Sky 6 versus Sky X
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Mike Shade
After many years I am having to upgrade the observatory computer, it will have W10 pro on it. I have been using The Sky 6 with the tele API and AP driver to run the AP mounts. Does the Sky X work with AP mounts, or is tele API still needed? I use Maxim/ACP/Focusmax for imaging.
Thanks, |
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Mike, surprised you haven't been buried in replies already so I'll kick it off. TSX works fine with AP mounts. You just want to be sure not to use the native TSX driver but rather the ASCOM driver. I used TSX with my AP900GTO CP4 without any issues. I would guess that if you move to TSX from TS6 you'll have to decide whether to use TSX for camera control as well or not. There will be significant overlap with Maxim when you move up to TSX. BTW - I use TSX with both my rigs and I use @focus2 with one of them and Focusmax 5 with the other. Focusmax is a better focusing program for sure but @focus2 works pretty well and is again, one less thing in the mix if you give it a try. (or @focus3 which I don't use but was added probably to make TSX more competitive with Focusmax re filter dependent focus parameters). Stuart Heggie After many years I am having to upgrade the observatory computer, it will have W10 pro on it. I have been using The Sky 6 with the tele API and AP driver to run the AP mounts. Does the Sky X work with AP mounts, or is tele API still needed? I use Maxim/ACP/Focusmax for imaging. |
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On 3/29/2023 6:23 PM, Mike Shade via groups.io wrote:
After many years I am having to upgrade the observatory computer, it will have W10 pro on it. I have been using The Sky 6 with the tele API and AP driver to run the AP mounts. Does the Sky X work with AP mounts, or is tele API still needed? I use Maxim/ACP/Focusmax for imaging.What is Tele API? I have the same software, and know two things: 1. ACP, MaxIm, and FocusMax all work together on Win10 Pro. I connect MaxIm to the AP1200 as well so it can use DirectGuide. All mount connections are via ASCOM. 2. SkyX connects to the mount via ASCOM. I open the Telescope window, then Setup, then Connect, and the sky display shows the scope's coordinates. I click a target, then click Slew, and the mount slews there. No problems at all. At the start of each session, I launch the AP Jog utility and connect to the mount via ASCOM. I keep this connection open throughout the session, so disconnecting something else like SkyX or MaxIm doesn't close the ASCOM driver. HTH. --- Mike |
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Mike Shade
Thanks,
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Tele-API was an ASCOM bridge or some such to use Sky 6 if memory serves. I got the new systems with W 10 pro as the automatic updates can be shut off via the registry. I did this with a W10 pro laptop, works fine. Mike J. Shade Mike J. Shade Photography: mshadephotography.com In War: Resolution In Defeat: Defiance In Victory: Magnanimity In Peace: Goodwill Sir Winston Churchill Already, in the gathering dusk, a few of the stars are turning on their lights. Vega, the brightest one, is now dropping towards the west. Can it be half a year since I watched her April rising in the east? Low in the southwest Antares blinks a sad farwell to fall... Leslie Peltier, Starlight Nights International Dark Sky Association: www.darksky.org -----Original Message-----
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io [mailto:main@ap-gto.groups.io] On Behalf Of Mike Dodd Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2023 5:48 PM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Sky 6 versus Sky X On 3/29/2023 6:23 PM, Mike Shade via groups.io wrote: After many years I am having to upgrade the observatory computer, itWhat is Tele API? I have the same software, and know two things: 1. ACP, MaxIm, and FocusMax all work together on Win10 Pro. I connect MaxIm to the AP1200 as well so it can use DirectGuide. All mount connections are via ASCOM. 2. SkyX connects to the mount via ASCOM. I open the Telescope window, then Setup, then Connect, and the sky display shows the scope's coordinates. I click a target, then click Slew, and the mount slews there. No problems at all. At the start of each session, I launch the AP Jog utility and connect to the mount via ASCOM. I keep this connection open throughout the session, so disconnecting something else like SkyX or MaxIm doesn't close the ASCOM driver. HTH. --- Mike |
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Mike Shade
Thanks,
I don't intend to use TSX for camera control, just in part mount control. The current system is Sky 6/tele-api bridge/AP ASCOM driver/Maxin 6.28/Focusmax 5.xx/ACP. This works like a champ. The current computer system is 8 years old, that is pushing it in computer land. And as I am very rural a computer failure would take a long time to rectify, so ordered new systems custom built.
Mike J. Shade Mike J. Shade Photography:
In War: Resolution In Defeat: Defiance In Victory: Magnanimity In Peace: Goodwill Sir Winston Churchill Already, in the gathering dusk, a few of the stars are turning on their lights. Vega, the brightest one, is now dropping towards the west. Can it be half a year since I watched her April rising in the east? Low in the southwest Antares blinks a sad farwell to fall... Leslie Peltier, Starlight Nights
International Dark Sky Association: www.darksky.org
From:
main@ap-gto.groups.io [mailto:main@ap-gto.groups.io] On Behalf Of Stuart
Mike, surprised you haven't been buried in replies already so I'll kick it off. TSX works fine with AP mounts. You just want to be sure not to use the native TSX driver but rather the ASCOM driver. I used TSX with my AP900GTO CP4 without any issues. I would guess that if you move to TSX from TS6 you'll have to decide whether to use TSX for camera control as well or not. There will be significant overlap with Maxim when you move up to TSX.
BTW - I use TSX with both my rigs and I use @focus2
with one of them and Focusmax 5 with the other. Focusmax is a better focusing
program for sure but @focus2 works pretty well and is again, one less
thing in the mix if you give it a try. (or @focus3 which I don't use but
was added probably to make TSX more competitive with Focusmax re filter
dependent focus parameters).
Stuart Heggie
On Wed, 29 Mar 2023 at 18:23, Mike Shade via groups.io <mshade=q.com@groups.io> wrote:
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Mike, I wasn't impugning your current software suite, just reminding that TSX brings two features into play that do what two of your current programs do so ... you have those as options. I don't think you have any bad choices, just choices. Stuart Heggie
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Dale Ghent
If you're using TSX only for mount control, it seems like you could cut it out of the workflow entirely. If your sequencing is done via MaximDL (at the direction of ACP?), just have MaximDL connect directly to the Astro-Physics ASCOM driver. Adding TSX in as a middleman between MDL or ACP and the A-P ASCOM Driver/APCC is unnecessary. |
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Mike Shade
Thanks...the reason I am using The Sky 6 is for a visual representation of where things are pointed. There are (rare) times when I need to tell the system where to point for whatever reason. I could eliminate it altogether and have ACP mastermind everything as it were as the system in question is an imaging system entirely.
Mike J. Shade Mike J. Shade Photography:
In War: Resolution In Defeat: Defiance In Victory: Magnanimity In Peace: Goodwill Sir Winston Churchill Already, in the gathering dusk, a few of the stars are turning on their lights. Vega, the brightest one, is now dropping towards the west. Can it be half a year since I watched her April rising in the east? Low in the southwest Antares blinks a sad farwell to fall... Leslie Peltier, Starlight Nights
International Dark Sky Association: www.darksky.org
From:
main@ap-gto.groups.io [mailto:main@ap-gto.groups.io] On Behalf Of Stuart
Mike, I wasn't impugning your current software suite, just
reminding that TSX brings two features into play that do what two of your
current programs do so ... you have those as options. I don't think you have
any bad choices, just choices.
Stuart Heggie
On Thu, 30 Mar 2023 at 09:49, Mike Shade via groups.io <mshade=q.com@groups.io> wrote:
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Mike Shade
Thanks. I know it is "not" needed, but there are very infrequent times when I need to know where things are pointing.
Mike J. Shade Mike J. Shade Photography:
In War: Resolution In Defeat: Defiance In Victory: Magnanimity In Peace: Goodwill Sir Winston Churchill Already, in the gathering dusk, a few of the stars are turning on their lights. Vega, the brightest one, is now dropping towards the west. Can it be half a year since I watched her April rising in the east? Low in the southwest Antares blinks a sad farwell to fall... Leslie Peltier, Starlight Nights
International Dark Sky Association: www.darksky.org
From:
main@ap-gto.groups.io [mailto:main@ap-gto.groups.io] On Behalf Of Dale
Ghent
If you're using TSX only for mount control, it seems like you could cut it out of the workflow entirely. If your sequencing is done via MaximDL (at the direction of ACP?), just have MaximDL connect directly to the Astro-Physics ASCOM driver. Adding TSX in as a middleman between MDL or ACP and the A-P ASCOM Driver/APCC is unnecessary. |
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Linwood Ferguson
On Thu, Mar 30, 2023 at 03:59 PM, Mike Shade wrote:
Thanks...the reason I am using The Sky 6 is for a visual representation of where things are pointed. There are (rare) times when I need to tell the system where to point for whatever reason. I know in Stellarium you can do this so I suspect you can in TSX, but you can SEPARATELY hook a planetarium to the ASCOM AP driver, so that the planetarium shows the location and/or can be used for pointing the telescope, while allowing the session manager (ACP I guess in this case) to also drive the scope. Mounts (ASCOM "telescope") acts as a hub, so multiple clients can connect. You can then open the planetarium only when you need it, it does not have to be on the critical control path. |
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Roland Christen
That's how I do it now. I use Sky X to get me to the object, then disconnect it from the mount so it doesn't use up precious memory that is needed for image work in MaximDL. SkyX is a memory hog, and even though I have a very powerful laptop, it does sometimes run out of memory when doing LRGB with the 6200 chip.
Roland -----Original Message-----
From: ap@... <ap@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Thu, Mar 30, 2023 10:03 am Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Sky 6 versus Sky X On Thu, Mar 30, 2023 at 03:59 PM, Mike Shade wrote:
Thanks...the reason I am using The Sky 6 is for a visual representation of where things are pointed. There are (rare) times when I need to tell the system where to point for whatever reason. I know in Stellarium you can do this so I suspect you can in TSX, but you can SEPARATELY hook a planetarium to the ASCOM AP driver, so that the planetarium shows the location and/or can be used for pointing the telescope, while allowing the session manager (ACP I guess in this case) to also drive the scope. Mounts (ASCOM "telescope") acts as a hub, so multiple clients can connect. You can then open the planetarium only when you need it, it does not have to be on the critical control path.
If you have an urge to reduce your dependence on TSX. Linwood -- Roland Christen Astro-Physics |
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On 3/30/2023 3:59 PM, Mike Shade via groups.io wrote:
Thanks...the reason I am using The Sky 6 is for a visual representation of where things are pointed. There are (rare) times when I need to tell the system where to point for whatever reason. I could eliminate it altogether and have ACP mastermind everything as it were as the system in question is an imaging system entirely.You can have SkyX connected to the mount while ACP is connected and running an imaging plan (I've done it). Then SkyX will show you where the scope is pointing under ACP control. I think this is what you want. --- Mike |
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