ZWO ASI294MC-Pro - can it be used as an autoguider?

[Gus Skywatcher]

I'm looking at the ZWO USBST4 adapter as a possible method to use my ASI294 camera as a guider for my dual scope setup. Can explain how to use this camera as an autoguider with this adapter?

[Cornelius Varley]

The  ASI294 has a built in autoguider ST4 port so the USBST4 adapter shouldn't be required. The adapter is only necessary is your guide camera does not have a ST4 port. Plug the camera into an available usb socket on your computer and connect the ST4 port on the camera to the autoguider ST4 port on your mount.

[Anthonyexmouth]

15 minutes ago, Gus Skywatcher said:

I'm looking at the ZWO USBST4 adapter as a possible method to use my ASI294 camera as a guider for my dual scope setup. Can explain how to use this camera as an autoguider with this adapter?

How are you guiding? If you are using phd2 and eqmod you dont use the st4 port. 

[Dragon_Astro]

13 minutes ago, Anthonyexmouth said:

How are you guiding? If you are using phd2 and eqmod you dont use the st4 port. 

Well you do if you connect phd2 "on mount" with an st4 cable, because that's how I do my guiding. That's with eqmod running too.

As Cornelius said, just connect your Asi294 to your mount using an st4 cable.

 

[Anthonyexmouth]

3 minutes ago, Dragon_Astro said:

Well you do if you connect phd2 "on mount" with an st4 cable, because that's how I do my guiding. That's with eqmod running too.

As Cornelius said, just connect your Asi294 to your mount using an st4 cable.

 

What's the point if you're using eqmod? It's just another cable to worry about and it's recommended by eqmod to use the pulse guiding through that.

[Cornelius Varley]

Assuming that you have a goto mount with Synscan then using eqmod and pulse guiding would be the obvious option to save an extra cable, although that cable would be from the camera to the mount.

[Dragon_Astro]

13 minutes ago, Anthonyexmouth said:

What's the point if you're using eqmod? It's just another cable to worry about and it's recommended by eqmod to use the pulse guiding through that.

It's how I've always guided, since I started imaging 6+ years ago, I'm getting almost flat graphs with good Sharpcap PA too.

An St4 cable is no extra work at all lol

[alacant]

Hi. I don't think we can help because we don't know what mount the OP has. But anyway, the 294 -my dream imager- as a guide camera? Wow!

[Anthonyexmouth]

42 minutes ago, alacant said:

Hi. I don't think we can help because we don't know what mount the OP has. But anyway, the 294 -my dream imager- as a guide camera? Wow!

off topic, but would you choose the 294 over the 1600? 

[alacant]

35 minutes ago, Anthonyexmouth said:

off topic, but would you choose the 294 over the 1600? 

Hi. Yes. It does in a fraction of the time that which takes all night on my dslr and its noiseless by comparison; TBH, anything is better than a dslr so the 1600 maybe ok too it's just that the mono guys here seem to end up with incomplete colour images or ones where the stars are not aligned properly. I think there was a 1600 colour too but AFAICT has been superceded by the 294. Opinion based solely upon what I've seen others do. I'm by no means an expert.

Edited September 2, 2018 by alacant

[Anthonyexmouth]

5 minutes ago, alacant said:

Hi. Yes. 

i've heard a lot of people craving this camera yet see the 1600 on setups more. what would give it the edge for you? 

Edited September 2, 2018 by Anthonyexmouth

[Gus Skywatcher]

Thanks guys for the responses. The mount I'm planning to use is am Orion Atlas EQG, or EQ6. My new ASI294 doesn't have an ST4 port, that's why I'm asking. I have a dual scope setup, and my plan is to use one of the scopes as the main imager, and the other as the autoguider, and the other way around.

Edited September 2, 2018 by Gus Skywatcher

[Gus Skywatcher]

This is my setup. The other camera is a SX-825 attached to the 127ED. The 294 is attached to an Orion EON 72. If I want to go wide, I use the 294 and guide with the SX. If I want to go narrow, I use the SX and guide with the 294 (that is my intent).

[alacant]

8 hours ago, Gus Skywatcher said:

Orion Atlas EQG, or EQ6

Ah, OK. So it's really easy.  Take a usb cable from the 294 to a computer usb3 port and one of these from another usb on the computer to the mount. 

HTH.

[Anthonyexmouth]

3 hours ago, alacant said:

Ah, OK. So it's really easy.  Take a usb cable from the 294 to a computer usb3 port and one of these from another usb on the computer to the mount. 

HTH.

yes, make sure you change the drop down box in eqmod from st4 to ascom pulse guiding

If its an NEQ6 mount that cable is ok but check the connection on the mount. 

[Gus Skywatcher]

10 hours ago, alacant said:

Ah, OK. So it's really easy.  Take a usb cable from the 294 to a computer usb3 port and one of these from another usb on the computer to the mount. 

HTH.

Is a NEQ6 the same as an Orion Atlas?

[alacant]

13 hours ago, Gus Skywatcher said:

NEQ6 the same as an Orion Atlas

Yeah. I think mounts with eq in them are European versions. 

[Manners2020]

How did you get on with the 294 as a guide cam? I'm thinking of doing the same.