autoguide without a laptop

[alacant]

Hi everyone

Anyone here with hands-on? Do standalone guiders work OK? They get good reviews. I really would like to avoid having to setup a computer too.

e.g.

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p4027_LVI-SmartGuider-2---Autoguider-for-astrophotography-without-computer.html

TIA

[PeterCPC]

But you might find that a laptop helps when actually taking images so consider that as well.

Peter

[Tinker1947]

I'm not sure i follow this, if your using a guider then your imagine, just viewing objects doen't require the tracking a auto-guider gives, so if your imagine then you need some sort of computer to save the data to and run the camera ect....???

[MARS1960]

From my research some work better than others, and some are just plain useless, there are a few thread/reviews on here and other forums about them.

This is my choice when i've saved a few more pennies, not cheap but you wont get better.

http://www.365astronomy.com/LACERTA-M-GEN-v2-Stand-Alone-Guider.html

[Ken82]

I have a friend who uses a stand alone guider . I did notice it wasn't as sensitive as a separate guide camera so you may loose the star sometimes or not pick one up . 

[alacant]

8 hours ago, PeterCPC said:

But you might find that a laptop helps when actually taking images so consider that as well.

Peter

Hi Peter

Thanks for the heads up. How would a laptop help whilst taking the images? I should say I have a dslr.

TIA

[spaceman_spiff]

I use a standalone synguider routinely. When it is coupled with an ST80 it easily finds guide stars. I should say that I mounted the ST80 on the adjustable SW guide scope mount so I have some flexibility to find the best guide stars. I tend to image 3-5 min subs and when set up properly, the synguider delivers round stars. I have taken 20min subs with round stars also.

The only gripe with a standalone setup is that I do not have access to the guiding corrections data. This is useful for diagnosing PE or other problems with the mount. I will probably one day upgrade to a lodestar guiding system when money allows but for now I am happy.

If you need pictures, then most of the stuff in my gallery was guided using the synguider.

Hope that helps.

[alacant]

Hi and thanks for the input.

I looked at the synguider but was put off by their blurb:

Recommended use: The guider should be connected to a guidescope having a similar focal length as the main telescope

For me that's 760mm. My guide is only 400mm. Also the viewing angle. It seems to be fixed into the back of the camera (?).

TIA

 

[spaceman_spiff]

Just now, alacant said:

Hi and thanks for the input.

I looked at the synguider but was put off by their blurb:

Recommended use: The guider should be connected to a guidescope having a similar focal length as the main telescope

For me that's 760mm. My guide is only 400mm. Also the viewing angle. It seems to be fixed into the back of the camera (?).

TIA

 

Honestly, that advice is rubbish. I have my synguider attached to the 400mm FL ST80 and it easily guides my long tube refractor (1 metre FL F8.3). I have even taken some guided shots with a Barlow lens on the imaging scope (2 metre FL) although I don't do that very often.

 

 

[wxsatuser]

I use the Lacerta MGEN 2.

Excellent guider and nice camera with it.

Once the menus are figured out it's simple to guide and control a dslr with dithering.
Have done 10minutes with round stars and easily beats my old Starshoot setup.
Mine is attached to an Altair 60mm guidescope.

[alacant]

2 hours ago, spaceman_spiff said:

Honestly, that advice is rubbish. I have my synguider attached to the 400mm FL ST80 and it easily guides my long tube refractor (1 metre FL F8.3). I have even taken some guided shots with a Barlow lens on the imaging scope (2 metre FL) although I don't do that very often.

 

 

Yeah, that's what I thought. It's the only model which makes such recommendations. 

It's gonna come down to cost I suppose. With the LVI 2 at just €230, maybe it's worth a risk.

[PeterCPC]

3 hours ago, alacant said:

Hi Peter

Thanks for the heads up. How would a laptop help whilst taking the images? I should say I have a dslr.

TIA

Well you can use APT or BYE for image capture. I also use the laptop when using my CCD planetary camera.

BYE (Backyard EOS) will help you focus and frame and assist with exposures and it can take AVIs of planets for stacking.

Peter

[michael8554]

Without a laptop:

Your stand-alone autoguider takes care of guiding.

You can get an approximate focus using the magnified LiveView on the DSLR screen - but a laptop screen is much better

You can take long exposure sequences using a hand-held timer, about £15?  and save them to the memory card on the camera - but checking the quality is hard on the DSLR screen, much easier on a laptop screen.

Michael