As this chart shows, there are many options available for controlling your mount whether you are out for a night of observing your favorite objects without a PC (your Keypad serving as your handheld computer), conducting a public star party (imagine using an iPad to "WOW" the kids) or remote imaging (APCC will allow you to control your mount in the comfort of your home).
Overview
Your Astro-Physics GTO mount has a remarkable servo
control system that combines with the precise mechanics of the physical components
to give the mount its superb performance. Contrary to popular assumption,
the brains of the mount are found in the GTO Control box, not in the kkeypad
or computer program. Simply think of your Keypad or computer as an input
device.
Computer Control
All functions of the servo drive can be commanded from
a laptop or desktop computer. Astro-Physics now has a wholly-owned and fully-supported ASCOM
V2 driver for all of our GTO mounts. This is the recommended method
for mount control with a personal computer operating under the Windows operating
system. Most popular Windows planetarium, imaging, guiding and observatory control
software take advantage of ASCOM’s
universal applicability. Refer to additional information regarding the V2 driver
below.
The GTOCP3 control box provides two RS-232 inputs so that you can connect with
two separate serial interfaces. This allows Mac users and non-ASCOM programs
to have more than a single connection to the mount. For example, you might wish
to connect PulseGuide and an ASCOM client at the same time with your
Windows computer. On the Mac side, you might wish to connect both Astro-Planner
and Equinox for an observing or imaging session. Please note that we cannot fully
support Mac programs at this time.
Serial-to-USB connectivity has been simplified by the addition of Keyspan Serial-to-USB
devices to our product line, and the Icron Ranger USB Extender. Please review
the information regarding connectivity
products to determine which one will work best for your set-up.
GTO Keypad Operation The GTO Keypad (included with all GTO mounts) is
a handheld computer with all of the features, functions and databases
you need to tour the universe night after night. The vacuum-fluorescent
display with a temperature range down to -40 degrees F (and
C, they are the same in this instance), allows hardy
observers to use the keypad on cold winter nights (please contact Astro-Physics if you wish to use the mount in severe temperatures below -20F). Additional information
regarding the features of the keypad are at this link: GTOCP3
Control Box and Keypad for Servo Drive. |
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PulseGuide™ Software PulseGuide™ is a stand-alone Windows (98, ME, 2000, NT4, XP, Vista and Windows 7) utility that provides complete remote control of the Astro-Physics Mach1GTO, 900GTO, 1200GTO, 3600GTO, 400GTO and 600EGTO mounts. It derives its name from its most distinctive feature, pulse guiding, which can improve unguided tracking. Specifically, it can help correct tracking errors caused by polar misalignment and atmospheric refraction. You can also train PulseGuide™ to track objects moving relative to the stars, such as asteroids, comets, and the moon. In addition to pulse guiding, PulseGuide also has many useful utility features. With just a few exceptions, it supports the entire serial Astro-Physics command protocol allowing full control of your mount through your PC. More information here ....PulseGuide™ was written by Ray
Gralak of Sirius-Imaging. Please refer to his web
site http://www.pulseguide.com for
further developments and enhancements. All owners of any Astro-Physics
GTO mounts can download the software free-of-charge, courtesy of Ray. Many,
many thanks to Ray for this powerful program. |
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Astro-Physics ASCOM V2 Driver Astro-Physics now offers a company-supported ASCOM V2 driver. This driver provides full mount control for all of the Astro-Physics GTO mounts and acts as a hub allowing multiple client applications to connect through a single serial port without the need for POTH. It has been developed with remote operation in mind and its functions were designed to be highly robust. The driver features a very user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI).Please see this link for more information and to find links to the ASCOM platform and the Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM driver. The ASCOM V2 Driver is compatible with all versions of the GTO Control Box: GTOCP1, GTOCP2, GTOCP3. |
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Astro-Physics Command Center (APCC) Software Ray Gralak, the author of PulseGuide, is currently developing the Astro-Physics Command Center (APCC), which will incorporate all the features of PulseGuide and add many more advanced functions to the control system of your mount. Through the application of virtual serial ports, APCC will act as a hub for a number of other applications that can all communicate with the mount through a single COM port. As of this writing, in late October 2012, we anticipate that it will be available within a few weeks.
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Planetarium, Imaging and Observatory Software from Other Vendors
There are a number of planetarium programs that can be used to control the Astro-Physics GTO Servo System. In addition, some software designed primarily for camera control and/or observatory control and planning also have limited ability to control your mount. Many of these use the ASCOM interface and will take advantage of the new ASCOM V2 driver mentioned above. Any software that can use the AP V2 ASCOM driver will have extensive mount control capabilities because of the driver's "virtual keypad" features. Other programs employ native drivers that the software designers wrote from our publicly available command set. The list that follows is certainly not exhausive, but contains software with which we have at least a little familiarity.Resources for Mac users
In addition to the Mac software mentioned above, check out this resource: The Mac in Astronomy by David E. Illig. Website: http://www.primordial-light.com/macastronomer.htmlMobile Smart Devices
We have entered a new age of smart devices that offer amazing functionality at our fingertips without the need for a computer. |
SkyFi™ Wireless Telescope Controller and SkyWire™ from Southern Stars
SkyFi™ is Southern Stars' patent-pending WiFi-to-Serial adapter that is designed for wireless telescope control. If you have a computer-controlled GoTo telescope, SkyFi™ can use the WiFi capabilities of your Mac, PC, iPhone™, iPad™, or iPod Touch™ to point your telescope (via your mount) in the sky. SkyWire™ can connect the iPhone™, iPad™, or iPod Touch™ directly to your mount via wired connection. It has an Apple device plug on one end and an RS232 plug on the other. |
SkySafari™ for iOS from Southern Stars The GoTo mount control functions provided by
this application are quite basic and most suited to visual astronomy.
However, the graphical interface of your iPad™, iPod Touch™ or iPhone™ offers
some exciting possibilities to engage kids (young and old) at public star
parties, as well as provide an enjoyable, informative evening for amateur
astronomers on observing nights. Also, if the weather is cloudy, you can
browse through the extensive databases to learn a great deal about the sky
and plan your next session. This product is also being offered in a version
for the Mac OS X for direct computer control. |
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Write your own computer program
The Astro-Physics GTO protocol for the GTOCP3 Control Box is freely available to those who would like to write their own computer program for controlling the mount. Please contact Astro-Physics for further information. Please note, however, that with our substantial investment in both the Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM driver and in APCC, we cannot also provide free technical support to anyone who wants to try their hand at mount control software. We strongly encourage all customers to use the available software options, if possible.Copyright © 1999-2011, Astro-Physics,
Inc. - All Rights Reserved
This page was last modified:
October 21, 2012
Astro-Physics, Inc.
11250 Forest Hills Road, Machesney Park, IL 61115, U.S.A.
Phone: 815-282-1513 Fax: 815-282-9847
