ldavenpo
journeyman
Reged: 01/06/09
Posts: 5
|
|
Happy New Year everyone!
Santa brought me an ETX-80BB and I've navigated my way to this site because I know one of you EXPERTS out there is going to be able to make this happen for the greater good of all humanity! In my search for answers I've seen this same theme going back at least 3 years with no real answers.... Surely someone is knows this!
Here's the goal: use Starry Night Pro (6) on a Macintosh with my Meade ETX-80 (Autostar #494 controller).
Issue #1 - the Connection
I've read many posts harking on the insanity of continuing to use an archaic serial port in today's computer market, but I'm not interested in revisiting that argument, rather figuring out a work around. I see that I can purchase a #506 connecter kit to get me from the telephone wire looking port to a serial port. I then see that there is a RS232 Serial to USB adapter - so it would look like we're getting close to connecting it to a modern computer. But when I called and spoke with Meade's customer support they tell me that the adapter requires a driver and will NOT work on a Macintosh. Often that argument turns out not to hold water, one just plugs whatever it is into a Mac and as if by magic it simply works. But before investing in all these adapters, I would like to know if anyone else has had any success.
Issue #2 - The software
I'm not interested in using Mead's software (for Windows only), but I am very interested in Starry Night natively on my Macintosh. Starry Night's Mac version says that it is compatible with Meade's ETX telescopes. When I go to the "Telescope Configuration" window (prior to trying to attach the scope - as per the directions) I'm presented with two drop down menus; the first asking to select a "communication port" and the second asking to select a telescope type. There are many telescope types to chose from including "MEADE ETX AUTOSTAR". The only option available for communication port, however, says "Bluetooth-PDA-Sync". Now, it just so happens that Starry Night makes a "BlueStar" telescope adapter but.... "Starry Night BlueStar Telescope Adapter for Meade Autostar (including LX90 but excluding ETX 70 and Meade telescopes that use the 494 Autostar Controller)". Of course the ETX-80 uses the 494 controller.
Some of my initial thoughts are, "maybe I can just purchase a #497 controller and then a #505 cable / adapter or the Bluestar". One forum suggest this as an option. Another site clearly states that the #497 controller can NOT be substituted for the ETX-80's #494 Autostar. I'm remiss to invest another couple hundred dollars only to be thwarted!
Is there anyone out there who can crack this nut and share their knowledge?
Thank you very much!!!!
|
Jason Rader
member
Reged: 12/06/08
Posts: 50
Loc: Douglasville, GA
|
|
Have you considered demoing/purchasing vmare fusion or parallels? Install windows as a VM and run the apps in their native win format. Doesn't get you around the archaic interface though......
I'm in the same boat with an ETX-125AT to be delivered today but I already run vmware fusion for other purposes.
--------------------
ETX-70AT(For the kids)
ETX-125AT(Delivered 1/7/09!)
Meade 26mm 400 Series Plossl
Meade 25mm MA
Meade 9mm MA
Criterion A.R. 18mm(No idea what this is except it's an 18mm)
Criterion Ortho 6mm(Ditto)
Criterion A.R. 9mm(Ditto)
|
yock1960
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/22/08
Posts: 978
Loc: SW Ohio, USA
|
|
If you are going to use the #494, you need the #506 cable, it has the serial port builtin not the #494.
The #497 autostar can definitely be used on the ETX-80, I use one, then you will need the #505 cable (or make one, Google it). The #497 has a serial port built in, therefore it doesn't need the 'smart' #506 cable.
As regards a #497 not working with an ETX-80; depending on the rev. of the software on the autostar, it may not 'know' about ETX-80's, but you could then just update the rev. (#505 cable needed).
Steve
--------------------
LXD75 GEM
Orion Starblast 4.5" Imaging Reflector
William Optics Zenithstar 66 SD APO
Meade DSI II OSC
Meade DSI III OSC
Orion Starshoot Autoguider
Televue Powermate 2.5x
Discovery 6" Dobsonian
Nikon Action Extreme 10x50's
Gallery
|
ldavenpo
journeyman
Reged: 01/06/09
Posts: 5
|
|
Hmmm... Thanks for that info!
Jason - I'm sure this can be done using windows (on a mac); but that really is not an ideal solution for me. Maybe a last resort. But thanks.
Steve - Fascinating... so you are using a #497 controller with your ETX-80 (that came with a #494, so you purchased a separate #497)? And did you have to do some sort of update to get it to work with your ETX-80 (like an autostar update through Windows)? Using a #497 controller should then make the Bluestar adapter an option....
I spoke with the Starry Night people and they said that the software will work with the ETX-80 if you can get the computer and telescope talking. She recommended looking into a non-Meade serial-to-USB adapter that has OSX drivers. Someone else mentioned having success with the Keyspan adapter on a Mac. So it could be that a the 506 cable and the Keyspan adapter might just do the trick!
What do you think?
|
yock1960
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/22/08
Posts: 978
Loc: SW Ohio, USA
|
|
Yes, I bought a used #497 on eBay. The previous owner has already updated it to a very recent version which recognized the ETX-80. Even if you bought a used one, if you had to I'm sure you could find someone with a PC to get it updated, it's not difficult.
 How could I forget the USB adapter?! I bought the #505 cable + USB adapter off eBay also. I have read that the Keyspan USB<->serial adapter has been used successfully by a number of people, mine is not and I had to dig around a bit to find the latest & greatest driver to get it to work with Vista.
--------------------
LXD75 GEM
Orion Starblast 4.5" Imaging Reflector
William Optics Zenithstar 66 SD APO
Meade DSI II OSC
Meade DSI III OSC
Orion Starshoot Autoguider
Televue Powermate 2.5x
Discovery 6" Dobsonian
Nikon Action Extreme 10x50's
Gallery
|
ldavenpo
journeyman
Reged: 01/06/09
Posts: 5
|
|
Excellent - thank you! And have you hooked it up to a Macintosh to control it? That should be the last link to success here.....
|
imjeffp
Aluminum Falcon
Reged: 09/30/03
Posts: 4902
Loc: Cedar Park, Texas
|
|
Keyspan USB serial adapter. Install the Keyspan driver (I think--it's been a while) and it'll show up in SNP as a port choice.
--------------------
|
ldavenpo
journeyman
Reged: 01/06/09
Posts: 5
|
|
Okay, new plan!
Purchase a Meade #497 controller and a Starry Night Bluestar bluetooth/USB adapter to use with the ETX-80 and Starry Night Pro Plus 6.
Any comments anyone?????
|
Jason Rader
member
Reged: 12/06/08
Posts: 50
Loc: Douglasville, GA
|
|
Yeah. Let me know how it works! 
--------------------
ETX-70AT(For the kids)
ETX-125AT(Delivered 1/7/09!)
Meade 26mm 400 Series Plossl
Meade 25mm MA
Meade 9mm MA
Criterion A.R. 18mm(No idea what this is except it's an 18mm)
Criterion Ortho 6mm(Ditto)
Criterion A.R. 9mm(Ditto)
|
ldavenpo
journeyman
Reged: 01/06/09
Posts: 5
|
|
It works!
I purchased a #497 controller and am using it with my ETX-80. I also purchased the Starry Night Bluestar bluetooth adapter and it works like a champ. So now I use Starry Night Pro on my Macintosh (old G3 laptop running OS 10.5) to control my telescope. Brilliant!
The only flaw I've seen is that even though Starry Night depicts perfectly where the telescope is pointing, when you tell the telescope to navigate to a given object it only points the scope "close" and not on the object. Not sure why this is. But I just use the #497 to manually point the telescope until the cross-hairs on the Starry Night screen are on top of the object, and sure enough, the scope is pointed right there!
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
