Originally from ticket #5799.
Will Starry Night Pro control a Celestron CGEM -DX mount. Also can SN work through the new Celesron SkyQ Link Wifi module.
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2 comments
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Marko Kudjerski Hello Peter,
Starry Night uses ASCOM to control Celestron telescopes. Currently, ASCOM is able to support all computerized Celestron scopes through the Celestron driver which can be downloaded here: http://www.ascom-standards.org/Downloads/ScopeDrivers.htm
Therefore, CGEM-DX will work just fine with Starry Night.
SkyQ Link WiFi module, however, needs a virtualized port for ASCOM to be able to connect to so that Starry Night could control the telescope. SkyQ Link WiFi is a fairly recent product too and I haven't been able to find information to see if Celestron provides any means by which to connect to ASCOM to SkyQ Link. I suggest contacting Celestron directly to see what kind of support they offer for SkyQ Link (or may offer in the near future).
Clear skies!
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Del Schier You can use the SkyQ WiFi link with any ASCOM program such as Starry Night. You must run and use the Celestron NexRemote PC program in addition to the SkyQ Link PC program. Note: you must use NexRemote version 1.7.22 from the link on the SkyQ page.
The SkyQ link with the NexRemote program, which is nothing more than a virtual hand control, is that it emulates a virtual serial port that allows you to use it with any ASCOM program, or Stellarium; wirelessly.
The problem with the NexRemote program is that you cannot use the mount with the hand control at all! Touching the hand control kills the link to the NexRemote virtual hand control and forces you to re-do the star align. You cannot use the link's TCPIP serial interface directly to an ASCOM setup without the NexRemote program in place of the hand control.
Setting up the link to run on a WiFi network as a access point simply doesn't work; your computer will not have Internet access when using the Link. I tried on two different routers and tried configuring the link to join the network with both the phone app and the PC app. It simply doesn't work, I have spent hours on this and had someone checking what I was doing.
The iPhone SkyQ app that is intended to work with the link does not work with a CGEM or CG5 GT, it crashes trying to align the mount. Celestron does admit that I am not the only one having these problems.
I have tried the app dozens of times on two different mounts, both GEQ, a CGEM and a CG5 GT, and with the link on two different iPhones, a 4S 16 and a 4. Same problem every time, the app crashes (vanishes from the screen) whenever you hit Align, then Continue after connecting to the telescope. The app does slew the telescope however.
If someone has found anything different please post.
Del Schier
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