Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Cloudy Nights - Official Forums of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu.... uh, User   You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Equipment Discussions >> Mounts Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 HughBoy sage Reged: 09/08/04 Posts: 427 Loc: Durham, NC SVP tracking: Orion TrueTrack vs AutoStar retrofit       #341742 - 02/12/05 05:10 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I've got a tried/true SVP with TrueTrack (single axis) that does fine for my purposes. But the posts here (and elsewhere) about bolting a set of Meade DS motors and a 495/497 AutoStar controller onto it for a "poor man's GOTO-GEM" look awfully interesting. And I just happen to have a set of DS motors and a 495 controller. But here's my question: I get acceptable photographic tracking with my current setup. Would the "Franken-SVP" track as well/smoothly as what I have now? Or would it always be a visual-only affair? Which would then kill any 3-5 minute exposures? Or even longer exposures... So, to those who've tried it (especially using the goto4all kit): how does it compare to old-fashioned RA clockdrive for photography? Many Thanks, Hugh -------------------- Hughboy - Coronado PST ("Goldeneye") - WO ZS66 SD APO ("The Pocket Rocket") - Celestron C80ED APO ("The Sleek Black Beauty") - Celestron C8 SB-XLT ("The Pony Keg") -- WO binoviewers -- Imaging: Canon DSLR, Nikon Coolpix 4500 w/Scopetronix EP, Meade LPI > ASGT, NexStar GT/BaaderBracket, SVP, EQ-1, Bogen 3001D/410 geared-head (and too many old POS scopes to mention...) Post Extras:       Rushwind Carpal Tunnel Reged: 03/11/04 Posts: 2133 Loc: Newark, CA Re: SVP tracking: Orion TrueTrack vs AutoStar retr [Re: HughBoy]       #341834 - 02/12/05 07:45 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I don't believe that the 495 Autostar includes an autoguider port. If that is the case, then I wouldn't necessarily think that doing the retrofit would help you at all *photographically*; the new drives are likely to have about as much PE as the old, and whatever slop was in your axes already won't be fixed, either. So you're not (likely) going to get any longer *unguided* shots than you were before. Having GOTO is a nice additional feature (if that's your cup of tea), and having a Dec axis drive is definitely nice (helps when you're *manually guiding* those long exposures from the hand controller). But the big "now it's a better photo mount" upgrade/retrofit would be to add *autoguider* capability. Just my $.02, Jimbo -------------------- Order of the Unblinking Eye G-11 D70 ST4 8"f/5 AT66ED (Rig) I used to shoot film. Post Extras:       Don W Postmaster Reged: 05/19/03 Posts: 13244 Loc: Wisconsin, USA Re: SVP tracking: Orion TrueTrack vs AutoStar retr [Re: Rushwind]       #341908 - 02/12/05 09:58 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   No, the conversion does not track well enough for imaging and the 495/497 does not have an autoguider port. -------------------- Don Wyman Obsession 18" f/4.5 #1166 W/Argo Navis DSC and Torus Primary William Optics Megrez 90 Coronado PST Post Extras:       HughBoy sage Reged: 09/08/04 Posts: 427 Loc: Durham, NC Re: SVP tracking: Orion TrueTrack vs AutoStar retr [Re: Don W]       #341922 - 02/12/05 10:14 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks for the quick replies, folks. I'm not really curious as to whether the GOTO mod is a *better* photographic solution - I just want to know if it's going to be *worse* than my existing single-axis TrueTrack. I'm just a casual digital imager (Nikon Coolpix 4500 @ ~3-4 mins. max). I'm interested in the mod (I enjoy GOTO, as it opens new vistas/objects). I just don't want to *reduce* my current "imaging" capability. Autoguiding, etc. is out of my sphere for now. At this time, I'm willing to kinda trust the mount (and my manual guiding experiences have been too much like watching paint dry...). Thanks again. Hugh -------------------- Hughboy - Coronado PST ("Goldeneye") - WO ZS66 SD APO ("The Pocket Rocket") - Celestron C80ED APO ("The Sleek Black Beauty") - Celestron C8 SB-XLT ("The Pony Keg") -- WO binoviewers -- Imaging: Canon DSLR, Nikon Coolpix 4500 w/Scopetronix EP, Meade LPI > ASGT, NexStar GT/BaaderBracket, SVP, EQ-1, Bogen 3001D/410 geared-head (and too many old POS scopes to mention...) Post Extras:       ccs_hello Carpal Tunnel Reged: 07/03/04 Posts: 2805 Re: SVP tracking: Orion TrueTrack vs AutoStar retr [Re: HughBoy]       #341935 - 02/12/05 10:33 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hugh, Please view this as just my .02, and simply a "pure sunny-day scenario (oh, I should say clear night ) info sharing". Once you upgrade 495 to a 497 with the latest firmware version. You can make it do either one of the following two things. 1. turn on PEC so hopefully will have a better PE curve, or 2. Use your PC's autoguiding program (AutostarSuite or Guidedog) thru a RS232 cable to 497 handbox's serial RS232 input port (4 pin RJ-10) to do the autoguiding. Please note, if you can get the LXD55/75 motors for this mod, better result may be possible since that motor unit has a tighter spec. Oh, one more thing, if you are happy now, then probably no need to ruin the current state of mind C.S. ccs_hello Post Extras:       ccs_hello Carpal Tunnel Reged: 07/03/04 Posts: 2805 Re: SVP tracking: TrueTrack vs other stepper mod [Re: ccs_hello]       #341951 - 02/12/05 10:50 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hugh, First, a repeat, if you are happy now, then probably no need to ruin the current state of mind There are MTS-3 type (and friends) of better stepper motor, better transmission, and better stepper controller mod. Yeas I know, I know, some commercialized implementations cost money. But you may want to know there are GPL'd software implementations and the knowledge out there for that approach as well. (I believe that approach was on this forum several days ago.) Cheers! ccs_hello Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 10 registered and 19 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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