From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Chip Louie
Sent: Monday, February 3, 2020 2:55 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Losmandy_users_io] Computer for remote operation

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Hi Rick,

People are making dedicated boxes for mountside on mounting as payload with the optic. There are fantastic computers that give you the speed, power and storage to fully run the mount remotely,? autoguide, control and capture data using an astro camera. In particular the Primaluce Eagle 3 Pro computer but it is a very pricey unit at $2300USD. There are also a few small microcontroller based on-scope computer systems that are just now emerging from the first and second round implementations using processors that are too slow for the job that run UNIX like O/S that are mostly capable of doing similar work. But to really work well they may need some additional aux. sub-processors to do other jobs, these are more mix and match as opposed to an all in one solution.

But the Primaluce Eagle 3 Pro is an expensive i5 7300U laptop based mini PC which represents a milestone in the one-stop shopping solution, it works. But only as long as you have the money to buy the best and you stick to products that have been tested with the Primaluce Eagle 3 Pro you will be fine. But if you are familiar with Windows computers and are willing to buy a small Intel system and download and configure the mostly free or low cost ASCOM based planetarium, plate solving, autoguiding, camera control, sequencing etc. apps you can save a ton of money over the Primaluce Eagle and get a faster processor with more memory and SSD for a lot less money. Then you just use remote desktop to control the scope/mountside computer and all the usual imaging hardware. For example I bought a nice used Intel NUC i7 based mini PC with Win10 PRO, 32GB RAM and 1TB M.2 SSD for $375. Now admittedly this is an exceptionally low price considering I bought it two years ago but you get the idea, I got a slightly faster, better processor capable of twice the threads, GB Ethernet, Wireless AC-8260 WiFi, Bluetooth 4.2, double the main memory and M.2 SSD capacity for maybe 20% of what a Primaluce Eagle 3 Pro cost. All I had to do is download the ASCOM compatible apps I was already using and it ran perfectly. Now it is not in a cool RED aluminum alloy case but it is the size of a thin paperback book and is easy to mount on the GEM head as payload or as a scopeside computer. It has 9x USB2.0, 3.0 and 3.1 gen2 ports, WiFi and Bluetooth, on processor 4K video controller, everything a full size mainstream PC would have in spades and plenty of power for use as a wireless imaging computer. The one weakness all high performance PCs regardless of size have is they all need significant AC power when compared to microcontroller based astronomy appliances but if you want them to do all that a single NUC or other PC can do they will not run long on batteries either.? ? ?

Another thing to consider is if you have a Windows/Android or Mac/iPhone infrastructure, this can play a big part in making a good decision. Obviously if you have a Win 10 computer and Android smart devices the choice is simple, buy a Win 10 based scope or scope-side computer and run the full suit of ASCOM based everything and you will be pretty successful and have a million people to help you get rolling. The Mac/iPhone environment is a much tougher road to follow because there is nothing like ASCOM for iOS and you will need to pick the scope computer and controller O/S carefully as well as any smart device planetarium and other apps to remain happy. I know it can be done but the question is do you have the stamina to push through designing, collecting and assembling this diverse but potentially more flexible system.

I have a hardware and software background from back in the day when the DEC PDP-8/11, LSI-11 and AT&T UNIX was all there was and there was not 20 different UNIX "like" O/Ss out there. Based on what I have seen I can assure you that most people will not have a good time trying to use the small appliance type microcontrollers and tying them all together using one of the popular underlying O/Ss trying to find a foothold in the market. The only people having any success with them are geeks like me and I chose to use ASCOM because of the huge depth of apps and hardware you can choose from to use off the shelf so to speak.?

So what I am saying is that somewhere between the platinum plated all in one solution and the Raspberry Pi build it yourself controllers are the mainstream solutions that actually work and you can almost afford to buy and use. Look for a mini-PC that is based on Intel i5 6th generation or newer laptop processor with lots of USB3.0 ports, 16-32GB RAM and minimum of .05TB SSD and the ability to off load to SD cards or external SSDs for post processing. With this you can choose to use Win10 or if you are somewhat technical one of the alternative O/Ss for astro applications. To control power and USB ports look into a Pegasus Pocket Power Advance for USB3.0 ports and settable 12v power ports and autofocuser controller all in one box. You can even run it with a R-Pi if you feel compelled to struggle but at least it has the I/O and power ports you'll need.?

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Chip Louie - Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware