SkyFi

[jasperuk]

Hey Ho just a thought has anyone actually managed to or seen anything on the web that would show if its possible to connect either a iphone or ipad to a telescope mount to control the scope and what is sees....?????

I have seen something like SkyFi Wireless Telescope Control and Skysafari software but i dont know a lot about either

Any Help ???

[jam1e1]

hi yes bought one few months ago - very useful for use with eq6 pro. good as shortcut to quickly and easily finding objects - providing you 3 star align first. At end of day does what it say on the tin. download the app and have a play with skysafari first- for me its the best all round astro app i've found- comprehensive database, can set up obsy lists, telescope control, time shift to see whats in sky, comets, satellites etc. Not the cheapest piece of kit to buy, but works for me

[WayBig]

There's a new one by the same people called sky wire. It's a combination of an apple to serial cable and a serial to telescope cable.

I'm waiting to see the first light review of one of these. I'd like to know if the scope (in my case a sw auto dob) needs aligning with a goto handset first before sky wire can be used.

I think sky fi is a wireless equivalent, but it seems too complicated to me, I generally stay pretty close to my scope when observing (got to get to the eyepiece after all) so don't see the need for it all being wireless

[WayBig]

Sky safari is great by the way, I use It all the time as my star map and information source when observing

[BlueAstra]

Another option: if you have a PC at the mount to control it - you can control the mount PC by remote desktop software and a network link (wired or wireless) from a remote PC. If you use TeamViewer as remote desktop software, it can reside on a remote PC or an iPhone. So you could have complete control of your mount PC from your iPhone (you would need a wireless link into your network for the iPhone connection).

[jasperuk]

Would i be correct in my assumption that my current EQ3-2 with £99 dual motor drives is not the best place to start even with all this new technology around ????

[jam1e1]

waybig: dont think there would be too much difference between skifi and skywire in terms of hardware control - there is no way for the app to know about the alignment of the mount/scope, hence suspect will still need alignment first. There is an align function in the skyfi app but doesnt seem to work for skywatcher eq6 mount.

jasper: there is no reason why not - though the skyfi connects to a 9 pin DIN socket hence if yours doesnt have this then probably not - worth checking website.

[jasperuk]

jasper: there is no reason why not - though the skyfi connects to a 9 pin DIN socket hence if yours doesnt have this then probably not - worth checking website.

SkyFi is our patent-pending WiFi-to-Serial adapter, designed for wireless telescope control. If you have a computer-controlled GoTo telescope ( Bummer ), SkyFi can use the WiFi capabilities built into your Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch to point your telescope in the sky.

Telescope Compatibility

SkyFi can wirelessly enable any telescope with a standard RS-232 serial interface. Models that have been tested and are known to work with SkyFi include:

• Meade LX-200 Classic and GPS
  
• Meade LX-90, ETX, LXD, LX-400 ACF with AutoStar controllers
  
• Meade Magellan I and II
  
• Celestron Ultima 2000
  
• Celestron NexStar 5/8, 5i/8i, GPS, SLT, SE
  
• Celestron CG5, CGE, CGEM, CPC
  
• Orion Sirius, Atlas, SkyView Pro, SkyQuest XTg
  
• SkyWatcher mounts with SynScan controllers
  
• Takahashi Temma 2
  
• ServoCAT Argo Navis, Sky Commander, Losmandy DSC
  
• Astro-Physics GTO, Losmandy Gemini, Vixen SkySensor 2000
  

For ServoCAT and Argo Navis users, this document contains cable pinout diagrams and setup instructions. For Starmaster Sky Tracker systems, this document contains the equivalent instructions.

The only models that do not work with SkyFi are those that lack an RS-232 serial interface. Such models include:

• iOptron SmartStar and MiniTower mounts with GOTONova controllers
  
• Meade ETX-LS
  
• Vixen mounts with StarBook controllers
  

These telescopes have USB interfaces, which cannot be physically connected to SkyFi. We are working on a SkyFi wireless USB solution for these models, and we'll let you know here when it's available.

The Vixen StarBook controller uses an ethernet interface, which is also physically incompatible with SkyFi. However, you can use an Apple AirPort Express (or other wireless router) to control the StarBook from our SkySafari iPhone app. This document from Vixen explains how. You also need to configure SkySafari to communicate with the StarBook controller at 169.254.1.1 on port 80.

[WayBig]

waybig: dont think there would be too much difference between skifi and skywire in terms of hardware control - there is no way for the app to know about the alignment of the mount/scope, hence suspect will still need alignment first. There is an align function in the skyfi app but doesnt seem to work for skywatcher eq6 mount.

.

that's what i thought...so i'd also have to buy a synscan hand controller to do the alignment, then skywire to take over after it's aligned....I think that would be too much outlay fro the benefit it gives me.

[Horus]

I have found this............... SkyFi Wireless Telescope Control - Telescopes UK: Telescopes & Telescope Accessories in your only London shop

[jasperuk]

"Please contact us to confirm the price"

Never a good sign that one .... usually means we aint got any or you cant afford it so dont ask

[jam1e1]

retails for circa £150 in uk shops. You can buy direct also from website (USA) which I did - but - you most likely will get hit with import duty ~£20. So from usa circa £112+20 = £132

Southern Stars • Products • SkyFi

have tested with virtual serial port to PC, works fine also with ASCOM drivers.

Think i like about it most is when out in the field you select target visually by zooming into area of interest using the app - NGC, Messier, IC, Caldwell etc and away the scope goes, lets you see many objects in one night! Also helps you find those hard to spot targets - all from your phone! Skyfi hardware its a generic wifi/rs232 module so not exclusive to iphone - as long as smartphone has relevant software to interface but not sure if there are many others out there.

[DoctorD]

Hi this is my first post on the forum

I was interested in using my iPhone to control my Skywatcher 102 MAK with Synscan hand controller.

It is possible to use the Starmap Pro or StarSeek application without the Skifi - if you have a laptop with wifi and a serial port (can be USB-Serial adapter).

I have managed to simulate the Skifi interface using linux - if anyone is interested I'll put together a How-To - it's pretty simple really. May also be possible under windows.

Clear Skies

Paul

[StevieDvd]

Using a laptop to control a scope via serial is definitely possible, uses virtual ports and linkage to the hand controller IIRC.

To remote that on your phone though would need to be done using a remote desktop program such as vnc.

Would be interested in the Linux 'how to' as it would be fairly easy to configure a small linux box to be controlled remotely (no screen no keyboard and running 12v dc).

[DoctorD]

Here's how I simulated Skyfi:

Using Ubuntu 10.10

1. Install ser2net using Synaptic Package manager

2. Edit /etc/ser2net.conf and add the following line:

1000:raw:3600:/dev/ttyUSB0:9600 8 DATABITS NONE 1STOPBIT -RTSCTS

Comment out all other lines.

3. Start using sudo /etc/init.d/ser2net start

4. Set up an Ad-Hoc WiFi network - follow the instructions here:-

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/Adhoc

Make sure that the IPV4 settings is set to "Shared with other computers"

Start the Ad-Hoc network - your laptop should join it automatically.

Open a terminal window and type ifconfig <return>

Note the inet addr: for wlan0 - this is the IP address of your laptop on the ad-hoc network.

Plug your scope into the seria port and align as per the manual.

Connect your iPhone to the Ad-hoc network

Open up StarSeek or Starmap and set the telescope control to the laptop IP address and port 1000. Select your scope type.

You should now be able to connect to the scope.

You can boot Ubuntu from a USB memory stick so you do not need to do a full install on you Windows lap top.

Hope this helps

Clear Skies

Paul

[calibos]

Handy Tip for iPhone/Pad and Sky-fi/wire Sky Safari users.

I just found out that the touchscreen still works with red Rubylith over the screen. I had some rubylith left over from making a laptop red filter years ago. Lucky I never throw anything out! It works a treat. No need to turn off the battery saving iphone screen standby setting to prevent the iphone screen going to sleep and then the undimmable home screen ruining your dark adaptation. A red nightmode setting in sky safari is all well and good but the undimmable home screen renders that moot should your iphone go to sleep. Should you turn off screen sleep your battery won't last very long so you can't use Sky Safari with its nightmode anyway!! Rubylith is the answer!

I have one of those silicone rubber iphone protector sleeves. I cut the rubylith larger than the screen area and this excess tucks under the rubber protector holding the rubylith in place. Then when not in use I put the rubylith piece on the back of the phone inside the rubber sleeve, so I can never forget to bring it!

[SplintUK]

So what us the verdict on Skyfi? Worth it or not?

[jam1e1]

it is on the expensive side, but beats the standard handset hands down! no need to hunt down any object in the sky anymore....

[kyron]

Here's how I simulated Skyfi:

Using Ubuntu 10.10

1. Install ser2net using Synaptic Package manager

2. Edit /etc/ser2net.conf and add the following line:

1000:raw:3600:/dev/ttyUSB0:9600 8 DATABITS NONE 1STOPBIT -RTSCTS

[...snip...]

Clear Skies

Paul

Kicking an old thread..

Hey Paul, have you been using this setup lately? Any chance one could actually _really_ emulate a "SkyFi" using, say, a RaspberryPI? I am thinking this could be a very interesting, low power solution of many situations where we would normally need a 'PC' connected to the base. With this hooked up to the scope, a world of possibilities opens up (and I think it's cheaper than SkyFi, which doesn't support the EQ6 mount I have my eyes on anyways...).

Cheers,

ET

[inedible_hulk]

Hi Kyron,

I've got it to work with an EQ5 Pro and SkySafari on my iPad. I didn't follow Paul's guide. TBH I'm not sure which one I followed, but there are a couple of threads on the subject on SGL and loads of guides on the web. The bit I found difficult was setting up the  Pi as a wireless access point, for when I'm out of the range of my router. Its worth having an app on your tablet that allows you to connect to the Pi via SSH, just to deal with logins etc.

Best wishes

[Scooot]

I think you can also use this.

http://www.astrodevices.com/products/NexusS/NexusS.html

Whoops, didn't realise it was such an old thread.