Digital eyepiece for a Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ

[Fozzie55]

Hi, newbie here, thank you in advance for your help. Basically I am after a digital eyepiece for live viewing my telescope output to a laptop/TV.

My wife bought me a StarSense Explorer  LT 114AZ for my 60th Birthday a few months ago. Recently managed to set it up, the StarSense App is very good, and the alignment to various targets works well. However, I know from various reviews online that the telescope itself is not brilliant, I get that. As it was a present, it would be rude to change it so soon. But I would like advice please on an eyepiece I wish to buy for it, it would also be an investment for the next telescope I buy.

I hate squinting through an eyepiece. I wear glasses which is a pain, varifocals. I can view without them etc, but I would like a digital eyepiece (CCD/CMOS Sensor) that plugs into my laptop and TV to view the telescopes output live. I have tried my iPhone with an adapter over the eyepiece and mirrored to a TV and that's what I am after, but without the "finickyness". I have seen the guys in the imaging section with sensors that slot into the eyepiece tube but they are mostly high end for astrophotography. I am only after 2K maybe 4K resolution for a live viewing feed, not still photographs. I won't be into taking 120 frames deep space to be combined and all that. I would like to take a snapshot if the ISS passed my viewfinder lol. I am not interested in the Digital SLR option, too complicated camera settings. The only problem I have is my laptop is an Apple MacBook Pro and I have seen most software is Windows (It's M1 so can't virtualise windows either).

Thanks.

[Cosmic Geoff]

A 'digital eyepiece' is a digital camera - generally a cheap one, it appears. 

I think you will find such a device disappointing.  The main issue is that the sensor chip is generally small - similar in size to the field of a 5mm focal length eyepiece - and this is unlikely to give you the eyepiece replacement effect you may have in mind.

You can try it for yourself, as these devices seem inexpensive, but your money might be better spent on an eyepiece upgrade.  The eyepieces supplied with telescope outfits are usually poor. 

[Fozzie55]

Thank you for that information Geoff. I might go back to the iPhone adapter idea then. It seems to work and with Airplay I can see the output on my laptop screen wirelessly.

As an upgrade to the telescope, I will look into getting better eyepieces. Another new learning curve 😁

Edited November 1, 2022 by Fozzie55