Remote Control ?

Dear All,


I currently set up my LX200 outside in the garden and when I am using a
camera I sit in my darkened conservatory with the laptop - this is fine, but
I am limited to 10m distance as I have not been able to get multiple USB2
active extenders working in daisy chain fashion. I can use one 5m active
extender and one 5m passive cable, but that's it.

I want to build a pier further down my garden - about 30m further down in
fact - and hope to eventually enclose it with a roll off shed or dome at
some point in the future. (Although at the moment I may just cover the scope
with a good waterproof cover and throw a toilet tent over the whole lot - or
maybe even buy one of those fibreglass toilet stalls you see on building
sites and try and make a roll of version....)

What is the best way to achieve real remote control functionality ? I
presume I will need a dedicated PC in a weatherproof box ( I have lots of
bits laying aorund, so that's not a problem) next to the scope and could
then just set up a wireless network node there and control it all from
another PC in the house. I know the Meade Autostar suite allows IP based
control, but do Starry Nights and other programs as well ? My main concern
is the speed and bandwidth - I want to run Autostar for my DSI camera,
K3CCDtools for my Toucam and, well, not sure what really for DSLR.


Any ideas ?

Two options, carry on as you are, but use one of the newer USB extenders that
work over bog standard twisted pair netowrk cable. They come in about £30 iirc
and work over a couple of hundred metres.
Or go the observatory computer route. In this case you can run all the
software on the Obs computer and take over the keyboard/screen/mouse remotely
from your house - either wireless of wired. If you are running XP it has this
functionality built in (Remote Desktop), it's free and works really well - its
a cutdown version of the terminal services used on Windows Servers.

Mark


adm wrote:
Dear All,


I currently set up my LX200 outside in the garden and when I am using
a camera I sit in my darkened conservatory with the laptop - this is
fine, but I am limited to 10m distance as I have not been able to get
multiple USB2 active extenders working in daisy chain fashion. I can
use one 5m active extender and one 5m passive cable, but that's it.

I want to build a pier further down my garden - about 30m further
down in fact - and hope to eventually enclose it with a roll off shed
or dome at some point in the future. (Although at the moment I may
just cover the scope with a good waterproof cover and throw a toilet
tent over the whole lot - or maybe even buy one of those fibreglass
toilet stalls you see on building sites and try and make a roll of
version....)
What is the best way to achieve real remote control functionality ? I
presume I will need a dedicated PC in a weatherproof box ( I have
lots of bits laying aorund, so that's not a problem) next to the
scope and could then just set up a wireless network node there and
control it all from another PC in the house. I know the Meade
Autostar suite allows IP based control, but do Starry Nights and
other programs as well ? My main concern is the speed and bandwidth -
I want to run Autostar for my DSI camera, K3CCDtools for my Toucam
and, well, not sure what really for DSLR.

Any ideas ?

Hi Mark,

Do you have a link for a USB 2 extender ? The cheapest one I can find so far
is $199 !

As for the remote desktop approach - I'll give that a try. Initially, I
suppose I could just put my laptop in a weatherproof box and leave it by the
telescope to see how it works. Do you know if there is much lag with the
screen refresh - could be a pain for focussing if there is....


"Mark Crossley" wrote in message
...
Two options, carry on as you are, but use one of the newer USB extenders
that work over bog standard twisted pair netowrk cable. They come in
about £30 iirc and work over a couple of hundred metres.
Or go the observatory computer route. In this case you can run all the
software on the Obs computer and take over the keyboard/screen/mouse
remotely from your house - either wireless of wired. If you are running
XP it has this functionality built in (Remote Desktop), it's free and
works really well - its a cutdown version of the terminal services used on
Windows Servers.

Mark


adm wrote:
Dear All,


I currently set up my LX200 outside in the garden and when I am using
a camera I sit in my darkened conservatory with the laptop - this is
fine, but I am limited to 10m distance as I have not been able to get
multiple USB2 active extenders working in daisy chain fashion. I can
use one 5m active extender and one 5m passive cable, but that's it.

I want to build a pier further down my garden - about 30m further
down in fact - and hope to eventually enclose it with a roll off shed
or dome at some point in the future. (Although at the moment I may
just cover the scope with a good waterproof cover and throw a toilet
tent over the whole lot - or maybe even buy one of those fibreglass
toilet stalls you see on building sites and try and make a roll of
version....)
What is the best way to achieve real remote control functionality ? I
presume I will need a dedicated PC in a weatherproof box ( I have
lots of bits laying aorund, so that's not a problem) next to the
scope and could then just set up a wireless network node there and
control it all from another PC in the house. I know the Meade
Autostar suite allows IP based control, but do Starry Nights and
other programs as well ? My main concern is the speed and bandwidth -
I want to run Autostar for my DSI camera, K3CCDtools for my Toucam
and, well, not sure what really for DSLR.

Any ideas ?

Hmmm, in a catalog I think - I'll try and dig it out, but a Google for "USB
Extender CAT5" brings up the links below (+others ). Maybe I was mistaken
about the range (though I have seen 1km units) at that price range.


http://www.maplin.co.uk/Free_UK_Deli...nder_45471.htm

http://www.lindy.com/uk/productfolde...2801/index.php


adm wrote:
Hi Mark,

Do you have a link for a USB 2 extender ? The cheapest one I can find
so far is $199 !

As for the remote desktop approach - I'll give that a try. Initially,
I suppose I could just put my laptop in a weatherproof box and leave
it by the telescope to see how it works. Do you know if there is
much lag with the screen refresh - could be a pain for focussing if
there is....

"Mark Crossley" wrote in message
...
Two options, carry on as you are, but use one of the newer USB
extenders that work over bog standard twisted pair netowrk cable. They come
in about £30 iirc and work over a couple of hundred metres.
Or go the observatory computer route. In this case you can run all
the software on the Obs computer and take over the
keyboard/screen/mouse remotely from your house - either wireless of
wired. If you are running XP it has this functionality built in
(Remote Desktop), it's free and works really well - its a cutdown
version of the terminal services used on Windows Servers.

Mark


adm wrote:
Dear All,


I currently set up my LX200 outside in the garden and when I am
using a camera I sit in my darkened conservatory with the laptop -
this is fine, but I am limited to 10m distance as I have not been
able to get multiple USB2 active extenders working in daisy chain
fashion. I can use one 5m active extender and one 5m passive cable,
but that's it. I want to build a pier further down my garden - about 30m
further
down in fact - and hope to eventually enclose it with a roll off
shed or dome at some point in the future. (Although at the moment I
may just cover the scope with a good waterproof cover and throw a
toilet tent over the whole lot - or maybe even buy one of those
fibreglass toilet stalls you see on building sites and try and make
a roll of version....)
What is the best way to achieve real remote control functionality ?
I presume I will need a dedicated PC in a weatherproof box ( I have
lots of bits laying aorund, so that's not a problem) next to the
scope and could then just set up a wireless network node there and
control it all from another PC in the house. I know the Meade
Autostar suite allows IP based control, but do Starry Nights and
other programs as well ? My main concern is the speed and bandwidth
- I want to run Autostar for my DSI camera, K3CCDtools for my Toucam
and, well, not sure what really for DSLR.

Any ideas ?

Yep it was in catalog - CPC at £29.95

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSea...=CS11725&N=411

Mark


Mark Crossley wrote:
Hmmm, in a catalog I think - I'll try and dig it out, but a Google
for "USB Extender CAT5" brings up the links below (+others ). Maybe I was
mistaken about the range (though I have seen 1km units)
at that price range.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Free_UK_Deli...nder_45471.htm

http://www.lindy.com/uk/productfolde...2801/index.php


adm wrote:
Hi Mark,

Do you have a link for a USB 2 extender ? The cheapest one I can find
so far is $199 !

As for the remote desktop approach - I'll give that a try. Initially,
I suppose I could just put my laptop in a weatherproof box and leave
it by the telescope to see how it works. Do you know if there is
much lag with the screen refresh - could be a pain for focussing if
there is....

"Mark Crossley" wrote in message
...
Two options, carry on as you are, but use one of the newer USB
extenders that work over bog standard twisted pair netowrk cable.
They come in about £30 iirc and work over a couple of hundred
metres. Or go the observatory computer route. In this case you can run all
the software on the Obs computer and take over the
keyboard/screen/mouse remotely from your house - either wireless of
wired. If you are running XP it has this functionality built in
(Remote Desktop), it's free and works really well - its a cutdown
version of the terminal services used on Windows Servers.

Mark


adm wrote:
Dear All,


I currently set up my LX200 outside in the garden and when I am
using a camera I sit in my darkened conservatory with the laptop -
this is fine, but I am limited to 10m distance as I have not been
able to get multiple USB2 active extenders working in daisy chain
fashion. I can use one 5m active extender and one 5m passive cable,
but that's it. I want to build a pier further down my garden -
about 30m further
down in fact - and hope to eventually enclose it with a roll off
shed or dome at some point in the future. (Although at the moment I
may just cover the scope with a good waterproof cover and throw a
toilet tent over the whole lot - or maybe even buy one of those
fibreglass toilet stalls you see on building sites and try and make
a roll of version....)
What is the best way to achieve real remote control functionality ?
I presume I will need a dedicated PC in a weatherproof box ( I have
lots of bits laying aorund, so that's not a problem) next to the
scope and could then just set up a wireless network node there and
control it all from another PC in the house. I know the Meade
Autostar suite allows IP based control, but do Starry Nights and
other programs as well ? My main concern is the speed and bandwidth
- I want to run Autostar for my DSI camera, K3CCDtools for my
Toucam and, well, not sure what really for DSLR.

Any ideas ?

"Mark Crossley" wrote in message
...
Yep it was in catalog - CPC at £29.95

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSea...=CS11725&N=411

Mark

Unfortunately - USB 1.1

The Meade DSI needs USB 2 to be usable.

Thanks though......it looks like the observatory PC route (or "laptop in a
box" as I call it seeing as I don't have an observatory) and remote
management will be the way to go.

im in the process of putting in a fibre optic link in
but some people may not want to go to that expense


"adm" wrote in message
...

"Mark Crossley" wrote in message
...
Yep it was in catalog - CPC at £29.95

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSea...=CS11725&N=411

Mark

Unfortunately - USB 1.1

The Meade DSI needs USB 2 to be usable.

Thanks though......it looks like the observatory PC route (or "laptop in a
box" as I call it seeing as I don't have an observatory) and remote
management will be the way to go.

Interesting - any details you'd care to share ?

"Hayley" wrote in message
...
im in the process of putting in a fibre optic link in
but some people may not want to go to that expense


"adm" wrote in message
...

"Mark Crossley" wrote in message
...
Yep it was in catalog - CPC at £29.95

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSea...=CS11725&N=411

Mark

Unfortunately - USB 1.1

The Meade DSI needs USB 2 to be usable.

Thanks though......it looks like the observatory PC route (or "laptop in
a box" as I call it seeing as I don't have an observatory) and remote
management will be the way to go.

well, you nee to buy a fibre optic transmitter an receiver that will
be capable of sending video, rs232.

Regards


"adm" wrote in message
...

Interesting - any details you'd care to share ?

"Hayley" wrote in message
...
im in the process of putting in a fibre optic link in
but some people may not want to go to that expense


"adm" wrote in message
...

"Mark Crossley" wrote in message
...
Yep it was in catalog - CPC at £29.95

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSea...=CS11725&N=411

Mark

Unfortunately - USB 1.1

The Meade DSI needs USB 2 to be usable.

Thanks though......it looks like the observatory PC route (or "laptop in
a box" as I call it seeing as I don't have an observatory) and remote
management will be the way to go.

"Hayley" wrote in message
...
well, you nee to buy a fibre optic transmitter an receiver that will
be capable of sending video, rs232.

Regards

Thanks. I got that far ! I was wondering more if you were just using a
fibre link to connect two LANs - i.e. one in the observatory and one in the
house for example (and driving the remote scope and camera remotely for
instance), and if so what kind of kit you were using. Or if you are doing it
a different way....




"adm" wrote in message
...

Interesting - any details you'd care to share ?

"Hayley" wrote in message
...
im in the process of putting in a fibre optic link in
but some people may not want to go to that expense


"adm" wrote in message
...

"Mark Crossley" wrote in message
...
Yep it was in catalog - CPC at £29.95

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSea...=CS11725&N=411

Mark

Unfortunately - USB 1.1

The Meade DSI needs USB 2 to be usable.

Thanks though......it looks like the observatory PC route (or "laptop
in a box" as I call it seeing as I don't have an observatory) and
remote management will be the way to go.