Re: [APML] GM-8; will a relay box be needed?

[Stuart Heggie <stuart.j.heggie@sympatico.ca>]

Frank, based on what Mischa says, I have to ask whether you have the Gemini
goto or the standard stepper drive? If the latter, your experiences are
different and Mischa's is consistent with the directions on the web site. That
all said, despite Mischa's bad experience, people are claiming the optocoupler
will work. Hmmm. I think I just lost ground in my quest for understanding
this.

Stuart

Frank Barrett wrote:

> > Losmandy's site has this description of the Optocoupler: "Electrical
> > isolation for autoguiders w/SBIG cameras". What else can you tell us
> > about this thing? How does it differ from the relay box?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Alan
>
> Alan,
>
> I use the Losmondy optocoupler on my G11 with an SBIG ST-5C...got a ST7Ei
> on the way :)  I'm no EE, so I only know what I've been told.  Most advice
> I've read leans toward the optocoupler in that it electrically isolates
> your camera from your mount, preventing such things as ground loops if you
> are using different power supplies (laymen's translation: no
> puff-the-magic-dragon).  Another advantage is that the connection is
> electrical, not mechanical as in the relay box...which means the
> autoguiding correction takes place sooner.  Not sure that anyone has ever
> shown empirical evidence of this delay and it's effect, but it is
> intuitive.  Some also complain about the annoying clicking of the relays,
> FWIW.
>
> If you haven't found this already, here's a link from Losmandy's website
> entitled "Tips for use with SBIG Cameras and Autoguiders" It is on the
> Gemini web page, go figure.
>
> http://www.atscope.com.au/techhelp.html
>
> --
> Frank Barrett
> http://celestialwonders.com
>
> _______________________________________________
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> Astro-Photo@seds.org
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