[bojan]

Thanks guys for showing interest in this :-).
I also do not think there is a real need for PC at all here.
First, as Mike said, the firmware should automatically pick the star/pattern and start guiding. Actually, one of the existing firmware application for this camera is doing something similar (it is in proto stage still because there was a problem with response time of the system: it was too slow): it provides guiding for laser-guided drill, no PC.. How can anyone expect workers somewhere deep in the hole in the ground, full of mud, to fiddle with PC along with everything else? No way....
This current firmware "recognises" the bright laser spot (it assumes it is circular, brightest at its centre), then calculates its diameter and the x-y coordinates of the spot centre, and outputs them in analogue form (via 2 PWM outputs). This is used as a guiding signal for the drill head hydraulics. I believe it should not be very hard to make it suitable for astro guiding application.
It also automatically adjusts the exposure time so only the brightest spot is taken into account.
Second, I think the need for any kind of PC in the field is a nuisance and necessary evil at the moment. Too many wires, connections, driver issues... I spend half of my available time fiddling with all this (and I am not autoguiding at all yet...)
Yes, it provides a lot of (software) flexibility etc, but is this really necessary? and there is power supply issue as well...
Anyway, we shall see..