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| The recent EQ6-R Pro mounts have a usb port on them. What does this do? The main question though is the usb port necessary if using a guide camera and the ST4 cable into the mount from the guide camera? The mount I am looking at buying does not have a usb port so I want to check that I can still use all the functions, ed hand controller, auto guiding from computer, etc. Also, can a computer control the mount through the camera and st4 cable? Thank you very much |
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With usb port on Skywatcher mounts (azeq5, eq6-r, eq8) you can connect the mount with a notebook and use sw such as PHD2, BYEOS, APT, SGPro, MaximDL and so on. It's a new opportunity compared to the old Skywatcher mounts that needed rs232-usb adapters. On notebook, preferably, should be installed EQMOD, and all ascom driver needed for others equipment. You can guide with guide camera connect to mount via st4 cable, but in any case you need to use PHD2 or similar sw. Your camera cannot guide your mount by st4 cable without pc and a sw with this function ! In PHD2, for example, you can choose to guide via ST4 or via direct connection, using an usb cable, from pc to guide camera. If you don't use Skywatcher mounts, you need in any case to connect mount and notebook. Eqmod will not be used but you will download mount ascom driver from manufacturer's website to connect mount with guiding sw. To connect mount with pc there are many ways and they depend on the mount's manufacturer. It's often needed to buy a special cable sell by the same mount manufacturer. Which mount you are looking for ? |
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| Thanks. I was looking at the Sky Watcher Az-EQ-6 Pro mount. It does not have a usb port. However, I will be using a guide camera (ZWO 224). Does this mean I can control the mount from a computer and what software would be needed to do this? |
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I have same mount, and recently I bought an az-eq5 because it's lighter. The az-eq6 is a great mount ! You have to connect the mount with a usb adapter. Something like this: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/lynx-astro-ftdi-eqdir-usb-adapter-for-sky-watcher-eq5-pro-heq5-syntrek-pro-az-eq5- gt-az-eq6-gt-and-EQ8-mounts.html Then you need to connect guide camera and main camera via USB. If you have a notebook with 3 USB ports, you are fine. If you have a notebook with fewer ports or you need to connect more accessories, then you need to get a USB hub. Better if powered. However, I recommend you keep the connections of the two cameras separate. Don't put them on the same hub (if you're going to get one). It can happen that the data flows from the two cameras cause saturation of USB bandwith and sw running on PC go freezed. As software I recommend: To guide, PHD2. It is free, very effective and is used by most amateurs. To get images, there are many. For a fee (increasing costs) APT Astro Photografy Tool, SGPro (Main Sequence Software), and others even more expensive. Among the free ones, N.I.N.A., which is complete as SGPro. I have visited your page and I have seen that you have made very good shots, so I think you already have sw for the alignment and stacking and for post processing. For me you are a hero ! Take 400-500 exposures for a few seconds each ! Wow ! But I understand that with an altazimuth mount (fork C8 with standard fork) you have no choice due to the field rotation. With an equatorial mount you will realize single exposures much longer ... 5 - 10 - 15 - 20 minutes, improving the signal to noise ratio. Bye and visit my page ! Ehm ... sorry for my bad english. |
