Laptop suggestions for autoguiding?

[Leveye]

I have the least amount of money for this for my imaging rig most likely will try to buy used. Will be running windows 7 pro - PDH - APT - CDC and the ASCOM and mount drivers needed and thats it with a serial cable and usb connection thru the handset. Suggestions? Many thanks.

[RogerTheDodger]

You don't mention a guide cam and scope or which mount, but what you listed is almost identical to what I use. I use BYEOS rather than APT (I have both) and I use Astrotortilla for platesolving and GOTO. With my HEQ5 PRO I don't use a handset, just an EQDIR adapter.

[Marc1980]

To keep costs and weight down I am looking at modding a finder and using a qhy5v. If that was an option for you, you could probably pick both up second hand for under £200.

Sent from my galaxy s3 using tapatalk 2

[badgerchap]

I use the QHY5v and I'm very happy with it, using identical software to you. All seems to work well, although I still have much to learn about PHD and getting a smoother graph.

Posted via Tapatalk on an ageing iPhone so please excuse any erroneous spellings or accidental profanities!

[Leveye]

You don't mention a guide cam and scope or which mount, but what you listed is almost identical to what I use. I use BYEOS rather than APT (I have both) and I use Astrotortilla for platesolving and GOTO. With my HEQ5 PRO I don't use a handset, just an EQDIR adapter.

The guide Camera is a Meade DSI 1 Mono CCD with a Zhumell 9x50 on an AT65EDQ scope and an iOptron ZEQ25 CEM. Sorry i'm quite new at this i'm running it all from a desktop at the moment. The Mount does have an ST4 connection but i won't be using it. Everything seems to like a usb 2.0 connection the best not a 3.0 from what i have experienced so far.

[Leveye]

To keep costs and weight down I am looking at modding a finder and using a qhy5v. If that was an option for you, you could probably pick both up second hand for under £200.

Sent from my galaxy s3 using tapatalk 2

Not sure i follow it is the Laptop i'm asking about not the guidecam or weight any suggestions for a laptop to run everything? Many thanks.

[cfpendock]

I bought a second hand laptop running Vista for £50 and use this to run auto guiding and CCD software. The auto guide port on the mount (Celestron is separate from the hand control and I have to use a USB / ST4 adapter from Shoestring astronomy. Hope this helps.

Chris

[RogerTheDodger]

That's an interesting mount you have there... Laptop wise, I am running mine off an old HP laptop which is about 7 years old without too much trouble, it has a centrino duo CPU so pretty much any laptop that is newer should be ok, and there are people on here even using netbooks.

[RogerTheDodger]

darned double posts...

[r3i]

Any particular reason why it needs to be Win7? I've stuck with XP on my astro laptop and all the usual stuff CDC/EQMOD/ASCOM/PHD/Nebulosity runs nicely on it. In terms of laptop performance, any relatively modern laptop should be OK. I used to run my setup on a Dell D400 - that was just about powerful enough but we're talking 2003 technology.

[Leveye]

Any particular reason why it needs to be Win7? I've stuck with XP on my astro laptop and all the usual stuff CDC/EQMOD/ASCOM/PHD/Nebulosity runs nicely on it. In terms of laptop performance, any relatively modern laptop should be OK. I used to run my setup on a Dell D400 - that was just about powerful enough but we're talking 2003 technology.

I'd like to run Windows 7 pro because i have a brand new disc of it and can reboot it if necessary that or at least XP if it comes loaded with it whatever i find.

[RogerTheDodger]

I had to go to Win 7 to use active USB 2.0 extension cables

[Leveye]

Yes for me thats important i am running 60ft repeater cables at the HomeBase and USB 2.0 is a must. I tried the 3.0 ports figuring it would work better WRONG..LOL. I have had major problems with the DSLR camera connection using APT all is good using 2.0 though.

[Leveye]

I would like to keep this no more than $200-250 tops us dollars. Maybe a small used toshiba