SGP working with Paramount/TSX?

Sequence Generator Equipment Compatibility
1

Hi,

I am a user of Paramount MyT and I am getting interested trying SGP for control/automation of my imaging session. In TSX (more specifically TPoint) after creating a model you don’t want to re-sync to corrupt the model, but I’ve read that SGP will issue sync command when doing centering. I am not sure if this issue is solved/can be solved and I can’t find related posts here. Can any Paramount users share their experience? Also, is there anything else I should be aware of as a Paramount user? I am also using Atik One 6.0 camera, Atik GP guider camera and Moonlite focuser, and I guess they are also supported (through ASCOM I think)?

Thanks,
Yizhou

2

You can disable the centering routine and just use slews if you’re concerned about the sync. Slew will not issue a sync.

Also now that we query the mount for the epoch first and sync using that epoch that this is less of an issue now (but I’m not certain as I don’t have a use TPoint).

Thanks,
Jared

3

Thanks Jared,

If I understand this right I can still do autoflip and other automate actions. Basically just trust the model’s pointing accuracy and just issue GoTo, no sync/recentering after GoTo?

BTW I think I’ve heard issues with JNow/J2000. Is that solved?

Thanks,
Yizhou

4

Hi Yizhou,

I have been using version 2.4.2 with TSX/t-point and I haven’t noticed any degradation in pointing when allowing SGP to sync. Aside from the scope, you and I have the exact same gear. I have no issues using SGP for automation. The coordinates are now converted to JNOW for mounts that require it so you should be go to go with your MyT.

Dave

5

Yes that was resolved a couple of releases back.

Thanks,
Jared

6

Thanks Dave. That’s really good to know. I assume you have to uncheck something like “inhibit sync to protect model” in the ASCOM driver for The Sky? And I wonder if you tried to enable Protrack and do unguiding if you allow SGP to sync? There is no degrading pointing accuracy as well as Protrack correction?

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7

I unchecked “Inhibit sync to protect model” in TSX ASCOM driver setup, and so far I haven’t been able to detect any problems. I have T-Point and ProTrack enabled. I can’t think of any gotchas using the Atik One, Moonlite focuser, and the MyT. Chris Woodhouse created some nice videos where he describes using SGP with a Paramount MX+.

I haven’t tried unguided imaging with SGP. I experimented with unguided imaging using TSX when I first got the mount just to see how long I can go (which was pretty far with a wide field setup - 15 min at 384mm), but I haven’t tried any real unguided imaging sessions yet.

Dave

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