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

Date: August 25, 2009 11:55:54 AM MDT

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Autoguiding Gotonova USB?

Milton:

I recently added an iOptron Gotonova goto upgrade kit to my Vixen Super Polaris mount (http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/2459781/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/all/vc/1).

The goto is great!  I love the iOptron HC, as it has a multi-line display that doesn't require the user to wait for text to scroll across a small screen.

The HC has a USB port on it, that according to the folks at Carinasoft is essentially a serial-USB converter inside the HC internal electronics (since fewer PC laptops are being made these days with serial ports, this makes sense).  Folks tell me that the gotonova can't be autoguided, but I wonder if that's necessarily true (or if it is, if it's something that can be "corrected" if they become really popular for astrophotographers)?

TIA,

-Tim.