GO-TO-mount and algning

[barrocco]

Hey, Everyone. I'm new here. 

I got a Celestron Avanced VX EQ-mount. I am also able to connect it to the computer and control it. 

But do I have to align the mount with the hand controller even if I use computer to control the mount? I mean star alignmen (not Polar alignment, which I will do anyway). 

If I go out on the field without PC, I know I should star-align it, but do I have to do that if I control the mount via a PC and like Redshift or Stellarium?

[Cornelius Varley]

You should still need to do a star alignment. Once the mount is aligned and connected to the computer it reports its position back to the software.

[Chris Rowland]

Yes, you need to align it using the HC.  The PC control software uses that alignment to get the positions.

Chris

[Tinker1947]

If you mount is any thing like a NEQ6, before its fired up, place it pointing at Polaris, give it some power, stick in your date,time ect, then when it slews to its first star and stops, undo the clutches and move it by hand to align it, you can fine tune it with the handset, from them on just use the handset to select and slew  and align....this works with my NEQ6..

[SniffTheGlove]

There is a an alignment tour in EQMod. I made my own tour by sorting the list by RA and then Dec, it speeds up my alignments as the mount is not slewing as much as the standard random alignment tour.