EQMOD connection to NEQ6

[M_Lewis (Mark)]

The logitech f710 is good, but it has a limited range, i often find it a little intermittent when the scope is between me and the laptop computer - it has an effective range of no more than 5m.

Just get the EQdirect cable (http://www.store.shoestringastronomy...roducts_eq.htm) it's the one I use and it's awesome. Throw away the hand set and do not use the bandaide PC direct function, as the handset software will cause you issues if you plan to use a decent software suite on the computer to drive the scope. The handset effectively becomes a translation of "engrish" and you won't get correct slewing among other inconsistencies.

If you go down the autonomy route, the F710 (or something like it) is a must.

[togo54 (Tom)]

Or better yet (and way cheaper), build your own cable.
Start with this:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/USB-to-TT...item27d774e8f9
Solder the correct three wires to the correct pins on one of these:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DB9-male-...item3a89aa5022

That's what I did and it works fine. Can't use the synscan controller when going this route.

[Marios (Marios)]

Originally Posted by M_Lewis

The logitech f710 is good, but it has a limited range, i often find it a little intermittent when the scope is between me and the laptop computer - it has an effective range of no more than 5m.

Just get the EQdirect cable (http://www.store.shoestringastronomy...roducts_eq.htm) it's the one I use and it's awesome. Throw away the hand set and do not use the bandaide PC direct function, as the handset software will cause you issues if you plan to use a decent software suite on the computer to drive the scope. The handset effectively becomes a translation of "engrish" and you won't get correct slewing among other inconsistencies.

If you go down the autonomy route, the F710 (or something like it) is a must.

Thanks for the link even cheaper than the guys on ebay, the bluetooth model is the same price.

[Nortilus (Josh)]

i just recently bought the F710 and it works great. I also use a powered USB hub at the mount and run a 3meter usb extension cable and i plug the controller usb receiver thing in to it at the mount...no worries with distance then when at the mount.

However I use windows XP for my imaging machine and you have to use the xbox360 driver software to get it working...but it works fine.

[TheNaudster (Andre)]

Hey guys,

Looking at doing the same conversion and came across this part at Jaycar which seems to be the same thing. Can anyone advise and comment if it will work or not please? Thanks all!

[Startrek (Martin)]

Marios,
I thought you might be interested in having a look at or even using EQMOD and Stellarium to control your NEQ6 mount and navigate across the night sky


I wrote some procedures last month as I wanted to work out how to use the new Ascom supported Stellarium with EQMOD



I assume your NEQ6 mount has a RJ45 port connection ( where the hand controller plugs in ) not the latest USB2B port connection that the EQ6-R mount has
Attached are 3 options for using EQMOD and Stellarium to control your mount depending on what type of mount connection you have.



1/ Telescope Control via EQMOD and Stellarium ( using the old Stellarium Scope driver and EQ Direct cable )


2/ Telescope Control via EQMOD and Stellarium ( using Ascom and EQ Direct cable )


3/ Telescope Control via EQMOD and Stellarium ( using Ascom and the latest USB2 Direct cable )


Cheers
Martin

[Nikolas (Nik)]

Originally Posted by Startrek

Marios,
I thought you might be interested in having a look at or even using EQMOD and Stellarium to control your NEQ6 mount and navigate across the night sky


I wrote some procedures last month as I wanted to work out how to use the new Ascom supported Stellarium with EQMOD



I assume your NEQ6 mount has a RJ45 port connection ( where the hand controller plugs in ) not the latest USB2B port connection that the EQ6-R mount has
Attached are 3 options for using EQMOD and Stellarium to control your mount depending on what type of mount connection you have.



1/ Telescope Control via EQMOD and Stellarium ( using the old Stellarium Scope driver and EQ Direct cable )


2/ Telescope Control via EQMOD and Stellarium ( using Ascom and EQ Direct cable )


3/ Telescope Control via EQMOD and Stellarium ( using Ascom and the latest USB2 Direct cable )


Cheers
Martin

Hey Martin Mario's post was from 2014 it was resurrected yesterday by the poster directly above your post

[Nikolas (Nik)]

Originally Posted by TheNaudster

Hey guys,

Looking at doing the same conversion and came across this part at Jaycar which seems to be the same thing. Can anyone advise and comment if it will work or not please? Thanks all!

you are much better off purchasing the cable instead of farting around with these and soldering etc.

https://www.siderealtrading.com.au/p...ect-usb-cable/ plus the adapter

[gregmc (Greg)]

I also put together some info earlier this year during the first COVID lockdown. It's a page on
connection to SkyWatcher mounts with some pictures to help visualise the setup.

I suggest keeping the handset but just put it away for the time when you perhaps are doing outreach and just want to run the mount with a simple setup to show local school kids the moon, or if you add a solar telescope and you just want to track the sun and it's too bright and hot to have a computer outside in the sun.

If you are imaging and you use platesolving, particularly if you just image one or two objects in a night, you don't need an accurate pointing model as you can rely on platesolving to accurately point your telescope to the exact spot in the sky.

If so, you also have a few computer application options on replacing the handset - i.e. EQMOD, Green Swamp Server (GSS) & Sky-Watcher (GSS is more modern but doesn't yet have a pointing model).

See Sky-Watcher Mount connection options

I also have info on Serial interfaces as well as info on serial interfaces to the Sky-Watcher type mount.

I hope that helps
cheers
Greg.

Originally Posted by Startrek

Marios,
I thought you might be interested in having a look at or even using EQMOD and Stellarium to control your NEQ6 mount and navigate across the night sky


I wrote some procedures last month as I wanted to work out how to use the new Ascom supported Stellarium with EQMOD



I assume your NEQ6 mount has a RJ45 port connection ( where the hand controller plugs in ) not the latest USB2B port connection that the EQ6-R mount has
Attached are 3 options for using EQMOD and Stellarium to control your mount depending on what type of mount connection you have.



1/ Telescope Control via EQMOD and Stellarium ( using the old Stellarium Scope driver and EQ Direct cable )


2/ Telescope Control via EQMOD and Stellarium ( using Ascom and EQ Direct cable )


3/ Telescope Control via EQMOD and Stellarium ( using Ascom and the latest USB2 Direct cable )


Cheers
Martin

[Startrek (Martin)]

Greg,
Excellent information you have provided

I was prompted to write prescriptive procedures for EQMOD and Stellarium when I found out this time last year that Gion Kunz worked with the developers of Stellarium to make it Ascom supported ( version 0.19.3 onwards ). This was a milestone as users of Stellarium and EQMOD had to use the old 3rd party driver StellariumScope to allow functionality between the two. StellariumScope was never really a stable platform
So I decided to write a step by step procedure for using both older mounts and current mounts with an EQ Direct method of connection ( Serial to USB and USB to USB cables )
There were a few teething problems which I identified in my procedures that folk needed to know.
Thanks for your input , well received
Cheers
Martin