHD software?

[tdietsche]

Hi all, I just got an astrotrac and realize I need to buy the cord that goes to my computer(anywhere to buy these or do I have to fill out the contact form to order one?) and am unsure how the setup works with PHD software. If I have the camera hooked up to the computer(never did any studio work, so have not done this before) and the astrotrac plugged in as well does the PHD software pull the image from my camera live and use that to communicate to the astrotrac? Do I need any specific cables/software/accessories to accomplish this? Hopefully what I've just asked makes sense...

Thank you,

Trent

[Dave Smith]

Are you going straight into guiding with your astrotrac? If you are going to do widefield shots with your camera there isn't any real need for guiding. I connect my camera with APT which is excellent (but only for Canon cameras). The connection is via the usb lead which comes with the camera.

Dave

[garethmob]

iv got the guiding At and the guiding cable, i will eventually guide with it as i want to use the megrez, but try using it with just the PA you might be supprised with what you get which eyepeices you using?

[garethmob]

also for guiding you actually need a seperate guide camera, and guide scope (or a webcam with a hitec guider pack) and then a laptop

[tdietsche]

Actually I don't have a telescope(blasphemy!) I just shoot with my photo gear, which include everything from super wide to fast teles. If I got what the rep from astrotrac said correctly, I have to hook up the lead between the astrotrac and my camera, then my camera to my laptop via my(assuming) video, USB or hdmi output. Dave, I shoot Nikon, so APT sin't available for me. Good to know that guiding isn't really needed for widefield shots, that should cut down on the time I have to have my laptop running. Thanks all!

[jgs001]

I was thinking about this... It might be worth looking at one of the self contained autoguiders... maybe mounted on a finder scope on a flash hot shoe mount. Then you don't need a computer to control it all.

It would be worth trying the Astrotrac without though, to see how you get on.

[garethmob]

im not sure what exactly the AT rep said

my system for using the astrotrac is as follows

from the ground up

celestron AZ3 (my substute for the photo tripod and geared head so swap directly)

then astrotrac - + polar scope

canon DSLR 300d with various m42 thread lens (49mm,55mm,58mm135mm200mm)

for guiding i would along side the canon camera use a small scope (dosent have to be big even a finder scope would work) and a webcam for guiding. guide camera goes to hitec guide box, then goes to laptop for PHP and the astrotrac

i dont think you can guide, and image using the same camera at the same time, as usally you image using "bulb" mode on a canon camera (i think nikons use the same one)

but you dont need to guide to image with it, it will allow you to mount and image through small scopes and for longer exposures with the AT,

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=astrotrac

i usally type any equiptment into flikr for imaging see what pops up, have a look at a few of the images other people have posted might help with ideas

[tdietsche]

Damn me being hopefully optimistic about the rep being right... I figured I might need a seperate scope, and have done some searching but come up empty. How exactly does an autoguider such as a nexguide or starshoot autoguider hook up to the AT? The starshoot runs off a USB for power(says needs a computer but how then is it AUTO guiding?), and the nexguide has a battery pack. Does the cable for the AT hook into the nexguide/starshoot unit, and does it need an adapter to do this? And for mounting a finder scope, which scope would you recommend and how might one go about mounting it? I would love to have it on the hotshoe, but if that's not possible any ideas? Flickr has some interesting setups, but none with the autoguider and astrotrac though a few have a finder scope mounted to a plate of some sort off the head on top of the AT. Too bad the only finder scope premade with a hot shoe mount won't accommodate the autoguiders. I've heard of using webcams for autoguiding also, but have no idea how that works and don't want to do too much modifying, as I think doing so might well get me to the price of the autoguiders anyway.

[tdietsche]

Perhaps something like this, though still not sure how to mount it to camera: http://www.amazon.com/Orion-Magnificent-Mini-AutoGuider-Package/dp/B004SFQ9QM/ref=sr_1_11?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1337714962&sr=1-11

and also still unsure how this communicates with the AT...

[tdietsche]

Okay, one problem solved, it appears the astrotrac super secret guide cable is a glorified cat5 rj45 to rj11 ethernet cable, with the rj45 end being for the astrotrac and the rj11 can plug into the autoguide camera. Now to figure out how to mount a guidescope to a camera hotshoe or perhaps to the lens off the side? Anyone done this?

[garethmob]

well you dont need the scope if your not going to guide usally a cracking scope is the skywatcher 80ST but it is fairly big. for a proper guider id use a QHY5 or a phiillips SPC 880 or 900

for my plan i was going to duel mount so imagine a camera ball head... with a bar of metal on top the DSLR on a 1/4 thread on one side and a small scope on the other side on 1/4" thread id imagine you could knock one up,

[tdietsche]

Found a review of the 50mm scope and starshoot, with the following mods in PHD " I found that with the extremely short focal length (162mm) of the scope, the star would not move enough to calibrate. I upped the RA aggressiveness to 120%, hysteresis to 20%, and the calibration step to 3000. " seems to work well, so since I have $200 credit on amazon I'll take the leap and try to save some weight with this small system. Also picking up a new clamp for my manfrotto head to accept arca style plates and a 10" plate for the camera and the scope, might have to do some drilling to make it work but will see. Well when everything arrives I will post pics of the setup for future reference for everyone. Thanks again for all the help!

[Tinkerbell]

Might be a bit late but have You tried the Astrotrac Yahoo group.

< http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/astrotrac/ >

Worth a look.