ASNNE

More scratch notes:

Top posting notes , older items will be down below.

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Oct 13, got remote desktop access for XP pro setup on observatory ‘puter.  Now I can stay in  warm house and control the STS1 out on the porch.

Looks like I can run SBIG, Autostar, Cartes Du Ciel etc as if I was out there.

Next step will be to access it from Internet from my shop DSL.

Too cold to set up for now, so switching to sbig camera for tests and dark frames.

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oct 10 2009

spent the evening trying to get ccdops working on Windows 7 on my Dragon. Purpose was to get camera out of way, but hooked up for experimenting.

It was having problems seeing the camera, so I put it on the xp/PCLinuxOS laptop I bring to Starfield.

It was instantly recognized on the Xp, and now to power up the sts 1.2 platform, which has XP.

I want to test the ethernet talking to the camera, and see if just talking to the camera, will run the scope, while plugged into autoguider of the lx200gps can be done over ethernet. Using my lx200gps 8″ for a test bed.

In other words, can just connecting to the camera by ethernet (using USB from sts1.2 to camera) have as much control as ethernet/rs232/usb directly to  to lx200gps.

This will reveal more info to me for using the SBIG on the Zeiss remotely, with the accessory relay box we have in the SBIG arsenal.

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9-26-09

last night went ok. Meade was run by the new platform with both the Meade Autostar Suite, and Cartes du Siel. Should be ok with the SBIG application.

Received a nice carcass to assimilate over the Starfest weekend from a member. Not naming names yet for privacy reasons.

This will be the improved platform (literally) to run the Meade and imagers, and later tie into the internet.

Deleted entire drive contents. Ran drive refurbishing utility for several hours, and after a few minor corrections, was assured of a clean drive, perfect sectors etc.

Installed from recovery partition, Windows XP Media center edition updated, activated.

Removed tons of crapware included with this hp computer.

Installed free antivirus, reluctantly.

Free Foxit PDF reader, Mozilla Firefox browser, the latest Apple Safari browser with 3d mode enabled, Opera browser.

Previous to this final setup, I had the system dual booting PCLinuxOS, and Windows 7, and ran great. Goal is to triple boot the 3, and mostly use XP for the imager.

TODO; Install desktop planetariums like Cartes de solis SP?, Meade planetarium and control software, Kstars, and the like.

When first requesting a used pc at the party, I had thought a rs232 legacy jack was provided, but not so. I have a USB to rs232 converter, but it adds another layer of complexity between the Meade and the laptop.

TODO, test my high power USB WIFI transceiver on this system.

Built in wifi was almost smoking, smelled the telltale ‘hot electronics’ fumes and later found the wifi internal PCB was damaged from stress on the internal antenna leads shorting.

Removed, as its matched antenna system was amputated anyway.

TODO: measure power consumption.

909250 3:51p Got netgear ma111 wifi operating. Auto found itself through windows update online.

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High power usb wifi operational. 4:02p.

ref sig is -52dbm with high power.

-65-70dbm with ma111

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4:15p Now to d/l SBIG stuff

in meantime, installing Meade Autostar Suite from my cd.