eq8 is here

[h0ughy]

well its been delivered. Thanks Al for being there for the delivery:thumbsup::thumbsup::D:D:D: D:help::lol: and the pictures

and the cloud rolls in

[rustigsmed]

Awesome!! How's the clouds looking??

[h0ughy]

well this should answer that one:rofl:

[alan meehan]

Iam quickly building a ark we are in for a flood

[allan gould]

David and Alan
You are going to need another tandem trailer to bring all that to Astrofest.
Looks great so far
Allan

[Draco]

:2thumbs: woohoo.. you must be so excited ..

[rustigsmed]

That's a lot of boxing... What's the odds on getting all that into a falcon sized car boxed? And add an additional 12" f4 newt ...

[h0ughy]

NIL:lol:

[h0ughy]

make it up the back Al its higher up there:lol:

[h0ughy]

the pantech truck:thumbsup:



Happy, HAPPY!!!!!!!!! oh yeah!!!!!!!!!!!

[h0ughy]

the best bit - the aussie dollar is in freefall now - its at 94.3 cents i am so glad to have gotten this now, my only regret is not having the money to get the Lunt 100

[LewisM]

Do we get to call you Hernia Houghy now???

Or The Wheezing Wally from Wallsend? :) :) :)

[Lee]

And this is his travel mount! :)

[LewisM]

Exactly, hence my nicknames for him now...

My travel mount weighs about 8kg (without counterweights)... David's weighs in at 70!!! His PE better be better than my travel mounts PE of 10 :)

[h0ughy]

I may need to see a Doc after lifting all this

[rustigsmed]

that famous line from Jaws comes to mind ...

"We're gonna need a bigger boat"

[Astroman]

Jealous! So when you selling it :D

[RobF]

Come on - get it together and more pics please! :)

[Larryp]

Itching to see pics of it when it's set up!:)

[lacad01]

Them's a lot of big boxes :)

[batema]

Ditto RobF's comment Dave. I can not imagine your excitement. I love looking at the pics on Bintel so to see the real thing from various angles would be great. Is it coming to astrofest?

Mark

[AstroJunk]

More, more, more...

[AstroJunk]

Come to think of it, its been very quiet. Do you think He's been crushed under the thing. Send out a search party!

[mozzie]

the van isn't going to be big enough this year boys...to get you to astrofest..
you may need a 10x6 trailer behind it :rofl::rofl:

well done david looks like a ripper off a setup...

oh thanks for all the bloody cloud know there goes the long weekend..

[FlashDrive]

Good One........I like it .... :rofl:

Pic's Dave....we're all waiting.....can't yah tell......

Col.....:D

[acropolite]

And what, may I ask, does the Minister for household affairs think of this latest acquisition, or is it just a "white" mount indistinguishable from the others.:rofl:

[FlashDrive]

fine print on the Boxes .....

"wife acceptance factor" ..... please sign here.....

Col.....:D

[h0ughy]

black is the new white:rofl::P

[h0ughy]

the partial opening, a von tease;)

[h0ughy]

and a bit more. sorry but due to an immediate possible death i will leave the setup for sometime over the weekend

[h0ughy]

bit more:D teese;)

[h0ughy]

with feathers

[keni]

Dang...
Just when it was getting interesting..
I guess the continued health of this anonymous individual must take precedence.

Good Luck,
Ken.

[h0ughy]

it hurts to smile:)

[h0ughy]

look above. you bet its going to astrofest:thumbsup:

[batema]

Fantastic.

[RobF]

Looks like there'll be a rush on HEQ5Pro RJ45 style EQMOD adapters now ;)

[h0ughy]

looks like i will learn to use eqmod and get an adapter;)

[OneCosmos]

You've whetted my appetite - can't wait for mine to arrive now. My 80mm will look splendid on top :rofl:

Chris

[LewisM]

Well, I for one am green with envy.

Good luck David!

[h0ughy]

:thumbsup: will be great

[RB]

Did it come with an adaptor for the Polarie?

:lol: :poke:

Nice one mate, looks like Al has all the fun.

:P

[batema]

Is this going to go in the dome or as a stand alone Dave?

[Astroman]

Looks great David, can't wait for your test report :)

[h0ughy]

he is beaming, as he gets to play with new stuff ;)

I was going to say to Chris that he can mount his finder in the mount

[h0ughy]

well that may be a while - rather clouded now and a brand new mount popping up in the backyard might be suspicious but i cant call it a mushroom:rofl:

[RB]

:rofl:

[h0ughy]

I apologise for not having a fully erected tripod ready for all to see, work and other factors in the way there. But I hope to have something later today from my trusty Lab Assistant Beaker (AKA Alan) who may have succumbed to temptation and has put this up in his lounge room. At the moment the case is making for a lovely coffee table according to his wife.

[firstlight]

Looks fantastic. I'm still amazed that the lines of communications between your's and Alan's houses are so tight beamed :lol:

Can't wait to see it in the flesh at Astrofest, although I suspect the sudden gravitational anomoly arriving from Newcastle will either causeSouth East Queensland to slide into the Pacific, or draw all moisture in a 100km radius into an accretion disk over the camp :sadeyes:

[alan meehan]

:thumbsup:Putting it together,i love my job
EQ8 Tripod
The piered tripod is a solid build in a flat black finish it has three anti vibration feet that sit on the bottom of each leg these are height ajustable for leveling. to adjust the height of the pier it is lifted manually and tightened with two bolts on the side with a supplied spanner,in my view this would be better if it had a hand knob for tightening purposes although it does do its job and hold the weight when done up fully,also has a sleeve on the inside around the pier so it wont slip.The mount attachment is by means of a knob on the side which rotates the centre thread and could be marked which way for correct tightning or loosening .The flat paint finish could be prone to scuff marks unlike the white paint finish of the eq6. The legs are locked in by three winged nuts& bolts and plastic plates to hold it firm in position leaving these on the tripod is probably a good idea as these could be dropped and lost.
The Engine
This is a bit different to the eq6 much more solid and well built the RA&DEC locks are the same knob as the eq6 but the whole thing is locked to plates and does come with a big warning not to press .
The mount itself is fairly heavy but i could lift it quite easily and it has two handles on the sides which are great for lifting, the mount centres on the usual screw on top easily then bolted with two screws.Abag for the tools would be a good idea as well also a diagram of which way it goes back into the case ,next the field test
.

[Astroman]

Whats the height off the ground of the central part of the saddle? Is that as High/Low it goes or is that adjustable?

[alan meehan]

Hi Andrew from the ground up to max height of the pier to the base of the mount is 1mtre 250 then the mount and is all adjustable
AL

[Tandum]

Alan, The head of the pier, is that a 12mm bolt and plastic slip pads?

[alan meehan]

Hi Robin yes that is a 12mm bolt and the slip pads work great

[Tandum]

Excellent. Looks like an easy mod to my existing pier. :thumbsup:

[h0ughy]

good to see tempation is alive and well Al

[rustigsmed]

Just collected mine ... Construction time! :D

[mozzie]

ther goes any chance of astronomy this weekend...bloody new gear being bought every where...:lol::lol::D cloud cloud cloud !!!!!!!!!

[Logieberra]

I look forward to seeing the Pempro results.

[rustigsmed]

i have got it all together. the thing is a beast. very very solid.
hanging for the clouds to part ... :question:

[AstroJunk]

Especially after PPEC. I'll certainly be testing mine next week and comparing it to my donor LX200!

[rustigsmed]

EQ8 with 12" newt on top

[Tandum]

Russell, is that balanced with both weights down low?

[rustigsmed]

Hi Robin,

It isn't balanced, scope went on for a photo and then came off, hoping to do real testing tonight. Will need to lower the pier ... That much I know. It is very solid . I hope you sort out your delivery soon.

Rusty

[Tandum]

Cheers, I rang tasco, it's coming.

[dpastern]

Looking good David. Did you get it from Bintel or elsewhere and was the price similiar to what Bintel is saying on their page? I haven't done anything with my setup in the past 30 months, so not really looking to buy gear, but enjoying others unboxings instead. I haven't been on here in ages.

Dave

[AstroJunk]

Looks great - just the right size!

[strongmanmike]

Hey just saw this thread, cool stuff Dave, congratulations mate...certainly looks the part :thumbsup:

Mike

[h0ughy]

awesome - it looks real nice.:thumbsup:

[h0ughy]

i got mine from Myastroshop - Steve Massey. Claude was too rude and Bintel a little slow, but i bought my titan from them so i decided to share the love around

[h0ughy]

thanks Mike - you must still be carrying my counterweights :rofl:

the 14" meade will be going on this

[h0ughy]

mmmmm thats one thing i dont have?:sadeyes:

[h0ughy]

thats why i got the extra 2 10kg weights

[h0ughy]

:rofl: Steve, most of the images were taken by Al

[kinetic]

Aw gawd, now I feel terrible, sorry Al! :)

[rustigsmed]

Managed to take it outside and got more familiar with it. It certainly is strong, and heavy, a G11 feels puny in comparison. The sound it made while slewing to a target was pretty much the machines in Terminator Salvation.:thumbsup:

I can't tell you how it performs / tracks. someone else will have to, I've got all sorts of issues going on with my ota / focuser, coma corrector / oag etc ... I'm a little way off as ive gone with new everything. And my moonlite arrived damaged. :(

Going through the manual I noticed that the hand set can control dslr exposures, handy.

[allan gould]

Hats off to you guys as you really are importing back most of the iron that we exported to china. Well done and enjoy your mounts. Don't drop those counterweights as they look heavy.
Allan

[dpastern]

Be curious to see if this is a big mount beater in terms of performance and reliability. Might help drive down the cost of the more well known brands (paramount, astro-physics, takahashi, etc), which would only be good for the community imho.

Dave

[acropolite]

a difficult ask when one's unpacking in a dark cupboard trembling in fear at the likely possibility of spousal retribution :P

[Mighty_oz]

Lol, Man u got the bug bad :)

[White Rabbit]

Think I might just regret buying the g11 back. New I should have waited gggrrrrrr.

Enjoy. Oh and thanks for the rain lol ;)

[Lee]

Yes, Houghy has late-stage, terminal astro fever.... :)

[allan gould]

Excellent! We then contact the newly minted widow and buy the gear for what he said he paid for it.

[h0ughy]

there is a MAJOR problem with this mount. there needs to be a stop or bolt added to the main shaft of the pier because if you loosten the two locking bolts the main tub slips down and smacks on the mounts geared locking knob for attaching the mount head. it will bend the threaded shaft!!. Skywatcher need to address this ASAP. in the interim, adjust this pier height lying down. also shot up the tube showing the geared bolt

the last shot shows it in the back of a Subaru forester. the case with the wheels do not fit, i need to take them off to get it in

[h0ughy]

:rofl: oh how true that is

[h0ughy]

yes its sad:P will need to see the doc for a cure;)

[h0ughy]

nnnnoooooooooooooooooooooo:eyepop:

[Tandum]

Looks like eqmod don't work with it dave.

[h0ughy]

that might be the software version and the encoders:shrug:

[rustigsmed]

Dave I am not following? Did you unloosen the pier without the tripod leg attachments locked in?

Cheers

Rusty

Ps would have been great if you didn't need Allen keys to use it ...

[pvelez]

All I can say is.... phwoar!!!

Or as the young people at my office say "Very tidy!"

Pete

[h0ughy]

the pier slipped when backing off the two bolts. managed to catch it in time but if you are not aware you will bend the knobs threaded rod if it slips under its own weight and hits the legs

[h0ughy]

the other thing i don't like is the plastic controller holder. with this mount carting it around it will be easily broken

[h0ughy]

and its ruddy clouded in here

[naskies]

Congrats on the new mount! Like many others, I'm eagerly waiting to read about first light experiences.

[h0ughy]

now i will say that the eagerness to get some images and a review of this mount out it may take some time. I am not going to rush it, well that's my line as the cloud has put pay to any possible use. So the partial images and nit picking will continue. YEah mine may have arrived first but there are a whole heap being delivered out there and hopefully someone will have theirs up and outside at the stars.

at the moment i have a few transportational issues with it, the case being too high to fit in the back of the Subaru for one. I will be removing the castors over the weekend on the case. I will be using a trolley anyway. but i will be on the hunt for a flexible case to hold the tripod. I will be looking to upgrade the operational software on the handcontroller to the latest version which came out after these were initially shipped which is 1.35 and they are 1.33

[Octane]

This will be a stupid question, but, I'll ask anyway. Do these mounts have ST-4 type autoguiding? Can I plug in a guidecable and expect it to work out of the box, or, does one need to go the EQMOD/EQDIR route? I don't know the first thing about EQ* software/hardware dependencies. I have always loved the simplicity of the ST-4 interface -- it's essentially plug and play, so long as ASCOM and its associated driver has been installed for your mount.

H

[Tandum]

I really don't know but it's possible the old fashioned way may work in the short term.

That's using the unified celestron driver, setting it to synta and driving the mount via the aux port on the handset.
I'll have a play with mine when it gets here.

H, yes it has a guide port as well as a shutter trigger for a dslr.

[h0ughy]

I am sure some one has one in a clear sky somewhere Dave;)

its a huge leap forward that's for sure

[h0ughy]

go back and have a real look at the photos H http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment_browse.php?a=141037

[h0ughy]

LOL Robin you stand out like lettuce at a butchers picnic:rofl: - saw the review and photos from Anthony on his blog.

[AstroJunk]

Of course, you read what the manual had to say: :rofl:


1.1 Setting Up the Tripod

1. Fully expand the tripod legs on level ground.
2. Install the hand control bracket on the tripod. (Fig 1.1a)
3. Place one or two counterweight(s) just between the bottom of the central post and the ground if there is enough space between them. This is a critical safety effort because the counter weight(s) will prevent users from putting their feet under the central post unconsciously. (Fig. 1.1b)

Fully release the clamp of the central post by loosening the two hex nuts on it with a 19mm hex wrench (Fig 1.1c).

The central post might fall freely when the two nuts are loosened. The counterweight(s), which is (are) placed between the bottom of the central post and the ground earlier, will support the central post and prevent any potential damages in such case.
While loosening the two clamp nuts, to reduce the possible impact of the falling of the central post, it is recommended to hold the tripod top, or to fill the gap between the top of the counter weight and the bottom of central post with some soft material.
User should loosen the two hex nuts alternately to make sure both of them are fully loosened.

[AstroJunk]

Yes, the autoguider port is ST-4

[h0ughy]

That's just my point. Who is going to do that regularly I the field. Rtfm. Yep

[JB80]

It doesn't look as if EQMOD will be supported anytime soon, not unless SW would like to donate an EQ8 to the developer.

[chrisshillito]

Well to be fair If I have issued such an ultimatum it was definitely tongue in cheek!

EQMOD aims to be a free and open project and we will never charge for EQMOD nor request donations. The consequence of this is that developers bear the cost of development and naturally support for new equipment will only occur if a current developer buys that equipment or new developers join the project.

My own position is that I'm quite happy with my belt drive EQ6 Pro and am not looking to upgrade my mount. My own motives for working on EQMOD are essentially selfish one, to provide me with better mount control. Whilst I'm more than happy to share the stuff I do it is hard to justify taking on projects that offer no direct benefit to my own setup. I hope folks understand that.

What would be interesting to know is if the EQ8 sysncan includes an PC-Direct option - if it does then it may just be that they've changed the physical mount interface making the current EQDirect incompatible but not necessarily EQASCOM itself.

If the EQ8 is not EQASCOM compatible then I would urge all those who are considering this mount to question Skywatcher, and their distributors as to why, what has changed and what, if anything they plan to do about it.

If Skywatcher are made aware that their customer base demands it then they may be more willing to volunteer technical information to the EQMOD development team that would ease any development effort. Failing that to reverse engineer an EQ8 a developer would require access to a motor controller board, motors+encoders and synscan - they wouldn't need a gift of an entire mount.

Chris.

[peter_4059]

Dave - it's cloudy down there anyway - how about it? ;)

[Grimmeister]

Hi Chris,

I had a look through the hand controller and yes definitely had the PC Direct option, at the time we did not have the correct USB to serial cable to interface with the hand controller so we were unable to test it. But it is definitely there.

I saw some discussions start in the EQMod forum about this so will post some further details there.

Regards

Anthony

[Tandum]

Yes it has a pc-direct option and the manual appears to show the same old handset connections on the mount. I heard that the handset software was being debugged on an eq6. More mounts will be delivered this coming week.

[Octane]

Many thanks for answering my silly question, Robin and Jonathan. :)

H

[Octane]

David,

I saw the pictures, but, I wasn't sure if this mount worked the same as my Losmandy. I have no experience with any other mounts, hence my asking.

Cheers.

H

[Grimmeister]

Hi Everyone,

Looks like a possible cause for the EQ8 Mount not working with EQMod could be the EQDir Cable used. Gerhard over at the EQMod forum mentioned there is distinct differences between the EQ6 and the EQ8. So this may just require the 3.3v TTL adaptor instead of the 5v TTL adaptor we already have for the EQ6 mounts.

Not sure why Sky Watcher decided to change this but looks promising for a solution to use EQMod :).

Hi Chris,

the current Synscan firmware downloadable from the Skywatcher page is
V3.35. In the manual of this version the new EQ8 is listed too on
several pages. I have updated to V3.35 and tested it sucessfully on my
EQ6 some time ago. So I don't think a Synscan controller delivered with
the new EQ8 is using a different firmware.

In the manual on page 4 this five mounts HEQ5 Pro, EQ5 Pro, EQ3 Pro,
AZ-EQ6 GT and EQ8 are listed as using a 8-pin RJ-45 connector on the mount.

The pins of the 8-pin RJ-45 telescope mount port on hand controller:
GND pin 1+4
DROP pin 3
RX (TTL) pin 5
TX (TTL) pin 6
Vpp+ pin 7+8
pin 2 not connected

The EQ8 manual shows the pins of the 8-pin RJ-45 connector on the mount
GND pin 1+4
TX (3.3V) pin 5
RX (3.3V) pin 6
Vpp+ pin 7+8
pin 2+3 not connected

What is worth mentioning are the 3.3V low voltage levels on serial
communication lines TX and RX. On EQ6 the lines TX and RX are working
with normal TTL levels in the range of 0 - 5 Volts. The logic level
ranges are the same in TTL or LVTTL. But may be the maximum voltage of
+5V is a problem for the EQ8 inputs.

Regards
Gerhard
www.dangl.at (http://www.dangl.at)

Cheers Anthony

[coldknights]

"Once you have a EQ8" if it is never going to work with Eqmod let us now will make a box of tricks to go between pc and EQ8 may be they want to have Control and have a box to do this already and they want to sell it at a price to make yet more money you just have to look what apple did to people with some Bluetooth equipment people had there products working fine then ios update came along and there products that they had working would not work anymore and no reason from apple.
As a idea "only" and I say ONLY A IDEA plug a EQ6 HAND CONTROLLER IN and try it with EQMOD if that fails then the mount is the problem and not the firmware in the eq6 controller it will be the firmware in the mount or you could try my Bluetooth Adaptor !!.
My 2 dollars worth to help

[Grimmeister]

Hi Everyone,

I was chatting over at the EQMod forum and was told the best next step that could be taken on the EQ8 is to do a test via the hand controller in PC Direct mode to confirm it works properly. I was wondering if anyone was in a position to perform this test and get back to myself or direct to the EQMod Forum with their results????

Thanks in advance

Anthony :thanx:

[JB80]

Hi Chris, sorry if I made it sound like something you had actually said because I know that you didn't say anything like that, I saw your post on another forum and I know that was not your intention. I just put a simple spin on a question asked without really thinking it through but still I apologise.

I think you have explained the situation well and I do understand your position, it's by no means a reflection on you at all as much as what you said in the last part of your post that people should start asking questions if it is necessary and show their support for the developers.

[RobF]

It'd be insane if the PC direct version through the handcontroller didn't work with ASCOM out of the box. Would be VERY surprised if that hasn't been taken care of in what is in so many other ways a quality product. Unless you have this set up in an observatory its obviously going to take longer to put up and break down than a traditional tripod mount. An extra few minutes connecting your laptop through the handset isn't that big a deal.

Also very keen to hear if it does work though.

Question - if the EQ8 handcontroller is 3.3V TTL, how have people been trying it on the EQ6? (thought Robin or someone commented on that somewhere?)

[Tandum]

Long before eqmod, you would use the unified celestron driver and connect that via the handset. The latest celestron driver has a drop down box to select which mount and synta skywatcher mount is still on the list.

I heard Steve Massey was beta testing the software against an eq6 so the handsets haven't changed if that is true.

I've just knocked up a 3.3v bluetooth adapter, we'll see if it goes when the mount arrives.

[Paul Haese]

I would be drilling and tapping a bolt to act as a stop just below the but parallel to the current bolt. Make the bolt short enough that is does not interfere with any workings inside and then when you undo the legs and it slides down it just comes into contact with the stop not anything else.

[h0ughy]

I am glad you can see what I am on about Paul. sadly my engineering prowess is very poor in that department, I would have to "phone a friend" for that one. I am just disappointed that SW didn't think of that. now tell me who places counter weights under their mount to adjust it?:question:

[Marke]

Dont know if this is any help , my AP portable pier has sliding collars . Would do something similar to what Paul said . Pick a couple heights you like and drill tap some knurled knobs or a bolt stop.

[Grimmeister]

Glad to see everyone is jumping on board with what could be better about the mount and what should have been "thought of" by the manufacturer!!!:shrug:

Has anyone that actually has one these mounts bothered to fire it up and test things like PC Direct Mode and connected it to ASCOM/EQMod?:question: It doesn't need to be under clear skies to do some testing and find out the technical bits and pieces!

[AstroJunk]

But that is what makes the internet fun :D

I'll be finding out for myself next week! (Dissapointed they missed out the cup holders though...)

[RobF]

Dear Chris,

Thanks for joining and commenting here on Ice. I'm sure there are a LOT of aussies etc who dip their hat to you Sir - EQMOD is a total game changer especially for astrophotographers. Let's hope someone at Synta realises the potential benefits upping sales to serious astronomy customers by sending a few emails. In the meantime, I know I'd be lost without EQMOD laptop control for my Heq5 and eq6. :cheers:

[Grimmeister]

Hi Rob,

I second your comments to Chris. Thanks Chris and the eqmod team.

Eqmod is the main reason I didn't buy a Losmandy G11 mount and am looking at the eq8. It is up to those that have eq8's or ability to assist to join in and help get this working in eqmod.

With regards to contacting synta, if anyone has an email address please let me know I am more than happy to send them a message supporting eqmod development.

Cheers

Anthony

[Bender]

Well I have just tried to connect my laptop to the mount with some success. It wouldn't work with my new windows 8 laptop and usb converter.
But I went back to my old XP netbook and usb convertor and I could get it to drive to the park position.
I have never used EQMod before, so maybe I haven't set something properly.:confused:
I tried driving it through stellarium with no success.
Also with the mount, Anthony and I had come up with another idea of putting a collar above and below the mount to make a maximum and minimum height adjustment. I also thought about putting a bracket with a handle to make it easy to load in and out of the car.

Martin

[Grimmeister]

Hi Martin,

Happy to help via Team Viewer (Remote Screen Sharing and assistance) if your having isses getting the EQMod software to talk to the mount.

Cheers

Anthony

[RobF]

WTG Martin.
Give me a ring if you want back-seat driver for EQMOD? :D

[Logieberra]

Love the MX. They're an amazing mount with powerful software. Speaking only as a user...

[coldknights]

Yes the software is great I am testing the sky x pro and coming from version 5 to x pro Is a big jump and i like all the new features .
Yes have been thinking mx or eq8 just waiting on users comments on here and compatibility integrating with other systems.

[h0ughy]

well Trevor i did consider the costs and the pro and cons. as far as i am concerned the eq8 can run without a pc and carry the load. no brainer. the pc stuff will come, i can wait. all it has to do for me is point and guide

[Merlin66]

Forgetting EQMod for a moment.....
Does the EQ8 connect via the handcontroller to the PC? and what are the settings for the "telescope", under the planetarium program (ie CdC)
Still the same Skywatcher EQ....?

[LewisM]

I am surprised no one is trying this, because the latest Synscan firmware allows direct PC control through the handset, yet everyone seems hung up on direct without hand controller as intermediary. I believe this is why Skywatcher did the latest firmware in the first place.

PC -> USB to serial converter -> serial to RJ45 into handcontroller, then handcontroller to mount as usual. Just what Skywatcher says to do. No need for a shoestring converter etc.

[DavidTrap]

Can you provide a link to this firmware update Lewis? Is it an ASCOM driver?

I don't have an EQ mount, but I understand EQMOD provides a range of features than the handset alone doesn't.

DT

[LewisM]

Been out for a while:

http://www.skywatcher.com/swtinc/customer_support.php?id=124&class1=1&class2=101

[DavidTrap]

ta Lewis,

DT

[Grimmeister]

Hi David and Lewis,

The SynScan hand controller has always had the PC Direct capability this is not new, however EQMod describes this as a testing method rather than a reliable end solution. This is because the SYnScan hand controller takes over some of the control of the mounts actions.

I believe you can still achieve most if not all functions of EQMod via the hand controller method however this has proven in the past to lock up or cause other issues hence the desire for most people to want a direct connection to the mount.

At this stage EQMod would like to see a connection ova the hand controller first to ascertain if the mount can be controlled via a PC without any coding changes required, in order to connect directly to the mount this will take longer and potentially requires a new TTL adaptor that sends the signal on 3.3 volts instead of the existing 5 volts setup of the EQ5/EQ6.

I would encourage anyone that has an EQ8 mount to connect it up via the hand controller and post their results in the EQMod forum or here so next steps can be looked at.

Cheers

Anthony

[Merlin66]

Anthony,
I haven't heard of any hang-ups or issues using EQmod under the Synscan PC-Direct since the introduction of V3.2.
If someone has factual information and examples please let me know.

I again ask....has anyone used the EQ8 controlled by a planetarium program through the "normal" Synscan controller??.....

[Tandum]

Too soon Ken, there aren't enough of them delivered yet. Mine is on a truck in Sydney today.

I think PC-Direct introduces latencies in commands and replies.

[AstroJunk]

I noted that documentation discrepancy posted earlier, but that would imply that the Synscan controller was capable of variable voltage outputs, or that the EQ8 Synscan is different from the rest. Neither if these options seem likely for commercial reasons if nothing else. (BTW, if it was hardware, just solder one of these in line: http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=ZV1650 )

My guess is a protocol change that needs to be understood.

[AstroJunk]

Nope, no one. But Mine's on the same Truck as Robin's and I suspect that we will both be doing that by the end of the week!

[Grimmeister]

Hi All,

I make no claim to be an "Expert in the matter" and am only trying to encourage those that have a mount to start testing them with the methods currently supported by SkyWatcher, the direct methods will no doubt come in time as those who have been down this path and know more will have many ideas about what is required.

For the interface comments of 3.3 Volts, this was earlier commented on from the manual, section 3.3 page 15 indicating the pin out arrangements for the hand controller and the connection voltage of 3.3 volts. Reasons behind such a decision are SkyWatchers:shrug:

Manual can be found here: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/user/slywatcher_eq8_manual.pdf

WRT connections via the SynScan hand controller, please see extract from EQMod web site stating the details around the use of connections via the hand controller. Scroll down to "Mount Interface" section and read at your leisure. http://eq-mod.sourceforge.net/reqindex.html

I am only commenting on what has been written on the web site by those that write and support the software. Again not my area of expertise but I respect the authors in their knowledge and limitations of said connection method and try to adhere to their way of doing things.:thumbsup:

This handset feature was introduced with SynScan firmware release V3.21 and became stable by V3.25. It provides a communication path such that PC messages recieved by the synscan handcontroller are forwarded to the mount. Despite its inclusion PC-Direct mode remains an undocumented feature of the Synscan handcontroller and the EQMOD developers have no knowledge of how it works or of its limitations. We cannot therefore make any guarentees as to its operation with EQMOD which was designed only for direct connection to the mount. Whilst PC-Direct mode offers an ideal method for users to evaluate EQMOD control we would advise that for extended and/or unattended use one of the options below is adopted.

Regards

Anthony

[DavidTrap]

I suppose the real question is, "Has the 3.35 update changed the caveats mentioned on the EQMod page about PC Direct Mode?"

DT

[AstroJunk]

And here's the 2 dollar fix: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/8745 if that indeed is the issue.

Thankfully, I'm planning to drive mine from existing planetarium s/w using POTH via the handset's PC connection. Fingers crossed that still works :)

[naskies]

Hi Chris,



I'm another happy user of EQMOD and very grateful for your efforts! :) :thumbsup:



Skywatcher appears to have released some source code and an API for their mounts back in 2011 (though it seems a little redundant given the existence of EQMOD):

http://www.skywatcher.com/swtinc/news.php?id=21

However, they do seem to be willing to share technical information about their mounts. Their website encourages feedback on the Facebook page, so perhaps that would be a good place to provide feedback about wanting access to technical specifications?

https://www.facebook.com/SkyWatcherTelescope

At a minimum, I'd imagine that the new addition of absolute encoders would require some tweaking to the EQMOD code...

[chrisshillito]

I've received reports of issues, I think with with V3.4 where it appeared the old "press a button and it stops tracking" bug had resurfaced but I understand all is well again with the latest version.

Chris.

[chrisshillito]

Nothing has changed in that respect. The advice given on the EQMOD Project website is simply intended to steer folks down the route of what we consider "best practice". Using PC-Direct introduces an necessary variable into your setup over which the EQMOD developers have no control or influence. As as a consequence the most robust EQMOD setup will always be one that uses a direct hardware interface rather than relying on third party software.

PC-Direct is not a hardware solution like the EQDIR but rather is a software solution and all software algorithms come with inherent constraints. Until such time that Skywatcher/Synta publish details of exactly how PC-Direct mode works (buffering limits, timings, routing details etc.) there is no way I can guarantee that EQMOD is not operating in a way that may cause issues.

This all said, many folks choose to ignore this advice and have used PC-Direct with no issues at all. I have no problem with that, It is your equipment and your choice how it is used.

Chris.

[chrisshillito]

Not necessarily, as I understand it the Skywatcher Az-EQ6GT also has absolute hardware encoders and folks are using that with the current EQMOD release with no issues.

Chris.

[RobF]

I'm sure we're all interested to see how PC direct mode goes on the EQ8s but for my HEQ5 and EQ6 I don't miss the handcontroller one bit. To run in direct mode you have to carry the handset, keep it protected, wire it up when you set up, wait for it to fire up, enter the date/time, escape, get into the Utility menu etc to start PC direct.

EQMOD direct - power on, one click on the PC - BANG! Away you go in bliss with N point cal's, wireless gamecontroller, etc. :love2:

[Tandum]

Tracking on my mount is now active and it says it will be in Brisbane Tomorrow ...

I've never used any of eqmods tricks. i just need a driver to point the scope where I tell it to go. Pinpoint does the positioning. I turn N point etc off.

[UniPol]

I can see this thread is going to be a 1000 pages plus such is the nature of IISpacers :shrug:

[DavidTrap]

Thanks for the comprehensive reply Chris.

I've been trying to help a friend setup his EQ6 using PC-direct to see if EQmod will let him achieve certain things with various bits of software. If we can prove it works, it will then be worth buying the EQDirect hardware.

DT

[pmrid]

I wonder if the permanent PEC will operate if connecting to the PC and not using the hand controller at all. Also, which EQMOD dongle to use - th EQ8 seems to have a hand controller connection like a HEQ5 but would that dongle/connector also operate on an EQ8?
Peter

[Tandum]

Coming in late Pete. Rob tried his heq5 eq-dir thing at martins unboxing and it did not work. No usb-serial was available to try pc-direct. Someone suggested it may have moved from 5v ttl to 3.3v ttl signalling, but it's the same handset so I doubt that one. In any case I made up a 3.3v blue tooth thing to try.

The celestron unified ascom driver lists skywatcher as a mount in it's setup and it is the driver recommended in previous manuals. It does not use pc-direct so all handset functions still work if you use that. It connects via the serial aux port on the handset.

I'll know more when the mount arrives :)

Did you get one as well?

[pmrid]

Yeah,that's me, a late starter!
I've got one of those Shoestring USB2EQ5 virtual serial port cables that I was hoping might work. Is that what Rob tried?
Peter

[RobF]

It was one of these Hitec ones for HEQ5Pro we tried Peter - http://www.hitecastro.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=49:eqdir-adaptor&catid=37:eqdir-adaptor&Itemid=54

I normally travel with a USB to serial adaptor, but its currently tangled up in an ever expanding tumour of cables and boxes with flashing LEDs hanging off the side of my Tak. Damned refractors....;)


Nice mount. Go on - you know you want one! :whistle:

[AstroJunk]

Very good point about PPEC, and PAE too I figure.

The connector conundrum has everyone baffled - Its the same Synscan handset but the mount has a slightly lower voltage TTL spec which 'may' be accommodated by the mount. But 100% of the dongles tried on EQ8 mounts have failed. All one of them :)

Time will tell where the issue lies. I'm sure the tenacious community will have it solved very quickly!

[pmrid]

Hey Rob!! I've been selling off bits of surplus kit for a month or so while pondering the possibility of an EQ8 and saving up my acorns. I sure am looking forward to someone actually putting one to work under the stars and posting some results.

By the way, has anyone been puzzled by the fact that Skywatcher don't refer to the EQ8 on their web site (skywatcher.com). And according to that same site, the latest firmware version for Synscan is 3.32. Odd.

Peter

[Tandum]

Popping up like mushrooms. Note the 2x2.5kg weights on top to achieve balance.

EQMOD can talk to the mount using PC-direct. ie via the aux port on the handset with pc-direct selected.

EQMOD hangs on connect using my homebrew 3.3v bluetooth device direct connected to the mount, no handset.

The Unified Celestron driver set to skywatcher works with the handset in normal mode, via the aux port. ie: not pc-direct mode.



I need a 9pin female to make an adapter for my eq6 eq-dir device, but I doubt it will work anyway.

[Grimmeister]

Sorry just reread the post, this was via the PC Direct mode, I jumped the gun LOL.

Thanks for testing and posting :thumbsup:

Cheers

Anthony

[RickS]

What's the diameter of the counterweight shaft, Robin? Looks a bit spindly but maybe it's because the mount is large?

[Tandum]

32mm I think. Those dumbell weights will not go on :(
The tripod is going to be a problem to move around. It's very heavy and has no handles.

[Merlin66]

Thanks for the update!
I'm glad to hear that the "vanilla" mount will work as usual with the planetrium packages...
If EQMod works OK through the PC-Direct handcontroller settings, then I'm sure it will only be a matter of time before the mod guys come up with the appropriate EQDir module.....

[RickS]

A bit wussy but not too bad :lol: The A-P shafts are 1.875"

[Marke]

Im with Rick given the load capacity the CW shaft looks a bit on the small side :question:

[naskies]

Congrats! Out of curiosity, how do you level the tripod?

[Tandum]

There are 3 of these leveling feet, they are about 3kg each :rolleyes:

your gonna end up looking like popeye if you move this stuff often.

[AstroJunk]

1 1\4 inch which is the Losmandy standard shaft diameter I believe. Ironically I bought a cheap dumbbell set from Big W that has weights with 32mm holes for a different scope. Having just deforked the 14" LX200, I can tell I'm going to need some big ones!

[h0ughy]

Yep. The reason I got two extra counterweights was the Meade acf 14. I had two made up for the Titan when I went to astrofest so it was a no brainer to get. With you deforking yours you are in for a ride. Look forward to seeing it up and running

[Tandum]

CGE Pro (http://www.celestron.com/astronomy/celestron-counterweight-22-lbs-for-cge-pro.html) is also 1.25" and would be cheaper than losmandy. I'd like a 5Kg weight though.

[AstroJunk]

Makes sense - celestron/synta/tasco/skywatcher have the same parent company now, so more and more interchangeable bits.

[AstroJunk]

Wanna see the mount with a full sized scope?

(Yes, I need more weight!)

[Dennis]

Ahh, a vision of beauty and elegance Jonathan, thanks for the view!:)

How close do the CW’s get to the tripod leg – it looks as if they could collide if the pier was dropped down to a less high position?

Cheers

Dennis

[AstroJunk]

There is loads of space. I have the tripod half way up and it could go 15cm lower without an issue. It seems to have plenty (20 degrees at worst) of travel past the meridian too.

All in all a fine bit of kit thus far...

[h0ughy]

i have 4 counter weights. looking forward to mounting the 14 on mine as well. that looks awesome. LOL wouldnt the school kids like that:lol:

I allowed for a few more toys to be on the mount, guidescope, cameras, even a piggyback underneath. Just need fork lift to move it all around now ;)

[Kunama]

Here is a new Skywatcher accessory for the EQ8, available as an option for non-observatory mounted EQ8s

[AstroJunk]

I found it very easy to put up - heavy, but not fiddly in the way that the EQ5 & 6 can be. The mating of tripod to head is brilliant indeed. So far a Joy, and looks like first light may happen here tomorrow. I'm doing a venture scout evening early on - dare I take it :rofl:

[h0ughy]

be a fun night - take it:lol:;)

[Tandum]

My bubble level is off a little. I put the head in the dome today and I had just leveled the top plate on the pier. The bullseye level on the mount shows it off by a fly poop. I thought I'd just mark that spot on the mounts level :lol:

[pmrid]

Those bubble levels and Latitude Scales too are more indicative than definitive aren't they?
Peter

[Tandum]

You'd think for $4K you'd get an accurate level :P
Might come good once it's all bolted down, all the bolts are sort of loose till I do a drift align.

[mozzie]

sorry guys off topic...johnathan clear your pm's your full at the moment and viewing this thread

[RobF]

I was wondering if $4k was enough to justify getting the level centred properly. Of course on the EQ6 you'd take the head off and check the levels if it the bubble appeared to be in the circle :D:P

[DavidTrap]

Interesting thread on Cloudy Nights about pier design - basically trashing the "rat cage" that most people use for levelling the top of their piers and how that reduces rigidity.

Levelling a mount does make polar alignment easier, but the only thing that HAS to line up properly is the RA axis pointing at the SCP.

DT

[AstroJunk]

Completely agree. The only reaon for leveling is if you need accurate readings of any of setting circles attached to the mount. I guess the text books were written way back and old habits die hard...

[AstroJunk]

I am fortunate enough to have had first light tonight, the beast is sat in the dome with random bits of metal zip-tied to the counterweights to give it enough mass for counterballancing the Meade!

I have to admit to being quite stunned by the performance out of the box. After dead-reconing, I switched it on, it homed (Pointed to the pole), asked me for time date and location then I one star aligned onto Antares which was damn close. It obviously knows what type of mount it is and worked the rest out for itself. I shouldnt be so amazed, I do have Agro Navis, but I have become used to the miseries of the LX200.

And its whisper quiet too, even at max slew the mount makes the classic Skywatcher steppermotor whine, but in a more understated way. Tracking seems great out of the box, but I have to sort out pempro before I can fully test that.

I can only compare it with the performance of the LX200, and can confirm that it dumps on it from a height. I shall miss the simplicity of a fork mount, but i'm pretty happy with my new toy so far...

BTW, its top fun loostening the clutches and repositioning the scope by hand whist watching the dome fighting to keep up. I love encoders!

[Tandum]

Did you notice Dec is noisier than RA?

I got mine close to dialed in. Trying to catch some data for pempro.

I couldn't get eqmod to pulse guide. Something to look at.

I'm using the celestron driver to point and using a guide cable for the first time in years.

[h0ughy]

:sadeyes: clouded out here, reading your experience gives me lots of hope:D

[Tandum]

It's hard to get more that 3 minutes in data Dave, it's cloudy here to.

[Tandum]

Anyone know the worm period?

[AstroJunk]

Possibly - Ill take more notice tomorrow!



I'm looking forward to a compare to the Titan...

[Tandum]

Seems to be a bit of slop in Dec on this one.

But it's cleared a bit and I have pempro running.

I'm pretty sure It needs to know the worm period?

[edit]
Found the info, 435 teeth, here's a result. +/- 2.2 by the looks.

[Tandum]

It works just fine. Teething problems I guess ..

[Poita]

Great to see some real world numbers.
Jeebus it looks heavy though, do you guys reckon this is really an observatory mount rather than a nightly setup/pulldown deal?

[Tandum]

I got mine in my dome.

I'm working on a list of excuses not to attend new moon shindigs :)

[ribuck]

Hi All,

New to ice in space and have been following this thread with great interest.

Firstly, congrats to all you luck people down under who have been lucky enough to get their hands on the EQ8, as the UK suppliers are still tight lipped with no word on release dates or pricing.

The mount is looking very promising, think i saw the pempro post showing +/- 2.2 Arc Secs, which is looking good....think that is about approx 1.1 RMS ??

Can't wait to see guide results from the likes of PHD etc, as we as the pointing accuracy.

Rich.

[ribuck]

Tandum, I thought the mount had a built in polar alignment routine, or have I misread that somewhere.

Rich.

[OneCosmos]

My EQ8 has sadly still not arrived :( however, I would like to purchase a Telegizmos cover for my scope and mount for Astrofest.

I know the cover I need for the 152mm refractor (T3R6 if anyone is interested), but I need some details for the mount which someone who already has one may be able to supply.

Bob at Telegizmos said:

"For the tripod we can make one to your specific size request. I'll need the length measurement of the legs from the bottom tip up to the mount hub. Also, I need the leg spread measurement going from one leg foot to the next leg foot"

Can anyone easily grab these measurements for me? I appreciate the height will be variable, so it is even better if you have or can base it on a 152mm 1200 FL scope ;)

Chris

[Poita]

Oh and the farmers are thanking all you EQ8 owners for the endless rain that has set in here since your mounts started arriving.

[rustigsmed]

:lol: yep, melbourne has been raining non stop with the 7 day forecast being rain every day :thumbsup: i'm sure it will clear up around full moon :question:

[h0ughy]

looks like i will set it up insde somewhere

[Tandum]

I see 900mm between the legs where they touch the ground and they are close to 650mm long. Height will depend on how many weet-bix you had for breakfast as to how far you can lift the pier :)

[OneCosmos]

Thanks Robin. I understand the height will vary between setups, but I would work on the principal of the lowest I can get away with. By that I mean the lowest I can have it without the telescope hitting something on its travels.

The telescope is the 152mm f8 but with camera etc. it extends beyond the 1200mm. It doesn't need to be an exact number.

I heard today in fact that I should have mine by Monday (not quite as exciting as Friday though :().

[Tandum]

This one is currently 880mm from the floor to the top of the pier and there is 230mm of pier below the clamp. I don't have the leveling feet on it and they are 75mm tall unextended.


And this looks like the spare power plug I need.
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=PS2014

[OneCosmos]

Thanks. What is that plug needed for?

[Occulta]

What is the diameter of the black part of the plug that came with the mount? My understanding is that the mount plugs are smaller.

The Jaycar ones are [in olde measurements] 1/2" diameter measured around the black plastic.

[Tandum]

This ones 1/2" by the looks. Good I need another lead.

[OneCosmos]

Still don't know what this is for or if I will need one:)

[Tandum]

You probably won't. I want a permanent power plug wired into the dome and I think houghy was looking for a spare.

[AstroJunk]

Thats hillarious - It's already 30 times better than my Meade was and thats without PPEC :rofl:

[Tandum]

I had image scale wrong. It was set to 1 it really is .93. Doing another run now. It's going to be better than 2.2 :)

[Astroman]

Sounds promising!. you going to put the EQ8 on the pier :)

[rob288]

Are any of you going to mount the EQ8 on a pier? Would be interested to know your thoughts on how it might be done, I am concerned about the center bolt that comes up into the mount.

[jcm]

Hi All,

Yep, I am another UK amateur astronomer closely following this thread.

I do hope this mount turns out to be a winner and I get my hands on one before I am too old to lift it:lol:

John

[pmrid]

I've modified my pier in anticipation of my EQ8 turning up on Monday.

I have modified a top adjustment plate that was previously made to suit/fit an EQ6 - it has a central well and a bolt hole in the bottom - I enlarged that a little and bought a straight M12x75mm bolt that will do the job. If you're making your own from flat plate without any well in the centre, a M12x50mm would do the job.

I also drilled a couple of holes in the wings where the azimuth securing bolts will go (80mm out from the centre) and another hole 54mm behind the centre where I had installed an azimuth adjustment pillar made out of an old galvanised bolt. It's secured by a bolt above and one below the plate. The one on top I have ground down so it is pretty thin and also ground the sides so it is much smaller in overall diameter. That way it should not foul the mount when it goes on top.

Should do the trick.

I'll post some pics tomorrow. I'm imaging at the moment and can't use a flash in the obs for the rest of tonight.


Peter

[naskies]

Wow, that's some nice performance. This is raw PE (no PEC curve applied), I assume? I saw the PE curve from your earlier post... looks very smooth.

[Tandum]

Yep Raw. With the correct image scale I got 4.38 peak to peak and with correction turned on I get 2.18 peak to peak.

I still think there is a little slop in dec, I'll look at that tomorrow.

[RobF]

Sounds like a dud Robin - I'll come and get it tomorrow if you like?
I haven't drilled the pier plate for the EQ6 yet - should be able to set it up for a new EQ8 ok......;)

[AstroJunk]

Hi to Rich and John, welcome to the South side - and as a Expat Geordie myself, I have to let you into the bad news. Not only did we get these scopes first, but the sky is dark and saggitarius is overhead! :rofl:

(for the locals, where I grew up, Antares was near the horizon, and Saggitarius a myth!)

[ribuck]

Aye, and I supposed you're also gannin to remind me that it's much warmer over in Oz as well lol. Well this Geordie fella is is gutted that i'm in the wrong Newcastle on the Wrong side of the world, or I would be able to get my hands on the shiny EQ8.

Over here, the main European distributor OVL, isn't giving anyone any info on release dates or prices, so none of the suppliers can even take pre-orders.

I'm moving to new house in Whitley Bay in 2 weeks, so hopefully there might be a shiny new EQ8 ordered, to go with the new house.

Really impressed with the new 2 arc secs peak to peak measurements, can't wait to see guided performance. Also interested in seeing how good the pointing accuracy is.

Does the mount have it's own polar alignment routine ?

Rich.

[ribuck]

Blooming typical, as soon as I say that the distributors are tight lipped, one of the uk suppliers has just posted the UK price of £2595 for just the mount head and no tripod. if you want the tripod it's a crazy £795....are they kidding lol, cheaper to buy a pier, especially seeing it's not really portable.

Looks like, Sept-Oct time at the Earliest for the UK :(:(:(:(

Not sure why the UK has to wait another 3-4 months, i'm guessing just not enough mounts to go round.

Rich.

[rob288]

Peter,

Many thanks for the reply, I guess I was assuming the center bolt would be an issue, but maybe not, our EQ8 order is still ten days away here in NZ.

Robert

[AstroJunk]

I'm NOT putting mine on my pier:eyepop:
Actually, the reason is simple, my pier is a monster with a wide top plate to accommodate the Meade superwedge. When I put the eq8 in it I found that the width of the plate seriously restricted the amount of movement past the meridian that I could get. So Tripod it is...

[AstroJunk]

I can feel the North Sea Chill from here. I can still smell the winkles and diesel from the Spanish City.

I've not noticed any inbuilt Polar alignment routine, bus dead-reckon it then move the mount to the target of a one star alignment does the trick pretty well

[pmrid]

Hi Robert, here's those pics I promised.

After the mount is attached to the top plate, I'll lower it on those 4 long bolts and put securing nuts on the bottom side as well to lock it in.

The azimuth post may need a bit more fiddling depending on how well (or poorly) it sits with the bottom of the mount. But that's just grinding wheel work and not a big deal.

Peter

[Tandum]

Peter, I've found on mine, that as the top plate is bigger than the head, counter weights won't slide all the way to the top of the bar. They hit the top plate :(

I'm thinking that once the 12" newt goes on that won't be an issue, the weights will all be at the other end of the bar anyway :)

I guess the ideal pier head would be round with a 180mm diameter like the top of the tripod.

[pmrid]

Hmmmm. Sounds like a job for the big disc grinder with heavy cutting wheel. I do just love all those sparks flying into my shoes, down my shirt and in what's left of my hair.
Peter

[AstroJunk]

It was the OTA that was the issue for me. I recon I'll get a custom pier made for it to regain the height I have lost. Pegasus Piers, here I come! (can you hear me Phil?!)

[Pierman]

Happy to help Jonathan. :) give me a call on 3800 8559 anytime.

Kind Regards

Phil :) :thanx:

[Tandum]

Just a quicky on power supply. I pull 12v from my new obs computer to power everything and never had an issue. I did a few nights testing using an qhy5LII as a camera to collect numbers without issue. Now I have the atik 11000 connected I've had power issues.

The mount would stall while slewing and it's red power light would flash. The Atik would drop comms, locking up maxim and I'd have to pull and replug the usb to get it going again.

I've put the mount on it's own supply and all my problems went away.

I haven't measured what it's drawing but that obs pc is a low end AMD dual core with an Intel SSD drive and a 500 watt supply. Go figure?

[h0ughy]

i figured that something like this would suck some juice, especially slewing - the titan does

[Tandum]

I'm pretty sure I put the mount on a 2 amp 13.5v supply, first that came to hand.
I don't understand why the 500 watt supply in the pc wouldn't cope?

[AstroJunk]

It needs 4amp power supply at full load. Its a hungry beast. A computer supply isn't designed to deliver that sort of peak current through a single outlet. Jaycar is your freind...

[Tandum]

The psu will do 8 amps on each 12 volt rail? And it's not a cheapy.
The atik only draws just over an amp, low end cooling :(
eq8 running fine on a 1.8amp supply at 13.5v.

The psu is only 12v though, maybe that's the issue?
Anyway, be aware it's a power pig.

[pmrid]

Yes, they are. I picked up a 13.8 volt at 5 amp unit (Powertech) for $99 from them for my EQ8. But the mount has yet to arrive. I have a bell but no bicycle as my grandpa would have said.
Peter

[Poita]

I don't know for any particular supply, but mine delivers 12amps an a single 12v rail without trying really.

[bert]

My computer power supply is 27 amps at 12v, its nothing special... I think the lowest one I have is 15 amps at 12v.

[pmrid]

My EQ8 is still not here despite the tracking showing it's been " On Board for Delivery" in the Brisbane Depot since last Friday afternoon. StarTrack are you out there? Is anyone home? I'm 45 nautical miles from Brisbane International Airport. This is not remote.

Peter

[UniPol]

Come on boys and girls, this thread is a little slow, you've got at least 988 pages to go before you reach the 1000 mark, afterall this is the mount to beat all mounts ;)

[UniPol]

Give them a ring, nothing like speaking to a real person.

[h0ughy]

clouds, pestilence, family and now in my case sickness:sadeyes:

[RickS]

They have trouble finding Toowong and that's walking distance from the CBD ;)

[acropolite]

High power supply ratings are probably less important than the size of the cable feeding the power. Ohms law is very unforgiving at low voltages and high currents, fractions of an ohm of resistance in your leads equate to serious voltage drops with any significant current. A current draw of 12 amps with 0.1 ohm of resistance in your feed cable (and associated connectors) equates to 1.2 volts drop, .2 ohm and your down by 2.4 volts.

[AstroJunk]

Trouble is, it is and it does. And when faced with near perfection at a fraction of the price, one just tries to be gracious...

[h0ughy]

i can see you are unhappy there;)

[Tandum]

That may have been my problem Phil. I have a dc distribution box and am using rca connectors for the 12v. The mount may have been plugged into a bad socket, the box is several years old now. I notice the manual quotes voltages for when the red light flashes and a computer psu supplies 12v not 13.5v like a power adapter.

[OneCosmos]

Hi folks,

Well my EQ8 did arrive a couple of days ago, unfortunately a little in advance of my 152mm refractor arriving from the UK and my little Meade only has a Vixen rail so I can't yet mate it with a scope, but that hasn't stopped me trying it out.

As far as I can tell it looks as though the mount is doing everything it is supposed to do - pointing accuracy looks right - I can hardly comment on the accuracy without a scope, but it goers where it is supposed to go and it homes etc.

The only odd thing though is that it makes an unexpected noise, often more than once part way through the slewing. It is difficult to explain so I did a poor video and put it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4aIf7vUh08 - obviously no scope and I didn't put the counterweight shaft on either, but somehow I doubt that is the issue. In fact, there may be no issue, but I have been able to see one other EQ8 and it didn't make this noise.

So, anyone know what might be causing it and if it something to worry about?

Chris

[AstroJunk]

Was your power light flashing?

[Tandum]

Mine was flashing the other night but it didn't beep. Maybe because I was in pc-direct and it's his handset that's beeping?

I had a look at pointing without a model the other night. I used to own a tak mount and it could go from a SE sync to a NW star and put it bang center. My eq6 would sometimes get lost after a flip, it was hopeless. This one came close. The star was outside the cameras FOV, and an 11000 sensor has a huge FOV, but a pinpoint and sync showed it was really close. It solved instantly and I was on target straight away with no model.

[Stardrifter_WA]

Had a look at the new EQ8 today at BTOW (WA) and at $4,300, the price is great for such a beefy mount.

But, and isn't there always a but, it will be interesting to work out how to fit this to a permanent pier, given the use of the bevel gears arrangement that tightens it onto the tripod head. Although, it may just be easier to fit this existing pier into a floor mount collar instead. I certainly don't want tripod legs inside my dome. I have been holding off on building a permanent pier until I finalise what mount I will get.

Also, it is a little confusing regarding this mount, as there appears to be a pro version, which is shown as the "CGE Pro Mount" (that has the new 20" Astrograph fitted to it), in the latest catalogue, which I saw today at BTOW. Although the mount looks similar, there appears to be some major differences.

A photo of the new rig is shown at http://www.automation-drive.com/c20-astrograph

[OneCosmos]

Nope