PC control of LX200: any recommendations?

[ollypenrice]

Handset control of my 14 inch LX200 GPS is not giving workable Go To so I was thinking about controlling it via a PC planetarium to see if that worked better. Anyone doing this? If so, what planetarium do you use and do you have any tips on the setup, cables etc?

Thanks,

Olly

[johninderby]

There is Luminos for IOS but only for iPad or iPhone but has a specific LX200 mode.My favourite planetraium app.

[malc-c]

1 hour ago, ollypenrice said:

Handset control of my 14 inch LX200 GPS is not giving workable Go To so I was thinking about controlling it via a PC planetarium to see if that worked better. Anyone doing this? If so, what planetarium do you use and do you have any tips on the setup, cables etc?

Thanks,

Olly

Hi Olly,

I found this page that shows the connectivity and software suggestions.  Seems a USB/serial adapter and USB cable is all that is needed, but they do list genuine Mead adapters (well they would being Mead).

Hope that helps

[ollypenrice]

1 hour ago, malc-c said:

Hi Olly,

I found this page that shows the connectivity and software suggestions.  Seems a USB/serial adapter and USB cable is all that is needed, but they do list genuine Mead adapters (well they would being Mead).

Hope that helps

That's very kind of you Malcolm, and a big help. Thanks.

Olly

[catburglar]

I’ve used the LX200GPS with Ekos/Indi on Astroberry and ASCOM/SkyTools 4 on a Win 10 compute stick using the Meade Generic ASCOM driver rather than the specificLX200GPS driver (which I couldn’t get to work). 
 

The Meade branded cable was ridiculously over priced, so I got one of these…needs a driver https://www.amazon.co.uk/Telescopic-Control-CP2102-Upgrade-Console/dp/B085C3HMKV?pd_rd_w=Rudqd&pf_rd_p=660cc20d-9c49-41e0-a8e4-e8607f6ac9be&pf_rd_r=172Q0A0ER6C9PAMHKK2R&pd_rd_r=024a82db-20d0-4845-9aad-4958728abdfe&pd_rd_wg=vEnP5&pd_rd_i=B085C3HMKV&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_m_rp_19_sc

both options give good goto’s placing the object in the FoV of a 32mm plossl at about 80x

[ollypenrice]

12 hours ago, catburglar said:

I’ve used the LX200GPS with Ekos/Indi on Astroberry and ASCOM/SkyTools 4 on a Win 10 compute stick using the Meade Generic ASCOM driver rather than the specificLX200GPS driver (which I couldn’t get to work). 
 

The Meade branded cable was ridiculously over priced, so I got one of these…needs a driver https://www.amazon.co.uk/Telescopic-Control-CP2102-Upgrade-Console/dp/B085C3HMKV?pd_rd_w=Rudqd&pf_rd_p=660cc20d-9c49-41e0-a8e4-e8607f6ac9be&pf_rd_r=172Q0A0ER6C9PAMHKK2R&pd_rd_r=024a82db-20d0-4845-9aad-4958728abdfe&pd_rd_wg=vEnP5&pd_rd_i=B085C3HMKV&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_m_rp_19_sc

both options give good goto’s placing the object in the FoV of a 32mm plossl at about 80x

Thanks for this great info.

Olly

[michael8554]

On 26/11/2021 at 09:26, ollypenrice said:

Handset control of my 14 inch LX200 GPS is not giving workable Go To

In what way Olly ? 

How will controlling with a Planetarium improve the mount's GoTo ?

Michael

[catburglar]

3 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

Thanks for this great info.

Olly

Just realised- I didn’t link to the driver (only required for windows not astroberry)…https://www.silabs.com/developers/usb-to-uart-bridge-vcp-drivers