Quote:
Originally Posted by Martncoz
...So the "Take A Decent Astro-photo Using A Mac" project is coming on. Tonight, as mentioned, I wheeled out the EQ6 and my guide-scope for a couple of hours to test the Mac connecting to PHD2 and the mount being connect through the camera to the ST4 port. PHD2 mount connection setting was 'on camera'.
I'm no expert on PHD2 by any means, in fact it was the first time I'd really used it in anger. The first star calibration struggled a lot, and it whined to me constantly with error messages that there was not enough response from both RA and Dec axis (plus some other stuff about 'dark files'). I slewed around some and found aCentauri a bit higher and to the west. Did the same exercise and it started to settle down. Calibration worked ok, and then it actually started to guide... woo hoo!
After a while I moved on to Antares and guided off that for a while again. While the history chart looked 'choppy' it did start to settle down a bit and smooth out. So all in all, the 'on camera' setting/connection to the mount worked reasonably well considering.
I'm not sure if this is the best way to connect to the mount, but I'll definitely have a go with EQMac soon (thanks Nikolas) - although this would require a R232 to USB adaptor cable, plus driver installs etc, correct? Just not sure how straight forward this method will be.
Anyway, small steps
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You should have that cable as it came with the mount, maybe rummage through the boxes for it otherwise see if you can buy one they aint too expensive, sidereal trading sell them.
make sure your polar alignment is very very close as that will assist your guiding immensely