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Anonymous
2016-09-11
2016-09-14
  • Anonymous

    Anonymous - 2016-09-11

    Hi guys,

    I use a Skywatcher Allview mount and I was wondering, if Stellarium could support any wired or wireless gamepad (Xbox, Playstation or any other gaming controller). I image ISS with my mount - so far manually moving it) and it would be fantastic, if I could skip eqmod and StellarScope as this mount is not really supported by these softwares. I've managed to connect Stellarium with the scope, but Stellarium does not track the ISS. So instead I'd like to track it myself, using my alt az mount motors.
    With eqmod you can control the mount and even change the slewing speed. Exactly what I need :)
    Thanks for reading it and hope one day gamepads will control mounts too :P
    Regards

    Szabolcs

     
  • gzotti

    gzotti - 2016-09-11

    Every few months you can find another report by some hardware tinkerer who managed to change something in Stellarium to connect with device XY. If they would send us patches, their work could be integrated.
    Basically you need a developer with a (your) gamepad and enough time. Tracking satellites may be possible, but would have to be programmed somehow. Stellarium's GOTO is just a "GOTO Coordinates". You could make a script to "goto satellite position" every second or so. Of course, movie recording would need continuous tracking (and accurate TLE, and fast motors!)

     
  • Anonymous

    Anonymous - 2016-09-13

    Hi Gzotti,

    I'd like to make some correction, I think my request wasn't clear enough, I would blame my english for that :) :)
    I am imaging ISS on a regular basis. Now I align my red dot finder dead accurate with my scope and manually tracking the station through the finder. It works perfectly.
    But lately I purchased the Skywatcher Allview mount, an alt az mount that possibly could make my ISS imaging easier and most importantly more efficent, giving me a better overall result.
    But for that I need to take control over my mount's motors, slewing and the slewing rate. I don't need GOTO and accurate tracking by Stellarium, I know that just complicates things a lot.
    Instead what would be ace is if Stellarium would have an option to add a wireless gamepad to move the mount freely. This could allow me to move the tube anydirection I want right?!

    So when the ISS approaches, the mount should be controlled with the gamepad's one (or two) joystick up/down/left/right and the front buttons could be set to change slew rate (Skywatcher's original hand controller gives a rates between 1-9). So as ISS's elevation changes, I could follow it with joystick and able to keep up with it's increasing speed too simply by increasing the slewing rate with the front buttons.
    In SW's original hand controller, to change slew rate, I need to press Nr.2 on the controller than choose a number between 1-9 for whatever slew reate I need. That's too much distraction and make it impossible to make a good use of the mount. Gamepad seems a far more easier and straight forward option.

    I already made a connection between my laptop (and Stellarium) and the Allview mount, so I guess that would't be impossible to implement changes as the communcation is already exsistant.

    I know Xbox is a Microsoft product and might be the best option as drivers for the controller are free and available to anyone to donwload (as fa as I know).

    It is a request only, if it could be done that would be amazing, if not I understand that too :)
    Have a great day!
    Regards,

    Szabolcs

     

    Last edit: Anonymous 2016-09-13
  • gzotti

    gzotti - 2016-09-14

    If Stellarium is not involved in finding satellite location, why do you need this implemented in Stellarium? You need a gamepad controller software, maybe find some Raspberry/Arduino project?
    Else you could try to modify the telescope plugin to allow your commands. AFAIK Stellarium only can emit GOTO commands.
    Good luck with the photos!

     
  • Anonymous

    Anonymous - 2016-09-14

    Stellarium already has a connection to mount and therefore solution seems only one step away.
    I'm not a programer, wish I would be though.

    Anyway thanks for your reply!

     
  • Alexander Wolf

    Alexander Wolf - 2016-09-14

    3 years ago Bogdan Marinov created a Stellarium Joystick Plug-in (https://github.com/daggerstab/stellarium-joystick) and he asked a feedback from users. Of course he got nothing.