From: "gaffney.mark" <markgaffney@mac.com>

Date: February 10, 2008 7:34:02 PM MST

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: Focusing

--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, "gaffney.mark" <markgaffney@...> wrote:

--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, "gaffney.mark" <markgaffney@> wrote:

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

Hi Mark;

There are 2 things your missing.

1) FireWire is not supported under PC Emulation(i.e. Virtual PC) at all.

2)  For focussing to work, you need to access what the Camera sees.   

So you need quit Astro IIDC (so it releases the camera) and then  

focus under ASCOM with a 3rd party application that can talk to  

FireWire Cameras (ASCOM doesn't support FireWire),  and then switch  

back to Astro IIDC.

Also, unless you have very steady skies, auto focus doesn't work  

really well at high frame rates.

TTYL..

Milton J. Aupperle

On 10-Feb-08, at 5:03 PM, gaffney.mark wrote:

If Joe has some way of running Windows on his Mac, then focusing  

the telescope should

be an independent process to those already provided by Astro IIDC  

for CCD camera

control. I haven`t tried this in practise as I said but Joe should  

be able to switch readily

from his focuser window ( running through Ascom on Windows) to  

Astro IIDC on Mac OS X.

I tried downloading Ascom I think with Safari but the file wouldn`t  

transfer readily to those

I have running through Virtual PC for Mac, that`s why I`m  

suggesting the download be

done with Internet Explorer (if available!) Mark.

My plan was to run the focuser ( when I can afford it- I`m in a similar situation as 

you 

are with regards to finances, Milton after forking out for this new telescope, GPUSB 

interfaces, cables etc.!) through a serial (RS-232) to usb connection. This would mean 

I`m 

running 3 usb devices simultaneously through a $30 AUD hub I have- GPUSB, focuser 

and 

Astroplanner or Equinox for telescope control as well as the Firewire connection to 

Astro 

IIDC. I`m pretty sure the James Lacey stepper motor etc., device I`m looking at ( as 

Moonlite provide kits for adding their Crayford Focuser to my new scope) runs 

through 

this serial to usb connection. As I`m yet to really use the 10 inch ( I haven`t been able 

to 

even align the finderscope yet- nothing here is over a mile away that`s not obscured 

by 

trees, so I`m waiting on the weather to use the moon!) I can`t say how it will work. 

For 

instance I`m unsure how the GPUSB device interacts with AP or Equinox!!? Mark.

P.S. In other words I was hoping to be able to mechanically focus the scope( using the 

computer if possible) and then check the results using the "camera" window in Astro 

IIDC?

? Mark.

Milton, Perhaps you`re right, the camera is in different focus than it is through the 

eyepiece for instance. I`m unsure if that`s the case what these focusers normally use as a 

guide or if the two interfaces( the focuser and the Firewire camera) are matcheable?Would  

Robofocus or FocusMax be normally using the usb camera window in Maxim DL or 

something?I wonder if adjustments can be made using RF or FM for the discrepancy? If 

it`s impossible to  link the two it`ll save me the expenditure at least. Mark.