Quote:
Originally Posted by kinetic
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My thanks to both Steve and Brett for the helpful inputs
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Yes, these are the types of "off the shelf USB controller kits" that I was referring to as being the heart of the 'box'. Customising their functions and developing an obs-related PC user interface, plus the hardware trivia such as boxes and brackets needed to make them useful as an observatory-specific product, is the objective. Tandum's and other's posts on the Dew heater project were also indicative of the interests others have in this direction
.
What my post was more trying to do was to see if there were enough members interested in cooperating in doing this basic groundwork to make these units into a simple but useful astronomy resource that other members could read about and purchase via the project, without having to endure all the effort and frustration involved in development of the observatory-specific functions.
In other words, the writing and testing of those little bits of software, designing and making those little scope attachment brackets, locating suitable low power 12V motors, etc, would all be done by the group one time, instead of the haphazard 'wheel re-invention" that is the present status quo in our pastime.
Something that any IIS member could purchase through the group with the knowledge of what useful functions it did, and that with on-line IIS member assistance, he or she didn't need to be a rocket scientist to put it together and use
. There have been similar helpful simple one-man projects done here before, such as the EQ extender bar, which stimulated my interest. Steve Mogg's website is another for-profit example of specialised items. Good on him for having the machining skills to do it.
Obviously the 'box' I am talking about is a little more than one man would be expected to develop, especially on a non-profit basis,
hence the idea of a joint "open-source" project.
With volunteer skills jointly doing the various development tasks, the simple locally-available hardware components become the major cost item, and one would expect a simple multi-purpose 'remote observatory control box' could be available to IIS members for a few hundreds of dollars, not thousands
, with the objective of leaving the user with more time to better enjoy and develop their astronomy skills. If you notice I keep using the word 'simple' that's because this project really is, if a few people with the right skills cooperated in developing it.!
I should make it clear, though, that "remote" means in your back yard, not 1500Km away
! At least in the basic system as envisaged
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Anyway, I won't ramble on further if there is insufficient interest, just thought I'd plant the seed of of an idea for something simple that is presently totally unavailable to most members, me included.