4 replies to this topic

[deSitter]

Hello,

 

I recently bought a mount and the seller threw in her old StarSeek 5969 (serial/USB) device, which has an extremely lame restriction out of the box so that you must also buy both a $40 app and a $200 software package and it only works on a phone or tablet. How anyone could have found this useful is beyond me. How anyone would tolerate a bait and switch like this from Orion is equally beyond me. I can control my telescope with a $13 bluetooth-serial adapter. It has its own little rechargeable battery. Total outlay was $15 or so. This works on anything that can connect to BT and has software with a standard telescope control module. So while I have no direct need for this new device, it seems a shame to just throw it away. (At least I got a nice USB serial device with the package and a null modem. What that might be used for in this context is also, for a 3rd time, beyond me.)

 

Has any hackery been done on this device to make it work outside its ridiculous constraints? It's actually a SkyFy version 2.3 internally, just rebranded by Orion. It must be running some version of Linux or Android itself, and such things are often amenable to cracking. E.g, I can get a terminal session on my Kindle and several wi-fi routers. There is almost surely a way to make it work with standard software like Stellarium or Meade Autostar Suite.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

-drl

 

 

[btschumy]

Yeah, that’s just a first generation SkyFi.  It doesn’t have the restrictions mentioned.  SkySafari can control any of its supported mounts with it.  You should be able to control from any software that is designed to talk to via wireless Ethernet.

 

It does not use Linux or Android but rather some custom chips.

[deSitter]

Yeah, that’s just a first generation SkyFi.  It doesn’t have the restrictions mentioned.  SkySafari can control any of its supported mounts with it.  You should be able to control from any software that is designed to talk to via wireless Ethernet.

 

It does not use Linux or Android but rather some custom chips.

There is no browser interface to control it. It creates an ad-hoc wireless network but my Android tablet cannot see ad-hoc networks. Can the device be connected to a router? It's SkyFi 2.3, says so on the board. Where to look?

 

-drl

[btschumy]

If you have a Windows box, I think you can configure it to see Ad Hoc networks.  You will have to do a web search to find out how.  This device was designed about 14 years ago when the computing world was quite different.

 

By default, the device sets up a hotspot on 192.168.1.1 and listens on port 4030 (it might be 192.168.0.1, I don’t exactly remember).

 

There is a browser interface if you can join its hotspot.

[deSitter]

Ha! I was trying to connect to 192.168.1.1 What a maroon! I haven't dealt with a 10.x network in ages.

 

I think I can make this work now Nevermind!

 

-drl