Driving a Vixen Skysensor 2000PC remotely

[hotspur]

HI folks

I have just purchased a Vixen Skysensor 2000 PC goto telescope computer.

I have a observatory not far from the house.I notice on anther thread a fellow that mentioned he drives his whole set up from inside his house,while he sits in front of fire.This sounds very interesting,

How do I go about setting up such a thing?I have yet to put power supply to observatory,at present its just a extension lead job,But I have spoken to electrician,we are going to dig trench from house to observatory,when thats done I can lay other cables to conect to computers.

If anyone has any experience on these connections,and how too's

could you let me know.thanks Chris

[g__day]

Chris,

That's what I do. Best way of doing this is a PC in your lab controlling the Skysensor2000-PC plus all other robotic gear. Then network this PC back to your house (wireless - or my preference Cat 6 cable inside 40mm PVC pipe).

On your lab PC run VNC Server and on your house PC's run VNC Client.

Some other hints:

1. The SS2K loves adequate power - I use a 15V 3 amp regulated power supply

2. All you gear loves reliable power. I run everything from a 1000 Volt Amp Online UPS ($540 from Jaycar). Note a Online UPS is to my mind a true UPS (it always feeds current from its batteries via a sine wave inverter) - so its rock steady, versus the entry level backup or line interactive UPS that switch to battery when mains fail.

3. My UPS and all transformers are protected from weather / accidental leak / flood in a $20 Woolies lidded plastic 24 litre container - just in case the worst somehow happens!

4. If you're going to network everything - may as well go for CAT 6 cable and gigabit switches and network cards. Speed is beautiful!

5. So long as were using UPS and electrically isolating loads (and over a night voltages may swing +/- 4 volts discounting brown outs) I hook the SS2K to the PC passing it through an earthed serial port surge protector (about $45 - they use these in Petrol stations to earth registers connected via long serial lines to the pumps). So I run a 12mm bolt though the lab and earth this using a thick copper wire to a large ground spike, the end of the bolt insde the lab goes to the serial ports surge protector's earth wire.

6. Don't try to run long USB2 extended cable to you lab to do away with the need for a lab based PC. I tried all the combinations (USB over ethernet, powered hubs, multiple serial cables etc) - in the end you really do need a powerful enough PC in the lab (a simple Conroe2 dual or quad core CPU with 2-4 GB RAM should be plentiful. Again give it a decent Power supply and even $140 video card will run multiple monitors as fast as you want).

7. Lighting the lab - I use two strings of christmas lights insulateed weather proof cable - red on the ground and brighter white on the roof; both on seperate switches. All up cost $60.

8. Think of how you want to run cables from your PC to your rig. I have many cables:

i. a customer cat 6 cable I've re-wired to be a longer Serial port 8 pin to SS2K control cable (only 3-4 wires are used) but cat 6 cable is really tough and well protected. So a crimping tool and multimeter is all you need.

ii. Power cable to your mount.

iii. Power cable to motor focuser

iv. Control cable to motor focuser (via JMI motor focuser / USB converter box)

v. Power cable to main camera

vi. Control cable to main camera (via ShoeString USB -> 3 pin bulb cable converter)

vii. Control and power cable to auto guider

viii. Auto guider cable (from parallel port ShoeString connector) via 6 pic cable to break out box (to translate it from ST4 to SS2K control protcol) into SS2K-PC.

And of course more cables as you add dew heaters or focusers and camera for other scopes.

Work out how all these cables will run from your PC - across the floor, up your pier - to your gear, well ahead of time! (I simply run mine along the floor, under PVC PC / chair mats - cost $200).

9. Plan a PC with alot of ports. I have 2 network (1 Motherboard + 1 PCI card - in case something goes wrong - redundancy is nice) I also have two cat 6 cables going to the lab (insurance only). The PC has a single serial port so I used a Sunix add-on PCI card with two extra serial ports. I also added PCI 4 extra USB2 ports- you'll either use them - or cable a powered hub into your pier somewhere, run one USB2 cable + power to this hub and power and control all your USB2 perihipals with shorter cable back to your hub.

10. Get a really comfortable chair that goes smoothly up and down.

11. Ensure you have plenty of space between your control PC and your mount / OTA.

12. Master running everything from your lab first before you try remote controlling everything. I leave everything but the SS2K on - so my start up is open the lab point the dome where you want it, power on the SS2K, presse ESC to restore alignment, check focus (Bhatinov masks are great). Calibrate your auto-guider near your first target, then slew to target, frame and start your imaging run and go inside to monitor things as you need via VNC.

Hope all that helps,

Matthew

PS

I upgraded the SS2K from v2.06 to 2.10 EPROMS from someone in the USA I found on the Yahoo SS2K user group for around $50. He still has a few of these chips. The versions 2.10 are meant to be alot more reliable connecting your PC via serial cable too. Versions below 2.06 I heard were hit and miss some nights!

PPS

If you're interested I'll post a few piccys here on the week end. It's a very modest astro lab. It cost around $600 to make, including the dome roof - my first try. The pier was made by me cost around $300. PC I custom built - mostly from stuff I had lying around plus add on cards. Basically everything is sourced to be very reliable and very economical - but its not as flash looking as I'd like - not by a long shot!

[hotspur]

Thank you Mathew for your very helpful reply,I will be intouch via PM.

yes,I had have talked via email to the chap in U.S about chip upgrade to ver 2.10,might be same chap.The chap I spoke with was in Hawai- Chris Eklson,I think.

cheers Chris:thumbsup:

[g__day]

That's the guy - price check - mine cost $85 US + postage and handling - all up at that rate about $135 AUD.

Chris is a great guy!