QHY PoleMaster help

[Maideneer]

Before I purchase this thing, I'm wondering how (if?) this device communicates with your mount.  Let's say I polar align using the QHY before I even turn the mount on and all goes well.  And then I turn my mount on and in my case use StarSense Autoalign to get things set up with the sky/stars.  How does my mount know I've already done my polar alignment?  Is the polar alignment action totally and completely separate from everything else?

Thanks, I'm just confused as to how this all works.

[Adreneline]

I don't use StarSense - I use a PoleMaster with an iOptron CEM25-EC. The PoleMaster doesn't communicate with the mount at all - it doesn't need to. It allows you, with the help of a PC running the QHY software, to accurately align the mount. The mount doesn't need to be switched on at all.

In my case I then power-up the mount and the ASIair and I'm good to go. I still slew to a star and platesolve a couple of times with the ASIair but the slews are usually very close first time and very little correction is needed.

Hope that makes sense.

As an aside, if you have SharpCap, then you can use the PA routine in that software and it will happily connect to your PoleMaster camera.

 

[KP82]

Polar alignment is completely separate from everything else. I think you probably got it confused with the star alignment that helps the onboard computer to build the star map. When you switch on your mount, it already assumes the RA axis is pointing towards the NCP/SCP.

[Maideneer]

14 minutes ago, KP82 said:

Polar alignment is completely separate from everything else. I think you probably got it confused with the star alignment that helps the onboard computer to build the star map. When you switch on your mount, it already assumes the RA axis is pointing towards the NCP/SCP.

Ah, there's the million dollar answer. Cheers.

[Maideneer]

15 minutes ago, Adreneline said:

I don't use StarSense - I use a PoleMaster with an iOptron CEM25-EC. The PoleMaster doesn't communicate with the mount at all - it doesn't need to. It allows you, with the help of a PC running the QHY software, to accurately align the mount. The mount doesn't need to be switched on at all.

In my case I then power-up the mount and the ASIair and I'm good to go. I still slew to a star and platesolve a couple of times with the ASIair but the slews are usually very close first time and very little correction is needed.

Hope that makes sense.

As an aside, if you have SharpCap, then you can use the PA routine in that software and it will happily connect to your PoleMaster camera.

 

I do use Sharpcap but I don't image every time I'm out so I would probably just use the corresponding QHY software. Many thanks!

[malc-c]

Polemaster camera connects to a PC / Laptop running the dedicated software that seems to be hardware keyed to the polemaster camera firmware.  It basically performs a plate solving process in real time, but with patter matching of concentric rings to confirm the alignment.  Personally I wasn't impressed when I reviewed one of the original products when it came out.  The package was expensive, and the software was fiddly to use.

My scope is permanently mounted in an observatory which made the price tag even more hard to swallow as once PA is set you don't really need to use the camera again unless the mount is knocked.  I've since used Sharpcap and found that my PA set by Polemaster was quite a bit out, and since resetting with Sharpcap the goto accuracy and tracking has been a lot better.  Based on my experience I would recommend the £12 for a years licence for Sharpcap Pro and use their excellent tool.  Its far easier to use 

 

 

[Maideneer]

14 hours ago, malc-c said:

Polemaster camera connects to a PC / Laptop running the dedicated software that seems to be hardware keyed to the polemaster camera firmware.  It basically performs a plate solving process in real time, but with patter matching of concentric rings to confirm the alignment.  Personally I wasn't impressed when I reviewed one of the original products when it came out.  The package was expensive, and the software was fiddly to use.

My scope is permanently mounted in an observatory which made the price tag even more hard to swallow as once PA is set you don't really need to use the camera again unless the mount is knocked.  I've since used Sharpcap and found that my PA set by Polemaster was quite a bit out, and since resetting with Sharpcap the goto accuracy and tracking has been a lot better.  Based on my experience I would recommend the £12 for a years licence for Sharpcap Pro and use their excellent tool.  Its far easier to use 

 

 

Thanks for that.  If I had a setup like yours I would consider Sharpcap's yearly fee, alas I'll probably never have a permanent observatory.  I did order the QHY yesterday and watched some YT tutorials. but your input is appreciated as I like seeing what other quality options exist.

[ollypenrice]

I just recently borrowed a Polemaster from one of my robotic observatory clients, which is the ideal solution when you're observatory based and only want to use it once!  I used it a few nights ago and was impressed. Everything worked as per the instructions and the result, according to PHD, was a one arcmin error which is what the makers claim. I quite fancied buying it from its owner but, really, I've no excuse for doing that. If I were building up and tearing down all the time I'd go for it. Normally I drift align.

I followed this U-tube video and found it entirely accurate.  

Olly

[malc-c]

2 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

I just recently borrowed a Polemaster from one of my robotic observatory clients, which is the ideal solution when you're observatory based and only want to use it once!  

 

That's part of the issue... If you are mobile, and setting up each time, then you'll get the use out of it... If you have a fixed setup in an observatory, then for something that may be used once or twice, then its not really a cost effective solution.