Hi!

I'm in the process of buying a second hand AVX, but I am unsure about how to connect it to Ekos or rather a Stellarmate. Do I connect via the handcontroller, or directly to the mount? Or do I use the wifi-dongle? Which works best...?

Magnus

The AVX connects through the hand controller.
The new ones have a (micro) USB connector on the bottom.

Thanks!!

Is there no way to utilize the wifi-module that also is an option here? I'm asking because the one I'm looking at comes with a wifi module but an older handcontrol. 

Magnus

I never heard of using the Celestron wifi-module with INDI. I always read about the wifi-module combined with a kind of SkySafari planetarium called StarryNight.
I think you can buy a NexStar+ hand control separately. But in any case I think you can connect the stellarmate through the RS232 connector on the old HC.
You can also have a look at the indi_celestron_aux driver. It is in development. I have no experience with it but seems it can control the Celestron mounts through their AUX port. There is a long thread in this forum about it.

Edit: I remembered there are two different wifi modules for celestron mounts: the celestron SkyPortal and the simulator curiculum Skyfi. Check  this thread  for more details.

Hi there,

another option is also build an AUX cable in connection with some AVR MCU (e.g. Arduino Beetle). The AUX cable is be plugged in AUX port of the mount and the the AVR via USB to INDI.
There exists a great project project github.com/juanmb/NexStarAdapter where all details are explained. The software running on the AVR MCU emulates the handcontrol. This allows
to use the INDI Celestron AVX driver. In addition one can think about the option of modifying the AVR MCU code provided at github.com/juanmb/NexStarAdapter as a straight pass-through, that is,
one could use the indi_celestron_aux driver. I haven't tested the latter option, only the first. But both option would allow you so omit the handcontrol.
I attached some pictures of the cable/Beetle I built.

Cheers
 Thomas

Hi!

Thanks, that is very helpful!! I particularly like this arduino-gadget - looks great! I'll see how it all turns out here now. 

Magnus

Hi!

I'm back on this and I'm going to try and build an Arduino Nano version of that controller you link to, Thomas. 

Three questions: 
The Git-page says that homing on switches is to be developed. So how does it work then, it does not start by identifying the sensors? Just assuming the mount is in CWD position (like a Losmandy Gemini does)? Or how?

What driver do you use here - not the Celestron Aux but the Celestron Nextstar?

In the schematics, there is  a diod. Does the specs for that diod matter?

Magnus