maxmirot Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 I have been testing Sequence Generator Pro. I have used most automation programs I am impressed so far. What I like about it is you connect to devices directly inside the program ( scope, camera, plate solves, rotator, dome ). It is built as control program in addition to automation and other features. You don't have to go out side the program to find, focus, center, rotator slew etc. manually. you don't have to buy anything but the program to make it work. Most dependent software are free such as PHD2 guiding. Plate solving using pinpoint is helpful but it also uses two free plate solve methods. It quite inexpensive at 95.00 USD I would great the find another automation package that does MLPT. Has anyone else tried using it ? The developers are quite active writing code. We need would need a few people to ask them to add MLPT to have them consider it. Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lukepower Posted February 3, 2016 Report Share Posted February 3, 2016 Hi Max, don't get me wrong, but MLPT looks to mee to be a proprietary solution for Autoslew. It would be fairly easy to implement (I guess), even if there are no official API documents describing the correct way to do so. For sure it would be very interesting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waldemar Posted February 3, 2016 Report Share Posted February 3, 2016 What can SGP do that Sequence can not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxmirot Posted February 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2016 Waldemar, It controls a much wider array of devices, rotators, flat boxes etc than Sequence. All the device controls integrated in the program. You will have to try it. It is nothing like using CCDAP5, ACP or other programs. It is much easier to operate both manually and automatically. The tools and features are much better than Sequence with the exception of focus. The framing and mosaic wizard is the best for planning an image. Sequence has nothing like this. See YouTube for a video. It explains it much better than I can. They have several people actively developing the software. They are adding improvements all the time. The one negative is the focus tool is quite different and does not work well with scope having large central obstructions. This needs to be fixed. After trying all the automation programs out there, this is my favorite so far. As to Luke's point, I thought Dr. Keller asked John Smith of CCDAP5 but he did not have time or wanted $$. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waldemar Posted February 4, 2016 Report Share Posted February 4, 2016 Thak you for your explanation, Max! I will check it out and see if I can get a trial version. Regards, Waldemar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pesa Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 I used SGP before I got ASA mount. I really liked it,lots of possibilities - BUT - one major flaw: it was multithreaded without proper handling of errors in that multithreaded environment. If I got an usb-error (I suppose it was) with camera or wheel the whole thing froce. Very annoying. If they fixed that problem and sequence was adapted to not only use maximDL/PinPoint (LONG overdue!) I would use it again. pelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lukepower Posted March 4, 2016 Report Share Posted March 4, 2016 Mlpt is something very easy to make usable from other programs, but asa wont do it. I reverted to autoguiding and am running fine now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxmirot Posted March 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2016 I used SGP before I got ASA mount. I really liked it,lots of possibilities - BUT - one major flaw: it was multithreaded without proper handling of errors in that multithreaded environment. If I got an usb-error (I suppose it was) with camera or wheel the whole thing froce. Very annoying. If they fixed that problem and sequence was adapted to not only use maximDL/PinPoint (LONG overdue!) I would use it again. pelle Interesting. I wonder if thing have changed with SGP? My devices ASA DDM85, FLI proline, FLI CFW, Gemini optec rotator focuser, Lesve dome etc have been perfect with USB ( no errors). Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxmirot Posted March 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2016 Mlpt is something very easy to make usable from other programs, but asa wont do it. I reverted to autoguiding and am running fine now Didn't Dr. Keller say that he approached CCD Autoplot but they wanted some money to implement it. I agree ASA needs to have more resources for software development open source is one route. Even then it helpd to have a programmer communicate with the beta community. Right now that interchange is limited. Max The other is to hire additional help. May be new emplyee's the could revise documentation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lukepower Posted March 5, 2016 Report Share Posted March 5, 2016 Max, Yes he said that but it never made sense. Most automation softwares can execute an arbitrary script before imaging, and this script could simply make an mlpt run, and load it into autoslew. Even if the Ccdsoft guys would not do it, in ccdcommander and acp it would be fairly easy. And hell, it would be so damn easy to implement into sequence, just add a start parameter so you could do it like Sequencer.exe -domlpt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxmirot Posted March 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2016 Is scripting available for MLPT.? I have not heard of this. Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lukepower Posted March 7, 2016 Report Share Posted March 7, 2016 It was a feature i asked for... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxmirot Posted July 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2016 I just emailed ASA to see what they say about implementing this Lukes. May be a few more of us need to ask. Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lukepower Posted July 14, 2016 Report Share Posted July 14, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afesan Posted July 14, 2016 Report Share Posted July 14, 2016 (edited) Same as Lukas ..... I´m simply skeptical,Max. Waiting for ASA software development during months..months...months.....up-to-date. Edited July 14, 2016 by afesan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lukepower Posted July 14, 2016 Report Share Posted July 14, 2016 Personally I found the combination of a Pointing Model with an autoguider to yield very good results, and funny enough they are even faster than an MLPT run The reason is that the mount can track so accurately that the guider settles within seconds, so to get 10x 10 minute frames guided I have an overhead of maybe two minutes. With MLPT I needed that time for the MLPT run - at least. So bottom of the story: I don't really need MLPT to be usable from other apps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxmirot Posted July 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2016 MLPT takes no real time IMO. I still needs 15-20 sec for a dither using the guider. No matter. Whenever I contact this ASA , it takes now takes weeks to get a response. That is if I get one... So good luck getting any new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afesan Posted July 15, 2016 Report Share Posted July 15, 2016 I also would like MLPT could be be used with other programms- That`s an old idea. I used in old days ACP, CCDautopilot...ans always requested ASA this possibility. No luck. But ¡¡¡¡....we are here once and again. . Support your idea....again..... Let`s see if a positive answer.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afesan Posted July 15, 2016 Report Share Posted July 15, 2016 BTW: I don´t guide and I never want to come back to autoguiders.. never..ever. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxmirot Posted July 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2016 I don't see it coming. We can't engage the company in a dialog. I get very slow responses from ASA by email. This message board gets fairly rare posts from the company. Beta is being left behind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxmirot Posted July 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2016 Are they even selling new mounts ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lukepower Posted July 15, 2016 Report Share Posted July 15, 2016 They are, and the backlog is quite big. A friend of mine ordered one last year with delivery scheduled after 5 months (right before Christmas), he got it this year in April Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxmirot Posted July 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2016 I wish they would hire some staff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lukepower Posted September 4, 2016 Report Share Posted September 4, 2016 I discovered today that the latest version of CCD AutoPilot has an "ASA Slew" option, with the following explanation in the help file: ASA Slew: When checked, CCDAutoPilot will run whatever application is entered after the mount has slewed to the target either at the beginning of a target session of after crossing the meridian. This is used for ASA mount training. To enter an application, hit the to navigate to the specific application to be run. If the application requires any arguments to follow the application, enter them manually in the arg space. To clear an entry, simply hit Cancel after hitting Look here: I wonder if there is a new feature around that I don't know about. ASA mount training sounds to me like MLPT... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afesan Posted September 5, 2016 Report Share Posted September 5, 2016 (edited) Hi Lukas, I also discovered it into last CCDAP5 version. Unfortunately I have same questions as you. I really don´t know if / how to implement MLPT on to CCDAP5... So--i continued imaging with just Sequence.... But I would like to use again also CCDAP5. .Nothing new.. I guess. Edited September 5, 2016 by afesan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now