Confused about mount control

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rpsutton
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2018 1:26 pm

Confused about mount control

#1

Post by rpsutton »

Hello everyone,

I'm fairly new to using the mount control features in sharpcap. I did a search for "GOTO" in the forums but found no matches. My questions are as follows:
1) Does SharpCap initiate goto commands to my mount once it is connected? I have confirmed that my EQ6-R Pro is connected and the mount responds to the directional arrows in the hardware control box when I press them. However, I see no option to initiate a GOTO command.
2) If sharpcap does not initiate goto commands and instead relies on another program to do it, how do I connect one mount to 2 different programs?
3) Can the hand controller still be used for GOTO even though the mount is connected to sharpcap via ASCOM ? my connection to to my laptop is via USB from the bottom of the EQ6-R Hand controller.

Thanks in advance for any and all assistance!
iamhondo
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Oct 05, 2017 11:27 pm

Re: Confused about mount control

#2

Post by iamhondo »

Regarding #3 (one telescope attached to two apps...)

The ASCOM platform includes a "Hub" virtual mount. In the Hub, you can connect to the real mount using the standard connection tools in ASCOM. Once you connect the hub to your mount any number of apps can connect to the Hub to control your mount. So SharpCap can connect to the Hub and a planetarium program like Cartes du Ciel or Stellarium can connect to the Hub to control your mount. Ditto for guide apps like PHD.

Some ASCOM mount/telescope drivers don't need that Hub feature. They can accept connections from any number of apps. The Celestron ASCOM driver and the Gemini ASCOM drivers are examples of that more advanced driver.

To execute goto's on the mount, you can use the planetarium program to select a target and command the mount to move to that object. Or you can use your hand-controller to execute goto's.

HTH, Joe
rpsutton
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2018 1:26 pm

Re: Confused about mount control

#3

Post by rpsutton »

Hi Joe,

Thank you very much for taking time to reply- I will look into what you said!

Sincerely,
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Menno555
Posts: 1053
Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2020 2:19 pm
Location: The Netherlands
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Re: Confused about mount control

#4

Post by Menno555 »

Hello

Yes, SharpCap can give instructions to your mount. But there is no function to go to a specific object.
For that, other software is used. For example, I have an Ioptron mount and they have their own software called Ioptron Commander. That software is in fact a virtual handbox. It is connected to the physical handbox and with it I can steer it to a object. So in Commander I can select for example M31 to go to, Commander sends that command to the physical handbox and the mount slews to M31.
For your mount which is from Sky-Watcher, there is the software SynScan which has that same function. But I don't know how that works specifically, I don't know that type of mount.
But both the virtual handbox and SharpCap run at the same time. The virtual handbox for GoTo commands, SharpCap for manual slews, platesolving, and so on.
To put it simply: SharpCap is connected to the virtual handbox which is connected to the physical handbox and vice versa.
Another possibility is a software planetarium like Stellarium. This is a kind of "point and click" solution: you can see the night sky in it and when you see something interesting, you can select it and give a command through Stellarium to the mount and the mount slews to that object.

And the handcontroller can always be used. If I am outside and use the handcontroller to slew to a point, that data is also communicated to the virtual handbox and to SharpCap. But this is with my Ioptron mount but I assume this also goes for your mount.

Hope this helps.

Menno
rpsutton
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2018 1:26 pm

Re: Confused about mount control

#5

Post by rpsutton »

Thank you Menno! I did know about the skywatcher app, just didn't realize it could be used in conjunction with sharpcap - this will help a lot.
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Menno555
Posts: 1053
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Re: Confused about mount control

#6

Post by Menno555 »

You are welcome.
One thing: the programs can run at the same time but they can't give commands the same time. I've learned that the hard way :(
So always wait until either program is finished with its action and then you can use the other program.

Menno
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