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EQ Direct Interface Products

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We will be closed from May 26, 2023 to June24, 2023. We will leave the website open to take orders, but we will not be able to process orders until we reopen. We will process orders in the order received as quickly as possible when we reopen. We will have almost no access to internet, but will try to provide tech support when possible. We appreciate your business and do apologize for the inconvenience.

ATTENTION APRIL 2024 ECLIPSE PHOTOGRAPHERS:
At this time, I plan on traveling the months of January and March 2024. If you need any products to support your eclipse efforts, please plan accordingly.

Shoestring Astronomy has always been an "evening and weekend" enterprise when I was employed full-time. Now that I am retired, we do like to travel frequently. I will do my best to fill orders and respond to emails in a timely manner, but please realize that there may be times when I cannot respond as quickly as I would like to.

Thanks for your patience, and your patronage. Doug Anderson

EQ DIRECT INTERFACING

Recent generations of Synta EQ-5, EQ-6, and EQ-8 mounts that use the SynScan handcontroller (such as the Orion Sirius EQ-G and Orion Atlas EQ-G) provide stable, quality GOTO mounts at affordable prices for observing and imaging. However, the features available when they are interfaced to a personal computer are somewhat limited, primarily due to the type of data that is available through the handcontroller's serial interface. Now, thanks to the efforts of several individuals, far more powerful features are made available by bypassing the handcontroller and communicating directly with the mount's stepper motor controller. More information on the EQ Direct method can be found on the EQ Mod website (http://eq-mod.sourceforge.net). or on the EQMOD Group (https://groups.io/g/EQMOD)

The only drawback of the EQ Direct approach is that the electrical signals to and from the mount are not directly compatible with a personal computer. Thus, you will need one of our interface options shown in the selector guide below to complete the link.

Your Computer Is:	Mount with DB-9 Connector	Mount with RJ45 (8-pin) Connector	Mount with RJ12 (6-pin) Connector
PC with USB ports	USB2EQ6	USB2EQ5	USB2RJ12
PC with serial port or USB-to-serial converter	EQDIR plus optional EQCBL-02	EQDIR plus EQCBL-01 plus optional EQCBL-02	Ask us

IMAGE	DESCRIPTION	PART NUMBER	PRICE	PayPal Buy
	USB2EQ6 Interface Cable (5.9 feet) (DB-9 connector)	USB2EQ6	See note at top of page $41.00
	USB2EQ5 Interface Cable (5.9 feet) (RJ45 8-pin connector)	USB2EQ5	See note at top of page $43.00
	USB2RJ12 Interface Cable (5.9 feet) (RJ12 6-pin connector)	USB2RJ12	See note at top of page $43.00
	Virtual COM Port Drivers for USB2EQ6 and USB2EQ5 Click here.		Absolutely Free
	BT2EQ6 Bluetooth Module (DB-9 connector)	BT2EQ6	$41.00	Discontinued
	BT2EQ5 Bluetooth Module (RJ45 connector)	BT2EQ5	$43.00	Discontinued
	EQDIR Interface Module (DB-9 connector)	EQDIR	$41.00
	EQDIR Adapter cable (converts EQDIR to RJ45 connector)(7 foot)	EQCBL-01	$19.00
	6 foot male-female DB-9 extension cable	EQCBL-02	$10.00
	BT2EQ5/BT2EQ6 Interface User Manual Click here to view/download. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)		Absolutely Free
	EQDIR Interface User Manual Click here to view/download. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)		Absolutely Free
	Install EQDIRCheck Click here to install the free software you can use to verify your EQDIR.		Absolutely Free

A WARNING ABOUT SERIAL PORT CABLES

Not all DB-9 cables are created equal. You should only use "serial port extension" cables with the EQDIR. Serial port extension cables are wired straight through, that is pin 1 to pin 1, pin 2 to pin 2, etc. There are DB-9 cables out there that look like serial port extension cables, but they are not wired straight through. Using anything but a serial port extension cable with the EQDIR may result in damage to your EQDIR or to your mount. Make sure you have a correctly built cable before connecting up your equipment.