iPhone/iPod Touch - new Voyager planetarium/scope ctrl software

[Omaroo]

I am a dedicated user of CarinaSoft's "Voyager" planetarium & scope control software. It's been around for decades for both Mac and Windows, and is my favourite system by far.

Have an iPhone or an iPod Touch? Good news:

http://www.carinasoft.com/products/skyvoyager/index.html

Should be very good judging by their usual offering...and onlu US$14.99!!! Should absolutely kill PocketSky. :thumbsup:

[Octane]

Chris,

I'm finally caving in and getting the 3GS on Friday, as Optus isn't getting the Sony-Ericsson Xperia X1 anymore. The iPhone now has copy and paste (hello, 20th Century!) and is now where Nokia's were over ten years ago. :P

So, thanks for this, I'll get it! Have you been able to control your G-11 with it?

Regards,
Humayun

[Matty P]

Seems like a neat little app for the iPhone. It might be worth the download, however I really don't know what I would use it for. Maybe if the mount had built-in wifi, but that is a different story. :doh:

I just upgraded my iPhone to version 3 software. The only major changes are the capability of MMS and cut and paste (Real cutting edge technology!). The other minor upgrades aren't really worth mentioning. Like Humayun has already said, the iPhones are where most phones were 10 years ago. Although I must admit they do make up for this in other areas. There is no doubt about that.

:thumbsup:

[Wavytone]

Mmmm... Just tried it. A good start for a version 1.0 app compared to others, but it is obviously a port of a desktop app and, as such, needs a lot more work to make it useable in the field with a scope, compared to StarMap Pro.

It seems to me the author is a bit confused as to what he's trying to deliver - a sky simulator for the classroom, an electronic skychart to use outside at night (its not a decent substitute for Sky Atlas, its far too awkward on a tiny screen) or a telescope controller. IMHO its not advisable for a single app to try to be all three in one. For a start its user interface is way too bright to use outside in the dark and lacks a nightvision mode, so kiss your nightvision goodbye.

Too many nitpicks to go into here but IMHO StarMap Pro is far better if you want something to use at a scope in the dark.

[dpastern]

And for those of us who don't own an iPod or iPhone...I dislike Apple's business practices and hardware lock in. I bought a Creative mp3 player that was (and still is) better sound quality wise than anything Apple offers. Nada for me...

Dave

[Omaroo]

You've made it clear you're not an Apple fan David. That doesn't sway me at all - and it's OK because not everyone will appreciate their philosophy. The reason Apple hardware and software worked so comparatively seamlesslessly and reliably through Systems 7,8,9 and now 10 is that the software WAS locked to the hardware. Rightfully so, Apple dictated how the architecture would be applied by software vendors and the result was proper integration. Don't even think of persuading me otherwise (LOL!) - I've been using the gear professionally since 1984 and have been heavily involved in development of real-world publishing solutions on both platforms.

[Omaroo]

Good to hear your feedback. After following the development of Voyager over the past few years, I know that Tim and the mob there react very swiftly to user input. I'm pretty confident that this app (which surprised everyone - it was never even mentioned until release) will mature over the next little while. Too bright? Tell them. They'd appreciate the info! :thumbsup:

[rat156]

I have just finished rebuilding my observatory PC after installing XP pro, finding and downloading drivers is a PITA. OTOH my MacPro had a 1TB drive die the other month, the one with the OS on it, replaced the hard drive and fired up Time machine, after a couple of hours everything was back to normal. Even got the original hard drive replaced under warranty. Go Apple!!!!

Back on topic though downloading the app now. I'll see if it's compatible with my RCX, might be nice to have at public outings.

Cheers
Stuart

[White Rabbit]

I always chime in when these topics come up. but Jadu vnc is by far the best way to control your scope from the iphon/itouch, my opinion of course. With jadu you see your pc/mac desktop on the iphone so you can see what ever app you normally use for control of the scope on the iphone. Works a treat. The only thing that dislike about jadu is that there is a tiny bit of lag when you use it in full desktop rez.

I have star walk and starmap pro on the itouch but only ever open them if I'm not connected to the pc.

[Omaroo]

Not to good when you're out in the field or at a star party though.

[White Rabbit]

You can set up a peer to peer network between the iphone and a laptop so you dont need a wireless router so it works fine in the field, as long as you have a laptop.

But yeah if you dont have a laptop handy then the other other apps are great, like I said I have two of them.

sandy

[Omaroo]

I just went out and got me an iPhone 3G S - released yesterday. GREAT unit.

I just downloaded and tried SkyVoyager and foud that it does, indeed, have dim night vision mode - in red. :shrug:

[Octane]

Chris,

I picked mine up at 7:30 AM Friday morning in Canberra. :)

It's my first Apple product since the iPod I got back in 2003. I have to say I am very, very impressed. All my contacts/notes/etc., synced seamlessly and without any effort on my part.

I will try Voyager very soon! :)

Regards,
Humayun

[Omaroo]

I must admit Humayun - that I also bought and downloaded StarMap Pro. It's a far more mature product and blows Voyager out of the water - at the moment. I think that it will improve as time goes on and hopefully sync observing shedules and ephemerides with the desktop version - which I love to death.

Try both! :thumbsup:

[AlexN]

Cant wait to give this a go! :) iphone control of my mount would be nice... if not a touch gimmicky.. :) Love to give it a fly in any case.

[mldee]

I got a 16G iphone 3G a few weeks ago and love it. Haven't worked up the courage to try and drive the EQ6 with it though, I think I'd rather drop the wireless logitech on the obs floor than the iphone!

[Omaroo]

I've just connected to 802.11 tonight with my new 3GS for the first time tonight because I hate spending cellular comms dollars.

I am TOTALLY gobsmacked by this phone. I'm not speaking emotionally here either. I'm a very seasoned IT manager who's been around computers since 1979 professionally, and I've never been so impressed with a device. The sheer user interface brilliance is something you have to really explore in order to fully appreciate. This phone leaves all the Treo's, JasJams, Blackberrys and Nokias I've ever had to absolute shame. Damn I love this phone - because it's just so much more than a phone. Others claim this too, and call theirs "smart phones". Well..... nope...sorry but they're not!

[Octane]

Chris,

Having come from the Sony-Ericsson P900, the O2 XDA Mini II, O2 XDA Atom, and not being an Apple user (in general), I concur with you -- I am also blown away by what this little beast can do. :)

Get X-Plane, for an example of its capability. phw0ar!

Regards,
Humayun

[Wavytone]

Chris/Humayun, Congrats... now you'll have to go the whole hog and buy MobileMe and a mac too, for the full user experience.

[Omaroo]

Yeah - I run lots of Macs. We're a studio! :)

Just upgrading most of them to Leopard, with a few new iMacs coming in with it on already, of course. I think I might take one home...

Tell you what though - after running Voyager and StarMapPro for a few days - I like each for different reasons. Both are keepers.... as is StarWalk.

TomTom to be released soon too..... it's announced and ready to roll apparently. Hardware too. :thumbsup:

[turbo_pascale]

Going slightly off-topic, but I just jumped on the mac bandwagon too (15" MacBook Pro), and have installed VMWare Fusion to put Vista64 in the background for work related things. Only had it a week, but enjoying it quite a lot, particularly the touchpad which is awesome and natural to use.

It's not going to replace my quad core desktop and half dozen pc's on the home network, but it's just nice to be able to turn it on, it boots very quickly, and it (so far) has been rock solid. To be honest, the vista64 install was smoother than any previous windows install I think I have ever done.

Also on Stuart's (Rat156) recommendation, I got the "1TB Time Capsule". It is a very, very clever little device. It just backs up everything wirelessly. In fact, it also replaced my existing router (which I was always having to restart for no apparent reason), and it is just working perfectly. My only complaint is that I had to install software to configure it, rather than have a web interface like every other router known to man.

I was an apple nut in the 80's (as a teen I was heavily involved in the Apple // user group scene in Melbourne, even went to several Apple run user groups events in Sydney at thier expense), but grew an un-healthy hatred for all things Apple when they pushed forward with the Macs to the detriment of the Apple // (which was funding all the development - Woz is my hero). It's taken nearly 20 years for me to start to come back around to "painless computing" (I've had to rebuild one too many windows PCs in my life, and I'm getting too old to spend 6 hours trying to work out why Vista's automatic MTU window scaling facility breaks my VPN connection when it worked fine last week).

Have been thinking about moving to iPhone 3GS too, but so far have not found it's integration with Outlook on my work PC to my liking (tested this extensively with my iPod Touch). I'll have to get around to having another play with the new OS 3.0 software and see if it's any better.

Now, if Telstra could come up with a data plan that was not so exorbitant, I might be tempted.

Turbo

[turbo_pascale]

In honour of the anniversary of the lunar landing, SkyVoyager for iPhone is FREE TODAY ONLY.

http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/20/stars-in-your-pocket-for-free/

App store link is down near the middle of this article

ps. it is nearly 40Mb, so you need to download via wi-fi or PC and sync

Turbo

[rustem]

Or you can jailbreak.......

[Omaroo]

Why on earth would anyone do this? The software's cheap - why muck around with it all - just to see if you can?

[rustem]

no mucking around, it takes the whole of 5min and pressing "enter" about 4 times, and its not about the price of apps its the apps you can get not available on itunes store. there are apps on there can improve your phone by a long shot. i guess you wont understand unless you try it, assuming you havent.

[Omaroo]

And what risks are there to your iPhone? I wouldn't imagine that it's sanctioned by Apple, so if you brick your phone what then? Is it a hack or an app that lets you load apps to your phone in some way other than via iTunes?

[rustem]

i ve had every iphone since the 2g and jailbroken 100's and not 1 brick, its simply a matter of restoreing your phone within itunes if ever anything went wrong. and although apple doesnt like it, its very legal to do so. its an app that lets you install third party apps outside of itunes store, hundreds of tweaks ringtones themes untilities and the list goes on. all are free. and that means released free not paid apps that you get for free as we all know is illegal. alswell as giving you access to the os on the phone.

[rustem]

i bought the 3gs simply for the 32g, i love my music and got a lot of it, previously with the 3g and 2g ive always had mms copy paste, video camera, voice contoler, compass, all the bits and pieces for years

[rustem]

Simply put, it's no different to buying a hp desktop with pre installed vista antivirus, and the rest of the bloat they put in there and then reformating installing Linux free antivirus downloading and installing all the free apps you love to use from the net cos your not restricted to buying/using what the say you can. I can assure you the advantages are 10/10 and disadvatages 0/10. The only thing illegal is that some people use this to patch certain files in the os that allow them to download and install paid apps from iTunes for store for free. As long as your not doing this there's nothing wrong with it.

And there's no such thing as bricking an iPhone it's used a lot but not true. It's mainly used by inexperienced people who run into trouble and don't know how to fix it.