This is to provide additional information in regards to the WiFi connection and remote control to Meade LX scope.
I have used
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/251550876...84.m1439.l2649 from Ebay, currently retailing at AU$32.38 with a free delivery
I have contacted the seller for additional info and got very little back but enough to find out who actually makes the product, its Hi-Link HLK-RM04.
They can be contacted on
info@hlktech.com. The information provided by them was comprehensive and in English. Links to both manuals and control software were provided.
The HLK-RM04 is a about 40x90x15mm unit and has two Ethernet ports, serial port and WiFi port that extends to external antenna.
I have received it in about 3 weeks supplied with 5v DC power pack (US plug), no manuals were supplied.
Thankfully the whole thing worked straight out of the box, I did not use supplied software to configure except the "Unit finder" program that simply finds the unit and let you connect to it with a Web browser, all configuration is done through that..., I have set the WiFi to AP mode, chosen the WPA2 security key, set the serial port to 9600 baud, no parity, one stop bit. I have also set the unit to server mode to listen on port 8000 TCP.
Next it was the scope, the AUX port on the scope is a 6 pin RJ12, bought 3m RJ12 to RJ12 cable at Jaycar and cut one end to about 1.2m, used pins for RX, TX, GND and +12V DC (yes, 12V can be drawn from that cable if you use RJ12 Connector with all 6 pins cabled). The power consumption is about 150mA, I have used 7805 regulator to get my 5V required by the WiFi, the power dissipation is about 1.2W on the regulator and it requires a small heatsink. If power loss is of concern one can use a small Buck DC-DC converter at a cost of about $2.50 from..., you guessed it - China.
I will not go into cabling and pinouts here but will reply to PM's in regards to that. The whole thing easily fits into the LHS battery compartment in the scope with the cable neatly wedged under the original battery cover. I did not use the supplied high gain antenna and used lower gain unit from an old router that is shorter and smaller than the supplied one, it fits inside the compartment facing down inside a opening at the bottom.
My scope has GPS and wireless hand controller (Meade branded) and I see no interference from the WiFi unit.
Basically the initial testing was done indoors, after scope initial alignment it was commanded to seek to an object from the hand controller after that I have used the Sky Safari 4+ (you have to get the Plus version or better), set it up on your Iphone, Ipad or Android device connect to the AP IP address and port 8000 (after joining the WiFi network provided by the Hi-Link device, it also provides you with an IP through its own DHCP server). The unit did not miss a bit during workshop testing and now after a night at the stars.
I would say it totally transforms the whole Meade experience which is limited in regards to the very basic "Tonight's Best".., now my Tonight's Best consists of all items of interested catalogued, sorted and presented in whichever way I want to see it...., brilliant.
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