Use of Astrophysics Mounts with Sharpcap

[Moonstruck]

Robin, I am considering getting an Astrophysics mount (possibly a 1150), and want to make sure that it would be fully compatible with Sharpcap. I'm sure it must be, but wanted to confirm.

Also- have you had many software issues from people using AP mounts/APCC? Not sure how reliable that software is, or what other users' experiences have been while using Sharpcap. I have always used Skywatcher mounts (EQ6, EQ8 and CQ350), so never used anything besides EQMOD. Can you comment on AP mount/APCC compatibility with Sharpcap? I want to make sure it is a good option before I make a decision.

[admin]

Hi,

based on user reports, things mostly work but there are a few potential glitches - you can see previous threads on the forums on this line : https://www.google.com/search?q=astroph ... pcap.co.uk

To summarise, there were issues with older versions of SharpCap and possibly with older ASCOM drivers. Additionally some versions of the AP hardware cannot perform the 'MoveAxis' command that SharpCap uses to make the arrow keys work (and some other features). At the time the issue was reported, the Astrophysics ASCOM driver unfortunately claimed that it could perform MoveAxis on hardware that did not support it. If you follow the original thread you will see that this came down to something like an older mount board or firmware version.

As an aside, I gave up on EQMOD a year or two back (and actually have switched to an iOptron CEM70 mount now). I found that 'Green Swamp Server' at least as good as a Skywatcher ASCOM driver and better in some areas (and also being actively developed/fixed/updated).

It might be worth digging around to see if you can find a forum for AP mount owners and search for SharpCap there, as well as searching for 'Astrophysics' on here.

cheers,

Roibn

[Moonstruck]

Thanks for the info and your suggestions. I'll dig around for some additional info on APCC and Sharpcap compatibility. As I use Sharpcap exclusively, Sharpcap compatibility is critical for me.

I am looking for a mount to hold my C11 Edge scope. I am tempted to buy another Skywatcher mount- maybe another EQ8 (and continue using EQMOD), but the AP mounts have a great reputation so I am looking into that. Maybe I'll also look at the ioptron mounts like your CEM70. Have you had any issues with ioptron computer control using Sharpcap? How does it compare to EQMOD in its functionality and ease of use?

[admin]

Hi,

so far the CEM70 has performed well - it's more accurate than my old EQ6 in GOTO and the iOptron software mostly just works. I did make sure I got one of the models with the wired connections, as some of the top end models with USB3 hubs seem to only have wireless connection to the mount itself which is silly. I didn't bother with the encoder options.

A few things to note though...

* iOptron mounts cannot perform axis movements at arbitrary movement rates like Skywatcher ones can, so would be unsuitable for things like the ISS
* The iOptron software gives you a sun pointing warning if you try to GOTO the sun - fortunately now you can tick 'don't ask again this session' rather than having to acknowledge it every time
* Because of the through-wiring to the USB hubs, the mount cannot revolve more than 360 degrees in RA or DEC (which the EQ6 could). That means that to fit the dovetail plate sideways to allow side-by-side mounting I had to remove the dovetail, create a packing plate to give a bit more clearance and do a few other tweaks.
* The mount is shorter than an EQ6 in spite of being more heavyweight (height from base to center of dovetail plate) due to the 'center balance' construction.

cheers,

Robin

[Moonstruck]

Thanks very much for the info on the Ioptron mount. I am trying to find a suitable mount for my C11 Edge for astrophotography, and can’t decide whether to just get another skywatcher mount (and keep using eqmod or try gss) or try something completely different.

If I get an AP mount and use APCC, I am assuming sharpcap’s go to/plate solve function will still work, correct? I have grown to really appreciate this function in Sharpcap and can’t do without it! I assume the go to/plate solve button will still be there somewhere in the APCC control screen but can you please confirm?

[admin]

Hi,

that last one is difficult for me to answer, since I don't have an AP mount to test with or check.

The thing that SharpCap relies upon for the 'plate solve and recenter' to work is the mount ASCOM driver implementing the 'SyncToCoordinates' functionality. Most mounts do implement this, but that is only 'most'. Also some drivers try to use 'SyncToCoordinates' to add a point to the pointing model rather than carry out its intended purpose of setting the mounts co-ordinates - that can cause problems too.

If you end up with a mount that doesn't sync properly then SharpCap has a fallback mode that you can enable where it will instead calculate the offset co-ordinates it needs to put the target in the center of the field of view. This will work, but has some drawbacks including not always working a second time on the same target if anything has adjusted the pointing slightly.

Your best bet is really going to be finding someone using an AP mount (ideally the one you are thinking off) and SharpCap and get their report. Or see if you can try one out somehow...

cheers,

Robin