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SkyWatcher Synscan WiFi Adapter


Dave Smith

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Synscan app Synscan Pro do work on a Nexus 7 1st generation (though not tried it connected to the wifi dongle as I have a blue tooth one and a different app) but the app installs and runs.

Sky Safari runs I use both 4 plus and 5 pro on the Nexus.

Use DSLR Controller on your Nexus to control your Canon works brill on my 1100d.

 

But I wonder if there might be some fighting for active app and whether switching between might loose safari alignment. Pass as I do not know. Then again don't you need two ios devices if using Apple and only one of using Android reading earlier posts?

Edited by happy-kat
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Yes, both work on my elderly Nexus 7 no  problem. As has been said above you will need both your iOS powered devices if that is the route you take. Personally I find the Nexus a bit on the small side for my old eyes. (How people manage on their 'phones I don't know :hmh:) I finally opted for using the adapter and CdC on the laptop  running the W10 platform. After a bit of a false start it now runs well. John 

Edited by Grierson
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Tried for ages to get it working with Skysafari 5 pro with iPod and iPhone , no way. I was fascinated to see Shaun ("Pig") walk around , nonchalantly directing his mount at some distance , awesome !

Bought a 7" tablet (£60 Argos) , just a useful size, works a dream. Connect and align with SW , then connect with SS, magic.

Took me seamlessly through the spring galaxies. There's just a wealth of info available and I'm sure outreach and newbies will enjoy the commentary. As did Stan ( Unhappy bruiser dog next door door ) who thought his luck was in ,with bite one get one free !

 

Two beefs ! Firstly colder fingers , using the tablet.

Secondly , I use SAO numbers with Struve and STT binaries. Takes some getting used to Henry Draper. I love SS and have been using as a stand alone resource. It leads you to find out so much more. Après ski !

For the money , it would be hard to beat a useful working wireless set up , under 

Dark skies ! Nick.

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Well tried it out told my phone to forget my WiFi so would not try connect to the stronger signal. 

Connected to the Synscan app aligned the scope then switched on sky safari 5 Pro connected. 

Scrolled around the map clicked on object tapped goto and scope went there. 

All I need is to familise myself better with sky safari to enable me to find objects better but up to now working fine. 

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I’d like to try the Synscan WiFi adapter and the app but still not sure about their capabilities.

I already have a Skyfi adapter which works fine with my IPad using Sky Safari. However the Synscan app will not work with the Skyfi unit.

So, if I get the Synscan WiFi unit plus app are  there advantages over using the handset? Does it,  for example, take the time and location from the Iphone? I presume it must as it plugs straight into the mount, not the handset. Is the handset then completely redundant? 

I understand from this thread that the Synscan WiFi unit will connect to Sky Safari but not at the same time as the Synscan app on a single Apple device. But will it connect if two devices are used simultaneously - the Iphone controlling the mount with the Synscan app and the IPad connecting to the Synscan  WiFi unit in order to use Sky Safari? The Skyfi adapter would then be redundant.

I am thinking that I can use the advantages of the mount alignment functions etc in the Synscan app on an IPhone and do away with the corded handset, and then use Sky Safari in my IPad to locate objects, but is this possible? 

Thanks in advance ?

Edited by kerrylewis
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  • 3 weeks later...
On 30/03/2018 at 10:36, kerrylewis said:

I’d like to try the Synscan WiFi adapter and the app but still not sure about their capabilities.

I already have a Skyfi adapter which works fine with my IPad using Sky Safari. However the Synscan app will not work with the Skyfi unit.

So, if I get the Synscan WiFi unit plus app are  there advantages over using the handset? Does it,  for example, take the time and location from the Iphone? I presume it must as it plugs straight into the mount, not the handset. Is the handset then completely redundant? 

I understand from this thread that the Synscan WiFi unit will connect to Sky Safari but not at the same time as the Synscan app on a single Apple device. But will it connect if two devices are used simultaneously - the Iphone controlling the mount with the Synscan app and the IPad connecting to the Synscan  WiFi unit in order to use Sky Safari? The Skyfi adapter would then be redundant.

I am thinking that I can use the advantages of the mount alignment functions etc in the Synscan app on an IPhone and do away with the corded handset, and then use Sky Safari in my IPad to locate objects, but is this possible? 

Thanks in advance ?

Kerry, I believe the answers to your question are ‘yes’ in general.

Ive just ordered a SynScan WiFi due to me ‘breaking’ my handset when flashing it. This is how I will be using it initially:

Synscan WiFi on my HEQ5 

SynScan PRO App on my iPhone 5 so that all gps data is populated

Sky Safari on my iPad mini 2 for navigation

Using both together will do what you are asking above. Your SkyFi adapter would therefore be redundant.

Newer iPads can run ‘side by side’ apps which may mean this may work on one iOS device but I don’t know that for sure.

In the next day or so I’ll be able to advise you further when the WiFi dongle arrives.

HTH

Edited by Dazzyt66
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For those quaking at the thought of taking their iPads outdoors in the dark, there is an easier and cheap solution. I bought a 7" tablet from Argos for £60.

Loaded up free Avast security , then Synscan app and Skysafari pro 5. Go to "settings " get the app wifi up , connect to the mount . Align with the SW app, then connect to Skysafari. It's an easy option and works !

 The app will stand alone with its catalogues and point and go. It's a great advance on using a handset ,as the near limitless info available adds interest to a session. In addition , the downloadable resources can make cheery additions to observe ,as well as listening to the audio commentary. 

Nick.

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8 minutes ago, cotterless45 said:

For those quaking at the thought of taking their iPads outdoors in the dark, there is an easier and cheap solution. I bought a 7" tablet from Argos for £60.

Loaded up free Avast security , then Synscan app and Skysafari pro 5. Go to "settings " get the app wifi up , connect to the mount . Align with the SW app, then connect to Skysafari. It's an easy option and works !

 The app will stand alone with its catalogues and point and go. It's a great advance on using a handset ,as the near limitless info available adds interest to a session. In addition , the downloadable resources can make cheery additions to observe ,as well as listening to the audio commentary. 

Nick.

Hello Nick

Hows things with you? Are you managing to keep away from your dentist.

Please can you tell me the make and model number of the tablet if possible?

Best regards,

Hadyn -  Isle of Man

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13 hours ago, hadyn42 said:

Hello Nick

Hows things with you? Are you managing to keep away from your dentist.

Please can you tell me the make and model number of the tablet if possible?

Best regards,

Hadyn -  Isle of Man

http://www.argos.co.uk/product/8242523

That is the only £60 one I can see in Argos but any up to date Tablet will work and being android can load two apps at once unlike IOS. I use my Galaxy S7.

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I have synscan pro app working great with SW wifi adapter on my az-eq5 (I don't use skysafari directly). 

However, I'm just trying to get into auto-guiding - can I ask whether it is possible to set up auto-guiding at the same time (with a pc, phd2, and either st4 or ascom system), or does the wifi dongle have to be disconnected for this to work.  Or do I have to go the route of the windows synscanpro app and scrap the phone app when guiding using ascom? ( st4 presumably OK alongside) 

Hope this makes some sense!

Thanks

Peter

Edited by Peterh1
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4 hours ago, Peterh1 said:

I have synscan pro app working great with SW wifi adapter on my az-eq5 (I don't use skysafari directly). 

However, I'm just trying to get into auto-guiding - can I ask whether it is possible to set up auto-guiding at the same time (with a pc, phd2, and either st4 or ascom system), or does the wifi dongle have to be disconnected for this to work.  Or do I have to go the route of the windows synscanpro app and scrap the phone app when guiding using ascom? ( st4 presumably OK alongside) 

Hope this makes some sense!

Thanks

Peter

If you are using Ascom and the Synscan Pro mobile Ascom driver you can use PHD2 to do guiding with the Synscan Adapter.

You just get PHD2 to connect to the  SynScan Mobile Ascom driver AFTER you have started(and connected the mount successfully) the Windows SynScan Pro program .  You can still use Safari from your Android phone/tablet - you just connect to the IP address of the Windows PC.

I have ignored ST4 method as I dont use it - but someone who has will explain the different set up.

 

Edited by stash_old
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On ‎24‎/‎04‎/‎2018 at 15:58, stash_old said:

If you are using Ascom and the Synscan Pro mobile Ascom driver you can use PHD2 to do guiding with the Synscan Adapter.

You just get PHD2 to connect to the  SynScan Mobile Ascom driver AFTER you have started(and connected the mount successfully) the Windows SynScan Pro program .  You can still use Safari from your Android phone/tablet - you just connect to the IP address of the Windows PC.

I have ignored ST4 method as I dont use it - but someone who has will explain the different set up.

 

Thanks so much for this clear explanation.  Yes, that works great - windows pc synscan app wifi connection to adapter network, and then (iPhone) skysafari connects to windows pc on the same network (using port 11882).  Will try with PHD2 later but I now get the concept!

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  • 4 weeks later...

Please can someone help me with a question about star alignment with the wifi adapter:

At my site, there are a few irritating (tree) obstructions so 2 or 3 point alignment is difficult (having to choose two (linked) stars).  Can I ask whether multiple 1-point alignment will be similar to 2 point alignment, i.e. additive, if I choose reasonably spaced stars? (I appreciate that in 2/3point the stars are chosen with appropriate separation).  I am not using the "parking/hibernation" memory so it's all new each session at the moment.  Presumably "reset alignment" refers to this, but, I assume, also clears the data within a session, that's why I am hoping alignment can be cumulative.

Thanks

Peter 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Last Saturday night, at my astronomy club workshop, used for second time, and found heaps of bugs 

Primarily if do a 2 star alignment, wanted to use Sirius and Canopus with my ED80 on EQ5 mount

Selected Sirius as first choice, and the adaptor wanted me to select second star of its choosing, and could not find an option to choose Canopus as second option 

Went back to 1 star alignment, and chose Sirius, and was way off

Then had problems attempting to save 

In Help advises last two movements is up and right, then click confirmation button 

Did not matter how many times I tried, could not get to confirm, and gave up

During the day, used the adaptor with my Coronado SolarMax 11 which have recently purchased on my EQ5 mount 

When access solar mode, there is a built in safety feature 

When turn on solar mode, disclaimer comes up about solar safety 

The APP then gives you a mathematical question, which took a bit of working out 

Had to click on the ? a couple of times before keypad came up and type in your answer 

The other issue I found, at the end of the night, selected home, and came up DEC

Did not matter what figure put in, got an error messge

Assume looking for a figure in degrees, and  been in the southern hemisphere, have north leg of EQ5 mount facing south

Overall happy with the APP and the Synscan Wi-Fi adaptor

To a comment one of the previous posts, takes guesswork out of normal Synscan controller with respect to Longitude, latitude, date and time, as picks it automatically from mobile phone or tablet

Cheers

John

 

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  • 2 months later...

Hi

I have had the Wifi adapter for some time and used it for several months with a cheap android pad. Then, first occasionally and then permanently, the pad/ap started giving the message 'Synscan not working' and switching off when the message is acknowledged. Tried all sorts of things with the pad including removing all apps not wanted and reloading synscan app  with no solution. So I have loaded the  synscan app on my phone and it works OK.

Anyone else had, or better still overcome, this sort of problem with a pad?

Ted

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Seem to have it working now.

Settings/connections

Upped retry times to 5, no change.

Turned find devices off and on again.

Now connecting and working OK.

See how it goes for real?

………………………………………..

It did not go!

Firstly although working the numbers keyboard did not come up when clicking to input Messier/ngc/etc numbers. 

Then when re-started the old problem came back.

Edited by tteedd
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Never rains but it pours!

Ordered a new cheap tablet from Amazon.

Super looking thing, only problem is that it refuses to run sysnscan!

'App not compatible'

Wasted another few hours with this and now it is going back.

If anyone can advise me on getting the original tablet to work properly I would be grateful.

Other-wise please let me know cheap models that work and their android version No.

Thanks

 

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I now have a tablet running Android 6.0. It seems to run synscan perfectly!

If you are thinking of buying a wifi device, check that your andoid version is not 4.4.2

All I need now is clear skies!

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7 hours ago, tteedd said:

I now have a tablet running Android 6.0. It seems to run synscan perfectly!

If you are thinking of buying a wifi device, check that your andoid version is not 4.4.2

All I need now is clear skies!

My phone has 4.0.4 and works with Synscan App - if you send an email to Sky Watcher SynScan App team they should help(fingers x'D) - the version i use is 1.9.0a but you will have load it manually (not via google play).

Unfortunately the link they give me for the download has gone !

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  • 3 weeks later...
11 hours ago, MBJ said:

On an eq6 pro or az eq6 the wifi adaptor plugs straight into the mount using the original supplied handset cable,it wont power the wifi adaptor up if plugged into the bottom of the handset.

Wouldn't make any sense plugging into the handset as it replaces the handset and the output socket on the handset is NOT TTL its RS232 levels (plus you might damage your Adapter circuitry ). If you were to plug the wifi adapter into the handset mount port how would you get a signal from the mount ???? ?

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15 hours ago, stash_old said:

Wouldn't make any sense plugging into the handset as it replaces the handset and the output socket on the handset is NOT TTL its RS232 levels (plus you might damage your Adapter circuitry ). If you were to plug the wifi adapter into the handset mount port how would you get a signal from the mount ???? ?

I know it wouldnt,im merely stating what i was told by a very well known astro shop that it plugs into the bottom of the handset and this seems to be backed up by the presence of 2 cables in the adaptor box to plug into the handset or direct into the mount.

Edited by MBJ
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13 hours ago, MBJ said:

I know it wouldnt,im merely stating what i was told by a very well known astro shop that it plugs into the bottom of the handset and this seems to be backed up by the presence of 2 cables in the adaptor box to plug into the handset or direct into the mount.

What was the name of the Astro Shop ?

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