New Starlight Xpress large format AO

[gregbradley]

Starlight Xpress are becoming my new favorite company.

The Lodestar is a nice piece of gear (except they didn't pack the special autoguiding cable!).

They now have a large format camera AO device and a super slim off axis guider - yummy!

http://www.starlight-xpress.co.uk/SXV-AO.htm

Greg.

[multiweb (Marc)]

That's the one I got. Still working out some connections and software but it's a very nice kit.

[bert (Brett)]

I had a look at Marc's sx-ao, looks like a great bit of kit, with adapters galore, A nice touch I thought.

I may have mentioned before, I am a huge fan of adaptive optics. If I can get a good guide star with my AO8 and most of the time I do.... I get better than paramount performance guiding with an eq6. I think they are the best value bits of kit that can be bought for an imaging system.

Brett

[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by multiweb

That's the one I got. Still working out some connections and software but it's a very nice kit.

Oh, I see that's why you mentioned it before. I thought you were referring to the original model which is only about 2 inches aperture.

Nice one. I'd like to hear a review. How much do they cost and where did you get it from - OPT?

Originally Posted by bert

I had a look at Marc's sx-ao, looks like a great bit of kit, with adapters galore, A nice touch I thought.

I may have mentioned before, I am a huge fan of adaptive optics. If I can get a good guide star with my AO8 and most of the time I do.... I get better than paramount performance guiding with an eq6. I think they are the best value bits of kit that can be bought for an imaging system.

Brett

Images taken with AO units do seem to have that last bit of clarity that can really make an image. I know we tend
to concentrate on round stars but think of the blur that is being smeared on the object itself if the stars are elongated.
That's worse.

Greg.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by gregbradley

Oh, I see that's why you mentioned it before. I thought you were referring to the original model which is only about 2 inches aperture. Nice one. I'd like to hear a review. How much do they cost and where did you get it from - OPT?

Wherever you get it from, Starlight Xpress guys are extremely responsive including their developer. Better support than the actual suppliers. 60mm inner diameter. That's the large format unit. Approx.$2.2k landed in OZ.

You'll need a USB to serial adaptor to control the AO. Supposed to work in Maxim with a non SX imager but I haven't figured it out yet. So I use the SX software for now.

[Mighty_oz (Marcus)]

A.E.C does Starlight xpress have the AO unit and guider cable on their website

[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by multiweb

Wherever you get it from, Starlight Xpress guys are extremely responsive including their developer. Better support than the actual suppliers. 60mm inner diameter. That's the large format unit. Approx.$2.2k landed in OZ.

You'll need a USB to serial adaptor to control the AO. Supposed to work in Maxim with a non SX imager but I haven't figured it out yet. So I use the SX software for now.

Thanks Marc. Are you using the offaxis guider unit with the AO as well?

There is a plugin for CCDsoft available for free from SX website. It works well. I can run the Lodestar from CCDsoft now and no problems. There is a plug in for the AO unit as well - I saw it there.

Greg.

Originally Posted by Mighty_oz

A.E.C does Starlight xpress have the AO unit and guider cable on their website

Thanks for that. I have emailed Terry Platt and he was aware a few units went out without the cable and is mailing me one right away. Great service.

He was also very helpful and explaining how his AO/off axis guider unit would work for my setup.

I probably will get one at some point. Not sure about right away though.

Greg.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by gregbradley

Thanks Marc. Are you using the offaxis guider unit with the AO as well? There is a plugin for CCDsoft available for free from SX website. It works well. I can run the Lodestar from CCDsoft now and no problems. There is a plug in for the AO unit as well - I saw it there.

Yes I use the OAG unit. Just bought Maxim DL so I'm keen to get the AO working in there. No problem with the SX-Lodestar. I can run it from any software. PHD, SX software, Maxim, etc...

[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by multiweb

Yes I use the OAG unit. Just bought Maxim DL so I'm keen to get the AO working in there. No problem with the SX-Lodestar. I can run it from any software. PHD, SX software, Maxim, etc...

I'd love to see some with and without it images to see the difference it makes.

Greg.

[pvelez (Pete)]

Oh dear - my wallet was just starting to recover from my last splurge

Will keep an eye on this

Pete

[marki]

Originally Posted by multiweb

You'll need a USB to serial adaptor to control the AO. Supposed to work in Maxim with a non SX imager but I haven't figured it out yet. So I use the SX software for now.

Marc you probably will have to place the drivers manually into the maxim folder. You will need maxim specific drivers to run it in there.


Mark

[cfranks (Charles)]

Originally Posted by Mighty_oz

A.E.C does Starlight xpress have the AO unit and guider cable on their website

I got mine from them (him) a few weeks ago. I'm still making adapters to mount it. Nice piece of kit.

Charles

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by marki

Marc you probably will have to place the drivers manually into the maxim folder. You will need maxim specific drivers to run it in there.

Hi Mark, I use the MAXIM DL standard SX-Universal driver from the drop down list. Do you mean I need additional drivers?

[Bassnut (Fred)]

The DL guide box looks normal, like the SBIG one, so subframes look like they are built in. I notice mention of a hex file in the set up advanced tab, did you look into that?.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by Bassnut

The DL guide box looks normal, like the SBIG one, so subframes look like they are built in. I notice mention of a hex file in the set up advanced tab, did you look into that?.

Yes it is a firmware update via the USB to serial. Now I have a problem in MAXIM DL only with the adapter. If I update the firmware of the AO via it and it disconnects in the middle of transfering the firmware I'll have a very expensive 'bricked' AO. Not game enough at this stage.

[marki]

Originally Posted by multiweb

Hi Mark, I use the MAXIM DL standard SX-Universal driver from the drop down list. Do you mean I need additional drivers?

Hi Marc

I am thinking the AO unit will need its own specific drivers in a Maxim palatable form as will the lodestar unless the SX versions are the same?. Think about your QHY8, you have to have the drivers in the maxim folder to get the camera working if you dont use the ASCOM versions. This is my line of thought in any case, could be wrong? You might also like to try a multiport serial to USB setup as I have found these to be a lot more stable then the the single cables. I use this one and it has been very stable in both vista and win7 accepting and running everything I have plugged in without any drama.

http://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?...-8594&kw=&st=0

It is made by some mob in europe/britain from memory (easysync) and you can get them cheaper from them.

Mark

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by marki

I am thinking the AO unit will need its own specific drivers in a Maxim palatable form as will the lodestar unless the SX versions are the same?.

What they call the SX Universal driver is written for MaximDL by Maxim people I believe and it runs the SX-lodestar, AO and a whole bunch of SX cameras.

Originally Posted by marki

Think about your QHY8, you have to have the drivers in the maxim folder to get the camera working if you dont use the ASCOM versions. This is my line of thought in any case, could be wrong?

That's interesting. I have it working as an ascom camera in MAXIM DL. I always assumed that was the way and wasn't aware you could run it direct by copying the drivers in there. Will chat with Theo then.

Originally Posted by marki

You might also like to try a multiport serial to USB setup as I have found these to be a lot more stable then the the single cables. I use this one and it has been very stable in both vista and win7 accepting and running everything I have plugged in without any drama.

http://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?...-8594&kw=&st=0

It is made by some mob in europe/britain from memory (easysync) and you can get them cheaper from them.

Mark

Thanks for the link. I'll have a look into that if the next one I receive still doesn't work. At this rate I'm going to be the Oz retailer soon. Watch those classified

[marki]

Originally Posted by multiweb

What they call the SX Universal driver is written for MaximDL by Maxim people I believe and it runs the SX-lodestar, AO and a whole bunch of SX cameras.

That's interesting. I have it working as an ascom camera in MAXIM DL. I always assumed that was the way and wasn't aware you could run it direct by copying the drivers in there. Will chat with Theo then.

That sounds like the driver then Marc. Ascom is the best way to run the QHY camera's in Maxim and I think Tom is only going to write them in this form from now on. When I first got my QHY8 it was an option. It is also an option on the QHY9 with the original drivers Theo sent me but I use the ascom driver as it allows the FW to be controlled through the camera which saves dragging and extra cable around. Those multiport serial/usb hubs are worth their weight in gold, everything just works as it should though you may have to use the device manager to kick windows off a few of the lower com ports.

Mark

[stevous67 (Steve M)]

The optical length from the tilt mirror to the CCD is only 74mm. Where does the filter wheel go? What, in front of the AO? If so, guiding would be fun at 17-20fps through Ha. Can this length be increased?

http://www.starlight-xpress.co.uk/AOpictures/AOassy.jpg

Steve

[Bassnut (Fred)]

Thats 74mm to the camera (incl filter wheel), not the CCD sensor.