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NEW Skywatcher Synguider Autoguider

FLO

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FLO

FLO

Posted
Posted

The new Skywatcher Synguider is a stand-alone autoguider that can guide a German Equatorial Mount without the use of a PC/laptop. Our first delivery should arrive later this week when we shall be making one available to SGL for review.

skywatcher_synguider_autoguider.jpg

For details of this and related products please see our astrophotography section.

EDIT: Please see this important notice regarding power requirements.

EDIT: HitecAstro have introduced a compact and stable power supply for the Skywatcher Synguider. Its £25 price includes cabling and a cigar plug for connection to your 12V DC power supply.

synguider_power_supply.jpg

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Mark at Beaufort

Mark at Beaufort

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I have the non goto Celestron CG5 mount so I assume that I will need an autoguider interface on my mount to run this device. Am I correct?

Possible upgrade being this -

Skywatcher - SynScan PRO GOTO Version 3 Upgrade Kit for EQ5

Again am I correct?

Not having a laptop this could be the answer to start astro imaging with my 4" Astro Tech or WO SD 66 frac.

Mark

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Cornelius Varley

Cornelius Varley

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I have the non goto Celestron CG5 mount so I assume that I will need an autoguider interface on my mount to run this device. Am I correct?

Possible upgrade being this -

Skywatcher - SynScan PRO GOTO Version 3 Upgrade Kit for EQ5

Again am I correct?

Not having a laptop this could be the answer to start astro imaging with my 4" Astro Tech or WO SD 66 frac.

Mark

You might be able to do it this way. Teleskop Service also sell a ready converted handset EQ5 UrsaMinor Handset

Peter

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Merlin66

Merlin66

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Checking out the datasheet for the ICX404AL, the pixel size is 9.6 x 7.5 and the QE curve shape is similar to the QHY5 MT9M001 chip - only relative efficiency given....absolute??? 60%???

So the large pixel should be pretty sensitive

Ken

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FLO

FLO

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Now, Actually I'll be very interested in buying one of those, put me down for one... (Please)

Will do :)

If it "works" I'll have one as well....
It'll work :D

From what I hear it has undergone considerable testing.

So when do they arrive at FLO?
Tomorrow :D

We have secured only two (they are in short supply!) but have been promised another delivery in 2-3 weeks.

Hope that helps.

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FLO

FLO

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doh are they spoken for...

One is, the other is looking for a home (this thread is less than a day old)

EDIT: Following your phone call both are now sold, I'll update this thread when the next delivery arrives :D

:)

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riklaunim

riklaunim

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This looks really hot :) The CCD in "absolute" scale looks like bit more sensitive than planetary CCDs:

More the better:

# ICX098BL: 15.94 mV/μm2 (DMK 21)

# ICX424AL: 16.07 mV/μm2 (Lumenera Skynyx 2.0, Atik Titan)

# ICX404BL: 18.75 mV/μm2 (The Synta Autoguider :D)

# ICX285ALA: 31.25 mV/μm2 (Atik 314L, DSI III Pro, QHY 2 Pro....)

# ICX618ALA: 38.26 mV/μm2 (PG Flea 3, Basler Ace)

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NickH

NickH

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Well it has undegone quite considerable testing, and it does work. The manual is quite well written, in a Chinese/English way (I had a version for the past month or so). OS update on my netbook failed (font update) but apart from that, the only issues I had were that the battery pack I had for testing didn't seem to want to work, so had to use a PSU, though I gather that's solved, and that the screen is fixed to the unit, try setting up a guide star high up on a mount set low...much lying on back..! The 404 is also in the Meade DSI, which I am a big fan of as a guide cam (variant on this one as it's not colour)...good sensitivity and no major issues getting suitable guide stars.

The solution proposed was a diagonal , which is still not ideal (I guess cost meant that just taking the CCD via a linked cable to the main brains box, would have made it too costly)

I personally think they missed a trick by only having it serial connected, rather than a USB port which would have allowed it to be both a standalone guider, and computer use one. USB would have also saved the hassle of a serial to USB adapter for the firmware, but as it's aimed at the SW mounts anyway, most people have those for HB firmware updates.

The price I WAS not told during testing, and I did say to them after the tests that it will do well at the right price...looks like they have absolutely hit the nail on the head with that...a killer at £229 no doubt..

Setup is a bit more fiddly than say PHD, but easier than Maxim for example. It worked on the guide stars I gave it, the screen is a winner for sure, some of the test shots you saw from me a while back with M3 actually used this as a guider (though under NDA at the time, I could not say that), and the star points were very good. I have a real admiration for Skywatcher, they really do seem to push boundaries, and let's hope that they continue to do so with (this is just my hope/dream/wish) a sub £2000 DDI mount and an EQ10 with a larger load capacity

Now you know why I had my views on the LVI :-)

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