LX200GPS handset issues

[rousey346]

i own a 12" LX200 GPS, when i bought it, it came with the wireless controller, which has seen its fair share of use. Its starting to fall to pieces. Ide like to replace it with the original autostar controller, with the cable. Problem is, i can only find the Autostar 497 online to purchase, which is labled as a (For ETX scopes)

Will these work with the LX200GPS???

[rousey346]

what im asking is, where can i get the original autostar II handsets, that come with the LX200GPS originally.

[AndrewJ]

The 497 type handboxes cannot be used with the LX200 GPS.
They are totally incompatible.

Tho not listed on their site, you could try BINTEL as they stock most stuff.
If not, OPT in the states are showing ASII handboxes for $150
http://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?pid=3721&kw=autostar&st=2

Andrew

[Barrykgerdes]

There is a post on yahoo groups about the wireless and autostar II handboxes. Apparently Meade have withdrawn the wireless handbox because of repeated problems and OPT have been giving people wrong information about 497 handboxes.

Talk to Bintel as Andrew suggests. They are the principal Meade distributor and may be able to help with a replacement.

Barry

[rousey346]

cheers guys

[AndrewJ]

Just to clarify
Barry is right that OPT have a wrong reference in their ad for the wireless ASII ( ie that the 497 is a suitable replacement )
However, OPT do still have the correct ASII handboxes ( which is what i linked to ), just in case BINTEL dont have em.
I'm amazed that noone has made up a mobile phone type app to replace the ASII type handboxes. It would be relatively trivial as all the smarts are in the telescope base.

Andrew

[turbo_pascale]

The reason is that (for iPhone at least) until recently, Apple did not authorise control of any mechanical equipment (most likely that they needed to get their lawyers to draw up exceedingly long liability clauses for their developers/users).

Then you've got the issue of connectivity (there are a few options coming shortly), and some available now for specific software.

Once the wired (serial) cable comes out in the next month or so, in THEORY is should be able to be used with multiple applications, maybe we should touch base and convert your app to iPhone!

Turbo

[AndrewJ]

Gday Turbo



It would probably just be a simple bluetooth.
The ASII comms are so simple, a wireless link is easily capable of coping.
Ie when you press a button on the Hbx, 1 byte is sent to the scope.
When you release a button, one byte is sent to the scope.
The only heavy use is when the scope sends back the string data to populate the screen.



Maybe as a remote "true" handbox for the ASII, but no further.
In my app I also play in download mode and peek/poke memory etc,
and I have no intention of doing that via wireless.

Andrew