Bluetooth and EQMod

[hikerbob (Bob)]

If there is interest in this it may be worth it's own thread.
An addition to my last post, I remembered that Google discontinued support for their SkyMap app and released the source code to the public. http://code.google.com/p/stardroid/

I've not downloaded it yet.

I'm not confident that there is not some complication which I've not thought of but it seems possible that most of the code is already in the public sphere to produce an android app with a star map and the ability to drive a scope to a designated location via Bluetooth.

Given the command sets forsome other scopes are available (and the Panorama code refers to some other scopes) it's an interesting prospect for those who like remote control of telescopes.

Bob

[wasyoungonce (Brendan)]

This is good stuff Bob...well done, good to see new tech being adapted....reaching the front lines!

[hikerbob (Bob)]

Brendan I started a new thread http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ewpost&t=89798 in the mobile astronomy apps section for this.

I'm hoping that we have enough people around here with the right mix of skills and the passion for DIY in all sorts of forms to put the bit's together. I've just been working with a code documenter Doxygen to try and get some doco together on both sets of source to help me find my way around.

Bob

[hikerbob (Bob)]

AfMighttight also beeghtr hhst alsoome idea's. I'm trying to set up Bluetooth on a Skywatcher Dob and not having any success so far.
I've only got the Syntrek hand controller but a Syntrak will drive the mount (with the correct firmware). I've not yet been able to successfully connect to the mount via Bluetooth.

I've not been able to locate any official doco on the pinout for the RJ12 connectors used but my own measurements came out fairly similar to the info at http://sites.google.com/site/rwgastr...akmounthacking (diagram at http://sites.google.com/site/rwgastr...attredirects=0) although I'd not decided regarding the role of white as flow control.

If he's correct then one line is used for bi-directional data flow which apparently works when you go via a max232 chip but I'm struggling to work out how to deal with that going to a bluetooth module. I tried a couple of 200ohm resistors, one on each of the bluetooth tx and rx lines back to the common data line without success.

I suspect that I could stick an Arduino in the middle to split the signals out but am wondering if there is some basic trick that I'm missing. Any ideas?

Has anybody seen an official pinout for the RJ12 connector on the Skywatcher Dob's?

BTW if anybody else want's to play with these mounts be very careful with the wiring, early on I managed to fry a control board when I cross connected the wires (phone wire is flimsy and I got careless).

Bob

[hikerbob (Bob)]

Thinking about putting a micro in the middle, I've got some 8 pin picaxes on hand which may not be hard to use to turn 1/2 duplex to full and visa versa. Still not learned to program those things though.

Bob