Syntrek or Synscan

[gary1968]

As the title says really.

I am going to upgrade my mount soon and am wondering if I should go for a HEQ5 Synscan or Syntrek.

I intend to use EQMOD and believe that Syntrek will give me full goto and tracking while connected to a computer running EQMOD and Starry Night Pro 6. I also intend to guide using PHD, will I be able to connect to the mount with both Starry Night and PHD at the same time? If thats the case then then only advantage of Synscan is the ability to use the mount while not connected to a computer, have I got it right?

I am asking because if I go for Syntrek then I can get a HEQ5 Syntrek & 8" SW newt for £760 while the Synscan is £710, meaning a 8" newt for £50, seems like a bargain to me.

Any advice will be welcomed folks.

Gary

[SteveL]

Thats about it.... EQMOD will give you full goto capability with the cheaper syntrek option, and yes, you can have many applications connected to EQMOD at the same time (I usually have 3 or 4 at the same time)

[Cornelius Varley]

Both mounts are the same so the only difference is the method of obtaining goto, either using the hand control or via a laptop and EQMOD. Either could be used with your software combination to obtain computer control and autoguiding, the Synscan handcontrol can be attached to a laptop and the mount controlled through Starry Night just as you would using EQMOD. If you always intend to achieve goto via EQMOD then there would be no point in purchasing the Synscan version of the mount.

Peter

[gary1968]

Hansk fro the advice guys.... :-)

My only decsion now is, save £100 and get just the Syntrek mount or go another £50 on top of the £710 Synscan price and get the Syntrek witht he 8" Newt.

Thanks again,

Gary

[room16]

Get the mount with scope, sell the scope and make some cash to buy the cables you need to link to pc.

Alternatively, if you aint going to make much cash back, just get the mount and spend the £50 on the serial to usb cable and some nice warm socks lol.

[ncjunk]

I bought the EQ6 syntrek as I always connect to a pc so for me I preferred the money saving to the addition of a handcontroller with goto.

[Beyond_Vision]

Both mounts are the same so the only difference is the method of obtaining goto, either using the hand control or via a laptop and EQMOD. Either could be used with your software combination to obtain computer control and autoguiding, the Synscan handcontrol can be attached to a laptop and the mount controlled through Starry Night just as you would using EQMOD. If you always intend to achieve goto via EQMOD then there would be no point in purchasing the Synscan version of the mount.

Peter

There are differences between using the handset for goto or EQmod. EQmod allows you to use multiple alignment stars to improve the pointing accuracy. It can provide multiple park positions. It can allow the use of wireless gamepads to control the scope. It can allow PEC data to be saved and restored. It can use a GPS system that is attached to the PC. There are other programs such as EQmosiac to control positioning of the scope for mosiacs. There are other features plus addon's avaialble. This makes it much more capable than the handset controller.

If for some reason you wanted to use the mount without a computer tied to it, you can purchase the handcontrol at a later date.

Regards

Kevin

Regards

Kevin

[gary1968]

Well its decided then, Syntrek it is. I get the goto through EQmod for imaging at home, and, for quick use at the dark site I sometimes use I would have a mount that tracks the sky and as there is no goto it will force me to learn the sky.

So HEQ5 Syntrek and EQDIR, with no newt as I cant really justify spending the extra to have that. (read SWMBO wont sanction the extra spend..... lol)

Thanks for the input folks, hope you have a great new year!

Gary

[zimzimma]

Hello Gary,

I find myself in this same dilema, I have returned a 130p a few days back due to the EQ2 being more flimsy than i had hoped and had settled on a 200p n EQ5. That was in my budget.....then i discovered all the requirements for AP and my budget has now been blow, to little bits! its now at £890 and counting. I have settled on the same mount as you purely because it has everything but the synscan which can be added later, but i also intend to use that software. Basically im going to end up with a mount for two months whilst i work work work to pay for the 200pds which i have decided on.....havent had the money back for the 130p as yet either. Headaches. Anyhow hope its all gone well for you.

[zimzimma]

PS. Does anyone know whether the EQMod works on stellarium? And what is the fitment into the mount, presume there is no usb there?

Thanks

Rich T

[astroimpulse]

I didn't expect to be going PC controlled when I bought the Synscan version. Wish I'd got the Syntrek as I ended up going deeper into this than I planned.

Plus side is I sold my handset for the exact difference in price anyways

Syntrek all the way if you're definately linking to a lappy

ps, Rich. You can use Stellarium with a plugin to control through EQMod. Search their addon site

[gary1968]

This is an old thread this, . At the last moment I changed my mind and went for the Synscan, reason being I use the mount at a dark site and didnt want to use the lappy there.

At home I use the mount controlled through the lappy, with eqmod and Starrynight. It is the best moutn I have owned and is a breeze to use.

I didn't buy the mount with a scope but instead went for the Orion 8" F4 Newt, being shorter than the SW F5 newt helps with weight issues and seems to be well suited to the hEQ5.

Gary

[RogerTheDodger]

Hello Gary,

I find myself in this same dilema, I have returned a 130p a few days back due to the EQ2 being more flimsy than i had hoped and had settled on a 200p n EQ5. That was in my budget.....then i discovered all the requirements for AP and my budget has now been blow, to little bits! its now at £890 and counting. I have settled on the same mount as you purely because it has everything but the synscan which can be added later, but i also intend to use that software. Basically im going to end up with a mount for two months whilst i work work work to pay for the 200pds which i have decided on.....havent had the money back for the 130p as yet either. Headaches. Anyhow hope its all gone well for you.

I'm just going through the same decisions, and the EQ5 Syntrek and SW 200PDS is what it looks like I want... What other extras are you planning on (power, EPs etc.)?

roger

[zimzimma]

Hello Roger,

At the moment settling for a 5mm 60 deg eyepiece, an IR/UV lens and maybe another filter but not sure as yet. Also intereted in the diagonal lens with light for tracking later. I would recommend the spc880 with mod from morgan computers, (flashed) i received in a couple of days and tough yet to test in the right circumstances the quality is brilliant! plan to do the mod next week when i receive the cables. Thats kind of two things in one, video and potentially long exposure cam....and maybe even a wishy washy guider on an old wishy washy refractor who knows.

I dont know whether you have discovered as i have, the 200pds is out of stock until March, if you know any different please let me know.

Thanks

Rt

[SkyExplorer]

I as going to get the Syntrek version of the HEQ5, but ended up getting the Synscan version. I use my laptop when imaging (running PHD and EOS util) and the HC to star align.

I personally found for me when using the HC its seems slightly more straight forward and it's just one less thing connected to laptop (which is quiet old anyway and struggles running stellarium for example)

I have connected my HEQ5 to my laptop through the HC using Cartes du Ciel and it worked without any issues, so I have the option to use laptop or the HC when I just want to observe and can't be bothered setting up the laptop.

Also you are only really saving £55 as you have to buy the EQDIR module on top of the Syntrek price. Still I guess £55 is £55

Regards