EQmod conection question

[reddoss]

As I wish to get Align Master to achive better polar alignment for longer exposure AP, I am having to go down the EQmod route. I have down loaded the software and was wondering if it is possible to use the existing cable from the handset to the mount, but connect it directly to the laptop instead?

FLO sell a EQDIR adapter but this connects to a USB in your laptop http://www.firstligh...ir-adapter.html.

I only have 3 USB ports and with my current set up, two are used for the guide and imaging cameras and the other is for the shoe string GPUSB connection for PhD guiding to talk to the mount.

Is there another way around this problem?

Cheers.

[Russe]

Yeah, you'll need a USB hub. That has to be AC powered though!!<br /><br />Bought a Belkin 7 USB hub for ??14£??<br />That'll do the trick. I got the same problem. Guide cam, camera, wifi joy pad, mount = 5 USB ports...

[Russe]

Otherwise you could ditch the GPS dongle, download the sky harbinger app from one of our members here (iPhone!) and you'd always have your location in longitude and latitude on your phone.

[jgs001]

A USB hub is the easiest option. It doesn't necessarily need to be powered. Mine isn't. But then my slr and mount are both powered separately, so it's only the guide camera that takes power from the usb, and the hub is more than sufficient for this.

[Cornelius Varley]

As I wish to get Align Master to achive better polar alignment for longer exposure AP, I am having to go down the EQmod route. I have down loaded the software and was wondering if it is possible to use the existing cable from the handset to the mount, but connect it directly to the laptop instead?

FLO sell a EQDIR adapter but this connects to a USB in your laptop http://www.firstligh...ir-adapter.html.

I only have 3 USB ports and with my current set up, two are used for the guide and imaging cameras and the other is for the shoe string GPUSB connection for PhD guiding to talk to the mount.

Is there another way around this problem?

Cheers.

If I've understood what you are asking (connecting the mount directly to the pc using the handset to mount cable) then the answer is no you can't do that. You have to connect the handset to the pc using the serial data cable and the handset connected to the mount, or use an EQDIR module. In either case the mount is not directly linked to the pc. If you EQmod you don't need to use a separate guideport interface, saving you one USB port. The software will allow you to pulseguide using the EQDIR module (check out the documentation on the EQMOD website to see how this is done).