EQDIR Adaptor

[FarSide]

Hello, guys. I've been using the hand controller for some time now for my NEQ6 mount but i'm now setting up to use it from the new laptop. My question is: will i need an EQDIR adaptor to run the NEQ6 from Cartes Du Ceil planetarium? I don't want to use a joystick, i'd just like to point and click on the planaterium and off it goes - is the adaptor needed for this, and if not what will i need besides Ascom and EQmod?

Ta,

Mike.

[JohnC]

Just the EQDIR is req.

It is agreat way to go.

[The Sailor]

Mike, up to now I have been using EQdir direct from the laptop, to do so I go into Utility and then go up one step to allow command from the computer, hit enter and it says hit ESC to exit.

Jim

[Bizibilder]

Yes - you need the EQDIR adapter. You may find yourself getting a gamepad or similar - its so much easier when looking through the eyepiece for alignment etc. I do align with my DSLR on the laptop but still find that the ganmepad is the easiest way of controlling the mount. There are a series of very good tutorials on Youtube - Chris Shillito's stream. Well worth watching - especially the ones about setting averything up.

[malc-c]

Two ways to hook up a PC to your mount,

1. Use an EQDIR or home made EQDIREC cable and use EQMOD (EQASCOM) to control the mount.
   
2. Use an Skywatcher serial cable (and a USB to serial adapter if your PC only has USB ports) and plug this into the handset which is then set to PC-DIRECT option
   

[The Sailor]

Roger, can you explain to me how I can control my NEQ6 from the laptop with EQdir without an adapter?

Jim

[FarSide]

Okay, guys, thanks very much - just put that into this months "big boys toys" spend out list. Ta fellas.

[FarSide]

Roger, can you explain to me how I can control my NEQ6 from the laptop with EQdir without an adapter?

Jim

I was hoping to use it without the adapter also - i have too many leads already but i imagine it's impossible.

[chrisshillito]

If you have an rs232 port on your pc, or an usb/serial adapter, then you could evaluate EQMOD by simply connecting via the firmware update cable to the handset operating in pc-direct mode. If you find you get on with EQMOD you could then progress to the more robust solution of removing the handset altogether and connecting via an EQDirect (EQDIR is vendor specific product name). There are usb, rs232 and bluetooth EQDirect options avilable. That said some folks just stick with pc-direct mode.

Chris.

[The Sailor]

I have to admit that I use Stellarium all the time for star hopping and use EQmod and such very rearly but when I do wish to use it I just put the handset into PC Direct mode and that is it, no extras . Maybe I will get a gamepad and play about with that but that is in the future.

Jim

[Auntystatic]

I too use the pc-direct mode on the handset under utilities menu, I've had no problem using it this way, you can still use a game pad with this method too.

[chrisshillito]

Let me just clarify the use of pc-direct mode from the perspective of an EQMOD developer.

Pc-direct is a syscan mode for which there is no official documentation. Synta/skywatcher have never explained what it is actually intended for, how it works or what its limitations are. As an EQMOD developer I cannot therefore make any guarentees that our software will work reliably through a synscan in pc-direct mode. EQMOD has been specifically designed to operate in an environment where is has direct and exclusive access to the mount. This condition is not met when using pc-direct as the synscan is still active and can still command the mount. This all said pc-direct running on the latest version synscan firmware does appear to work well with EQMOD, whether this is by luck or design I really can't say.

Chris.

[The Sailor]

Chis, just something on the Synscan handset, when it is in Pc Direct mode you have to enter Esc before the handset recovers command of the mount, it is in fact disbled. I have tried to move the mount via handset whilst in PC direct mode and it wont work. Thats said I have found the different EQ pieces of software great, have yet to master the mosaic routine .

Jim

[chrisshillito]

Hi Jim,

Ok, that may be something that they've changed/fixed in the later firmware versions then. Certainly with earler versions it was possible to slew the mount whilst in pc-direct - causing tracking to stop!

Anyhow, PC-direct is not a simple hardware interface such as the EQDirect is. It is a software mechanism by which data receiced on one port is transmitted on another. Presumably this involves some buffering and some inevitable additional delay, but without knowing the details of how big the buffers are, how quickly they can be processed or how long the delays are etc. we can't say for sure whether EQMOD and pc-direct are perfectly compatible. It may of course be the case that the synta engineers have themselves ensured this but as yet they've yet to come out and say so.

I don't want to turn anyone off trying/using pc-direct, many do with absolutly no problems at all. I'm just trying to explain why my own advice may appear a little more cautious than others.

Chris

[FarSide]

Chris, just to clarify, your advice for the EQDIR is that it works? Cartes Du Ceil - click- telescope points etc?

[chrisshillito]

Yes, CDC/ASCOM/EQMOD/EQDIR is a well proven combination. Right click an object in CDC, select the telescope slew option and, provided you've done some initial alignment (also possible from CDC), the mount will slew off and centre your target in your eyepiece/camera.

Chris.