I am looking into buying a Pegasus Ultimate Power V3 (UPV3) when it becomes available. I wanted to find out if there are any solutions for connecting the STC-7 camera to the UPV3. I am aware of the camera's 6-pin mini din power interface configuration, but I'd like to know if it is feasible and if there are any recommendations in how to build a power interface cable, or where to have one custom made. Also. If the UPV3 is not a recommended fit for the STC-7, are there any other alternatives?
I don't know anything about the UPV3. That said, a custom cable can of course be built. Notes: The pinout for the connector is in the manual The manual also recommends a mating connector. It is important to use that specific connector as it is a locking version. It is a little hard to assemble. Be very careful not to get the connections backwards! It's very easy to do, make sure you carefully note the orientation in the manual. Before using the custom cable, I strongly recommend the following test: Dismount the camera from the telescope, and make sure it's not touching anything metal. Remove all cables, especially the USB cable. Plug in the custom cable and power it up. If the camera powers up, you're good to go. If the camera does not power up, then the power is wired backwards. This will not damage anything as long as there's no other ground connection to the camera. Fix the connector and try again. If you have the USB cable connected during this test and the power is backwards, you'll be putting +12V on the camera's case. This will feed back to the USB port ground, and destroy the USB port in the camera and the computer. Obviously the warranty does not cover this situation!
Thanks Doug!! I'll keep your notes in mind when building and testing the cable. The power distribution box I was referring in my initial post as UPV3, is actually referred as [Pegasus] Ultimate PowerBox, Version 3 (UPBV3). I apologize for any confusion. Among its features, the UPBV3 has 6 12V ports that can provide up to 6 amps. The power cable I'll be building will interface the STC-7 with one of these ports. Thanks for your help.
Just chiming in here - one important thing is the Pinout diagram in the manual is like you are looking INTO the CAMERA body. So be careful. I recommend using a voltmeter to verify you have the wiring correct from the UPV3, and that it matches the polarity of the original power supply.
