Jump to content

Cant get on with CDC at all

brrttpaul

Recommended Posts

brrttpaul

brrttpaul

Posted
Posted

I have tried and tried and everytime I keep going back to synscan, First off on synscan I do a 2 star alignment I just dont see this on cdc just sync scope, (do i do that on two stars?). 2nd and the most annoying bit is on the laptop I,m using the pad not a mouse its like trying to control a ferret on speed the cursor goes everywhere. Would using alignmaster be an asset. I just seem to be adding more and more things my workflow is starting to look like a blueprint for Sellafield, lead for this lead for that I,m draining the national grid. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 57
  • Created
  • Last Reply
red dwalf

red dwalf

Posted
Posted

i take it your using eqmod, i use stellarium but i think cdc works the same way, firstly you don't need to use the handset at all, i find using the eq direct adapter a lot easier,

slew to a star, the scope will be off target a far bit, slelect in eqmod the slew rate you wish to use i.e. 1 to 4, align the rdf on the the star in question, once aligned click sync in cdc, the cross hair should move to the star, in the eq mod settings you can store all the sync targets so the more you do the better the slew accuracy will be.

it`s a bit of a learning curve, but stick with it, i`m now use astro tortilla to centre my targets, amazing bit of software. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JamesF

JamesF

Posted
Posted

i take it your using eqmod, i use stellarium but i think cdc works the same way, firstly you don't need to use the handset at all, i find using the eq direct adapter a lot easier,

slew to a star, the scope will be off target a far bit, slelect in eqmod the slew rate you wish to use i.e. 1 to 4, align the rdf on the the star in question, once aligned click sync in cdc, the cross hair should move to the star, in the eq mod settings you can store all the sync targets so the more you do the better the slew accuracy will be.

What he said.  Once you've done it a few times it becomes much easier.

Sadly cables do seem to proliferate once you get this far. I've not found a solution for that one yet.

James

Link to comment
Share on other sites
brrttpaul

brrttpaul

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thx guys maybe I have been going about it the wrong way then. I start off normally doing a polar alignment  normally then i switch on synscan, but now i have got all the leads etc and the nights are getting colder i brought my laptop indoors. I tried switching off the mount and plugging in CDC and have succedded syncing the odd star here and thereand slewing etc so i know it all works, I suppose the biggest problem is I use Stellarium  for locating objects etc and find it easier to move around the sky (just dragging the screen) whereas CDC i have to move the sliders. I didnt realise I could control my mount with stellarium (will look into that). So what we saying is then get the mount polar aligned so im pointing North and not using no handset run CDC locate a star (lets say Vega) and slew to it, on my laptop it will show my target Vega with the circle on it but lets say through my scope its off a fair way, I click sync and using the gamepad put vega dead centre of my scope, then press sync complete, the laptop will still show Vega dead centre which of course is right now, I can then repeat this on any number of stars, is that my star alignment done?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Zakalwe

Zakalwe

Posted
Posted

 whereas CDC i have to move the sliders.

Hold the shift key down and drag. No need to use the sliders.

, I click sync and using the gamepad put vega dead centre of my scope, then press sync complete, the laptop will still show Vega dead centre which of course is right now, I can then repeat this on any number of stars, is that my star alignment done?

Don't click Sync first. Select the star by right clicking on it, then move the mount using EQMOD to centre the star. Then click Sync and OK the acknowledgement box.

I found that using a cheap wired gamepad works well with EQMOD. Much easier than using a mouse.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
red dwalf

red dwalf

Posted
Posted

Almost correct, CDC does the same as stellarium, I just think stellarium looks better than CDC but slightly more difficult to set up, I'm using version 11.4 on my old PC, with that version you need to use stellarium scope as well to control the moun and start that first, not sure if you need it in the newer version of stellarium.

Let's say you stick with CDC, and do away with the hand set and use eqdirect cable which is much easier and saves time,

1. Polar align scope,

2. Turn on scope and then PC,

3. Start CDC then click on connect scope,

4. Click on a target, let's say vaga, and click on slew to target in CDC, scope will move,

5. Target will be out by an certain amount,

6. Using your eyepiece or rdf centre the star,

7. Once done click sync and the target on the screen will move to vaga.

There's loads on setting up CDC on here or Google it, also you can set eqmod to save the sync settings so gets more accurate the more you do,

There a few bits of software you might need, eqmod of course, and I think you'll need Ascom platform also, I forget now as it's been a while since I set mine up.

Hope it helps a bit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
r3i

r3i

Posted
Posted

Hold the shift key down and drag. No need to use the sliders.

You can also switch the mouse mode between left click & drag = zoom in and left click & drag = move the chart by clicking on the toolbar icon as shown below.  This removes the need to keep hold of the shift key.  Just depends on what ergonomics you personally find the easiest.

post-5202-0-80935800-1442828609.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Purplehayze104

Purplehayze104

Posted
Posted

Hold the shift key down and drag. No need to use the sliders. 

You can also switch the mouse mode between left click & drag = zoom in and left click & drag = move the chart by clicking on the toolbar icon as shown below.  This removes the need to keep hold of the shift key.  Just depends on what ergonomics you personally find the easiest.

attachicon.gifcdc mouse mode.jpg

never knew that, gunna save a few hairs from being ripped out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Zakalwe

Zakalwe

Posted
Posted

You can also switch the mouse mode between left click & drag = zoom in and left click & drag = move the chart by clicking on the toolbar icon as shown below.  This removes the need to keep hold of the shift key.  Just depends on what ergonomics you personally find the easiest.

attachicon.gifcdc mouse mode.jpg

My version of CdC doesn't seem to have that icon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Macavity

Macavity

Posted
Posted

CdC "does for me". At least once I discovered the button to *smooth* the rendering.

At least now, it looks like I have moved on from (albeit beloved) "Atari graphics"! :D

Personally, I use a DIY digital inclinometer to set up the altitude of my HEQ5 and

have a few reference points (WHS coloured dots? Marker pen on the patio? etc.) 

from the sun's shadow (at local solar noon) to setup a reasonable N-S direction. 

These days, I even do initial alignment remotely. A budget "spy camera" + 50mm 

lens gives me a 10 deg field? I can see the brighter alignment stars on "On TV". ;)

Once I have a good first alignment star "in the bag", things are pretty transparent.

Even my ersatz polar alignment allows my main scope (f=800mm) to locate stars

within the nominal half-degree field (video astronomy) field.

Just keep on adding stars! You can be more creative with EQMod alignment stars.

If I suspect a "dud" point (make a mistake) these can be deleted. There are other

options to select alignment points based on including / ignoring meridian flips...

One day, I will make a concerted effort to get my polar alignment more precise!

But the basics work? Even if I (rarely) lose control of the mount (over my 30m

cable run) I generally recover. Just "Keep calm and carry on..." as they say. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
brrttpaul

brrttpaul

Posted
  • Author
Posted

ok I have been playing around with it for a few hours and everything is working fine, so lets say tonight is clear and i go through the alignment successfully how do i save it, is it the box at the end that says changes have been made? or is it a seperate thing

cheers

Paul

Link to comment
Share on other sites
brrttpaul

brrttpaul

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Ok guys I am sorry to be a pain but went out tonight (again)  to have a go with CDC. I have hit a problem yet again. I set everything up as  to the letter, polar aligned then switched everything on got it up and running etc. Now heres the snag , I slewed to Vega knowing I would be off  a bit switched on BYN and looked at live view and that was the snag , Vega wasnt in the field of view. I went out looked through my finder scope and Vega was about halfway  between the centre and the edge of the finderscope, but not in the field of view of my camera/scope. So my laptop is indoors with the hand controller , I went back in and slewed the controller trying to make an educated guess ( my guess was that through the finder its viewing the rightway up so my scope needs to go up?) this I took as down on my game pad because its all in reverse by that time the clouds have come in. It has to be the most frustrating hobby I have ever tried lol.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
carastro

carastro

Posted
Posted

I think unless you have a permanent set up, trying to do an alignment this way remotely is going to be problematic.  I would stay by the scope and finder until you've aligned and at that point you can retire indoors and control everything from inside.  

BTW when I was using EQMOD and CDC I found trying to look through the eyepiece of the finder very problematic as I could not reach the laptop.  So on recommendation i bought a wireless gamepad.  Boy that was a disaster, the gamepad seemed as though it wasn't working, then after several tries it played" catch up" and was moving in very delayed mode and catching up on all the "tries", so in my case wireless was impossible.  I would have changed this for a wired gamepad but some-one suggested a mouse on a USB extension cable, and this worked OK so long as I had something to place the mouse on.  

Carole 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Merlin66

Merlin66

Posted
Posted

james et al,

Sometime ago I raised the possibility of developing a "mini controller" for EQMod users - a small box/handle paddle with direction buttons and a couple of "special" buttons - KISS.

This IMHO would be much easier to use than the clunky gamepad......

Unfortunately no one picked up on the idea...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.