From: Milton Aupperle <milton@outcastsoft.com>
Date: January 18, 2006 6:03:07 PM MST
To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Astro_IIDC] Re: Can't autoguide with Flea (or DSI Pro, for that matter).
Hi Tim;
I've been swamped with a new client (MSSS with Stereo Robotics Imaging for Autonomous Rovers) and haven't had time to even stop to eat anything yet, so sorry about the delay.
On 18-Jan-06, at 2:51 PM, Tim wrote:
At the risk of sounding stupid (recognizing that I'm not an electrician, but hook up cables
to electronic gizmos around the house all the time), and considering I've never seen one of
these gizmoids in application, I've got the following question:
Number A: So, one side of one of these plugs into the autoguide port on the mount (the
pin-outs from the board), and the other side - either the serial or USB version - plugs into
the USB port on the mac (via the Keyspan serial/usb adapter if it's a serial gizmoid)?
Yes.
And
the emulator "lies" to the mount in it's own language, taking signals from the computer
intended for an LX200 mount (lies to the computer, too) and giving Nexstar or Temma
signals to those mounts (depending on which mount I build one of these for - hopefully
eventually both)?
Their is no "translation" needed no does it lie to the mount. All the it does is basically close or open switches to allow power to go through.
Letter 2: If I purchased one of the ActiveWire-USB boards, I presume that would do the
conversion but the Optoisolator board is needed to build the LX200 emulation?
Yes bu their is no "emulation". The Optoisolator board is the "switch" part - but it doesn't emulate anything and works the same as the other gizmo does. Basically I drive the pins on the ActiveWire-USB high or low and that opens/closes switches on the Optoisolator board so that power flows. All the -ve pins can be connected to the "Ground" connector and all the positive pins are connected to the other pins. So you only really have only 5 pins connected up.
On the "http://www.technoplus.nl/astro/lx200.htm" page, the section entitled named "Syntha HEQ5 / EQ6" is exactly what I did to "hack" my EQ 3 hand controller, I soldered wires from one to the other. However I used a telephone connectors (RJ-12 or whatever they are) and cable to connect the USB board to the Hand Controller, so I can detach it all.
And the "SkyWatcher SkyScan" example is basically what you would need to do for your Temma or Celestron mounts - the pin outs will likely be different, but it isn't a big deal to work it out.
See? I know rocks and landforms, and how to take pictures (though I've only just realized
how much I DON'T know about that!), but wiring circuit boards... :oO
I was a mining geologist for 15 years and worked with rocks from 3.8 billion years old right up to stuff (gold being deposited in Placer river beds) being formed today, so I know some of what you do. If you can wire a house, you can do this - all you need is some solder, a soldering gun and a multimeter to make sure the polarities all match up and some patience.
But I'd be interested in trying at some point. Because if I have to add another camera to
guide while imaging with the Flea (or, for that matter, to have more guidestar choices for
the ST2000XM than provided by the off-axis chip), I think I'd rather get something that
would be a decent imager in it's own right (so I could guide it with the Flea, for example).
One thing that just bit me in the butt today was not enough power.
I had two Unibrains doing stereo imaging at the same time and it all worked fine on the laptop. When I switched out the cameras to the Flea and a Dragon Fly, weird crap started happening like register I/O not completing etc on the laptop. I then plugged it all into the G5 and it works flawlessly. So I powered the Hub with a DC Adapter delivering 12 volts/1.25 amps and tried it again and no problem with G4 laptop at all. I think this might explain the occasional problem I've seen with using multiple cameras on the Lap Top.
So if your running multiple FW cameras you need to also power the cameras with a FireWire Hub for laptops and possibly Minis too.
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
www.outcastsoft.com