SGPro and Mount Encoders: Benefit Tracking, Slewing, Both, or Neither?

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1

Hello! I would appreciate guidance from folks who use SGPro with high end mounts that have axis encoders - RA alone or with DEC - as I consider purchasing a high end mount.

Compared to the same mounts without encoders, do these encoders help SGPro make more accurate slews or more accurate tracking? Both? Neither?

Thank you for your guidance and best regards.

Mike

2

Hi Mike

I use both 10 Micron GM1000HPS and GM2000HPS mounts with SGP.

SGP simply instructs the mount to slew to a set of co-ordinates and SGP isn’t involved at all in the performance and accuracy of the slew.

The 10 Micron mounts do slew very accurately and interact very well with SGP and plate solving (I use PinPoint and have used PS2 as well), and SGP used as an imaging capture tool for model building.

HTH

Barry

3

Thank you!

Mike

4

I second what Barry said - I have a 10 Micron GM1000HPS and SGPro works very well with it for pointing and plate solving. These mounts are used successfully by many people unguided, but I choose to guide mine using PHD2 and that works well too.

Steve

5

You probably have to ask on a per mount basis.

Consumer grade mounts (Less than say $10K US) they probably don’t help.

e.g. HDX-110 / EQ8 most people disable them. Mine are unpluged on the main board because the stickers used with the encoders grew black mold. On that mount the DEC axis is especially is exposed to the weather.

You can also turn them of with software, including newer EQMODs if you use that driver.

6

Thank you!

Mike