Setup Advice Requested for Progression

[Elp]

But surely that's a new niche you've invented, a trolley top?

[Clarkey]

2 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

Big second hand desktops with lots of USB ports are quite cheap. Put it on a trolley with damp protection, ditch hubs and mini-computers and live happily ever after

I'm just wondering the difference between this and a mini PC? It's just a small computer. No hub, direct usb connections. I use a homemade power box and a mini PC on the rig and so far it has been bomb proof. Now I've jinxed it....😀

[Bluemoonjim]

Hi Chris

FWIW my solution with a similar setup to yours has been mini PC at the mount connected by 50mtr ethernet cable (cat 6) to laptop in my study. Has been super reliable and fast.
My experience with long USB cables, powered or passive, with or without hubs, USB2 or 3 was a pain in the backside. Despite what some manufacturers may say, once you get out beyond 5 mtrs data transfer becomes very 'fragile' and usb connections are too easy to interrupt by even the slightest movement of any connected component.

 

[ollypenrice]

9 hours ago, Clarkey said:

I'm just wondering the difference between this and a mini PC? It's just a small computer. No hub, direct usb connections. I use a homemade power box and a mini PC on the rig and so far it has been bomb proof. Now I've jinxed it....😀

The difference is that I've swapped out a fair number of failed mini-computers on behalf of their owners, but never a full sized PC. This is anecdotal and doesn't suggest that all mini PCs will fail.  However, when setting up our jointly-owned rig in my robotic shed, it won't surprise anybody that we went for a destop, based on this experience.

Olly

Edited September 9, 2023 by ollypenrice
typo

[Elp]

Likely to do with cooling and better power supplies. Using a desktop I've never had a component fail if using good spec components though it can happen, and the year to year life is, well put it this way only software causes the obsolescence, not the hardware which lasts for years and years, and can be easily replaced.

Edited September 9, 2023 by Elp

[WolfieGlos]

Well I’m glad I purchased the active cable.

I got my replacement EAF on the weekend. Returned on Thursday, arrived at FLO on Friday afternoon…they dispatched a new one same day and it arrived Saturday before lunch….just before we went away for the weekend! Top marks for customer service, as always. 👏

So I attached the EAF today and all works fine, original was definitely faulty with a duff motor. But over a distance, it only works with the active USB 3 cable (7.5m… cheaper than the 5m oddly….). With the usb2 cable, or the usb3 hub without a power supply, it kept disconnecting - and did the same for any other connected items, like the camera, guider, etc.

Understandable I suppose. 

So I’m currently gathering more data on a target I started last month with the DSLR, and tomorrow…if the forecast is clear as predicted…I aim to try it with the new 585mc. Fingers crossed all works OK. Thanks for the input all.