From: "Tim" <tjp314@pacbell.net>

Date: January 17, 2006 5:13:28 PM MST

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: Can't autoguide with Flea (or DSI Pro, for that matter).

Milton:

Yep, I remember that site. Looks like some updates coming along soon, too. Problem is

that the prices are looking comparable to another low-end camera. And since I'm all

thumbs with electronics, I will probably opt for a camera that could do the trick (but it

might be fun to try building one of the boards,...). PC only? Looks like it.

I took my 3com apart for the lens mount for the Aplux, but didn't end up using it, so I

could put that back together. It can shoot up to 1/4 second. I can also try the Aplux

again, but I don't remember it finding anything but the very brightest stars. At least the

webcams could be used with Equinox to guide off the Mac, which is what I'd prefer. My PC

is getting old (4 years), and I'd rather not get another one when it gives up the ghost.

-Tim.

--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, Milton Aupperle <milton@o...> wrote:

Tim;

On 17-Jan-06, at 3:42 PM, Tim wrote:

Crud... Was hoping that the Flea was on the list of supported

cameras at IOXperts, but it

isn't. So, I can't autoguide with it using EquinoX, and I can't

guide with Astro IIDC since I

have Takahashi and Nexstar mounts (I don't do Meade).

As I said in the past several times, check out the "KITS and

ASSEMBLED BOARDS Available as of now" section at:

http://www.technoplus.nl/astro/lx200.htm

which uses a serial port to emulates an LX200 and can be used with

guide scope ports on a lot of scopes (SkyWatcher, Celestron, Meade LX

50, Meade LX10, Meade LX5, Losmandy G8 / G11, Vixen GP (DD-1

controller) etc.). You attache the KeySpan USB to Serial Port adapter

to that.

If you don't like purchasing "foreign" products but you have any

skill with attaching wires - reading a pin out diagram, you can pick

up an "ActiveWire-USB" board ($59USD) and an "Optoisolator Add-on

board" ($29) at:

http://www.activewireinc.com/

Then wire it up yourself for your Auto Guide Ports. I can tell you

which 4 +ve and -ve pins on the Optoisolator board you need to

connect up to wire it into your Auto Guider connector on the mount.

So basically you need to know what the connector polarities (i.e. +/-

for Dec and RA) are for the AutoGuider port are (i.e Meade is

different from Celestron is probably different from TAK etc.) and

attach them using whatever RJ-xx connector they use.

I have an old ToUcam Pro and an even older 3Com Homeconnect, but

they run too fast and

are too insensitive to guide with. The Aplux is all noise if I run

it as long as a second/

frame.

Then your cranking Brightness or Black Point up to high, especially

if you have the "Enable CCD Over Drive" option enabled. Also we never

tested the APLUX with the CCD Over Drive (don't have one to test

with) and only added it in because you asked for it.

Guess I'll have to hunt down a IOXperts-supported webcam, or use

the ST2000XM to

guide. (It self-guides pretty well, but finding a guide star is a

pain).

If you download QuickTime 7.04 and OSX 10.4.4, then the PGR camera

will be recognized by Apple's QuickTime driver. Apple finally fixed

the bugs in their code that prevented it and other cameras from beign

recognized (busg in their Confirgorm code), after I had 4 arguments

with the QT and FireWire engineers and finally talked to the head

Engineer of Apple FireWire to get it fixed (only had to wait 8 months

and 3 revisions for them to fix it).. But Neither IOXperts nor Apples

let you set exposure times directly. QuickTime basically isn't suited

to doing what you want. I've forced it to do so for other clients

with other cameras , but it simply isn't a workable Architecture.

HTH..

Milton J. Aupperle

President

ASC - Aupperle Services and Contracting

Mac Software (Drivers, Components and Application) Specialist

#1005 - 815 14th Avenue. S.W.

Calgary Alberta Canada T2R0N5

1-(403)-229-9456

milton@o...