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SkyWatcher Synscan WiFi Adapter


Dave Smith

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Arrrggggghhhhh Bristol Cameras won’t get stock in till mid Jan!!!

luckily the guys at RotherValleyOptics were able to help (currently in stock) as of today.

clearly they are in high demand!

Edited by DaveTp
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On 15/12/2017 at 10:04, DaveTp said:

Arrrggggghhhhh Bristol Cameras won’t get stock in till mid Jan!!!

luckily the guys at RotherValleyOptics were able to help (currently in stock) as of today.

clearly they are in high demand!

Delivered already!!! The guys at RotherValleyOptics really came through!!! 

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13 hours ago, Ronclarke said:

You can alter the upper and lower slewing limits on the app.

Mine just arrived and I had a play, all OK except you have to make your own 'Home' setting?? 

 

Ron

Hi Ron ,

If you use  Windows and APT (and maybe BYEOS) to control your mount via the Synscan Pro Mobile Ascom driver APT will park "your" scope and the App will ask you if you want to store the details for loading next time - as per the handset of old that asked about staring from stored position instead of doing alignment again.

Certainly works this way on Windows Tablets even on AZ mounts - Fully supported Ascom of course doesn't run on Android/Linux/Apple(except Win emulator)

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Can you use any android pad? (rather than a phone)

Can you use any version of sky safari?

Is there a way of using PayPal rather than giving a credit card directly to purchase sky safari (thought someone said it was free)?

Ordered my Wifi unit from 365 Astro as soon as I saw the Astrogear column in Astronomy Now. Can't wait.

Same 10" Synscan Dob as Dave.

Edited by tteedd
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11 hours ago, tteedd said:

Can you use any android pad? (rather than a phone)                  Probably - just download the free Synscan app.

Can you use any version of sky safari?                 No. It needs to be either SkySafari 5 plus or SkySafari 5 Pro according to the instructions in the Synscan app.

Ordered my Wifi unit from 365 Astro as soon as I saw the Astrogear column in Astronomy Now. Can't wait.       Same place I bought mine!

Same 10" Synscan Dob as Dave.                          Nice scope :thumbsup:

I have added comments to your quote.

Dave

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Thanks Dave.

When I want to control via a computer I currently run Stellarium on a HP laptop (USB/serial converter).

I generally slowly loose synscan accuracy as I change targets with this and with the handset, so am looking forward to both getting rid of the wiring and having to repeat the setup.

When I am observing visually, it will be good to have the HP laptop off as it creates too much (dark adaptation) light, even in red mode. I will still need it when I want to record video. I normally have an LED display on my scope carriage (to avoid trailing cables), if I could get a remote link between the HP and the video camera I might do away with that.

It would be good if other software pakages worked with the adapter. Anyone tried? or are we stuck with Sky Safari.  (BTW I took a guess at the name and ended up downloading a seach engine called Star Safari!).

Lets hope some clear skies arrive with the WiFi adaptor.

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On 23/12/2017 at 18:38, tteedd said:

Thanks Dave.

When I want to control via a computer I currently run Stellarium on a HP laptop (USB/serial converter).

I generally slowly loose synscan accuracy as I change targets with this and with the handset, so am looking forward to both getting rid of the wiring and having to repeat the setup.

When I am observing visually, it will be good to have the HP laptop off as it creates too much (dark adaptation) light, even in red mode. I will still need it when I want to record video. I normally have an LED display on my scope carriage (to avoid trailing cables), if I could get a remote link between the HP and the video camera I might do away with that.

It would be good if other software pakages worked with the adapter. Anyone tried? or are we stuck with Sky Safari.  (BTW I took a guess at the name and ended up downloading a seach engine called Star Safari!).

Lets hope some clear skies arrive with the WiFi adaptor.

at the moment it says it will only work with SkySafari (i dont agree with the "being Stuck" as in my opinion it is the best of the bunch out there however i know others may disagree). i use the Bluetooth adaptor from Dew Control wirelessly though Ascom and CDC that works well also.

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Mmm

Maybe 'stuck with' sounds a bit strong. But stuck with seems to be the case. I seem to have to move from Stellarium to SkySafari and up a fair bit of cash as well.

CDC means 'Control Data Corporation' or 'Computer Digital Control' to me and I do not know a lot about Ascom except that it seems to be an interface between programs and equipment for control of astro devices. I have not had to think about this too much so far. But it seems to be cropping up as I start looking at control and my new toy.

Where can I get a primer? (Any real software expertise I posses is 40 years old, so plain English would be useful).

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On 29/12/2017 at 21:32, tteedd said:

Mmm

Maybe 'stuck with' sounds a bit strong. But stuck with seems to be the case. I seem to have to move from Stellarium to SkySafari and up a fair bit of cash as well.

CDC means 'Control Data Corporation' or 'Computer Digital Control' to me and I do not know a lot about Ascom except that it seems to be an interface between programs and equipment for control of astro devices. I have not had to think about this too much so far. But it seems to be cropping up as I start looking at control and my new toy.

Where can I get a primer? (Any real software expertise I posses is 40 years old, so plain English would be useful).

Aha CdC for me is this

https://sourceforge.net/projects/skychart/ 

it is the skychart software i use instead of Stellarium.

ASCOM is the interface between the laptop and controlling your telescope which is very good however not needed unless you are using the laptop and various other bits.

I have used sky safari for years on my ipad and iphone and like it a lot however you do not really need it with the new dongle. If you do invest then the plus version is good enough and on half price for the brand new version 6.

The selling point as i have mentioned elsewhere is the ability to move the scope just by tilting the phone or tablet without having to keep looking at the device to nudge the scope onto the object.

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4 minutes ago, m.tweedy said:

The selling point as i have mentioned elsewhere is the ability to move the scope just by tilting the phone or tablet without having to keep looking at the device to nudge the scope onto the object.

This sounds interesting Michael, but how do you do it? I have 6 Pro.

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9 minutes ago, Stu said:

This sounds interesting Michael, but how do you do it? I have 6 Pro.

https://support.simulationcurriculum.com/hc/en-us/sections/115004140107-SkySafari-6-User-Manual-for-iOS-and-Android

set tilt device to slew to on.

It gets a bit of getting used to at first

 

CF5A0DCA-ACB8-4B5F-8CB9-D2A9E7D9BE63.png

Edited by m.tweedy
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Just now, Stu said:

Thank you! Will give that a go

practise first otherwise you will get it running away. NOT THAT I KNOW THAT.

from memory you need to tap the screen when you have finished tilting otherwise when you lift it up WOOPS off your scope goes

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17 hours ago, m.tweedy said:

practise first otherwise you will get it running away. NOT THAT I KNOW THAT.

from memory you need to tap the screen when you have finished tilting otherwise when you lift it up WOOPS off your scope goes

Just tried this inside and it works very well. It doesn't seem to trigger immediately you get off horizontal so should be quite controllable. I can see it being very handy for panning around the face of the sun (amongst other things) observing different features without having to look away from the eyepiece.

Thanks very much for the info :) 

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I've been thinking about buying one the wifi adapters for my HEQ5 for the past few days :) 

I've watched this review and the chap mentions that it seems to run the mount a lot smoother and others have commented that you can enhance the accuracy of the goto for mount by centering each object and tapping the confirm button.

What I was wondering...can anyone else please confirm if the performance of the mount is improved by using the wifi over the standard handset? Also is the enhanced GOTO just the same as adding a PAE point for each object after you goto it when using the handset?

Thanks and Happy new year :)

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4 hours ago, festoon said:

I've been thinking about buying one the wifi adapters for my HEQ5 for the past few days :) 

I've watched this review and the chap mentions that it seems to run the mount a lot smoother and others have commented that you can enhance the accuracy of the goto for mount by centering each object and tapping the confirm button.

What I was wondering...can anyone else please confirm if the performance of the mount is improved by using the wifi over the standard handset? Also is the enhanced GOTO just the same as adding a PAE point for each object after you goto it when using the handset?

Thanks and Happy new year :)

I have found that the first star is always off, however the other 2 are nearly always centred (or nearly) in the eyepiece. I cannot comment is improved however as it reads the system information from the phone/pad it is a accurate on  the settings as it can be. I guess the enhanced go to is the same as PAE (which incidentally should be cleared before use every time on a mobile set up). 

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I guess the only way the software on the synscan app could have improved performance over the handset would be if the app had a more accurate method of mapping the sky and accounting for errors in polar alignment or mechanical errors of the mount.

If this was indeed the case I'd have no hesitation buying the wifi adaptor :) 

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12 hours ago, festoon said:

I guess the only way the software on the synscan app could have improved performance over the handset would be if the app had a more accurate method of mapping the sky and accounting for errors in polar alignment or mechanical errors of the mount.

If this was indeed the case I'd have no hesitation buying the wifi adaptor :) 

Clear sky soon after getting home tonight. My chance to try the new synscan wifi out. I can't tell if what you say is the case or not but what I can tell you is that my 10" dob has always become less and less accurate the more targets I looked at, but using the wifi dongle and and an 8" pad and 90 minutes looking at many targets all over the sky my targets were still near to centre even though I had started with a two star set-up in the same part of the sky. I am most impressed with this.

I need much more time with the app and a description of all the functions available would be useful before I can give a proper review, but fist thoughts:

Cons

(some of these these may just be my pad)

The pad is not so reactive too my fingers in the cold night air which makes me wonder how it will perform when the temperature goes back below zero.

I am long sighted but have very little astigmatism so leave my glasses on a keeper when observing, the handset is tactile and I can find the buttons without looking, I have to put my glasses back on to use the pad.

When the pad switches off to save battery, it comes back on, on the bright initial screen. You could read Sky at Night by the moon tonight so I had no 'night sight', but it will be a problem on dark nights.

The ap/pad sometimes takes a moment to react so you hit it again and the new sceen comes up as you do and the rig hurtles off to a new target.

The star list is in order of magnitude which does not help when you are looking for a named star. I have problems with the deepsky list as well but need more time with it.

I used 25% of the power on my pad after 90 mins, will it last for a long session?

My fingers are too big. I hit the wrong pointers etc and it would be worse with a phone rather than the 8" pad. I started using the little rubber tipped thing but this sufferred from the (cold) effect already noted (I needed a damp finger).

For

The accuracy. Just for this alone I will continue to use it.

Ease of setting up. Time and location spot on even though I have no GPS.

I would have stayed out there but have to get up in the am.

More when I have used it again.

Goodnight.

 

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9 hours ago, tteedd said:

Clear sky soon after getting home tonight. My chance to try the new synscan wifi out. I can't tell if what you say is the case or not but what I can tell you is that my 10" dob has always become less and less accurate the more targets I looked at, but using the wifi dongle and and an 8" pad and 90 minutes looking at many targets all over the sky my targets were still near to centre even though I had started with a two star set-up in the same part of the sky. I am most impressed with this.

This is really interesting. I wonder if you added a PAE point on the normal handset after each goto if you would obtain the same results, or if as maybe the case here, the synscan app using the wifi is somehow achieving better results

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Just to add a little further information.

For my static Observatory set up I was pleased to find that this adapter also works on my laptop with ASCOM. I can now use my Planetarium software on my laptop integrated with this meaning only one wire to my USB hub from my laptop now. I hate wires.

http://skywatcher.com/download/software/synscan-app/

http://skywatcher.com/download/software/ascom-driver/

it also works like a dream. Tested last night.

Edited by m.tweedy
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On ‎02‎/‎01‎/‎2018 at 21:19, m.tweedy said:

For my static Observatory set up I was pleased to find that this adapter also works on my laptop with ASCOM. 

Will this work for Alt Az setups?

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