I have to tell the group that I was on the QHY site in relation to the post that I had placed about the possibility of a stand-alone autoguider. It was on that site that Martin Myslivec posted that he had made such a device with a small camera and LCD screen. http://foto.astronomy.cz/TVGuider.htm
When I went to his site I was literally blown away at the professional board and appearance of the device. I have ordered the last of his latest production run and should have it some time in April. The reason I went this route is that the product will do everyting that I want NOW and its available. Sorry to QHY.
Have a look at the site, I think the camera is NTSC but that will not affect its capabilities.
Now I'm like a kid at Xmas and can hardly wait
Prelimanary prices are estimated at around half the cost of SBIG for the same size camera (11Mpixel). Would you buy a 6.3 Mpixel or 11 Mpixel camera for a few dollars more..
Plus the added bonus of further price reductions in the cost of the sensor in future builds will also reduce cost.
It is a good looking guider Allan, but it comes at a cost, and this is where most of us go no further. QHY tries to bring most main stream Astro equipment that many pro's have into our hands without paying thru the nose for it. But just like a kid in a candy store, you couldnt help yourself. It would be good to have a review on it in the future..
I have to tell the group that I was on the QHY site in relation to the post that I had placed about the possibility of a stand-alone autoguider. It was on that site that Martin Myslivec posted that he had made such a device with a small camera and LCD screen. http://foto.astronomy.cz/TVGuider.htm
When I went to his site I was literally blown away at the professional board and appearance of the device. I have ordered the last of his latest production run and should have it some time in April. The reason I went this route is that the product will do everyting that I want NOW and its available. Sorry to QHY.
Have a look at the site, I think the camera is NTSC but that will not affect its capabilities.
Now I'm like a kid at Xmas and can hardly wait
looks fantastic, how much was it, and how can you read it?
Houghy
Have a work mate who is native born czech and I have also been in contact with the manufacturer. We are sorting a few things out and I should be able to answer you questions in a better fashion tomorrow when he replies to a few queries and we sort out shipping and final cost. I expect that the unit will come in at about $650US for the camera, cables and TVGuider unit with built in LCD screen. This unit was exactly what I was looking for. Run off 12 volt battery, with LCD screen for ensuring a good guide star and for focussing. Lux capability of the camera goes down to about 0.0003 lux so should be quite sensitive. Also it appears to work well with EQ6 skyscan, HEQ5 Pro Synscan, LX200, Losmandy G11 and finally CG5 GT. Has a com port so that the software can be upgraded over the internet. Also has a video out port so can be connected to an external monitor. Here I assume the camera is NTSC and NOT PAL. This is one question I have asked ie what is the video out. Am I correct in thinking that some small TVs / monitors can switch between the two? Also the little LCD screen can be switched off to conserve power once the unit is actively guiding.
Seems like the equivalent of STV without the image capture, but since I wanted it as a stand alone autoguider, its perfect and at $US650 a bargain. As I said should have it April and will write it up once I have put it through its paces.
Houghy
Have a work mate who is native born czech and I have also been in contact with the manufacturer. We are sorting a few things out and I should be able to answer you questions in a better fashion tomorrow when he replies to a few queries and we sort out shipping and final cost. I expect that the unit will come in at about $650US for the camera, cables and TVGuider unit with built in LCD screen. This unit was exactly what I was looking for. Run off 12 volt battery, with LCD screen for ensuring a good guide star and for focussing. Lux capability of the camera goes down to about 0.0003 lux so should be quite sensitive. Also it appears to work well with EQ6 skyscan, HEQ5 Pro Synscan, LX200, Losmandy G11 and finally CG5 GT. Has a com port so that the software can be upgraded over the internet. Also has a video out port so can be connected to an external monitor. Here I assume the camera is NTSC and NOT PAL. This is one question I have asked ie what is the video out. Am I correct in thinking that some small TVs / monitors can switch between the two? Also the little LCD screen can be switched off to conserve power once the unit is actively guiding.
Seems like the equivalent of STV without the image capture, but since I wanted it as a stand alone autoguider, its perfect and at $US650 a bargain. As I said should have it April and will write it up once I have put it through its paces.
I have a st4 but that looks like it would be heaps easier to use
I guess that will all depend upon the software. Whats for certain the camera is smaller and probably more sensistive. And whats the cost of a 2nd hand ST4?
I guess that will all depend upon the software. Whats for certain the camera is smaller and probably more sensistive. And whats the cost of a 2nd hand ST4?
I have to make a correction to my last post. I assumed that the camera and video output would be NTSC however I was wrong. The camera and whole system is PAL and thus output can be to any monitor you like. Makes the system more compatable with Australia and if you already have a PAL video camera ie GSTAR then you can save some money by just getting the VGuider with out the camera. Cost ~$US400.
Anyway thats all the information i have until I test out the unit.
You can guide down to mag 8 or 8.5 stars with the video integration apparently of about 0.5 sec. This is far below what a webcam can go down to without modification. For a modded webcam you are up for ~$AU500 if you can get one. For $US650 I know how I would want to spend my money. Also apparently guides to 0.3 of a pixel (with 70x500mm guidescope) with a main scope working at about 1500mm (if I remeber correctly). I hope that QHY eventually manages to come up with something similar to what Martin Myslivec has conjoured up. Maybe you should ask him (QHY) if he would consider USB in his camera as he does respond to the messages on his discussion forum. Would be good to see a choice in this area.
Just as an update: I and some friends are going to translate the User's Guide for Martin Myslivec's camera and autoguider. Hopefully we should have it done within a reasonable amount of time.
Just as an update: I and some friends are going to translate the User's Guide for Martin Myslivec's camera and autoguider. Hopefully we should have it done within a reasonable amount of time.
Allan,
how is the translation process going?
Has the setup arrived in australia yet? Any other information to tell?
Unfortunately, translation very slow. When you are dependant upon the graces of others you are reluctant to push too hard. The setup is supposed to arrive some time sometime in April and I will test it ASAP and let you know. I'm trying to get right away from taking a computer into the field and when I saw your cooled DSLR fom central ds it looks as if I will be saving my pennies for a cooled 400D.
Have almost finished the translation, but the friend doing it got stuck on the tips section as it was too technical for him. But at least have a good idea of how it works. Also was contacted by Martin Mylivec re my autoguider and he said it would be sent off mid-April. Its one of these in picture as he is waiting for the silk screening on the CNC case to be finished (Damn, just cant wait). He also mentioned that in the latest version of his TVGuider he has no calibration routine but has written a high precision guiding routine so that sub-pixel guiding with a small guidescope (see quote below).
In last version of firmware, I added long avaraging (up to 50frames -
2sec) for ultra-high precision. Here you can apply Ratio (RAT) parameter. This sets length of correction pulse (because at for example
0,5 or 1 sec. correction period there is not possible to work like realtime positional feedback). This is similar to calibration, but you must find correct pulse length manually. There are 10 predefined values of RAT parameter. This function is new in this serie of TVGuiders, and you can disable it. I'm testing it too in my piece and it looks so it works well with very short guidescopes. (I tried guide this way 1m Newtonian by 250mm finder) There is possible, so legal calibration will be in one of latest firmware upgrade. But TVGuider can work without it, like it works for people who have one of two previous lots. Simply in positional feedback mode.
Easy to set-up, easy to use.
Hello all,
New to this forum.
I'm looking for an autoguider camera probably from the QHY fellow.
Is there an Australian agent?
Any-one know the prices?
I've been to the QHY website and cannot get any information. There isn't even an email address for questions.
Any info will help.
Regards
Vince G
Try the Yahoo forum for info. Be aware the company is China based and small so there are reports of shippping delays and difficulty in communication BUT the hardware seems to be getting good reviews:
