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Old 01-06-2012, 03:37 PM
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PRejto (Peter)
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Rylstone, NSW, Australia
Posts: 1,397
I know there are users of the PMX having some trouble using PHD and the Orion SSAG combination. I've been playing around with the software and ASCOM driver and have run into difficulty.

To do pulse guiding the ASCOM driver for TheSkyX (and other versions) has to be configured. Version 5.2.7 is on the Ascom site and it should be configured in the driver's properties "Enable Tracking Offsets" and "Enable Pulse Guiding." PHD will then connect to TSX, however there is a major problem when connecting the Orion camera (and perhaps others) as TSX will quickly disconnect from the MX.

It turns out that others have run into this same roadblock! Bintel put me in touch with one of their customers that discovered what the problem is. He wrote to me as follows:

"My PMX arrived couple of months ago so I had the opportunity to iron out some of the problems. Number one was the guiding using the SSAG with PHD and MaximDL. I used the ST4 cable and the camera relays to drive the PMX via the guide port. The result was similar to yours, I would loose the SkyX after a short while. Then I tested a basic config without the T-Point model (it was a basic one only 6 stars). Bingo I was able to successively guide with both PHD and Maxim. Later I found out that SkyX will time out after a number of errors. The guiding was good but not excellent,
Then I received my new SBIGs St-i mono camera. What a change. I can use Direct Guide with CCDSoft the results are 10 times better then the SSAG as far as the error rate. The image stability, sensitivity, and ability to take auto flats, and the piece of mind is worth the price. I can concentrate on my imaging and not the silly guiding. I can use my St-i mono camera with PHD to do a quick, efficient and precise drift alignment, I can use MaximDL (camera relay) or CCDSoft for Direct (precision) guiding with T-Point enabled. The SSAG will work but it's a toy when I compare it with the St-i."

Today I was able to confirm that by turning off T-Point, PHD will connect to TSX and TSX does not disconnect from the MX. I was able to track and slew without error both in the pulse guide configuration and in direct guide config. I'm thinking seriously about the ST-1 mono....

I hope this helps anyone else running into a similar problem. I also wonder why T-Point seems to cause this problem and hope there might be a fix someday.
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