Is it possible to run sharpcap and synscan pro at the same time with a wired connection? I have been using the synscan wifi along with sharpcap for live stacking EAA. But, when I use EQMOD cable instead of the wi-fi connection, I'm only able to run one or the other...not both at the same time. I just get the "port not available" on the second app that is booted up when trying to run both.
I would rather use synscan to align and goto targets while live stacking with sharpcap, but will use Stellarium for the "goto" function only if necessary.
The wired connection is endorsed by Robin to be better, plus, I'm adding PHD2 guiding to the mix for some AP work and much longer exposures and hopefully reduced laptop freezing up. Any suggestions?
Running synscan pro app with sharpcap?
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admin
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Re: Running synscan pro app with sharpcap?
Hi,
unfortunately I have no direct experience of using the SynScan Pro app (I use EQMOD for my Skywatcher mount). However the problem you are running into is that the Synscan Pro app wants to control the serial port communication and so does the ASCOM driver, and it can only be one.
Maybe the Synscan Pro app *is* also an ASCOM driver that you can use in SharpCap? Otherwise you might be stuck. Maybe some other SharpCap users have already encountered this and have suggestions?
cheers,
Robin
unfortunately I have no direct experience of using the SynScan Pro app (I use EQMOD for my Skywatcher mount). However the problem you are running into is that the Synscan Pro app wants to control the serial port communication and so does the ASCOM driver, and it can only be one.
Maybe the Synscan Pro app *is* also an ASCOM driver that you can use in SharpCap? Otherwise you might be stuck. Maybe some other SharpCap users have already encountered this and have suggestions?
cheers,
Robin
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Jean-Francois
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Re: Running synscan pro app with sharpcap?
Hello Rusty and Robin,
It is possible to use the SynScan pro application with several software.
My configuration: EAGLE-2 is connected to the EQ8-Rh mount with the USB2.0 cable (intern USB-serial converter in the mount).
The same work with my Orion-EQ8 (nothing) mount with EQDIR cable (from Pierro-Astro). EAGLE is with Microsoft Remote Desktop connected to my laptop per Ethernet cable.
I use the SynScan Pro software (version xy later) with SharpCap 1 (with QHY-174 camera), with SharpCap 2 (with QHY-268 camera), PHD2 with QHY-5II camera and Prism planetarium window. So at the same time SynScan and 4 other software.
Note that I never try at the same time the WiFi and cable connection (I hate WiFi connection) ... I guess it will not work, you can select only one connection in the settings of SynScan software.
The problem is the selection of the right version of the SynScan Pro software.
The most stable and less buggy is the 1.19.20 version.
I test all the other 2.xx version. All the 2.xx version have some problems.
The "home position", the button direction, the pointing precision are the first I can say.
Summary: the SynScan Pro application is a "server" and several software can connect at the same time.
One thing more ... it is necessary to take care that not several software do a goto with sync at the same time.
Regards,
Jean-Francois
It is possible to use the SynScan pro application with several software.
My configuration: EAGLE-2 is connected to the EQ8-Rh mount with the USB2.0 cable (intern USB-serial converter in the mount).
The same work with my Orion-EQ8 (nothing) mount with EQDIR cable (from Pierro-Astro). EAGLE is with Microsoft Remote Desktop connected to my laptop per Ethernet cable.
I use the SynScan Pro software (version xy later) with SharpCap 1 (with QHY-174 camera), with SharpCap 2 (with QHY-268 camera), PHD2 with QHY-5II camera and Prism planetarium window. So at the same time SynScan and 4 other software.
Note that I never try at the same time the WiFi and cable connection (I hate WiFi connection) ... I guess it will not work, you can select only one connection in the settings of SynScan software.
The problem is the selection of the right version of the SynScan Pro software.
The most stable and less buggy is the 1.19.20 version.
I test all the other 2.xx version. All the 2.xx version have some problems.
The "home position", the button direction, the pointing precision are the first I can say.
Summary: the SynScan Pro application is a "server" and several software can connect at the same time.
One thing more ... it is necessary to take care that not several software do a goto with sync at the same time.
Regards,
Jean-Francois
Re: Running synscan pro app with sharpcap?
Hi,
Agree with the statement from Jean-Francois. I use synscan pro 1.19.12 (and did not update). Consider using an ASCOM hub as described here: viewtopic.php?p=17753#p17753.
Christian
Agree with the statement from Jean-Francois. I use synscan pro 1.19.12 (and did not update). Consider using an ASCOM hub as described here: viewtopic.php?p=17753#p17753.
Christian
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RustyScopes
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Re: Running synscan pro app with sharpcap?
Thanks for all the info, I will try the other version of synscan pro to see if it helps. I suppose synscan isn't necessary if I run the wire with eqmod/ascom platform. But can I do my star aligning using stellarium, for example? Or could I just do my initial star alignments then exit synscan to let the ascom platform take over for all the other programs.
I am in the process of replacing my featherlight laptop with a more powerful one since my laptop keeps getting knocked out in the first round when going head to head with PHD2, plate solving, sharpcap, stellarium, etc.
I am in the process of replacing my featherlight laptop with a more powerful one since my laptop keeps getting knocked out in the first round when going head to head with PHD2, plate solving, sharpcap, stellarium, etc.
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admin
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Re: Running synscan pro app with sharpcap?
Hi,
wired connections are always to be preferred to wireless (WIFI/Bluetooth/whatever) - it's just a matter of reliability. You can share the connection so that several apps can talk to the mount at the same time (this *might* require using the ASCOM Device Hub).
cheers,
Robin
wired connections are always to be preferred to wireless (WIFI/Bluetooth/whatever) - it's just a matter of reliability. You can share the connection so that several apps can talk to the mount at the same time (this *might* require using the ASCOM Device Hub).
cheers,
Robin
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Jean-Francois
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Re: Running synscan pro app with sharpcap?
Hello Rusty,
The EQMOD/ASCOM or the SynScan software does the same thing ... it connects to one mount.
Now, you can not connect these 2 software to the same mount at the same time.
It is the EQMOD/ASCOM or it is SynScan Pro (or GSServer as alternative if you do not know).
After that, you can "connect" so much software you want with one of these software (that is connect to one mount).
What you can do is the following (as you mentioned) ...
- start with SynScan Pro and perform all the initialisation and polar alignment or star synchronisation/alignment
- after that you can close SynScan and connect the mount with EQMOD/ASCOM. Maybe you need an additional star synchronisation.
Note ... it is similar as the start of the mount with the hand controller and then later unplug the hand controller cable and plug the serial-to-mount cable to the mount at the place of the hand controller. And then take the control with the computer. It could be easier to perform a polar alignment with an eyepiece and the hand controller as with a small field camera. Or you have a GPS sensor connected to the hand controller.
Regards,
Jean-Francois
The EQMOD/ASCOM or the SynScan software does the same thing ... it connects to one mount.
Now, you can not connect these 2 software to the same mount at the same time.
It is the EQMOD/ASCOM or it is SynScan Pro (or GSServer as alternative if you do not know).
After that, you can "connect" so much software you want with one of these software (that is connect to one mount).
What you can do is the following (as you mentioned) ...
- start with SynScan Pro and perform all the initialisation and polar alignment or star synchronisation/alignment
- after that you can close SynScan and connect the mount with EQMOD/ASCOM. Maybe you need an additional star synchronisation.
Note ... it is similar as the start of the mount with the hand controller and then later unplug the hand controller cable and plug the serial-to-mount cable to the mount at the place of the hand controller. And then take the control with the computer. It could be easier to perform a polar alignment with an eyepiece and the hand controller as with a small field camera. Or you have a GPS sensor connected to the hand controller.
Regards,
Jean-Francois