So do I. I have no view to north. D.A.R.V. brings me very near to an acceptable alignment. And PHD2, as EKOS requires at least a good first align and view to the NCP before you can even use it.
D.A.R.V. - in my opinion - is an elementary alignment tool / method. Until I detected D.A.R.V, I never could get my mount aligned correctly on my balcony.
Also a very famous windows competitor application (APT), which I cannot and will not use because I like EKOS on my astroberry (based on Raspberry Pi) implemented this method.
It is so simple and yet practical. Turn tracking on. Take photo and capture / solve, slew to south at declination zero, take a photo with the D.A.R.V method, correct azimuth. Slew to east at declination zero, take a DARV-Photo, correct altitude. Within 20 minutes you get very good results.
www.cloudynights.com/articles/cat/articl...by-robert-vice-r2760
Genious and simple, and it works.
If I just had time and knew how to inplement… I would do a simple routine like
1. Turn tracking on
2. Analyse the cameras FOV parameters and calculate the best parameters for slew speed for a D.A.R.V.
3. define / search a star near south / declination zero.
4. Slew to the star and do capture and solve
5. do D.A.R.V sequence and show it in the FITS viewer
6. show a simple advice what to do, "Repeat sequence" button, "Next" button
7. define / search a star near east or west / declination zero.
8. Slew to the star and do capture and solve
9. do D.A.R.V sequence and show it in the FITS viewer
10. show a simple advice what to do, "Repeat sequence" button, "Finish" button
11. repeat sequence
Cheers Axel