Some time back in the eqipment section I mentioned that I had purchased a TVGuider from Martin Mylivec. Well it arrived today and tonight I checked out its functionality, but before I get to that I must say how well it was manufactured and easily manipulated in the dark. Its been well thought out in that all buttons are backlit for use in the dark. The LCD screen can be swithed off either to give a clean screen or switched off entirely to save power. Runs on 12 volt battery but on a battery that my laptop had drained and refused to start up on, this unit went away merrily guiding. Its so well thought out that it seems stupidly simple.
Plug in the camera, focus on a star, place the Xhairs on it and it starts guiding straight away. Read the manual and its very sophisticated but thats buried under the hood but still accesable.
Guided to subpixel accuracy easily for 20+ minutes.
For the price it stuffs an st4/stv into a cocked hat and there is no other stand alone autoguider out there.
I'm so pleased I managed to get my hands on this unit.
Now I can do away with my laptop in the field which if it didn't blind me, then it quickly drained my batteries.
Last edited by allan gould; 01-05-2007 at 09:48 PM.
The camera is as shown and comes with the guider complete. Its a Watec WAT-902H3 ultimate which comes with a 1 1/4 inch adapter and all cabling. The cost of my unit was $US650 complete with camera. If you have your own video camera then the unit with LCD screen as shown is $US400. I should state that the whole unit is PAL and you can plug in your own external monitor for public viewing etc. Thus a very cheap but great guiding option if you have a Gstar EX.
No its a stand alone autoguider. Just plug it into your autoguider port and it sends corrections to the mount with sub-pixel accuracy. One unique feature is that it has a port for ST4 commands and another for native LX200 style commands. Couldn't be simpler.
Last edited by allan gould; 01-05-2007 at 09:48 PM.
Wow, thats sounds great Allan. Just what Ive been looking for. Are you saying that there's no setting up scope parameters or anything? Just plug it in, centre the star in the x-hairs & off you go?
Bring it with you to Astrofest h0ughy. I want to have a play.
wont be able too. ignore my posting above to do with no email reply, I tried again and got through this morning. as Martin said in his email
"
David,
I'm reading this mail first time. May be my spam filter destroy your first message. I 've some problems with it.
All TVGuiders I have made (15 pieces) are sold now (Allan had luck - it was last piece). I'll start next serie when I have enough orders, I think at autum or winter. I'm not any manufacturer/company and I build these devices in small quantities at my free time. So be patient please."
The TVGuider is plug and play. The only thing you have to do is orient the camera L/R for RA and U/D for DEC. Martin has obviosly spent a large amount of time and programming to make this as simple as possible but there are some sophisticated algorithms behind it. The screen is very easy on the eye and the camera quite sensitive. Not sure of how low the mag goes down but quite sensitive as you can stack frames to increase sensitivity and decrease seeing effects. The manual is in another post on IIS that I contributed to if people are interested and Houghy his email is there at the end as well
Over the weekend I had a chance to use the TVGuider with my HEQ5-PRO mount to see exactly what this new guider is capable of. I let it have a go at eta carina in 8" scope with focal reducer and I was guiding with 70x500mm guidescope (Native ie NO barlow). I let it take a 5 min shot ie longer than the 4 min worm period of the mount. Photo says it all, very very smooth guider. Also guided well in other parts of the sky except I'm ashamed to say I forgot to check my focus as the night wore on and I have perfectly guided doughnuts. Homer Simpson would be delighted on several counts. If you need other info just ask
I have been in contact this morning with Martin Myslivec and he is certainly making some more TVGuiders and the idea is to contact him, probably arrange to pay a deposit and reserve one. I know of at least 4-5 units which are pre-ordered for Sept delivery to Australia. I have just purchased an XY finder from him that one of his compatriots makes. Excellent bit of machining and at about 1/2 to 1/3-1/7 cost of US manufacturer then an absolute bargain. Its amazing if you go to Martin's site and browse around what these amateurs are doing without US consumables etc. They make them or purchase European (Borg etc scopes). They really have made real strides and I know Martin has some very interesting products in his fertile brain.
Forgot to add that the camera is an unmodded 350D
Paul
Sorry the only link is in Czech
(http://foto.astronomy.cz/TVGuider.htm)
and its not translated well by any internet translation site that I can find. In another thread on this camera , someone posted a zip file with an English translation I made of the operating manual for the TVGuider. Other than that you have to bumble around. His email address is in the end of the zip file.
I have been in contact this morning with Martin Myslivec and he is certainly making some more TVGuiders and the idea is to contact him, probably arrange to pay a deposit and reserve one. I know of at least 4-5 units which are pre-ordered for Sept delivery to Australia. I have just purchased an XY finder from him that one of his compatriots makes. Excellent bit of machining and at about 1/2 to 1/3-1/7 cost of US manufacturer then an absolute bargain. Its amazing if you go to Martin's site and browse around what these amateurs are doing without US consumables etc. They make them or purchase European (Borg etc scopes). They really have made real strides and I know Martin has some very interesting products in his fertile brain.
Forgot to add that the camera is an unmodded 350D
Hello Allan, and all other.
At first I must corect you, most of my images were taken with MODIFIED 300D (oiriginal UV/IR/AA filter replaced by planparallel plate with antirefections)
TVGuiders - something good happens, so I have 12 orders now (4 for australian, rest from Czech, Austria, Denmark...), thus I can start next lot. I'll start work on 15 devices. This is maximum I can make in reasonable time up to 3 month now I think, because holidays etc...
All of interested will receive mail with instructions
Martin
Welcome to IceInSpace. Your considerable talents will be most welcome here. The camera I was refering to was my unmodded 350D that I used with your TVGuider. You could perhaps show some of your photos that you have taken with your modded 300D as well as your QHY8 (and TVGuider of course). The latter (QHY8) has been of some interest here as well.
Again, welcome and enjoy new friends Down Under.
Allan
.
![[1ponders]'s Avatar](../vbiis/customavatars/avatar45_9.gif){kind=avatar}
