HEQ5, HOW DO I CONTROL MY MOUNT FROM THE LAPTOP

[Norfolk Noob]

Hello Everybody,

Now i am currently a complete beginner to AP so please forgive me if my questions sound stupid! ( I was a little confused by other threads)

So, i have  recently purchased the skywatcher EQ3 pro only to have a fault in the handset then they damaged the mount in transit, short story is i sent it back and upgraded to the HEQ5 🎉

How do i go about connecting my mount to my laptop for mount control? do i connect via a printer cable to the handset and then enter pc direct mode? then i have a zwo asi120mm for guiding and im guessing that direct to the pc via the usb that came with it?

 

[Cornelius Varley]

The handset has two alternative ports. The multi-purpose port requires the serial data cable that should have been supplied with the mount. This also requires a computer with a serial port or a good usb-serial adapter. The small usb port on the handset is probably the easier one to go for, this just requires a usb cable. Next you need a planetarium programme Stellarium or Cartes du Ciel (CdC). Stellarium has internal mount drivers. so no more software is needed. CdC requires the ASCOM platform plus the Skywatcher Ascom mount drivers from the same site. For guiding the most popular guiding software is PHD2.

[Spaced Out]

I use cartes du ciel and eqmod to control my HEQ5, it works great and takes the handset out of the equation. For this approach you need an EQMOD cable that connects your PC directly to the mount.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/blog/eqmod-controlling-the-heq5-neq6-and-other-mounts-directly-from-a-pc.html

[Norfolk Noob]

15 hours ago, Spaced Out said:

I use cartes du ciel and eqmod to control my HEQ5, it works great and takes the handset out of the equation. For this approach you need an EQMOD cable that connects your PC directly to the mount.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/blog/eqmod-controlling-the-heq5-neq6-and-other-mounts-directly-from-a-pc.html

What is the advantage of bypassing the handset?

[Spaced Out]

1 hour ago, Norfolk Noob said:

What is the advantage of bypassing the handset?

No rights or wrongs here and I don’t think it really matters tbh. Personally I just see it as one less link in the chain to go wrong, less equipment to rely on and also you get to keep your handset in good nick. I prefer just to have a single direct cable between PC and mount, less clutter !

Edited March 23, 2020 by Spaced Out

[bomberbaz]

5 hours ago, Norfolk Noob said:

What is the advantage of bypassing the handset?

Also means if you have a camera attached to scope with a long enough cable you can sit indoors and do some viewing 😀