Everything via The SkyX

[snowy911]

Just wondering if anyone is or has attempted to use The SkyX for scope, imaging, guiding and focus control via FocusMax (lakeside). I currently use a combination of The SkyX (MX mount), Maxim DL6 (guiding/lodestar, imaging/atik 383), and FocusMax (via Maxim/lakeside), with all image processing via photoshop and fits liberator.  Looking at the notes for FocusMax 4 (which I'm using) it now supports The SkyX where previously there was a dependency on Maxim.

Given the latest Maxim DL v6.13 is crashing my PC and I've reverted back to v5 (post on the Cyanogen support forum), I just thought I'd pose the question prior to experimenting? All comments appreciated...

[George 47]

Yes I am starting to use TSX for controlling the mount, imaging and focusing with a Lakeside without problems. I do not have the Software Bisque dome control so use an alternative slaved to the mount. I switched for the same reason as you with all the problems in Maxim due to star fade problems.

TSX is great with the PMX and using TPoint I get an accuracy of 8 arcsecs pointing accuracy. The imaging software is a little different and for me less user friendly but it works although seeing all the Series of image sequences is a little awkward. Calibration for autoguiding works well and I get between 0.25-0.35 arcsecs RMS errors. The focusing routine is actually very good once you get the parameters right. I find it quicker than Maxim. With clear nights being so rare I really do not want to waste them playing with temperamental software.  Try it out, if it does not work you can always revert.

[snowy911]

Thanks very much for the reply George, great to hear it works, will be testing shortly!

[George 47]

I was out last night and it all worked without any issues. Oddly enough so did Maxim with no star fade issues. Still a little nervous though.

[psamathe]

I was considering TheSkyX and had a play around but was worried about the development and the longer term.  Development seems to be horrendously slow (they still don't support retina screens on Mac or equivalent on Windows except in beta form).  It's not a low cost solution so I went with Indi instead - though I'm watching PixInSight support for Indi very closely.

That said I'm a beginner so miles away from the higher end use (T-Point, etc.), not even auto-guiding yet.

Ian