I want to look into the autoguiding port for my EQ6 mount and try to use the DSI as an autoguider. Came across the GPUSB unit. Does anyone have any experience in one of these? how accurate and good are they?
I too would be interested in the GPUSB, I have heard that it works great with such programs like K3CCD and Guidedog. I would be interested in how much it actually would cost to get it over here, or if there are any sellers of the system in Australia.
I bought one recently but am still in the process of choosing a guidescope to complete the setup. The shipping cost was negligible and service was very efficient. As far as I know there is no Australian supplier.
There are no Australian distributors on these little device. They are $55 US + additional $5 us for shipping & handling. Came to a total of $65 US. Doh and conversion rate have gone down .71 cent per US dollar
Thanks Tony. The way i understand is this unit emulates the EQ6 into thinking it is a LX200 then i use the DSI envisage program to track a bright star so i can guide and image at the sametime?
thanks for the clear explaination Tony. A very expensive hobby indeed i guess i can correct the PEC now that i wait to use it. So any small scope refractor will do? What F ratio refractor should I be going for? . seems like everyone including you uses an ED80 for guiding?
Tony is correct. SBIG dual chip ccd cameras have an imaging chip and a separate guiding chip.
Some Starlight Express ccd cameras interrupt the imaging process and then do a quick burst of auto guiding then go back to imaging and so on, with the result that an exposure takes twice as long.
The DSI, LPI, Orion Star Shooter, ToUcam, etc are single chip devices and can either image, OR guide, but NOT both.
hi, new guy here with no experience either- LOL, but i think any cheap ST 80mm would work fine as a guide scope- the webcams are fairly high power, i see you mentioned an EQ6, isnt that more an ascom platform? you may need the ascom 4.1 and ascom driver instead, the GPUSB didnt function with my CG5, but the GPINT did- i didnt have any luck guidedog- 2 other free programs look good are guidemaster (info is in french) and startrack- if i ever did this figured out ill probably go with either of the last too freebies i mentioned- john
Ezy....if you want a cheap 70mm Refractor I have one that has been used about 2 times for guiding...It only cost me $120 from Star optics a couple of months ago and can be yours for $75 plus postage if you want.
Eric, just about any small refractor will do for guiding as long as you can achieve focus with the DSI. You main issue with a guide scope will be aligning it with a guide star while keeping your imaging subject centered on your DSI II chip. That is where adjustable guidescope rings come in. There was a thread recently on making guidescope rings that could give you some ideas
i see you mentioned an EQ6, isnt that more an ascom platform? you may need the ascom 4.1 and ascom driver instead, the GPUSB didnt function with my CG5, but the GPINT did- i didnt have any luck guidedog- 2 other free programs look good are guidemaster (info is in french) and startrack- if i ever did this figured out ill probably go with either of the last too freebies i mentioned- john
Hi and welcome to IIS John cheers and thanks for your reply. Will try other software.
not sure if the EQ6 is an ascom? what happen with the GPUSB with your CG5 ? they didnt communicate?
Ezy....if you want a cheap 70mm Refractor I have one that has been used about 2 times for guiding...It only cost me $120 from Star optics a couple of months ago and can be yours for $75 plus postage if you want.
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cheers and thanks for your reply. Will try other software. 
