cables and settings for auto guiding with STX-16803 + Paramount MX?

Discussion in 'STX and STXL Series Cameras' started by James Lowenthal, Aug 14, 2020.

  1. James Lowenthal

    James Lowenthal Cyanogen Customer

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2014
    Messages:
    33
    Location:
    Northampton, MA, USA
    We've got this system at Amherst College that we're trying to set up for auto guiding:
    Celestron 11" OTA
    Paramount MX
    SBIG STX 16803 with FW7-STX filter wheel and self-guider camera
    The SkyX (default) + Maxim DL 6 (backup)
    Windows 10

    Everything seems to work except autoguiding with either The SkyX or Maxim DL6.

    Can someone please advise us on the correct cabling and settings for auto guiding with our system?

    We do NOT have the 6-pin telephone-style cable installed; advice by phone from HighPoint Scientific, who helped us design and sold us this setup, said we shouldn't need it. We have these connections:
    1. The filter wheel is connected to the camera by HDMI cable + white RS232-style cable.
    2. The SBIG STX 16803 camera is connected to the computer by USB.
    3. The Paramount MX is connected to the computer by USB

    The mount is aligned to the pole well enough that stars in 2-minute images look nice and round without guiding. But we want auto guiding for longer exposures, just in case we need it.

    We see this behavior using TheSkyX:
    * Set autoguider camera to "Imager's built-in autoguider"
    * Put a star on the guide chip
    * Set cal time to 10 sec in both RA and DEC
    * Click "calibrate"
    * After a few seconds of star staying still, TheSkyX returns error: "Motion too small during +X move. Increase cal time. Error 554"

    We see this behavior using MaximDL6:
    * Connect to Paramount mount via ASCOM Telescope driver for TheSkyX. Telescope slews, tracks fine.
    * Connect to SBIG STX 16803 in dual-chip mode.
    * Put star on guide camera, click Calibrate
    * Get error message similar to above, i.e. something like "motion too small in x".
    * Try Control via all of: Guider relays, Main relays, and Telescope

    So: it seems with either program, the computer is able to measure the guide star position fine, but it is not able to send the mount the right signals to move in response to measured guide star offsets.

    At Smith College, we use MaximDL 6 to run our 16" Meade LX200 + SBIG STXL-6303 with self-guider including auto guiding using just the USB cables, no 6-pin cable, works fine. Is the Paramount MX (or the SBIG STX-16803) different, i.e. does it require the 6-pin cable? Or is there a setting we have wrong in TheSkyX and/or MaximDL?

    Thanks!

    James Lowenthal
    Smith College/Five College Astronomy Dept.
     
  2. Colin Haig

    Colin Haig Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2014
    Messages:
    7,379
    Location:
    Earth
    Please see this post on how to configure TheSky X:
    https://forum.diffractionlimited.co...yx-and-sbig-stx-cameras-with-stx-guider.7173/
    There is a trick to it - you have to connect the camera first; then configure the autoguider, and set it to use the external guide port.

    For MaxIm DL to control the motion of the Paramount without the ST-4 guider cable, you need to set up ASCOM Direct.
    To do this, you need to install the Software Bisque ASCOM2X adapter and configure it properly.
    The in MaxIm, Camera Control Window, Guide tab, Settings, Control Via, choose ASCOM direct. Settings will need to be something like the following:
    ascom2x.png

    The Paramount is a completely different beast, and is totally proprietary, so you have to use the ASCOM2X Telescope Driver for The Sky ----> TheSky X ----> Paramount ME.
    You can also run it with the guider relay port connected to the guider port on the mount.
    Most people do software guiding these days.

    Also, Highpoint Scientific is no longer an authorized dealer of SBIG cameras. It's been that way for some time.
     

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