Brady Posted December 29, 2015 Author Share Posted December 29, 2015 With your diagram Graham lets not forget....which i cant thank you enough for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brady Posted December 29, 2015 Author Share Posted December 29, 2015 To centre a star in the eyepiece i obviously use the handset to do this and once complete i plug the handset into the PC to give Stellarium control of the mount, how do you cente a star if you're running straight to a PC? im assuming the PC is close by to flick between the eyepiece and the PC? or are there methods that i need to now learn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 This is a right can of worms So if you think of stellarium as your handsets database of celestial objects you need to think of eqmod as your handsets inner workings, the PCB if you will. So the way you centre a star is using eqmods directional buttons on screen with your mouse. This I very quickly got frustrated with as you cannot look at the screen and in the EP at the same time! So then you will find that you will be looking up Chris shiltos how to use a wireless gamepad controller with eqmod video on YouTube the great thing about using a gamepad is that you can look in the eyepiece and just use the direction buttons/joystick to move the mount about until the star is perfectly centred then go o the laptop and click "sync" and that is the equivalent of the centring process via the handset. It's a bit of a learning curve but if you take the time to go through all of Chris's videos you won't go far wrong. Eqmod seems so alien at first but it's second nature to me now. I removed many a frustrated "wasted" clear nights with me waning to throw my laptop over the garden fence when I couldn't get eqmod to work properly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stash Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 (edited) 23 hours ago, Brady said: To centre a star in the eyepiece i obviously use the handset to do this and once complete i plug the handset into the PC to give Stellarium control of the mount, how do you cente a star if you're running straight to a PC? im assuming the PC is close by to flick between the eyepiece and the PC? or are there methods that i need to now learn Except you could just use a simple usb web camera in a focal mode (against the eye piece) or a modified web cam(lens removed google it) with a web cam adapter put into your eye piece socket - then you can see both the sky and the directional arrows of EQMOD. Wayne to be honest i went thru the same learning curve(LOL still am) but ,as Felix says, I would jump straight to ASCOM/EQMOD it gives you a wider scope(not tele) for the future. Dont use a game pad myself but i do use sharpcap/BYE which now have telescope control via Eqmod so you can move the scope and watch the star move. My biggest problem sometimes is making sure that I am pointing at the correct star so I use the Navigation plugin for Stellarium and choose one of them to do a "sync" via Stellarium when the star is in my crosshairs on the screen. The only bug bear using stellarium is having to remember to load stellarium scope before stellarium but you can start stellarium from stellarium scope. I have used(still do) CDC but the screen movement drives me mad but it does have a one stop connection to Eqmod. Also you may find Alignmaster software helpful (£14) http://www.alignmaster.de/index.aspx plus how to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNRFm3LtCrE Edited December 30, 2015 by stash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brady Posted December 31, 2015 Author Share Posted December 31, 2015 Thanks Felix/Clive, just didnt see the point in running back and forth between monitor and eyepiece with a perfectly good handset sitting on a shelf, i do like the gamepad idea as it's similar in usage to the handset which might ease the learning curve , i think i will be sat in the conservatory setting all this out for the next few weeks to get my head around it all...but i am looking forward to it, especially the alignment part Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 No probs the great thing about eqmod is the polar alignment tool. The click of a button on screen in the eqmod user interface and the mount moves to the exact correct position for you to then put Polaris in the reticule. No "guesstimating" the rough position to turn the mount to for aligning. Eqmod is fantastic once you get your head around it [emoji106]? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brady Posted December 31, 2015 Author Share Posted December 31, 2015 Felix are you using the official xbox receiver for the gamepad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 Wayne I use this wireless game pad from Argos ( other stores are available ) It lights up red so easy to see at night. Only advice I will give when setting up a game pad in EQMOD is you disable the emergency stop button. There is nothing more frustrating than pressing this in the dark as it shuts down EQMOD and you then have to reboot the computer to get it going again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 Felix are you using the official xbox receiver for the gamepad? Ahh yes about that. I used one from eBay that was recommended by rob (Red Dwalf) however I had to change the programming language a little to get it to work with my Xbox 360 wireless controller. I will have a search on my laptop for that thread that rob put up that has the details and I'll post the link here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 Hi Wayne, here is the thread that I was referring to https://www.eastmidlandsstargazers.org.uk/topic/7758-trouble-installing-wireless-xbox-360-receiver-not-any-more-simple-fix/ The one I got was from eBay like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Windows-PC-Wireless-USB-Receiver-Gaming-Adapter-For-Xbox-360-Games-Controller-UK-/161924343999?hash=item25b37168bf:g:-tIAAOSw3KFWd89b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brady Posted December 31, 2015 Author Share Posted December 31, 2015 It would seem the main problem was only with XP then, seems an easy fix compared to the amount an official one costs, my gal has a wireless xbox 360 controller going spare...or at least i can borrow it for 1 or 2 nights a year , im going ahead with your ebay post i think, can't go wrong for a few quid...cheers Felix...and graham for that emergency stop advice..i can imagine me skimming the controller over the hedge if that happened in the middle of the night ...jokes aside would it not be easier having a wired controller if the distance is acceptable? ive seen them with around 10ft of cable.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 Yep way easier to have a wired one I just had a wireless one already so took a punt at the cheap Bluetooth receiver. If I had a wired one I would have used it stash 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 (edited) wired ones are ok but it is another wire to trip over in the dark. I forgot to mention that controller I use is rechargeable and it comes with its own receiver so it is plug and play. The back light can be turned on and off. Edited December 31, 2015 by Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brady Posted December 31, 2015 Author Share Posted December 31, 2015 Ive ordered a receiver to try for the same reason as you Felix, i already have a controller i can use so if i can't get on with it she can at least have it back and its only cost me a fiver or so, if for whatever reason i lose access to the controller i still have my eye on that one of yours Graham, Thanks again for the advice guys... catman161 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brady Posted January 10, 2016 Author Share Posted January 10, 2016 (edited) Thats better....first 10 minute sub ever came off it friday night, should of tried for longer but only 2 hours of clear after work and i had other things to do...running without the handset through EQmod+StellariumScope and wireless xbox controller, guiding was A1...its as quiet as a mouse, it's sure given me a new take on things...i honestly dont know what ive been messing around at... Edited January 10, 2016 by Brady catman161 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 That's awesome ! Nice one Beautiful new shiny mount too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brady Posted January 10, 2016 Author Share Posted January 10, 2016 Yeah i was trying out too many things in too little time, modded camera, Astronomik cls filter and the mount all in a hour or so...along with a eqmod newbie and an xbox controller that i didnt know if it was going to slew the mount or the mount perform a roundhouse on me... anyway a 30 second unprocessed image of Orion, i know it's been hammered but it's not the image that appeals to me at the moment...it's the lack of orange glow that i am not going to miss...and this was literally 10ft above the streetlight...goodbye street light catman161 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 Nice one Glad to see you are up and running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeadeUser Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 On 22/12/2015 at 18:46, Brady said: Main job done, fettle up and see what Santa brings....Stainless fixture and fittings with an Aluminium adapter....Thanks again for the info Graham Hi, this looks superb, any idea where I can get the parts, as it would be perfect for me to add some height to my pier...I can source the Ali plate, but not those spacer bars....did you buy or make those, if so may I ask how....metalwork is not my thing I’m afraid.... ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brady Posted March 24, 2019 Author Share Posted March 24, 2019 All parts except for the aluminium puck were machined out of a block of stainless steel William, the spacers were off a job at work that was surplus although i dont see any reason why any stainless pipework wouldn't work. i will have a snoop tomorrow and see if any are still "surplus" although its been a while. MeadeUser 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeadeUser Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 13 hours ago, Brady said: All parts except for the aluminium puck were machined out of a block of stainless steel William, the spacers were off a job at work that was surplus although i dont see any reason why any stainless pipework wouldn't work. i will have a snoop tomorrow and see if any are still "surplus" although its been a while. Thankyou so are the spacers hollow with a threaded bar all through the middle, and then nuts on both ends...? sorry for all the questions... ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brady Posted March 25, 2019 Author Share Posted March 25, 2019 Yes to the spacers, just pipework really and no to the nuts on both ends, they are 170mm stainless bolts with one nut on the end...as for the questions William....keep em coming ? MeadeUser 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brady Posted March 26, 2019 Author Share Posted March 26, 2019 William if your still after the spacers i have managed to find 4 along with the nuts, bolts and washers.. MeadeUser 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeadeUser Posted March 28, 2019 Share Posted March 28, 2019 On 26/03/2019 at 19:08, Brady said: William if your still after the spacers i have managed to find 4 along with the nuts, bolts and washers.. Wow, yes please....?? PM me with details of costs etc.... ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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