Is it possiblet o run a Skyatcher Dobsonian goto with laptop only?

[bluesilver]

Hi, Just working on a bit of a project.
What i am trying to do is run a Skywatcher Dobsonian that has goto via a laptop only, eliminating the hand controller.

I have this setup working great on a Skywatcher AZ-EQ6 mount, but that is a different thing all together.

So basically is it at all possible to do this?

The hand controller is the version that has the USB in the hand controller
I want to be able if possible run ASCOM, driving APT, Satllerium, PHD2

I am not sure if it is possible or not though.
So basically for now without out going into too much detail, just looking to see if it is possible or not?

Any information would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Peter.

[Startrek]

Peter,
Your dobs handcontroller operates in AZ mode only, like my 12” Goto dob
I’m sure Ascom Stellarium only was only designed to operate in equatorial mode to replace the handcontroller in EQ mounts
This is the case for EQMOD and Stellarium ( only Skywatcher EQ mounts )
I’m also sure that PHD2 is only designed for EQ mounts as well

Maybe other folk can chime in and answer your query with more detail

Also I’ve heard folk control their Az dobs with a Raspberry Pi set up

Martin

[bluesilver]

Thanks for the reply,
Yes i figured tis might be the case, was trying to see if it was possible or not.
I see there is a usb port on the hand controller that is the same as the one on the AZ-EQ6 mount, but this runs through the hand controller, so not sure if that would work.
The hand control port on the mount is a 6 pin RJ-12, where the one on the AZ-EQ6 is a 8 pin RJ-45 going by the book.

The idea was to connect straight into the 6 pin RJ-12 and to the pc.

Will keep searching for some information, but i guess the biggest thing is the way the two mounts are setup, AZ-EQ6 pointing directly at the scp, where the goto mount are setup facing south but tube sitting level.

Will be an interesting project if i can get it all to work.

[Startrek]

I definitely have seen guys on YouTube clips control their dobs from a laptop ( Rasberry Pi controller)
Yes EQ movement uses declination ( Dec) and right ascension ( Ra ) to track
Ax uses azimuthaland altitude co ordinates to track
Totally different
Also PHD2 uses Dec and Ra movement to keep the mounts axis locked onto the guide Star

[Outcast]

I used Stellarium scope add-on a few years ago to control a Meade LX90 (fork mount Alt/Az)...

Did a bit of a google & it would seem the new version of Stellarium (which doesn't require the add-on 'should' be able to control a Synscan mount in either Alt/Az or EQ mode...

Just had a quick look in Stellarium... under tools, plugins is Telescope control... under mount compatibility (I think) there was an entry for a Synscan AZ mount...

I suspect that you would select that & it 'should' then work on your Dob..

[bluesilver]

Thanks for the info, I didn't even think to look into that part of Stellarium, I have the latest version of it.
Wil take a look at that.
Appreciated.