Thread: TVGuider
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Old 20-05-2008, 09:35 PM
ozstockman (Mike)
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ozstockman is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Kenmore Hills, Brisbane, QLD
Posts: 392
Hi KDG,

If you can't contact Martin I can share an idea how to build something like TVGuider for less money.

Basically all you will need is something like a QGuder/QHY5/Orion Starshoot guiding camera and an UMPC. Then you connect your guiding camera to an USB port of your UMPC, start PHD Guiding on your UMPC and here it's.. you now have a small and handheld unit that can be used for autoguiding, capturing or you can even run planetary software on it.

Of course it would't cost you less than TVGuider if you bought the latest models of UMPCs as they can cost $1000-$2000. However it shouldn't be a problem to find a cheap second hand UMPC for around $500. I bought mine SONY VAIO VGN-U750 for less than US$600 with extended battery and saw even cheaper for sale on ebay after it. It's fast(Intel Pentium M) it has 512MB of RAM and 20GB HDD. Also it has 4" touch screen which is much comfortable to use when it's dark.

At first I was thinking of buying TVQuider too. However considering its price when it's supplied with a sensitive camera I decided to go with the idea I described above. And it actually works.


cheers,

Michael
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