The Shoestring Astronomy Store

EQ Direct Interface Products

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.