[glend (Glen)]

I received my new shiny NEQ6Pro mount this week and set it up last night for the first time. I am very happy with the ability of the machinery, fabrication, and quality of the mount - but that Synscan hand controller is diabolical! In the age of Graphic User Interfaces why are we still handed two line LED displays that are little more than complicated low level interfaces. I started my career as an Assembler programmer, using punch card decks to load programs into IBM mainframes, so I considered myself fairly tolerant of low level control systems, but even I am amazed at Skywatcher continuing to provide this sort of control function to a GOTO mount (and without GPS as well). I have to assume that Skywatcher takes that view that they have to provide a basic level of control and for that purpose the Synscan suffices - if your patient and work through the limitiations. Serious users will be using other control systems anyway, and Skywatcher can't cater for all needs in that department. The state of the art (at least in terms of visual use control) has to be Sky Safari Pro (or other apps) connected via wifi for scope control (which I use on my big dob).

So I am not going to bother with wasting anymore of my time with Synscan, and ordered the Astro Devices Nexus-S, which plugs right into the bottom of the Synscan controller and provides the wifi to RS232 connection for Sky Safari Pro to control the NEQ6.

I will need to review this when it come time to setup imaging control, and welcome any suggestions from those that have been there and done that. Is it EQMOD?