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INDI Library v2.0.6 is Released (02 Feb 2024)

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celestron CGX/L

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celestron CGX/L was created by guy

I am new to kstars/ekos/indi (kstars 3.5.5 stable), which is on my ubuntu 20.04 laptop.
I wish to create a new profile fo a CGX/L mount. How should I connect the mount to the laptop :
1) with a standard USB B type cable into the USB port on the mount ?
2) or with a USB-mini USB cable to the NexStar+ hand control’s mini USB port ?
Which driver should I use : Celestron CGX ? Celestron NexStar ?
Thank you
Guy
2 years 6 months ago #76005

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Replied by Jasem Mutlaq on topic celestron CGX/L

I don't think #1 works (but it's worth a try!). Celestron CGX and Celestron Nexstar are the same driver, just different labels.
2 years 6 months ago #76006

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Replied by guy on topic celestron CGX/L

Hi Jasem,
I did a test with #2 with the mount on a table and it worked OK, so I am looking forward to doing a real test on the sky as soon as possible
Thank you a lot
Guy
2 years 6 months ago #76007

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Replied by Doug S on topic celestron CGX/L

You should be fine. I also have a CGX-L, and only use the USB-B cable to the mount head when I need to run CPWI and PECTool. Otherwise, when running Kstars/Ekos, use the hand controller miniusb interface. From a cable management and robust PI4 perspective, I found the cleanest solution is to use a powered USB hub. Since the hand controller is only used for power-up initialization, I've velcro'd it to the front end of the dovetail plate and use the top end (RA axis) AUX interface. Only a power cord is required to come up on top from below. In my case, I added a bundled ethernet cable (fast transfers). The whole top end looks like the image....clean. I recommend the low end PowerBox and SSD replacement of the SD card too.  Good luck as you sort out your own config! CS Doug

  
2 years 6 months ago #76010
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Replied by guy on topic celestron CGX/L

Hello Doug,
Thank you for sharing your experience on the CGX/L.
For the time being  I used it with the hand controller only.
My goal is to use the polar aligment available in kstars, Up to now I used the Celestron all-star polar alignment built in the hand controller, and I hope the kstars procedure will produce a more accurate alignment.
CS Guy
2 years 6 months ago #76020

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Replied by Jerry Black on topic celestron CGX/L

I have an CGX and can confirm that your option 1 (USB mount) doesn't work for me. I always use the Hand Controller interface with KStars.

Also, although it's probably just me, I find that the Celestron all-star polar alignment works for me whereas the KStars polar alignment doesn't provide as close a polar alignment. For me, they differ significantly.

Cheers
Jerry
2 years 6 months ago #76022

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Replied by Doug S on topic celestron CGX/L

Hey Jerry, Just FYI, although I've been somewhat leary of the Ekos PA routine in the past, I'll note that after 3.5.4 when the CGX axes senses got flipped back to normal in the INDI CGX driver, I was able to test the difference between the Ekos PA routine (done away from polaris by almost 90 degrees east, and using westward rotations of 20 degrees), and PHD2's drift align / guide assistant results. I was pretty careful to level the mount before hand, and let PHD2 settle for about 4 minutes (both drift and guide assistant). In the end, the results differed, but only by about 30 arcsecs or less. That's sufficient enough. FWIW, I'm running 3.5.6 (but essentially it's 3.5.5 stable as I grabbed it right after the new release was issued). Since we have the same mount (only -L version difference between us), I would think you should get ok results if you're reasonably careful in setup....

To Guy: I think you'll find it *much* easier to avoid ASPA in the hand controller and just do an Ekos PA and then use StellarSolver to platesolve on targets. If you find you're not very good at the "rough" align when you setup, you can really quickly improve your results by doing a PHD2 rough drift align to get close (but no need to let it settle). Then switch to Ekos PA and dial it in quickly. Just a thought....
2 years 6 months ago #76024

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