The AP mount has add on software called APCC. There is a normal and a PRO version - there is a considerable cost difference. I read the differences and (hard to understand) but the pro version makes reference to SGP a couple times? So do you guys know what the pro version will do? I’m a avid SGP fan and will need to interface the two.
So what goes this mean? PASTED from their website.
Features of APCC Pro
All of the features of APCC Standard.
Dual-model pointing and tracking rate correction even with the telescope in the counterweight UP position.
(DUAL MODEL? what’s that mean)
Supports THUM temperature reading sensors.
(I DONT THINK I NEED THIS)
Includes a separate application to acquire Pointing/Tracking model data (APPM).
(???)
Camera options: Maxim, Sequence Generator Pro, ASCOM camera and SkyX Image Linking camera Add-on (APPM)
Again what’s this mean - camera options? (I use SGP)
Plate solving choices: PinPoint, Sequence Generator Pro (tested with PlateSolveX), SkyX Plate Solving Note: these programs must be purchased separately.(APPM)
(SGP does my plate solving? Do I need this - what will APCC PRO do better that SGP can’t?)
Refer to the Version History for additional information.
IMPORTANT: APPM requires one of the following for plate solves:
PinPoint Astrometric Engine. Please go to the following website to download the 60- day trial version or make your purchase: http://pinpoint.dc3.com. PinPoint is Included with ACP Observatory Control software by Bob Denny and available from DC-3 Dreams .
SkyX Plate Solving
Sequence Generator Pro (??? )
You do not need APCC when using an Astro-Physics Mount with SGP. You only need the mount, the Ascom driver and SGP. And unless you know what you are doing, you should not use the Hand Controller at all.
I’ve already been through the PAIN stages… I had SGP all working wonderfully with my NEQ6. Sold it and replaced with the AP. That’s great to hear, but APCC really adds some cool
functionality. And yes - i never used my hand controller on the NEQ6 so I didnt get one with the AP mount.
thanks!
New equipment tends to reset the “pain stages”. Especially new mounts. When I moved from my G11 to my EM400 I nearly destroyed all of my gear as I didn’t lock the mount to the alt/az plate correctly. I also managed to not tighten the azimuth rotation enough and had “very significant” polar alignment drift from one night to the next as the mount managed to move about 3 degrees in azimuth. Not to mention the cables route differently and the ASCOM driver is different.
Guess all I’m saying is that be prepared to do some more “learning” while you transition over to a new mount
i think this means there is a separate pointing/tracking model for east of the meridian and west of the meridian.
APPM is the program that actually captures the pointing/tracking data. what it does is point the telescope all over the sky and takes an image at each position. it then compares where the mount thinks the telescope is pointed with where it is actually pointed, and computes the differences. these differences comprise the actual model.
it means that APPM can use SGP to control the camera for purposes of capturing the model.
yes, APPM asks SGP to capture and solve the images it uses to generate the model. APPM does not know how to do any of this - it relies on other software to get the images and solve them.
as @Horia has pointed out, you don’t need APCC. however, i rely on APCC’s safety features to make sure that the camera will not crash into the mount. if for instance your PC crashes, or SGP crashes with the telescope on the west side of the pier, it’s possible for the camera to track right into the pier. i’ve also seen a couple of corner case bugs where SGP never executed the meridian flip code, which would have resulted in a pier crash without APCC’s safety features. AP will tell you that pier crashes are “OK” as the servo controller will detect the overcurrent situation and stop tracking, but at least with my CP3 controller this was not true, and i burned up the RA motor once.
the sky modeling in APCC is designed to improve tracking and pointing accuracy, which may allow unguided imaging. however, SGP knows how to point perfectly with it’s internal platesolving, and of course supports PhD2 for guiding, so you don’t really need those features.
It sounds like you understand and like some of the features that APCC provides. I feel the same way.
To me, the answer lies in your setup. If you have a permanent observatory, then I would absolutely get the Pro version, not only for the improved object location, but also for the improved tracking.
On the other hand, if you are a nomadic astronomer, like me, and set up you equipment every night, then I wouldn’t bother with the pro version, because you would have to rebuild your pointing model every time out.
