section99
member
Reged: 01/13/08
Posts: 14
Loc: Kuwait
|
|
Hello every one 
I need your help, What Equipment do I need to link my Laptop to my C9 1/4-SGT (XLT), I couldn't get an answer to this question from any where, can you help me please?
Thank you
|
mclewis1
Thread Killer
Reged: 02/25/06
Posts: 3961
Loc: New Brunswick, Canada
|
|
For most scope to laptop connectivity you will need a serial port on your laptop. If your laptop is fairly new then it will likely not have a real serial port so you have two choices ...
1) Add a real serial port with a PC Cardbus adapter (little board about 1.5x3", most laptops have the interface for these cards built in ... on older units it was called a PCMCIA card) or ...
2) Use a USB to serial port adapter (it looks like a 12" USB cable with a bit bigger connector on one end). There are quite a few different brands and sometimes they don't work due to being incompatible with the existing USB ports or your operating system s/w levels. If you buy a USB to serial adapter make sure it can be returned in case this happens to you.
Once you have the serial port working then you can plug in the Celestron hand controller serial cable. It's Celestron #93920, it's about 3' long and you plug it into the little connector on the bottom of your hand controller.
If you go with a "real" serial port (not the USB adapter) then you'll probably also need a serial extension cable ... they are very simple and inexpensive. You'll need one with a male db9 connector on one end and the female version on the other end. If you go the USB route then you can simply use a longer USB extension cable (up to about 15').
With any of the different serial port solutions you will need to write down what number the new serial port is (serial port #s are usually from 1-15), the scope control s/w will usually need to know this number. With Windows you can find the port # by looking in the device manager under serial ports.
You can use this type of setup for controlling the scope with the various planetarium software products. For more information on connectivity and the various s/w options have a look at Mike Swanson's great website www.nexstarsite.com
--------------------
Mark
C11, C6, APM/TMB115, and AT80ED - Tandem mount CGE and CG-5A, WO EZ-Touch and AT Voyager
25x100s and 8x56s, T-Mount Light, Mark 1 eyeballs - Modded 350D, DSI-P, SPC900, Mallincam
Just because you can doesn't necessarily mean that you should
|
dave b
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/10/05
Posts: 3548
|
|
the Dell Latitude E5500 laptops still have real serial ports, so you may want to just get it in the 1st place and avoid all the adapter headaches.
--------------------
dave bonandrini
30" f/5.2 Dobsonian
President of GCAC
Astromart Moderator
|
section99
member
Reged: 01/13/08
Posts: 14
Loc: Kuwait
|
|
Thank you for the information, most appreciated
--------------------
Celestron C9.25 2350mm F/10 with Aux Port & CN16 GPS
Finderscope 6x30 & Orion EZ Finder Sight
CG5 Equatorial Mount
Bushnell 10x50
|
Luigi
Post Laureate
Reged: 07/03/07
Posts: 4947
Loc: MA
|
|
It's a minor point, but USB are real serial ports, as are RS-449, RS-422, RS-423, and Firewire. They just aren't RS-232 serial ports, which, though antiquated, are still used in most astro gear.
--------------------
17.5" f/5 Dob. IM-715 MCT. 120ED. Lunt 60mm Ha.
Zeiss, Leica, Fujinon, Nikon, Pentax, Bushnell bins
|
b1gred
Enginerd
Reged: 04/01/04
Posts: 15715
Loc: Castle Rock, CO 6677' MSL
|
|
I may be mistaken, but I believe you have to ORDER the Dell laptops with an RS-232 serial port. Their nominal configuration is USB.
--------------------
"Dark Skies & Great Viewing"
RandyR / W0RDR
GPS 9.25 XLT/Sky Align /FeatherTouch
TV85 w/FeatherTouch
|
dave b
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/10/05
Posts: 3548
|
|
go to "tech specs" tab, then scroll down to "Ports".
serial is listed as a standard item:
dell E5500
--------------------
dave bonandrini
30" f/5.2 Dobsonian
President of GCAC
Astromart Moderator
|
b1gred
Enginerd
Reged: 04/01/04
Posts: 15715
Loc: Castle Rock, CO 6677' MSL
|
|
Yep and it's even shown in the pictures.
--------------------
"Dark Skies & Great Viewing"
RandyR / W0RDR
GPS 9.25 XLT/Sky Align /FeatherTouch
TV85 w/FeatherTouch
|
section99
member
Reged: 01/13/08
Posts: 14
Loc: Kuwait
|
|
Do the serial port on the laptop works? I thought they were for the screen or a projector purposes only! If that's the case then my laptop will be OK
--------------------
Celestron C9.25 2350mm F/10 with Aux Port & CN16 GPS
Finderscope 6x30 & Orion EZ Finder Sight
CG5 Equatorial Mount
Bushnell 10x50
|
dave b
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/10/05
Posts: 3548
|
|
9 pin = serial port
15 pin = RGB video port
Pictures:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_port_%28hardware%29
--------------------
dave bonandrini
30" f/5.2 Dobsonian
President of GCAC
Astromart Moderator
|
Adrian Lopez
sage
Reged: 10/22/08
Posts: 271
Loc: Puerto Rico
|
|
Quote:
Do the serial port on the laptop works? I thought they were for the screen or a projector purposes only! If that's the case then my laptop will be OK
Don't confuse the SVGA port for the serial port. Although their outside shape is similar, a computer's serial port has two rows of pins sticking out of a cavity while the SVGA port has three rows of tiny holes on a flush surface. They're not the same thing. Projectors use the SVGA port, telescope mounts use the serial port.
--------------------
Celestron Omni XLT 120 (f/8.3) Refractor
William Optics 1.25" Dielectric Diagonal
Celestron 4, 6, 9, 15, 25, and 32mm EPs
Nikon Action Extreme 8x40 Binoculars
Canon Digital Rebel XT
RA Sweep Calculator (find objects without GoTo)
|
b1gred
Enginerd
Reged: 04/01/04
Posts: 15715
Loc: Castle Rock, CO 6677' MSL
|
|
The picture of the E5500 clearly shows both a 9-pin RS-232 and a 15-pin VGA/SVGA.
--------------------
"Dark Skies & Great Viewing"
RandyR / W0RDR
GPS 9.25 XLT/Sky Align /FeatherTouch
TV85 w/FeatherTouch
|
David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 8289
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
|
|
Quote:
Hello every one
I need your help, What Equipment do I need to link my Laptop to my C9 1/4-SGT (XLT), I couldn't get an answer to this question from any where, can you help me please?
Thank you
While I can and sometimes do run my 9.25 off the laptop, for most purposes, I just use the hand controller to input the coordinates directly to the keypad. I can have the laptop provide them, and it avoids the hastle of connectors, cables, and other things. Clear skies to you.
--------------------
David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
Prairie Astronomy Club
http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
|
section99
member
Reged: 01/13/08
Posts: 14
Loc: Kuwait
|
|
Thank you all for you input
The other day I ordered 'Celestron Aux Port' for the 'CN16 GPS' and it included an 'RJ-11 to RS-232 Cable' (female Port), so I checked a near by computer store and found 'RS-232 to USB Converter Cable' (Male Port), so that solves the problem of not having an 'RS-232' port in my laptop 
Going to try it out this week end, hope it'll work 
--------------------
Celestron C9.25 2350mm F/10 with Aux Port & CN16 GPS
Finderscope 6x30 & Orion EZ Finder Sight
CG5 Equatorial Mount
Bushnell 10x50
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
