Is it possible to use an AO-X with a STF 8050 camera? Does the STF 8050 have the necessary hardware and software to support this device? John
More precisely, in order to do AO you need to have dual chip capability and I2C capability. ST-I and STF-402 don't have I2C so they are completely ruled out. None of the STF line has dual chip capability. That said, it might be possible to use two STF cameras, e.g. one STF-8300 on an off-axis guider to run AO and one STF-8050 to image. At that point software becomes the issue - it's not designed to do that - so you'd have to run two computers. We haven't tried it, but it could probably be made to work.
Tim, Doug, Thanks for the replies. I think I may be trying too hard to push older technology into newer technology. But, that said, Doug, do you think the STF 8050 could drive the AO-X on another camera? I currently am imaging using a ST-1603me with narrowband filters. That set up is using an OAG. So if I understand you correctly, the STF 8050 would be connected to the AO-X and guiding on one computer, while the ST 1603me would be imaging on another with the AO-X driven by the STF 8050. Then of course there is the issue of mounting all together, backfocus,etc. Not really click and play. This is all predicated on the hope that the AO-X connected to STF 8050C that I have sent to Bill Lynch for repair works. Who knows, might be worth a shot, AO-X technology is pretty robust. It would be nice to remove the mount pe from the imaging acquisition process. John
That might work. I can't absolutely guarantee it because we've never tried it, but it sounds plausible.
Doug, Thanks again. I will let you know how it all works out. I am too much an equipment junkie, got to love this hobby.