SkyFi wireless scope control and Voyager software

[adman (Adam)]

Has anyone had much experience / luck with the SkyFi wireless scope controller coupled with the Voyager planetarium software?

There have been a few previous posts on the forums but not much hard info.

It looks like it might be a good thing, and was wondering what others experiences have been like.

http://www.carinasoft.com/products/skyfi/index.html

Adam

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Adam - yes, there are two current threads running already on the SkyFi... You won't get much info from anyone else as they've only just been released, with the first batch pre-sold long ago. Only a small handful of Aussies received one. The next batches are due to be shipped in May some time according to Tim at CarinaSoft.

1) http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=54583

2) http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=54927

Doesn't matter if you have Voyager running on your iPhone or laptop - they both communicate with SkyFi on a dedicated 802.11 wireless network and utilise the SkyFi on the same way. It's a ripper device - very easy to use and a LOT better than previous BluTooth attempts in terms of range and reliability.

[kustard (Simon)]

Just got my SkyFi today. Hooked it up to the scope, connected to it via my iPhone wifi and *drooooooool*...

Works great, had it on the balcony for a quick test just then and it's nice and fast and performs well when used with SkyVoyager.

[White Rabbit]

do you guys know if the skifi will work with star map pro. I have skyvoyeger but dont like it much.

Thanks

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by White Rabbit

do you guys know if the skifi will work with star map pro. I have skyvoyeger but dont like it much.

Thanks

No, it won't. StarMap isn't capable of talking to WiFi devices, wheras Voyager certainly is - and easily.

I far prefer the latest version of Voyager to SkyMap. SMP is way too clunky and complicated I think. Horses for courses I guess.

PS - if anyone is after a SkyFi device and cables, I have a spare - it was sent to me by mistake from the USA, and they'll let me sell it locally if the buyer pays them directly.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Carinasoft have updated their website with the following that may allow other desktop programs to use SkyFi - but not SMP on iPhone:

Using SkyFi with Other Software

SkyFi lets you communicate with your telescope over a wireless TCP/IP connection. Both our Voyager desktop software and our SkyVoyager iPhone app are designed to do just that.

However, other astronomy programs like The Sky and Starry Night expect to communicate with a telescope directly over a serial port. To make SkyFi work with those programs, you'll need a virtual serial port driver - a piece of software that presents SkyFi's wireless TCP port to other programs as if it were a real serial port.

A number of third-party virtual serial port drivers are available, and many of them are free. Here are a few that we've successfully tested with SkyFi; all of these run on Windows:

HW VSP3 - our favorite! Works on Windows XP, Vista, and 7. Reasonably straightforward to install and configure.

com0com - an open-source virtual serial port driver for Windows. Also free, but not nearly as easy to set up as HW VSP3. You need to install and configure both the com0com and com2tcp pieces.

COM2TCP - $39 with a 45-day free trial, by AstroGeeks. Has the simplest user interface of any virtual serial port solution we've tried, but did not install correctly on WIndows 7 the first time. After some support from the developer, we were able to use it successfully.

Carina Software is developing its own virtual serial port drivers for Mac and Windows. In the meantime, you are free to use any of the solutions listed above. Please note that Carina Software does not provide support for third-party software such as The Sky, Starry Night, or the other programs listed above.

[kustard (Simon)]

Originally Posted by Omaroo

PS - if anyone is after a SkyFi device and cables, I have a spare - it was sent to me by mistake from the USA, and they'll let me sell it locally if the buyer pays them directly.

Same here Chris, though Tim asked me to send it back and he'd pay for the postage costs. In return he said he'll drop the shipping charges for the dvd version of Voyager 4.5 I was looking at getting.

[IanL]

Guys quick question about skyfi. When you order it does everything come with it that you need, cables, adapters, I am going to order one up but hate to think after it arrives I need to order cables etc to get it going on the sky watch mount.

Ian

[issdaol (Phil)]

Hi,

Latest version of StarmapPro supports both the Carina SkyFi hardware and also the traditional Equinox Interface.

StarmapPro protocols for the SkyFi are limited to mainstream mounts (ie NexStar/LX200/Synscan/Gemini etc). There is more protocol support to come.

Originally Posted by White Rabbit

do you guys know if the skifi will work with star map pro. I have skyvoyeger but dont like it much.

Thanks

When ordering the SkyFi you can specify the cabling bundle that you want it shipped with at the checkout. They say they do not ship the Tak cable but I found that the standard cable that came with it worked fine and plugged into the cable supplied by Tak.

Just use this link http://www.southernstars.com/order/store.html

Everything ships very quickly and they are very responsive to any support calls/emails.

Originally Posted by IanL

Guys quick question about skyfi. When you order it does everything come with it that you need, cables, adapters, I am going to order one up but hate to think after it arrives I need to order cables etc to get it going on the sky watch mount.

Ian

In general both Apps are good Apps but I find that Tim from Carina is very helpfull and responsive to support and enhancement suggestions.

There is some good updates comming for both soon so I wouldnt rule either out at this stage.


Cheers