Powered usb hub or repeater cable

[Leewfc]

Hi I'm after some advice please... I've got a heq6r mount and I'm looking for some ideas to connect my camera and guide cam to my laptop. Would people recommend a powered usb hub 3.0 mounted to the mount or would I be better using a usb repeater cable. I have the asi120mm as my guide camera and my canon 600D so would only be 2 cables to the laptop. I'm looking for cheap and quick and easy options ready for thursday/friday night. I'm struggling to get a powered usb hub without having to order online from local pc stores. So I'm thinking cable route would be better. Thoughts please thanks

[edarter]

I have the same setup as you camera and guide cam wise. I have a (non powered) USB3 hub on the mount that they both connect to (as well as the mount itself of course for EQMod) and from that a 10M active USB cable back to my laptop. You can't use any old USB cable as 10M is well over its standard range. But this is the one I ordered from Amazon and its been faultless for me so far.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005LJKEXS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_VMoyFbNSV84X8

The hub I use is this one:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LLUEJFU/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_fPoyFbY86GCRV

Both available on Amazon Prime for tomorrow

 

HTH

Ed

Edited September 15, 2020 by edarter

[michael8554]

So much depends on the length of cable required.

Both cameras are USB 2.0

USB 2.0 maximum run is 5 metres.

To get longer you add Repeater Cables, these clean up the signal and pass it on to the next device.

To be sure the ASI has enough current from the USB cable, particularly with laptops, a powered Repeater Cable or Powered Hub is a good idea.

Canon cameras can be fussy about cables, use their supplied cable to the Hub.

Michael

[Leewfc]

10 hours ago, edarter said:

I have the same setup as you camera and guide cam wise. I have a (non powered) USB3 hub on the mount that they both connect to (as well as the mount itself of course for EQMod) and from that a 10M active USB cable back to my laptop. You can't use any old USB cable as 10M is well over its standard range. But this is the one I ordered from Amazon and its been faultless for me so far.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005LJKEXS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_VMoyFbNSV84X8

The hub I use is this one:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LLUEJFU/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_fPoyFbY86GCRV

Both available on Amazon Prime for tomorrow

 

HTH

Ed

Do you have a picture of your setup please?

[cletrac1922]

Lee

You can now also get a WiFi adapter for SW go-to mounts

I got one a while ago, which I use with my EQ5pro mount

You then download the SynScan App as well

Not sure if the ZWO ASIAir hub, will also solve your problem with USB hub, as connect your ASI120mm to the ASIAir hub 

John

[bottletopburly]

Stick to a powered usb3 hub as your future proofing , use a single cable usb3 from pc to hub , mind I run mine from shed to pier it’s only about 3m away and I have 12v power at mount for hub you don’t really want 240v at mount if you can help it .

[wormix]

I use a cheap and nasty unpowered USB2 hub mounted to my dovetail, then extended with a similarly cheap and nasty 5m cable so I can sit in the warm house. 
 

I currently connect my HEQ5, Canon 600d and QHY5l-ii Guide Cam through time it and it works flawlessly. 
 

To be fair, I had all of those sitting around at home already so thought I would try and got lucky - did try a different hub and that didn’t work at all. 
 

Interesting seeing that 10m cable - May try that as I will need extra range for the winter period as all the interesting targets rise over my house. 
 

Image below, you can just make out the USB hub mounted to a 3D printed vixen style clamp and then onto dovetail. 

[Leewfc]

3 hours ago, wormix said:

I use a cheap and nasty unpowered USB2 hub mounted to my dovetail, then extended with a similarly cheap and nasty 5m cable so I can sit in the warm house. 
 

I currently connect my HEQ5, Canon 600d and QHY5l-ii Guide Cam through time it and it works flawlessly. 
 

To be fair, I had all of those sitting around at home already so thought I would try and got lucky - did try a different hub and that didn’t work at all. 
 

Interesting seeing that 10m cable - May try that as I will need extra range for the winter period as all the interesting targets rise over my house. 
 

Image below, you can just make out the USB hub mounted to a 3D printed vixen style clamp and then onto dovetail. 

Smart set up that. Thanks for the advice

[Leewfc]

4 hours ago, bottletopburly said:

Stick to a powered usb3 hub as your future proofing , use a single cable usb3 from pc to hub , mind I run mine from shed to pier it’s only about 3m away and I have 12v power at mount for hub you don’t really want 240v at mount if you can help it .

I've got an observatory and I have mains power in there. The cables that came with the cameras are very short and my laptop is bout 4feet away. I need the cables to go down to the floor then 4foot across then back up to the laptop. I havent got much money at the min due to spending 4000 pound on equipment and doing the obsy. I just want to tidy the cables cause I'm worried that with how short they are when the mount is twisting and turning it going to snag and break something. For this reason I just wanted some ideas of peoples set ups and what they use. I would like to have an option of extending out of the observatory into the garden if theres an object i cant capture from within the obsy. So basically running a lead out of the open roof section or door to the scope and mount outdoors keeping the laptop in the obsy and controlling it from in there like an office. Hope this makes sense.

Edited September 16, 2020 by Leewfc
More info

[bottletopburly]

4 hours ago, Leewfc said:

I've got an observatory and I have mains power in there. The cables that came with the cameras are very short and my laptop is bout 4feet away. I need the cables to go down to the floor then 4foot across then back up to the laptop. I havent got much money at the min due to spending 4000 pound on equipment and doing the obsy. I just want to tidy the cables cause I'm worried that with how short they are when the mount is twisting and turning it going to snag and break something. For this reason I just wanted some ideas of peoples set ups and what they use. I would like to have an option of extending out of the observatory into the garden if theres an object i cant capture from within the obsy. So basically running a lead out of the open roof section or door to the scope and mount outdoors keeping the laptop in the obsy and controlling it from in there like an office. Hope this makes sense.

I’d probably just use a repeater cable for now , usb 2 hub then  when funds allow upgrade if required , if it works and does what you need it to do then stick with it  .

[edarter]

On 16/09/2020 at 15:07, bottletopburly said:

I’d probably just use a repeater cable for now , usb 2 hub then  when funds allow upgrade if required , if it works and does what you need it to do then stick with it  .

Agreed, the same kit I linked above would do it, everything at the scope end and all you need running back to the obsy is a mains cable (I use an outdoor extension lead which I have used for gardening for years) and the USB cable. Job done! 🙂

Lee, apologies, I didn't see your request for a picture of my setup. As long as the forecast stays the same I will be imaging tonight and will get one for you then. 

Cheers

Ed

[Leewfc]

50 minutes ago, edarter said:

Agreed, the same kit I linked above would do it, everything at the scope end and all you need running back to the obsy is a mains cable (I use an outdoor extension lead which I have used for gardening for years) and the USB cable. Job done! 🙂

Lee, apologies, I didn't see your request for a picture of my setup. As long as the forecast stays the same I will be imaging tonight and will get one for you then. 

Cheers

Ed

Thanks Ed always useful to see what people are using and how they have their setups and cables. I have picked up a cheap usb Hub 2.0 that's powered off facebook market place for 10 pound. I am picking up 2x repeater cables later that are 5m each and they are £5 each. So should have everything to try both ways to see what works best for me. Really appreciated the advice. Thanks Lee

[edarter]

When you say repeater cables do you mean USB extension cables? If so are they active extension cables? You may or may not have much luck if they aren't as 10m is way beyond normal USB specification, hence me getting an active one which boosts the signal.

Try them and see how it goes though. Will post a picture later

[Synchronicity]

I've used 2x 10m active USB cables in series to a passive USB hub which connected  to my Canon 7D Mk 1, EQ5 mount and starshoot autoguider camera.  Not a setup anyone would advise but I had the bits and it worked perfectly!

I'm in the process of upgrading including installing a pier - I won't be using this setup much longer.

Michael

 

[edarter]

Here you go... Photo 1 is the two dslr cables and guide cam cable going in to a velcro loom tidy thing I found on amazon. Photo 2 is the non power usb3 hub with mount, dslr and guide cam plugged in. You can see where its output goes through one of the mounts eyepiece holders and connects to the 10 active USB cable.

I'm actually in the process of getting the setup ready for winter, hence the storage box in the background.  The power supplies and laptop etc will all be in there under the mount during a session so as to avoid dew... I remote in to it from indoors using teamviewer. Seems to work OK so far! 

[Earl]

I tried many options and the best was a local PC to the scope controlled via lan with TeamViewer uSB can be a pain

[edarter]

10 minutes ago, Earl said:

I tried many options and the best was a local PC to the scope controlled via lan with TeamViewer uSB can be a pain

Almost what I've got here, laptop locally and TeamViewer via the house WiFi. Seems to be OK. 

[Leewfc]

This was my setup in the end. Bit of a trial run tonight before the clouds ruined everything.