really stupid goto question...

[ving (David)]

ok, the heq5 syntrek comes with all the goodies necasary to just whack a synscan or skyscan controller on it to make it goto right? cause all the goto is in the controller and i am asuming that the multi speed motors in the mount have encoders so the controller knows where its pointing or something yeah?
gee i dont know...

anyhow, is there any reason why a meade autostar controller wouldnt work on this mount? or doesnt the autostar controller contain the goto like the syn/skyscan one?



eh, just throwing ideas around here

[Dennis]

Hi Ving

Most hand controller/software/motor/mount configurations are set by a manufacturer to their specific mount.

Typically, there are the following interfaces that need to be managed:

• Software
• Hardware
• Electrical
• Encoder

Variables can be as follows:

• Software protocol.
• Number of teeth on worm wheel, worm gear, etc.
• Pin out connections on the connector.
• Pin out values and sign.
• Resolution of encoders that measure and report back on the shaft or gear rotation.
• Location of the encoders - are they on the DEC shaft or somewhere else in the gear train (like on the Vixen MT2 motors).

etc. etc

So, it is usually not possible to interface e.g. a Meade controller with another manufacturer's mount, as you have no way of knowing if the interfaces align. That is:

• Software to software
• Hardware to hardware
• Electronics to electronics
• Cable pin out to cable pin out.

You could damage something if the mechanical interface tries to force the mount to do something it is not capable of, or it there is an electrical incompatibility, you could blow up a device in the circuit.

I have read that some people have successfully fitted the Vixen Skysensor 2000 controller and motors to a Losmandy G11 mount, but they had to fit custom brackets for the motors and change some motor set up parameters in the Vixen Skysensor 2000 controller to tell it how many teeth the worms had on the Losmandy mount, etc.

I guess if you understand each system's interface fully, and can cater for them in the hybrid system, then it should work?

Cheers

Dennis

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by ving

anyhow, is there any reason why a meade autostar controller wouldnt work on this mount? or doesnt the autostar controller contain the goto like the syn/skyscan one?

Hi David

I suspect that the Autostar expects to see a Meade telescope at the end of the cable. You can tell the Autostar (via its setup) what model your scope is, what type of mount it's on (English Fork or German), and in that it knows what worm gear ratios it's contending with so that the encoders give sensible data back to the GOTO software. I'm not sure you can alter these gear ratio choices easily.... I mean if your setup doesn't fall in line with one of the listed ratios you can't change it to suit.

I'll probably be shot down in flames on the very next post.

[ving (David)]

you guys!

gee i feel silly now

if anyone else has any silly questions out there but they are too embarased to ask just PM me

i have seen autostar conversions for skywatcher mounts but they involve changing motors... i am not doing that

anyhow just curious

one thing that surprises me tho is that the used market is not flooded with skycan controllers since the snyscan ones have come out with the flash upgrade... or maybe although they are the same brand its a motor thing again?

[Dennis]

Hi Ving

An example of potential incompatibility is as follows:

Using the Autostar on a Meade mount, pressing the RA+ key might send a signal on say, Pin 2 of the connector with say, Pin 5 being Ground. On the Meade mount this would cause the ‘scope to move in the RA+ direction for as long as you press and hold the key. Releasing the key would cause the motor to stop slewing.

If you managed to plug the Autostar connector into the (similar) connector another manufacture’s mount, even if the connector appears to physically mate and plug in, the following could happen:

• The incorrect voltage/current is delivered to the mount’s electronics, causing expensive damage.
• Pressing the Autostar RA+ key in guide rate mode might send a signal to the other mount which gets interpreted as: “move the mount in DEC- at x1200 sidereal”.
• The slew may not stop even when you release the RA+ button so the mount will runaway and crash into the tripod or whatever.

I’ve just made up the above scenarios off the top of my head as I am not an expert in motors and motor control systems etc., but these scenarios helped me visualise the potential problems if the interfaces are not correct or compatible.

Cheers

Dennis

[ving (David)]

thanks dennis, perfectly clear now

[h0ughy (David)]

Originally Posted by ving

you guys!

gee i feel silly now

if anyone else has any silly questions out there but they are too embarased to ask just PM me

i have seen autostar conversions for skywatcher mounts but they involve changing motors... i am not doing that

anyhow just curious

one thing that surprises me tho is that the used market is not flooded with skycan controllers since the snyscan ones have come out with the flash upgrade... or maybe although they are the same brand its a motor thing again?

ving pm me with your phone number

[DaveO (David)]

Originally Posted by ving

one thing that surprises me tho is that the used market is not flooded with skycan controllers since the snyscan ones have come out with the flash upgrade... or maybe although they are the same brand its a motor thing again?

Ving

I have just upgraded from the v2.5 to the v3.0 hand controller for my scope.

However the deal with the supplier involves either buying a new one ($600+) and hoping you can sell off the old one , or "trading up" to the new one for a discounted price and handing back your v2.5 controller .

What the supplier is going to do with all those v2.5 HCs is something one can only guess at, but don't expect to see them on the 2nd hand market!

BTW, I wouldn't concern yourself over "silly questions" - you should see some of my posts!!

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Originally Posted by h0ughy

ving pm me with your phone number

Onya Houghy!

Houghy to the rescue

[h0ughy (David)]

where did you dig that up from Ken???

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Originally Posted by h0ughy

where did you dig that up from Ken???

You sent it to me in Skype about 12 months ago

[h0ughy (David)]

not doctored thats for sure, LOL

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

I just added the SuperHoughy

[ving (David)]

Originally Posted by DaveO

Ving

I have just upgraded from the v2.5 to the v3.0 hand controller for my scope.

However the deal with the supplier involves either buying a new one ($600+) and hoping you can sell off the old one , or "trading up" to the new one for a discounted price and handing back your v2.5 controller .

What the supplier is going to do with all those v2.5 HCs is something one can only guess at, but don't expect to see them on the 2nd hand market!

BTW, I wouldn't concern yourself over "silly questions" - you should see some of my posts!!

some people upgrade thier 2.5s by getting the 3.0 but hang on to thier old 2.5s.... dont they houghy?

gee, we can close this thread now if we want to, but i think it hold the answer to anyone who wants to do goto cheaply

thanks everyone