Raspberry Pi as a VNC connected mount-controller

[RickS (Rick)]

Originally Posted by Tandum

I think you'll find they run a MIPS chipset like a modem etc and have Remote Desktop Protocol client software embedded into them.

G'day Robin. I must have been halfway through my response when you sent yours I haven't seen many small SOCs based on the MIPS architecture lately. There are probably still some around at the higher end but even guys like Cavium who have been MIPS forever appear to be switching to ARM.

Of course, what's inside is becoming increasingly irrelevant...

Cheers,
Rick.

[Pi_in_the_Sky (Steven)]

Hi all,
Just found this interesting thread while trying to sort out some of my issues and I hope you don't mind me joining in. But I thought someone might be able to benefit from my experiences.
For a start don't be too hard on the little Pi!
With a lot of work I have got my Raspberry pi to remotely control my SynScan mount.
I modified the Pi to incorporate a serial port, and this connects directly to the control pad. One of the USB ports connects to my SLR camera and the other has the wireless dongle.
The Pi might not have much processing power, but with the use of USB to IP my PC handles and controls the SLR camera with the proper PC software, and Stellarium directs the mount through an IP connection.
So I have all the benefits of staying in the warm, the PC does all the processing, the pi sits on top of the mount and runs wirelessly, with no cables to get caught up and I have modified it to run from the mounts battery!
All in all, it is a very cheap way to remotely control a telescope.

[wasyoungonce (Brendan)]

Hi Steven

Would be interested to know what Distro used and how you got it to talk and run windows apps thru it.

Any more info

Brendan

[Garbz (Chris)]

Reading this thread with interest as my RPi is sitting next to me unused, but really this is an application for a faster computer. Can you find someone to gift you a ~4 year old laptop? Then simply use remote desktop to control your scope.

[acropolite (Phil)]

Just some additional info on the Intel NUC, I've been doing some hands and feet installation work with the NUC's for Internet Kiosk applications in department stores. They can have an internal wifi board or use an external USB wifi dongle, keyboard and mouse of course just run via USB, Video is via HDMI (2 ports are available for dual screens). My understanding is that the only Disk option is SSD. They are now also available in an i5 variant, but like the i3 they are sold without RAM and SSD. With a suitable illuminated keyboard and a couple of screens they would make a nice alternative to a laptop for field work. The ones I've been working with are running win 7 quite happily, although there have been some problems with the USB wireless not initialising properly on bootup ( 8 suspect this is a driver issue).
Review http://www.itpro.co.uk/mobile/20992/...w-4th-gen-2013