PHD and Starlight Xpress off axis guider

[alcol620]

Having used a ZWOASI camera to guide using PHD I am soon to take delivery of a Starlight Xpress filter wheel with a SX off axis guider attached. Will PHD run this guider? Also can someone point me to the best tutorial for setting up the filter wheel and guider.

 

Thanks

[Freddie]

The OAG is just a different way of getting the guide image to the guide cam instead of using a guide scope. You will therefore still use the same cam to guide. The guiding FL will now obviously be the same as your imaging scope so you may need to adjust settings because of this.

[cfpendock]

I use an SX wheel and off axis guider.  There are no problems with PHD - it is connected to the mount and camera - not the guider, so there should be no difference except to your field of view through the guider.

Chris

[alcol620]

Thanks Chris and Freddy for taking time to respond.

Much appreciated

Moving from DSLR to a mono CCD looks like another mountain to climb! Just as I was getting the hang of the DSLR set up - but getting fed up with lots of noise, both from the camera and the sky.

Alec

[Freddie]

There will be a difference most likely between the old guiding FL and the new guiding FL through the OAG so will most likely need a change to calibration step size.

[alcol620]

Thanks again Freddie

I may well need to come back again when I get my hands on the actual bits and pieces. Eg which leads go where etc.

Alec

[Freddie]

It will be no different. You just have your guide cam on the OAG instead of the guide scope.

[alcol620]

Thanks Freddie

[alcol620]

Hi Freddie

I still have an uncertainty that the connection might be slightly different. I currently guide using the ZWO ASI camera and this has 1 lead that connects directly to the mount and the other feeds back to the PC, connecting with a usb plug. Will the Starlight Xpress connect in the same way?

In PHD the "Connect equipment" setting are Camera: ZWO ASI and the Mount: On camera

Regards

Alec

[Freddie]

It sounds like you have some confusion over what you have bought. You say it is the SX filter wheel and OAG. If that is the case then as I said above, all you do is put your guide cam on the OAG instead of a guide scope, which is what I assume you use at the moment. The OAG is an optical item of hardware and has no electrical or computer connections. Hope that helps.

[alcol620]

Thanks Freddie

i think I should wait until I see what I have got in the box! It is a problem when you are only partially aware or what you are doing. Thank goodness for Google and the Internet or I would have never achieved what I have so far!

Thanks being patient and providing information

I will be back when I receive the gear.

Regards

Alec

[Rozy1]

I hope it's ok to post here as I am using the same combo - Lodestar and filter wheel OAG.

I have had little success getting through the calibration stage of PHD2.

Would the log settings be of help anywhere?  I have phdlogview and it's pretty, but I can't tell what it all means.

Thanks to anyone who can help.  Attached are the latest attempts, with some varying settings.

Thanks.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/35012131/phd%20fail%202.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/35012131/PHD%20fail.jpg

[alcol620]

Back again. After checking with the experts the OAG can't be used with the new set up that includes the filter wheel and Atik 383 camera as the back focal distance won't allow it. So I will continue to use the guide scope which has always given me good results.