Options for guiding with EQ5 non-GOTO

[rnobleeddy]

Thanks to one of the admins for pointing out that I'd misunderstood what I needed to get started with guiding yesterday. This lead to more research and inevitably, some questions, which I'm hoping some of you fine folk could help me with?

I have a EQ5 mount (yes, I know, not perfect!) which started off without any motors at all, and have since added dual axis motors and have just found a second hand enhanced handset, so have effectively added https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/enhanced-dual-axis-dc-motor-drives-for-eq-5.html. 

The enhanced handset has a ST4 port and I'd like to full understand the options I have to start experimenting with guiding. The goal is to be able to autoguide - GOTO functionality would be used occasionally but not essential. I'm almost exclusively interested in controlling the scope via PHD2 and/or using EQMOD so don't need handset GOTO  functionality. I also have a planetary imaging camera that whilst not sold for guiding (and not having an ST4 output, only USB) has been reported to work well as a guide camera.

 

As best I can tell, there are four routes that I think will work:

1. get a guide camera which outputs ST4, which connects to a laptop and the ST4 port on the handset

2. get some more skywatcher kit such as a synscan, which will allow me to cameras that are not specifically for guiding, in which case I'd connect the camera to the laptop, the laptop to the synscan and then the synscan to the ST4 port on the handset

3. get a 3rd party box that sit between the laptop and the ST4 port. It appears there's at least the Shoestring Astronomy GPUSB, astroEQ and hitecastro usb guider available to play this role.

4. sell what I've got and just get the GOTO upgrade for the EQ5 mount

 

Unfortunately my questions are numerous:

- Have I made any obvious mistakes in understanding how this all works this?

- Is option 2 really different to option 4 - with the equipment I have, if I stick with skywatcher kit, can I just add the synscan controller box (assuming I can find one) or is it more complex than that?

- If I try to get a 3rd party box (option 3) then are there others out there? None of the ones I've listed are particularly easy to come by right now. As I understand, GPUSB can't do GOTO but astroEQ can.

- If option 1 is viable then it may be the easiest approach - it looks like a ZWO ASI 120MM would work fine - any reasons why not?

- outside of the quality of the guide scope and the guide camera, are any methods better/worse than others?

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 31, 2020 by rnobleeddy

[rnobleeddy]

Answering my own question, but it appears I can rule out #2 based on this thread.

In better news, this thread suggests #1 should be fine.

 

So I guess the questions really boil down to whether anyone has any advice on GPUSB, astroEQ and any others that are available, and how would guide performance using a guide camera compare to getting the full upgrade kit?

 

Edited May 31, 2020 by rnobleeddy