Shoestring Astronomy Support

What software runs best with a neximage camera? Try PHDGuiding (http://www.stark-labs.com/phdguiding.html). I have not used it yet myself, but it has the ability to automatically calibrate itself. I know GuideDog also works well, but requires more manual setup. Should I run under the ascom protocol...

There should be no difference. If DSUSBCheck works correctly, it seems like it must be something in the setup of MaximDL or the camera. I have not used MaximDL much myself, so it might be quicker to an answer if you ask them. I have also not worked with the 5D myself, so I don't know if the menus ar...

As I said before, we will gladly replace the faulty cable. Each cable is checked here after it is built. If you would like to return the cable so we can analyze it, I would appreciate that. We will pay the return shipping via USPS First Class or Priority Mail.

I apologize for having to do this, but you would be amazed at the number of illegitimate "people" that try to post spam on a forum. Keeping the memberlist clean has become quite a job. Thus, I have decided to try filtering the membership beforehand by requiring moderator approval. I am sorry for the...

The FCUSB is a product that allows you to control a DC focus motor (or any DC motor for that matter) by way of a USB port and software on your computer. If you are already using a computer in your observatory for other reasons, this provides a way for you to focus your telescope without fumbling aro...

Jack,

Was this an RJ-12 cable you purchase from Shoestring? If so, we will gladly replace it.

Excellent news Ian. Glad to hear you have it working now.

I have not used K3CCDTools myself for quite a while. Does it have the ability to Reverse E/W and Reverse N/S? I know with GuideDog, if the directions are not correctly configured, it will guide itself in the wrong direction and never recover. Have you tried any other guide software, just to see if t...

Jack, OK, I understand the problem better now. I have not heard of this behavior before, so it might take some time to sort this out. It seems very strange to me. Perhaps since it is an older mount, Losmandy used a different electrical interface than they do now. Here is a note from the Shoestring G...

Thanks for the update, Glenn. I love to hear all the success stories!!

The folks I know that use the NexImage have not modified them. With your 120mm scope, you should have no problem guiding down to mag 7 stars, probably mag 8 or so. I do not use a focal reducer for guiding, although it could help by giving you a greater choice of guide stars within a single field of ...

Michael, Lets try the easy stuff first. From within GPINTCheck, have you tried all 3 possible port choices? Also, the movement will be very subtle, almost imperceptible unless you are looking through the scope under moderate to high magnification. Usually the best thing is to listen for additional m...

As far as a new mount goes, there are so many possibilities. Personally, I have been thinking about buying the Orion Atlas mount to get rid of the fork mount that holds my C-8.

Ah, I didn't realize the Nexstar 8 had no autoguide port. Have you tried using the ASCOM driver for it?
http://www.ascom-standards.org/drivers.html

If you use the autoguide port on your mount rather than the serial port, you will not need software that emulates the scope. You can use either the GPINT-PT or GPUSB from Shoestring Astronomy to interface to the autoguide port, then use software such as GuideDog or PHDGuiding to take the images from...