You know, lots of good valid points. Something I have taken on board.
And gladly accept your views.
Rich, thanks for the offer, but I think I've committed myself now.
Bojan, the concept is to be diversified. Meaning, not only track stars, but also Satellites, Space Shuttles, ISS and a challenge to possibly track other airborne stuff (i.e For a bit of fun, Jet Planes).
It wasn't designed to track so fast that it's like a radar dish whizzing by. It's the variance of speeds with steady motion.
Now I looked at all possibilities, but the cost factor put me off (Netwolf, I did consider Sidereal a while ago). Not only that, the function (IMHO) of speed varience was limited (locked). Shoot me down, if I'm wrong??
It was designed to track stars, with a very low error rate.
With Argo and (we'll say) a Servocat or to the likes of a high end GOTO, the $$$$ vs Functionality just didn't gel with what I envisaged/dreamed of.
I wanted to push the envelope, than just tracking stars. Blame NASA, hehe. I have just got the want to track the ISS and the Shuttle.
What your views are on stepper systems Bojan and the issue about steppers at low speed are an issue which I took great recommendation to (your views). That was one of my concerns and I teetered to a Servo System.
I have read entireless threads on Mel's system and agree wholeheartedly on what you guys think of "If it works, leave it alone" or "stick to what's best".
I grew up with DOS, win 3.1, win95, win98, win2000, win xp and now vista. I am accustomed to changes with the software (and the sometimes lack of tech support/redundancy when all else fails), but IMHO, it's time to get a project in today's world.
I had made myself sucumb to making a system from scratch, you know, on the cheap (what some of your views are), keep it basic and all, but the effort that I have already put in wasn't giving me results on how I wanted it to be.
I just got tired of trying to find something that was "proven" but wanted a view on todays world that used today's technology, like using a USB port, not parallel or serial (etc)
Yes, as you guys have voiced good opinions about what is best, I haven't forgot that.
Now what I bought, cost $600. Gave me a power supply, parallel board, 2 drivers and 2 motors.
I have had a play around with it the last few days. Have an issue with the PC talking through to the Parallel board and making that tell the drivers what to do.
I can connect to the driver itself through the serial port/cable and program and test off that. That works fine.
Though, I've got a case of "IKEA" at the moment. Got it all together, but the instructions say confusing stuff.
The Software for all the talking is working, but not correctly. The board instructions are very very basic, I know I got the board on and functioning, but the software to drive the board isn't moving the drivers.
I've done as the instructions say, but nothing moves. It's a trial and error. I've been told to have a crack at VisBasic, if all else fails.
It's just that I don't know (I can't see it - the signals), that where the communication is failing (i.e signals at the board but no further, the board is faulty, the software is setup wrong, cable wired incorrectly etc etc.).
It will be something stupid
I haven't setup yet. Plenty of settings to get through.
But it does work and to show, I have got the speed down again, to a point where it still makes no noise or vibration.
I must make a point, that "all" stepper systems I have seen thus far, whether on youtube or what some of the IIS users have got or experienced, do make noises, vibrates and jitters quite a lot at this level of speed. And IMHO, they use older technology.
But what I have achieved (to show myself), that at slow speeds that it shows no signs of vibration (resonance) and noise. Even no jitter.
And heaps of torque.
I've had this system a lot slower than the link/vid below with outstanding results, but forgot to take a vid of it. I had it turning about 1 rev a minute, with no vibration / noise / jitter.
It has settings in the software for the driver, to adjust for that. (phasing etc etc)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYTS4-YgaXw
It's one of the reasons why I bought it. As the non digital driver models could not perform at this level. I was shown with the same model motor on both devices and the digital one blew the other one away.
Now, I'm only assuming (voice your opinions if you want), that most models of what Mel's system or most other people use on a stepper control systems, use the non digital driver one with older tech.
The problem is, there is hardly anyone here or around the world, that have tried to use the Digital driver for a Stepper system for a Telsecope.
Someone (1 person in the states) has tried it and also gave absolute rave reviews on how it's handles the steppers.
Me think's, I'm a guinea pig
