Skyx Pro and Digital Dome Works issue

[rob288]

Hi everyone,

We have Skyx Pro from Bisque, and the dome addon, have been trying to get Digital Dome Works to communicate, it appeared both programmes wanting to use the same Comm port, as we had DDW open first. Solved that, open Skyx Pro first, that then opens DDW, the issue is doing it that way we loose the functionality of the DDW interface, ie: weather station options etc.

Does anybody have any experience with both these programmes and could help us?

Regards

Robert:)

[TR]

Rob,

There is a yahoo group worth looking at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/home_dome_users/conversations/messages

It's the Home Dome users group, Digital Dome Works driving their domes. Good place to ask questions about the Technical Innovations Digital Dome Works.

I have the 6 foot version Home Dome with Digital Dome Works. Everything is configured to use ASCOM via POTH, including DDW. I find that I have to start the DDW program first, it then connects to ASCOM POTH, and at this point, I can fire up everything else. The weather data is available in DDW, plus dome and shutter in the graphic. I have the dome slaved to my mount (AP900) in ASCOM. So where every the mount points, the dome follows. No dome add-on in theskyX for me (I really don’t want another one of their annual subscriptions for a developing addon).

With ASCOM - you can share the Comm ports via POTH. Otherwise, once DDW grabs it, it is not available for other programs. Having DDW connect via POTH allows other programs to access the same Comm port.

I have since stop using DDW program, the weather data is available via the AAG Cloud sensor program anyway. I only the DDW ASCOM plugin. The AAG CloudSensor just triggers the close and park the dome on RAIN or heavy cloud via jumper block in the dome control box. Really. that’s all I am after. If it looks funky, please close the dome for the night. Just a fail safe to protect stuff that doesn't thrive in wet conditions.

Terry

[rob288]

Many Thanks Terry, very helpful, will look at all that and see how we get on. We do use AAG cloud sensor as well.

Regards

Robert

[frolinmod]

A direct quote from the Software Bisque website's description of the Dome Add On:

"There are no annual subscription fees for TheSkyX Add Ons."

[rob288]

Hi Terry,

Thanks for the help, we have it working, its an odd sequence to get going but it works and that's what counts.

The sequence is:

1. Start Digital Dome Works


2. Close Skyx Pro


3. Open Poth Ascom


4. Skyx Pro - Set telescope to home position


5. Poth - connect telescope


6. DDW Config
a. Click Slave
b. Click Ascom setup
c. Should be on Poth
d. Click ok and exit



7. Telescope will communicate to DDW . AAG working as well. So again many thanks.

Regards


Robert:)

[TR]

Hey Robert,

It's so nice when it all comes together. Write down those instructions, just in case. :) Once I figured out the sequence for my system, it's been extremely reliable. It's still a buzz to see it wake up and do it's thing. Best of luck.

Terry