iOptron SmartStar MiniTower Pro User's Manual
Contents
1. 21 Modern Constellations No Constellation Abbrevistion No Constellation Abbreviation 2 ama Ae Cadum 57 Nor 58 59 Oph 60 Orion oi 61 Pay Pegasus 66 Pisces X Psc 68 Pupis Pup 69 Pyis PW Pegasus Corona Australis 63 80 Tmanguum Ti Triangulum Australe 28 GOTONOVA Named Star List for 8401 048 Ameb meer 144 Propus _______ 29 GOTONOVA Double Star List for 8401 No Object Const SAO _ Name 3 Theta Per 38288 6 Sigma o 13246 7 Mu Oi 113389 8 Alpha CMa 151881 Sirius 9 Deta Gem 79294 Wasat 11 Alpha COM 115756 12 Epsilon ma 117112 19 HR3579 426222 14 Kapa UMa 42600 15 Psi Ve 221234 17 HR4167 222199 18 Mu Vel 222321 21 oa leo 99587 22 Gamma Cen 2236008 24 Beta Mu 25209 25 HR509 20445 26 Alpha Cen 25288 27 Zen Boo 101145 28 Gamma Lup 225988 29 Gamma CA 83958 30 X Sco 159060 33 Zeta Her 65485 35 70 Oph 18107 37 Delta Cyg 48796 38 Beta De 106316 Rotanev 39 Tau Cyg 71121 IL 30 Appendix D Set Up USB PC Connection 1 Download USB2COM driver cp2102 zip2. 34 Found New Hardware Wizard Please choose your search and installation options 2 Search for the best diver in these locations Use he check boxas below bo limit or expand the delault search which includes local paths and removable media The best me Found vall be retalled Search removable media floppy CD ROM e Include this location in the search ICMSLabstMLUNMLP21UwVwrin2K XP Don t search will choose the driver to install Choose this option to select the device dive Iram ist windows does not guarantee that the diver vou choose wil be the best match for your hardware Ceci Click Next The computer will start to install the driver for the USB2COM When the installation is done click Finish Found Mew Hardware Wizard Completing the Found New Hardware Wizard The wizard has finished installing the software For LP210x USB Composite Device Click Finish to clase the wizard If the computer shows find a new hardware screen again just repeat the steps in this section again 35 Now your computer should be ready for Firmware Upgrading computer communication with the mount via ASCOM platform and planetarium software applications However you need to find assigned COM port number for the USB connection To do so right click My Computer and click Properties Optron Internet Explorer j My Documents S Microsoft Outlook KS us
3. matched and 8 trailing spaces before the the total response length is 32 character plus the ff Calibrate mount Current Right Ascension and Declination become the commanded Right Ascension and Declination This command does the same thing as synchronize to target This command should be used after a MS command has been finished This means a GOTO must be done first Command CMR Response Coordinates matched there are 5 spaces between Coordinates and matched and 8 trailing spaces before the the total response length is 32 character plus the 44 Calibrate mount Current Right Ascension and Declination become the commanded Right Ascension and Declination This command synchronizes HC coordinate to commanded coordinate No GOTO needs to be done first Command Sr HH MM SS S Response 1 Define the commanded Right Ascension RA Command Sd sDD MM SS Response 1 Define the commanded Declination Miscellaneous Command F F FF FS FQ Response none Advances F or retracts F focus adjust motor on the eyepiece F or F commands commence adjustment and FQ stops it If FS has been issued previously then the focus adjustment will be slow If the FF command has been issued then the adjustment will be fast If neither FF nor FS is specified the power up default of FS is assumed Command F1 F2 F3 F4 Response none Set th
4. 0 original to north pole 1 Left and vertical 2 Left and horizon 3 Right and vertical 4 Right and horizon 46 IOPTRON TWO YEAR TELESCOPE MOUNT AND CONTROLLER WARRANTY A iOptron warrants your telescope mount or controller to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for two years iOptron will repair or replace such product or part which upon inspection by iOptron is found to be defective in materials or workmanship As a condition to the obligation of iOptron to repair or replace such product the product must be returned to iOptron together with proof of purchase satisfactory to iOptron B The Proper Return Authorization Number must be obtained from iOptron in advance of return Call iOptron at 1 866 399 4587 to receive the number to be displayed on the outside of your shipping container All returns must be accompanied by a written statement stating the name address and daytime telephone number of the owner together with a brief description of any claimed defects Parts or product for which replacement is made shall become the property of iOptron The customer shall be responsible for all costs of transportation and insurance both to and from the factory of iOptron and shall be required to prepay such costs iOptron shall use reasonable efforts to repair or replace any telescope mount or controller covered by this warranty within thirty days of receipt In the event repair or replacement shall require m
5. SmartStar MiniTower Pro Instruction Manual Table of Content dE e E 2 MiniTower e E EE 4 Li MiniTower Peal dto 4 12 MimTowet Components 7 2 MiniTower Assembly coin rear 8 E EN OW EE 8 22 OTA Mounting and Balan ias 10 23 Operated MiniTower on Batter 6S nordica 11 3 GOTONOVA 8401 Hand o eee ac 12 SL BRIDE TT IUS 12 GK Dhes CD SCIO WEE 13 3 3 COMNECH OM toa COMPU EP 13 AN GUI Fy AI Me E 14 Zu Oe eo mea nea td MO N SR 14 INS A A a 14 ALMA POSO EE 14 4 2 5etuns O reuse 14 AL NOL Up Time LIA A io 15 A ADAN Ak A but wa Gu atu 16 4 2 9 9 ENTON En O O O enn seein agee rn ett te 16 212 O E EE 16 GE UO ME ee EE 17 42 6 Initial Star DTI DE aran as 17 d o Ae ETI Eege 17 e EN SCAU VI EON EE 17 dl Mantial Operation ora Eeer 17 52 Slew O All CO CC EE 18 9 2 1 Planets EH 18 I DE PSV ODE Eeer 18 e E EE 18 SE 18 SPESE E 18 D E EE CEET 18 did Ur ODE ds 18 J2 ENEE RA DE adidas 19 CO EE 19 Di Electi C FOCUSED lesa 19 AS o e GUI 19 O TE EE 19 EE 19 Bs es DE NS SA O 19 22 94 Set DISpIay ON 19 Did DEL YC pe Ce ET EE 19 Os DCU ee 19 3 9 7 Set Atill DAackKlIas aos 19 AA A E E E E A EA 19 ss AM e O a Kn 19 A 19 lo date EE 20 SM MES S Ms UR ECL o PERIERE 20 sn E E E 20 E A APP Un o e 20 A D MR uum 20 A Y NR DTE 20 9 0 9 o V a EE 20 EON BU E UO NEN T TO a 20 5 5 de e co OE deside 20 00 Polaris POSO c 20 AA o acts AE A waneceoees 20 SEORSUM e PEE
6. Figure 15 Secondary Dovetail and set Screws A combination of a light OTA and a CW can be used to balance a heavier primary OTA 2 3 Operate a MiniTower Pro on Batteries To install batteries open the battery compartment door Pull the battery holder out from the mount carefully making sure not to pull the wires loose Insert 8 AA batteries not included according to the diagram on the holder Replace the battery holder back to the battery compartment and replace the cover See Figure 16 11 Figure 16 Battery compartment for MiniTower Pro The mount will draw a significant amount of current when performing GOTO and slew operations The battery operation time varies depending on the battery quality and operation conditions It could last from couple of hours to tens of hours Use only fresh batteries and do not mix fresh and old batteries Insufficient battery power may Cause error messages 3 4 GOTONOVA 8401 Hand Controller Menu A BACK Back Down Numbers Light Help TA Stop 0 LCD Display HBX USB Port Port Figure 17 GOTONOVA 8401 Hand Controller GOTONOVA 8401 hand controller HC is the standard controller for a MiniTower Pro as shown in Figure 17 4 1 Key Description e MENU Press MENU to enter the Main Menu gt e BACK Move back to the previous screen or end cancel current operation such as slewing 12 ENTER Confirm an input go to the next menu
7. My Pictures bi Microsoft Word gt My Music Qi Mozila Firefox Qp Bl ioptron Downloader a My Network t Browse with Paint Shop Pro Studio Explore Mi Launch LPC210x ISP exe 2 g Conc Danial Search Microsoft PowerPoint Set Pr A Manage p gt oan a scan with AVG Hi Viewer Defaut Map Network Drive ZEE RGR 3 q Help and Suppa Disconnect Network Drive MA Adobe Reader 8 Search w Show on Desktop SA Paint Shop Photo Album 5 y Y Pant E Run All Programs gt Click Hardware click Device Manager 36 System Properties System Restore Automatic Ur Generi Computer Name Derece Manage The Device Manager bets all the hardware dences installed on your compuber Use the Device Manager to change the properties of any device Ey Diver Signing lets you make sure thal installed drivers ane compatible vath Windows Windows Update lets you sel up how Windows connects lo Windows Update for drivess Driver Signing Windows Update Hardware Profiles Hardware profiles provide a way for you to sel up and store diferent hardware configurations Double click on Ports COM amp LPT Find the COM number and write it down in the following figure itis COMA 2 Device Manager File Action View Help M g CG A IRA z ER Batteries D Computer ee Disk drives ER id Display adapters a DVD CD ROM drives ei Da Hu
8. Y or A buttons to point the telescope to the desired object You may need to use the number keys to change the slewing speed Simply press a number while slewing to change the slew speed 6 2 Slew to an Object Press the MENU button From the main menu select Select and Slew Select an object that you would like to observe and press the ENTER key The GOTONOVA 8401 hand controller has a database of about 130 000 objects Use the gt or lt buttons to move the cursor and the WA buttons to change the individual number The check mark V indicates the object is above the horizon and a cross mark X means it is below the horizon In some catalogs those stars below the horizon will not display on the hand controller 6 2 1 Planets Sun Moon There are 10 objects in the Solar system catalog 6 2 2 Deep sky objects This menu includes objects outside our Solar system such as galaxies star clusters quasars and nebulae e Named Deepsky Objects consists of 60 deep sky objects with their common names A list of named deep sky objects is attached in Appendix C e Messier Catalog consists of all 110 objects e NGC IC Catalog consists of 7840 objects in NGC catalog and 5386objects in IC catalog To select an object from NGC or IC catalog move the cursor to NGC using A or V button to toggle between NGC and IC Then move the cursor to numerical position and use the number button to select the object e UGC
9. Catalog consists of 12939 objects e MCG Catalog consists of 29004 objects They are listed numerically from MCG 15 to MCG 05 e Caldwell Catalog consists of 109 objects e Abell Catalog consists of 2712 objects e Herschel Catalog consists of 400 objects 6 2 3 Comets This catalog contains up to 190 comets This database is customer upgradeable 6 2 4 Asteroids This catalog contains up to 4096 asteroids This database is customer upgradeable 6 2 5 Stars e Named Stars consists of 191 stars with their common names They are listed alphabetically A list is attached in Appendix C e Double Stars consists of 40 double stars A list is attached in Appendix C e GCVS Variable Stars consists of 38624 GCVS variable stars They are listed numerically e SAO Catalog consists of 26584 SAO catalog objects They are listed numerically 6 2 6 Constellations This catalog consists of 88 modern constellations with their names They are listed alphabetically A list is attached in Appendix C 6 2 7 User Objects This catalog can consist up to 256 user predefined objects These objects need to be entered before they can be selected for slewing 6 2 8 Enter R A DEC Here you can go to a target by entering its R A and DEC numbers 6 3 Sync to Target This operation will match the telescope s current coordinates to Target Right Ascension and Declination After slew to an object press MENU
10. OS O EE 21 NSSF e OA o o A 21 AA e UT e E 21 AA e o EE o o o SIM MUEUN DM NEUE 21 AA a 21 SEENEN E e e 21 DEER 21 o2 eet E A E GU o e e pr 21 900 1OPton Customer EE Ee 27 Appendix A Technical Specifications ENEE 23 Appendix B GOTONOVA 8401 HC MENU STRUCTURE reete 24 Appendix C GOTONOVA Star List 26 Appendix D Set Up USB PC Connection nennen ener nnne nens 3l Appendix E Firmware ee 38 Appendix F Use a PC to Control an iOptron Mount 41 Den Cr ER Command Ets ooo ras 42 IOPTRON TWO YEAR TELESCOPE MOUNT AND CONTROLLER WARRANTY 47 WARNING NEVER USE A TELESCOPE TO LOOK AT THE SUN Looking at or near the Sun will cause instant and irreversible damage to your eye Children should always have adult supervision while observing 1 MiniTower Pro Overview 1 1 MiniTower Pro Features MiniTower Pro is the perfect combination of capacity and portability 33 lbs of Payload Born out of the popular iOptron Cube N The MiniTower Pro is the ultimate observing solution for people who are searching for a capable and portable GOTO telescope mount to counter light pollution in their backyards and for travel convenience With a standard payload of 33 lbs a rock solid 2 stainless steel tripod metal worm and gear and two dovetail adaptors The MiniTower Pro is capable of handling various optical tube assemblies OTAs A 10 lbs counter weight and a secondary dovetail holder are provided for balanci
11. file for 8401 from iOptron Website 2 Install cp2101 usb2com driver i cp 107 Fie Edit View Favorites Tools Help Name Facka Has Sce Riu Date Folder Tasks ICPzinx_WCP_Win96SE 1 714KE No 2 46 31 9 16 2006 3 46 PM CFPz1Ux_WCP wines 1737KB No 2 48 31 9 16 2006 3 47 PM File and Folder Tasks ISSUES w 1 737KB No 2 48 31 9 18 2006 10 56 AM Lei Move this File PY Copy this file gd Pubish this file to the Web Choose the appropriate driver for your OS In this case is a Windows XP operation system Double click on it and you will see Silicon Laboratories CP210x CP Drivers for Windows 2000 XP Install5 KA Welcome to the InstallShield Wizard for Silicon Laboratories CP210x VCP Direers Io Windows 000 4P The InstallShield wizard wil install G con Laboratones CP210 VCP Dres for Windows 200044P on pout computer To continue click Mex Click Next 3l Silicon Laboratories CP 210 VCP Drivers for Windows 000 xXP License Agreement Please resd the folowing license agreement carefully END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT IMPORTANT READ CAREFULLY BEFORE AGREEING TO TERMS THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS CERTAIN COMPUTER PROGRAMS AND OTHER THIRD PARTY PROPRIETARY MATERIAL RHICENSED PRODUCT THE USE OF WHICH IS SUBJECT TO THIS END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT INDICATING TOUR AGREEMENT CONSTITUTES TOUR AND IF APPLICABLE YOUVE COMPAWT S ASSENT TO AMD ACCEPTANCE OF THIS END USER LICE
12. the indicator Turn the mount by a hand and make sure that the mount is leveled on all sides while turning Adjust the level adjustment screws again if the bubble is not centered while turning Tighten the azimuth clutch lock 11 Tighten the tripod knob 3 Tighten the 5 1 2 Initial Positions Each time the Mount is turned on the default position is Parking Position Le altitude is 9090 0 and azimuth is 18090 0 Face the South Align the Mount to south by turning the South mark facing south An additional compass is needed There are two ways to do so One is loosen the azimuth clutch lock 11 a little and manually turn the Mount to face south Then tighten the azimuth clutch lock again The other is turn on the mount Turn the mount facing south using hand control Then turn off the power Note Do not put the compass directly on top of the mount The motor parts of the mount could affect the pointing accuracy of the compass Point to Zenith Unlock the altitude clutch lock 13 and rotate the telescope to point up directed at the Zenith A torpedo level may help Once it is straight re tighten the altitude lock to make sure OTA is secure and will not spin 5 1 Level and Align the Mount 5 1 1 Level the Mount Leveling is critical for a good GOTO and tracking accuracy tripod lock 1 Make sure the mount is always leveled Figure 19 which means the SOUTH mark is pointing to south and the
13. the power outlet e Extension cord Make sure the cord is in good condition Power drop along the extension cord has been known to cause this error message Also check all the plugs and connections 4 Check the hand controller cord Unplug it and re plug into the other HBX port 2 Error Message Warning Can not communicate with DEC motor controller 1 Check the hand controller cord Unplug it and re plug into another HBX port 2 Check the power supply which include e Using the battery Is the battery fresh How long it has been used frequent slew and GOTO will deplete battery power very quickly e Using AC or DC adapter Check the plugs to the mount and to the power outlet e Using extension cord Make sure the cord is in good condition Power drop along the extension cord was known to cause the problem Also check all the plugs and connections 3 The object is jumping up and down in the eyepiece or over slewed and other unexpected slew behavior or movement 1 Use most updated firmware 2 Set backlash to 0 in both DEC and RA 3 Check the power supply which include e Using the battery Is the battery fresh How long it has been used frequent slew and GOTO will deplete battery power very quickly e Using AC or DC adapter Check the plugs to the mount and to the power outlet e Using extension cord Make sure the cord is in good condition Power drop along the extension cord was known
14. 9 22 DumbbellNebula 6853 III 23 EagleNebua 16e 24 EightBustNebua 3132 25 EskmoNeua 2392 J Ls amigable Im 27 GhostofJupiter 32421 J Y 28 ereatcluster 6205 13 20 HeiNebla 723 30 Hercules Galaxy Cluster 215501 31 HindsVarableNebula 1555 32 Hubble s Variable Nebula 2261 J 33 Integral Sign Galaxy 367 LI 26 Keyhole Nebula 3372 La tee Nebula 6528 8 37 LiteGem 65 0 l 38 LitleGemNebla 68181 39 Little GhostNebula 63691 III 40 NorhAmericanNebula 7000 ll 41 OmegaNebula 6618 17 42 OrionNebula 1976 42 J 43 owlNebula 3587 97 Jo 44 PelicanNebla lso70 45 Phantom StreakNebula 6741 46 PinwheelGalaxy 598 33 La Pee 4 48 Ring Nebula el gg RingTailGalaxy 408 Y Rosette Nebula 290 1 X SetumNebula 7009 J 92 SextanssBDwaf 5373 53 SmallMagellanicCloud 2982 J J 54 Sombrero Galaxy 4594 104 J 55 SpmdleGalay 31151 J 96 TankTrackNebua 2024 ______ S7 X TdNebum 6544 20 J E wipe Gase bee pep 9194 a 9 esch 898 1h
15. NSE AGREEMENT THE LICENSE OR AGEEEMEHI IF YOU DO HOT AGREE WITH ALL OF THE TERNS YOU MUST NOT accept the terms of the license agreement Pi j mci Ee Uk I t Select accept the terms of license agreement and click Next Choose Destination Location Select folder where setup wil install hlez Install can Laboratones LPZ10 VCP Drivers for Windows c SiL abs MCLNLPZTUs Using the default installation path c SiLabs MCU CP210x or specify your own path by click Change Click Next Then click Install 32 Silicon Laboratories CP210x VCP Drivers for Windows 2000 XP Install5Shiel InstallShield Wizard Complete The Install S hield Wizard has successfuly installed Silicon Laboratones CP210 YCF Divers for windows 2DODZSP Lick Firesh bo ext the wizard When finished installation click Finish 3 Plug the USB cable to the USB port on your PC plug the other end of the USB cable to hand controller Turn on the power on the mount 4 Install the Hardware The computer will find a new hardware and show the following screen Found New Hardware Wizard Welcome to the Found New Hardware Wizard Windows wal search For current and updated software by looking on yow computer an the hardware instalahon CD or an the Windows Update Web sibe vath pour permission H DI li Can Windows connect ta Windows Update to search For software O Yes this time only CO Yes now and
16. TO accuracy To increase the accuracy you may choose to do two star alignment 6 6 2 Two Star Align Two star alignment will increase the GOTO accuracy of the mount It is suggested to do two star alignment after one star alignment Two star alignment requires a wider view of the sky since the two align stars need to be far apart Select Two Star Align in the Align menu When you finish the first star the system will prompt you to choose the 20 second star If the star you choose is too close to the first one the system will let you choose another one When you are aligned with the second star two star alignment is finished You can reject the suggested star if it is blocked by the tree or behind the house Two Star Align results will be overridden if One Star Align or Sync to Target is performed after Two Star Align 6 6 3 Three Star Align It will increase the accuracy even higher and requires an even wider view of the sky This basically asks you to choose a third star to align after two star align Three star alignment is not available for Alt Azi mode 6 6 4 Dis R A axis error This only works for EQ mode This displays the celestial pole point error Point error is zero when you power on the mount unless you Park Telescope before powering off 6 6 5 Test Anti backlash This command tests the backlashes in both HA and DEC The saved numbers will show in Set Anti backlash menu However i
17. Up Site Set N Hemisphere Set Display Contrast Set Eyepiece Light Set Backlight Set Anti backslash Set Key Beep Set Mount Type Reset All Upgrade Firmware Set Gear Ratio Set Language Easy One Star Align One Star Align Two Star Align Three Star Align Disp R A Axis Error Test Anti backslash Polaris Position PEC Play Back Record PEC Delete PEC Record Sidereal Speed Solar Speed Lunar Speed User Defined Speed Add A New Record Modify Records Delete One Record Erase All Records Nn Appendix C GOTONOVA Star List GOTONOVA Deep Sky Object List for 8401 8402 and 8403 IIDNo OBJECT NGC Messier IC A Abell U UGC 1 Andromeda Galaxy 224 31 dE E a 3 BeehiveCluster 2632 44 J 4 BlackeyeGalaxy 4926 64 5 Blinking Planetary Nebula 6826 III 6 BlueFlashNebula 6905 III 7 BluePlanetary 3018 J 8 BlueSnowballNebula 762 9 BoxNebula 6308 J 10 BubbleNebula 7635 11 Bipolar Nebula 6302 J Y 12 ButerWyCluster 6405 6 13 California Nebula 149 14 CeatsEyeNebula 6543 15 CocoonNebua ls146 J 16 ConeNebula 2264 17 CorkNebula j 65051 76 18 CrabNebula 192 1 Crescent Nebula 688 20 DracoDwaf 10822 21 DuckNebula 235
18. and S using number key to change the numbers It is always a good idea to do your home work to get the GPS coordinates before traveling to a new observation site The site coordinates information can be found from internet such as GPSVisualizer http www gpsvisualizer com geocode by entering the city name or address In case you only find the site information in decimal format you can convert them into d m s format by multiplying the decimal numbers by 60 For example N47 53 can be changed to N47931 48 47 539 47 0 53 0 53 0 53x60 31 8 0 8 0 8x60 48 Therefore 47 53 47 31 48 or 47d31m48s Same as NA47931 8 31 8 231 0 8 0 8 0 8x60 48 Press or gt key move the cursor to the bottom of the screen to set the time zone information add or subtract 60 minutes per time zone Enter minutes ahead of or behind UT universal time e New York City is 300 minutes behind UT Los Angeles is 480 minutes behind UT Rome is 60 minutes ahead of UT Beijing is 480 minutes ahead of UT Sydney is 600 minutes ahead of UT All the time zones in North America are behind UT as shown in the following table So make sure it shows behind instead of ahead of UT To adjust minutes move the cursor to each digit and use the number keys to input number directly To change the behind or ahead of UT move the cursor to ahead and using A or V key to toggle between behi
19. ay Keys to move the cursor and Number Keys to change the number O is suggested for Alt Azi mount For an EQ mount the default setting is 150 for both DEC and R A 6 5 8 Set Key Beep Turn the key beep on off 6 5 9 Set Mount Type Although MiniTower Pro is an Alt Azi mount the controller can be used for either Equatorial Mount or Alt Azi Mount This command changes between the two positons EQ and AItAz 6 5 10 Reset All Reset all settings to factory default data 6 5 11 Update Firmware Firmware updating using iOptron Downloader through USB port on hand controller Refer to Appendix E 6 5 12 Set gear ratio Reserved for future products 6 5 13 Set Language Select hand controller language 6 6 Align This function is used for aligning the telescope In addition to Easy One Star Align the system also provides One Star Align and Two Star Align for Alt Azi mount Three Star Align is only supported by EQ mode 6 6 1 One Star Align From the main menu select Align Select One Star Align Use A and V buttons to select a star and press ENTER A list of align planets or stars that are above the horizon is computed based on your local time and location Use arrow buttons to move the telescope and center the star in your eyepiece You can use the number buttons to change the slew speed Press ENTER when finished If your setup is leveled well one star alignment should be sufficient for good GO
20. d more The MiniTower Pro is one of the most user friendly GOTO mounts available today Figure 3 MiniTower Pro with dual scope setup 1 2 MiniTower Pro Components SAN MIX T L D C TETA 4 T any E x 16 ES Bora Yen d e Gs Y IT f Le HJ Figure A MiniTower Pro Components Shown in the picture 1 Tripod Lock 10 Primary Dovetail Holder 2 Tripod Support 11 Azimuth Clutch Lock 3 Tripod Knob 12 South Alignment Mark 4 Tripod Rod 13 Altitude Clutch Lock 5 Level Adjustment Lock not included 14 Counter Balance Shaft Lock with MiniTower Pro 15 Secondary Dovetail Holder Lock 6 Level Adjustment Screw 16 Secondary Dovetail Holder 7 Tripod 17 Secondary Dovetail Lock 8 Mount Base 18 Retractable Counter Weight Shaft 9 Primary Dovetail Lock 19 Bubble Level Indicator Not shown in picture 8401 Hand Controller Controller Cable AC Adapter 12V DC Adapter with Car Lighter Plug USB Cable Counter Weight Counter Weight Lock Pin Counter Weight Lock Hard Travel Case The contents may vary slightly by generation 2 MiniTower Pro Assembly There are two shipping boxes One box contains the hard case and mount components The other box contains the tripod and counterweight 2 1 MiniTower Pro Assembly Figure 6 Figure 7 1 Setup tripod Extend tripod legs to full extension Then lock legs using the lock knob
21. downloader you should use iOptron Downloader instead of the Flash Downloader Use cp210x driver provided by iOptron The newest version from SiLab may not work properly for iOptron s hand controller 40 Appendix F Use a PC to Control an iOptron Mount In general you need the followings to use a PC to control the mount 1 Download USB2COM driver cp2102 zip file for 8401 and 8402A http www ioptron com manuals USB 2COM Driver zip 2 Install USB2COM and establish the connection between the mount and the PC see instruction 3 ASCOM platform download from http ascom standards org 4 iOptron ASCOM drive download it from iOptron website http www ioptron com Files File iOptronAscomSetupV1 02 rar and 5 Planetarium software Some company integrated iOptron s products into their planetarium software such as Voyage and The Sky X Pro Therefore an ASCOM plug in will not be needed Most planetarium software can be used to control iOptron s product via ASCOM Some other ASCOM drivers such as LX200 Generic ASCOM driver and AstroPhysics GTO mount driver may also be compatible with the SmartStar mount 4 Appendix G RS 232 Command Set Abbreviations used DD or DDD degrees or day of the month depending on the context HH hours MM minutes or month depending on the context MM M minutes and tenths of minutes S or sign assumed to be if omitted SS seconds SS S seconds and tenths of seconds YY last two digits of th
22. e focus speed to 1 2 3 4 from slow to fast Command V Response current servo controller software RS232 command language version number This command returns the current servo controller software RS232 command language version Command Vs Response current servo controller software infomation This command returns the current servo controller software information Command STRO STR1 4 STR2 Response 1 This command sets the track rate 0 sidereal 1 solar 2 lunar Command GTR Response 0 1 2 This command gets the current tracking rate 45 0 sidereal 1 solar 2 lunar Command SGS0 SGS1 SGS2 SGS3z Response none This command sets the guide rate 0 1 0X of sidereal 1 0 8X of sidereal 2 0 6X of sidereal 3 0 4X of sidereal Command GGS Response 0 1 2 3 This command gets the current guide rate 0 1 0X of sidereal 1 0 8X of sidereal 2 0 6X of sidereal 3 0 4X of sidereal Command SE Response 0 1 This command gets the slewing status 1 in slewing 0 not in slewing Command GAM Response 0 1 2 This command gets the current mount type 0 Altitude Azimuth type 1 fork mount 2 Germany equator mount Command PK Response 1 This command parks the telescope Command STPKPO STPKP1 STPKP2 STPKP3 STPKP4 Response 1 These command sets the mount park position
23. e year General Telescope Information Command SG sHH Response 1 Set the offset from Greenwich mean time The offset can be entered in signed format 12 to 12 hours Command Sg sDDD MM SS Response 1 Set the current longitude The east is positive while the west is negtive Command St sDD MM SS Response 1 Set the current latitude Command SL HH MM SS Response 1 Set the current local time Command SC MM DD YY Response 32 spaces followed by followed by 32 spaces followed by Set the current date Command GG Response East Longitude HH 00 West Longitude W HH 00 Get the offset from Greenwich mean time Command Gg Response sDDD MM SS Get the current longitude 42 Command Gt Response sDD MM SS Get the current latitude Command GL Response HH MM SS S Get the current local time in 24 hour format Overflows from 23 59 59 to 00 00 00 Command GS Response HH MM SS S Get the current local sidereal time in 24 hr format Command GR Response HH MM SS S Get the current Right Ascension of mount Command GD Response sDD MM SS Get the current Declination Command GA Response sDD MM SS Get the current Altitude Command GZ Response sDD MM SS Get the current Azimuth Command GC Response MM DD YY Get the current calendar day Telescope Motion Command MS Response 0 if comma
24. every time connect a device Gei Ma mot this time Chick Next to continue Select No not this time and click Next 33 Found Mew Hardware Wizard This vzad helps vou install software lor CP2102 USB to UART Bridge Controller D If pour hardware came with an installation CD 42 of floppy disk insert it now what do pou want the wizard to do C Install the software automatically Recommended 9 Install from a ket or specific location Advanced Chek Nest t continue T Browse For Folder Lei Search for the best diver in these locations sm bra H matlabR 1 Use the check bowes below to lima or expand the defaut search which includes be 3 E mec E paths and removable media The best diver found wall be installed gt Wen CH My Music Search removable meda floppy CD ROM H Program Files Include this location in the search KO es S w Gees 3 ES creo O Don t search will choose the diver to install 3i Software Choose this option to select the device ym Iram alist Windows does not guara Spectra the diver you choose wil be the best match for pour hardware CH VXIPNP To view any subfolders click a plus sign above lt a f Neto e Lok J ew Select Search for the best driver in these locations and check Include this location in the search Click on Browse and select the cp210x driver from directory c SiLabs MCU CP210x Win2K_ XP click OK
25. f no high accuracy is needed or your equatorial mount is not a high accuracy unit Le the worm gear has different clearance in different positions you can omit this procedure This command only works for EQ mode 6 6 6 Polaris Position This shows Polaris position 6 7 PEC Option Periodic Error Correction IS not supported in Alt Azi mode PEC 6 8 Set Up Tracking A user can set up tracking in the main menu by selecting Set up tracking Then the user can select Sidereal speed Solar speed Lunar speed and User defined speed For User defined speed this can be adjusted from 91 to 109 of sidereal speed by pressing the Aor Y buttons 6 9 User Objects Besides various star lists available in the hand controller you can add edit or delete your own user defined objects All data you enter is supposedly J2000 0 epoch 6 10 Auto Guide This is an advanced function for autoguiding when a guiding scopes and a camera are equipped The GOTONOVA supports autoguiding through ASCOM protocol such as PHD Guiding or Guidedog or an ST 4 guiding camera an extra ST 4 to HBX adapter is needed Please follow the guiding software for detailed instructions This function is not supported in Alt Azi mode 6 11 Park Scope This procedure only needs to be done if you do not move your telescope mount after you power off the GOTONOVA Celestial pole pointing error will be stored to flash me
26. formation Screen e GPS status When the power is turned on it shows GPS ON which means a GPS receiver is connected When the GPS receiver finds the satellite and receives GPS signal it shows GPS OK The GPS OK may turn off after few minutes e Slew speed It has 9 speeds 1X 2X 8X 16X 64X 128X 256X 19 sec 512X 2sec MAX 4 sec e Tracking speed It has 4 speeds Cel celestial Sol Solar Lun Lunar Def user defined e Mount Type EQ is equatorial and A A altazimuth 4 3 Connection to a Computer The GOTONOVA hand controller has a USB port which can be connected to a computer This will allow Firmware Upgrading Database Updating Or Planetarium application A USB2COM driver is needed to simulate the USB port to a RS 232 serial port see Appendix D 13 The MiniTower Pro can be controlled by a number of popular astronomy software programs For astronomy software that does not have an embedded iOptron mount driver an ASCOM driver and related plattorm are needed Please refer to Appendix F for more information 5 Getting Started In order to experience the full GOTO capability of GOTONOVA technology it is very important to set up the mount correctly before observation First loosen tripod rod 4 and tripod lock 1 a little Then loosen azimuth clutch lock 11 half turn Check the bubble level indicator 19 adjust the level adjustment screws 6 and center the bubble in
27. h Secondary Dovetail Holder 16 by tightening the holder lock 15 onto the counterweight shaft 18 After sliding your scope into the dovetail holder secure the scope by tightening the secondary lock 17 dovetail plate that matches the holder 1 75 dovetail plates are available from iOptron at www iOptron com part number 8422 or visit an online or local camera store Some telescopes may not have screw holes on the bottom In this case you may need compatible mounting rings to attach the dovetail plate The size of the mounting rings should match the aperture of your OTA The counter weight CW is always helpful to balance the OTA in order to have smooth M6 set screws and accurate GOTO and tracking The heavier the OTA the more necessary it is to use a CW For lightweight OTAs i e 5 6 los however the CW may not be necessary If you have a secondary OTA on the secondary dovetail holder make sure you align it with the primary OTA This alignment is done easier during the daytime Point the primary telescope to a target at a remote building or flagpole and center the target in the eyepiece Loosen the secondary dovetail holder lock 15 Rotate the secondary OTA around the counter balance shaft 18 Center the object in the eyepiece of the secondary OTA If the secondary OTA is tilted it can be adjusted by two tilting adjustment screws as shown in Figure 15 M6 x 12mm Allen set screws not supplied
28. man Interface Devices EN IDE ATA ATAPI controllers Hm IEEE 1394 Bus host controllers ei Zen Keyboards ER UN Mice and other pointing devices Modems e Monitors mg Network adapters 2 Ports COM amp LPT 09 ACP 210 USB to UART Bridge Controll COM4 g s Processors SCSI and RAID controllers H A Secure Digital host controllers i Sound video and game controllers 4 System devices 37 Appendix E Firmware Upgrade 1 Download and install Firmware Downloader from iOptron Website 2 Double click and open iOptron Downloader IPT nm Downloader d oppe Dovmlonder 20 serial Port COMI k3 Help H Home A Open Data File 0 Update Type Main Program Object Catalog start Download D On the interface select appropriate port using pull down menu in this case COM4 Optra Downloaden Vz m 3 Serial Port Help H A COM COM 3 COM3 Update Type Main Program C Object Catalog COMA COM5 COME COMS COMS 38 Click Open Data File and select the appropriate bin file that matches your hand IER 9 ERT Serial Port COMA t5 Help H GN Home A Look in E jFmwae el e E CiDocuments a E 8401 Verd80102 West 38401 Ver080102 West start Dow 8402 Verd80104 Eng 3 3402 Ver080104 Eng 3 Download_Eng File name 8402 Verd80104_Eng Files of type _ Cancel 0 Then click Open Select Main Program in Update Ty
29. ment A simple star alignment synchronization can be performed to improve the GOTO and tracking accuracy To do so after slew the mount to an object such as Moon press MENU button scrol down to Sync To Target follow the on screen instruction and press ENTER An alternate way is to perform an Easy One Star Align To do so press MENU button scroll down to Align select Easy One Star Align and press ENTER The screen will list three bright objects for you to select from ex Moon Jupiter Venus Select an object using A or W key Then press ENTER Next use the arrow keys to slew to the object until it is centered in your eyepiece Then press ENTER You may need to use the number keys to change the slewing speed to make the centering procedure easier 5 3 Turn Off the Mount When you are finished observing it is recommended to return the mount to Park Position If the mount is not moved then no initial set up is needed when you turn on the mount next time To park the telescope press the MENU button scroll down to Park Telescope and press ENTER Once the telescope returns to Park Position turn the power off 6 Use the MiniTower Pro 6 1 Manual Operation of a Telescope You may observe land and astronomical objects using GOTONOVA s arrow keys After the telescope was assembled referring to Section 2 Telescope Assembly flip the I O switch on the telescope mount to turn on the mount Use 4
30. mory and recalled when you power on again 6 12 To Park Position This moves your telescope to park position When power IS turned on the mount assumes the physical position is the park position This is its reference point for all other objects zl 7 Maintenance and Servicing 7 1 Maintenance The MiniTower Pro is designed to be maintenance free Do not overload the mount Do not drop the mount which will damage the mount or affect the GOTO tracking accuracy permanently Use a wet cloth to clean the mount and hand controller Do not use solvent If your mount is not to be used for an extended period dismount the OTAs and counterweight Remove the batteries from the battery holder if they were installed 7 2 Troubleshooting The following suggestions may be helpful for the operation of the MiniTower Pro More information can be found in our online FAQ section www iOptron com then click on support 1 Error Message Warning DEC or R A driver motor over current Please check balance 1 Check if the mount or OTA is blocked by any obstructions 2 Try to operate the mount without an 3 Check the power supply This is a common reason for this message and unexpected slew behavior or movement which include e Batteries Are the batteries fresh How long have they been used frequent slewing and GOTO will deplete battery power very quickly e AC or DC adapter Check the plugs to the mount and to
31. nd and ahead When the number is correct press ENTER and go back to the previous screen For other parts of the world you can find your time zone information online at websites such as http www timeanddate com worldclock DO NOT COUNT DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME 5 2 2 Set Up Daylight Saving Time Scroll up and select Set up local Time up Local Time up site N S hemisphere display contrast Eyepiece light Backlight anti backlash Key Beep Press ENTER Set local time 20 US 0601 Re 209 Daylight Saving Time Y Use the lt or gt key to move the cursor to the bottom of the screen use the A or V button to toggle between Y and N Press ENTER to go back the previous screen The local time also can be manually entered in case of GPS malfunction or testing the mount inside The time and site information will be stored inside HC memory chip If you are not traveling to other observation site they do not need to be changed 16 5 2 3 Set Mount Type The 8401 hand controller that comes with the MiniTower Pro can function in both EQ and AltAz For the Minilower Pro you will need to set the hand controller to function in AltAz Scroll down and select Set Mount Type up site N S hemisphere display Contrast Eyepiece light Backlight anti backlash Key Beep Eeer Press Enter Equatorial Mount Alt Azi Mount Select Alt Azi mount and press ENTER to go back the previ
32. nd accepted 1 Object is below horizon the desired object is below 0 degrees altitude 8 trailing spaces before 32 total characters plus Target command Slew to the most recently defined RA and DEC coordinates in RA DEC mode Command Mn Ms Me Mw Response none Command motion in the direction specified n north s south e east w west at the currently selected guide or centering rate Motion will continue until a quit command is issued 43 Command Qn Qs Qe QW Response none Stop motion in the specified axis Note that Qn is identical to Qs and Qe is identical to Qw Motion is terminated only if it was not started by a slew MS command Command Q Response none Motion in both axes is stopped regardless of how the motion was invoked Command RG Response none Selects guide If tracking is stopped turns tracking on Command RC Response none This command sets to quit guide mode Command RCn Response none RCO Set moving speed by N S E W Keys to 16x RCA Set moving speed by N S E W Keys to 64x RC2 Set moving speed by N S E W Keys to 256x RC3 Set moving speed by N S E W Keys to 512x Command pS Response East or West This command returns the side of the pier on which the telescope is currently positioned Position Command CM Response Coordinates matched there are 5 spaces between Coordinates and
33. ng an OTA weights more than 10 Ibs or for a secondary OTA Figure 1 MiniTower Pro Mount and Tripod Extremely Portable With all the standard components excluding the tripod fitted in an aluminum alloy metal case The MiniTower Pro can easily travel in a car or taken as airline luggage The system takes about 10 minutes to assemble This unlimited portability combined with the internal GPS gives amateur astronomers real flexibility in selecting an observing site a Figure 2 MiniTower Pro in an aluminum case Accurate GOTO and Tracking Equipped with our SmartStar GOTO technology the MiniTower Pro is one of the most powerful and accurate GOTO mounts available on the market The standard 8401 hand controller offers a superb navigation experience with an 8 line LCD backlit display a 130 000 object database and a USB port for easy connection with ASCOM compliant PC planetarium programs With a typical GOTO accuracy of 1 arc minute and the SmartStar precision auto tracking The MiniTower Pro will consistently bring the celestial object of your choice to the center of the eyepiece and keep tracking for hours Additional Unique Features Equipped with additional features such as automatic over current protection automatic clutch protection for both axes easy 3 point 10d ae Uo Co r 4 d I ET o 0000 III level adjustment dual scope setup with two dovetails an
34. ore than thirty days iOptron shall notify the customer accordingly iOptron reserves the right to replace any product which has been discontinued from its product line with a new product of comparable value and function This warranty shall be void and of no force of effect in the event a covered product has been modified in design or function or subjected to abuse misuse mishandling or unauthorized repair Further product malfunction or deterioration due to normal wear is not covered by this warranty IOPTRON DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTIES EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WHETHER OF MERCHANTABILITY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR USE EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH HERE THE SOLE OBLIGATION OF IOPTRON UNDER THIS LIMITED WARRANTY SHALL BE TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE COVERED PRODUCT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS SET FORTH HERE IOPTRON EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY LOST PROFITS GENERAL SPECIAL INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WHICH MAY RESULT FROM BREACH OF ANY WARRANTY OR ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE ANY IOPTRON PRODUCT ANY WARRANTIES WHICH ARE IMPLIED AND WHICH CANNOT BE DISCLAIMED SHALL BE LIMITED IN DURATION TO A TERM OF TWO YEARS FROM THE DATE OF ORIGINAL RETAIL PURCHASE Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages or limitation on how long an implied warranty lasts so the above limitations and exclusions may not apply to you This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other righ
35. ous screen 5 2 4 Set Anti backlash For an Alt Azi operation both R A and DEC anti backlash should be set to 0 step Scroll down and select Set anti backlash up Local Time up site N S hemisphere display contrast Eyepiece light Backlight aed levels asia Key Beep Press ENTER A RA anti backlash will display anti backlash N50 R A steps One steps equal to 1 5 aro second To adjust steps move the cursor to each digit and use the number keys to input number directly Press ENTER DEC anti backlash will display DEC anti backlash 0150 steps One steps equal to 1 5 arc second Move the cursor to each digit and use the number keys to set the anti backlash to 0 Press ENTER to go back the previous screen Press BACK button to go back to main menu 5 2 5 Go to the Moon After performing these set ups the mount is ready to GOTO and track objects One of the most common objects is the Moon To slew to the Moon press MENU button Select Select and slew by pressing the ENTER button Select Planets Sun Moon and use the A or V buttons to select Moon Press ENTER The telescope will automatically slew to the Moon and lock on It will automatically begin to track once it locks on Use the arrow keys to center the Moon in your eyepiece if it is not centered Or for better performance use Sync to Target see instructions later 17 5 2 6 Initial Star Align
36. pe Mi On tror Vo llar 210 Serial Port Help H A Home A Open Data File 0 Update Type Main Program C Object Catalog C Documents and Settings Chris Desktop Software Firmware 6402 Ver060104 Enn hin Please reset the GOTONOYA GOTOSTAR L Waiting for connection Click Start Download It shows Please reset GOTONOVA GOTOSTAR waiting for connection On the hand controller press MENU and using V A scroll to select Set u controller press ENTER then select Upgrade firmware press ENTER and the upgrade will start 39 Zapp ep Downloader V20 Help H A Update Type Main Program C Object Catalog Please reset the GOTONOVA GOTOSTAH Waiting for connection Connected Processing Please wait d att Doymlonder V20 Serial Port COMA 7 Help H HomelA Open Data File Q Update Type re Main Program C Object Catalog C Documents and SettinnstChristHiEsktnntSnfhwaretFirmwaretd4dUg Ver060104 Eng bin Please reset the GOTOMOVA GOTOSTAHR Waiting for connection Connected Processing Please wait Download successfully finished The upgrade is complete Turn your mount power off then on again Typical Errors 1 2 Invalid Port Number in Device Manager make sure you have the correct COM port number for CP210x Screen is now blank Wrong bn file make sure you have the correct bin file for firmware upgrade Wrong
37. rved for accessories such as electronic focuser laser pointer and autoguider adapter DO NOT plug non iOptron accessories into the unit to avoid damaging the mount or accessories T This step allows you to attach the counterweight or a second scope note if you have a light scope less than 10 Ibs on the primary side then attaching a counterweight is optional First make sure the altitude clutch lock 13 is tight Loose the counter weight shaft lock 14 pull the counter weight shaft 18 out and tighten the counter balance shaft lock 14 scope groove Figure 12 Figure 13 16 y Figure 14 2 2 OTA Mounting and Balancing The iOptron MiniTower Pro can handle various OTAs A dovetail plate is needed to mount an OTA onto the MiniTower Pro mount The width of the MiniTower Pro dovetail holder is 1 75 Most telescopes come with a dovetail plate installed on the bottom of the telescope If the size of dovetail plate does not match un screw the plate and install an appropriate 10 If you are attaching a second scope do not add the counterweight Instead skip to Step 10 to add a second 8 Slide the counterweight onto the counterbalance shaft 18 Next insert the brass pin into the hole on the counterweight 9 Secure the counterweight by tightening the lock knob own weight is heavy Please handle with care to avoid injury This step is for attaching a second scope 10 Attac
38. s on sides Next expand the legs out to their maximum position 2 Assemble the three prong washer and azimuth clutch lock 11 onto the mount base 3 Carefully position telescope mount onto the tripod by aligning the three holes on the bottom of the mount base 8 to the three level adjustment screws 6 on the top of the tripod 7 hold the mount with your hands Adjust level adjustment screws 6 to level the mount using the bubble level on the base Figure 9 Figure 11 4 Secure the mount to the tripod by using the long tripod rod 4 Hand tighten the rod into the bottom of the mount by turning the tripod knob 3 Next slide tripod support 2 onto bottom of rod 4 Position the three edges to fit against the three tripod legs Then hand tighten tripod lock knob 1 to secure the tripod support in place 5 Attach an OTA to the primary dovetail holder 10 using the primary dovetail lock 9 Tighten both the azimuth clutch lock 11 and the altitude clutch lock 13 6 Plug one end of supplied 6pin RJ 11 cable into either one of the two HBX Handbox sockets on the mount plug the other end into the GOTONOVA 8401 hand controller Plug in 12V power cable Turn on power Now you are ready to observe Use the 4 Arrow keys A V lt P to rotate the scope Up Down Left and Right Use the number key to change the slew speed from the slowest 1 1X to the fastest 9 MAX The other HBX is rese
39. scope for repair Call toll free in the U S 866 399 4587 or 1 81 569 0200 t is also strongly suggested that to send technical questions to support ioptron com Appendix A Technical Specifications Mount Body Materials Motor Gear Bearing Speed GPS GOTO System GOTO accuracy Resolution Tracking Payload Second Payload Tripod Battery Power Requirement USB Port Protocol Firmware Upgrade PC Computer Control Weight with tripod AltAzimuth Mount Die cast Aluminum Dual Axis DC Servomotor DC12V Aluminum worm wheel brass worm gear 4 high precision bearings Dual Axis 9 Gear Electronic 1x 2x 8x 16x 64x 128x 256x 512x MAX 32 channel GPS GOTONOVA 130 000 objects database 1 Arc Min Typical 0 1 Arc Sec Automatic 33 Ib 10 Ib 2 Stainless Steel AA x 8 Not Included DC 12V 2V gt 1 2A YeS ASCOM YeS YeS 48 lbs shipping weight 23 Appendix B GOTONOVA 8401 HC MENU STRUCTURE Mercu Venus Mars Jupiter saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto Moon Deep Sky Objects Named Deepsky Object Messier Catalog NGC IC Catalog UGC Catalog MCG Catalog Caldwell Catalog Abell Catalog Herschel Catalog Comets Asteroids Stars Named Stars Double Stars GCVS Variable Stars SAO Catalog c 2 Constellations User Objects Enter R A and DEC Focus oet Anti backlash 24 Set Up Controller PEC Option Set Up Trackino User Objects Auto Guide To Park Position Set Up Local Time Set
40. select a choice or slew the telescope to a selected object Arrow A V gt 4 Press A V buttons to move a telescope along the DEC direction gt to move a telescope along the RA direction Brows the menu or move the cursor in operating menu Number Keys Input numerical values Also used to adjust speeds 1 1X 2 2X 3 8X 4 16X 5 64X 6 128X 7 256X 8 512X 9 MAX e Light Key Xt Turns on off the red LED reading light on the back of the controller e Key For help or extra information e SIOP 0 Key Stop Start tracking e HBX Handbox port connect the HC to MiniTower Pro mount using a 6 wire RJ11 cable e USB port connect the HC to a Computer via a USB cable 4 2 The LCD Screen The 8401 HC is designed to use for both iOptron s equatorial EQ mount such as the SmartStar PR GOTO German Equatorial Mount and the GOTONOVA Equatorial Kit and AltAzimuth A A mount which includes all SmartStar GOTO mounts and telescopes It consists of a large 8 line LCD screen which displays all the information as shown in Figure 18 The user interface is simple and easy to learn Target Right Ascension GPS Status Target Declination 10h 43m 25s Right Ascension 41 17 41 Se Declination 10h 43m 25s 41 17 A Tracking Speed Local Star Hour 20h 30m 31s Altitude TO 36 15 Mount Type i 304 34 15 N S Hemisph Azimuth emisphere Local Date and Time 16 01 08 07 08 01 Figure 18 8401 HC LCD In
41. telescope is pointing straight up at the zenith To set the Park Position you can 2 Up 13 1 South Figure 20 5 2 Setting Up the Mount A MiniTower Pro is equipped with a GPS receiver which will receive the local time longitude and latitude information from satellites after the link is established However manual input is still needed for time zone and Daylight Saving setting A clear sky outside is needed for GPS to communicate well with the satellites 5 2 1 Set Up Time Zone Press MENU button from the main menu scroll down and select Set up controller select and slew BVG CO Larger Electronic focuser Set up controller Align PEC option Set up Tracking User objects Press ENTER Scroll down and select Set up site up Local Time up site N S hemisphere display contrast Eyepiece light Backlight anti backlash Key Beep Press ENTER The longitude and latitude coordinates will be updated when the GPS picks up satellite signals W E means west east hemisphere N S means north south hemisphere d means degree m means minute and s means second Set up site info Longitude W071d27m47s Latitude N42d15m40s S00 Min behind If for any reason your GPS can t pick up a signal you can manually enter the GPS coordinates Press or gt key to move the 15 cursor and using A or V key to toggle between W and E N
42. then scroll to Sync to Target and press ENTER Follow the screen to do the sync Using this function will re calibrate the computer to the selected object Multiple syncs can be performed if needed Sync to Target will only work after Select and slew is performed Otherwise the system may perform incorrectly You can change the slewing speed to make the centering procedure easier Simply press a number 1 through 9 to change the speed The default slew speed is 64X Sync to Target does the same thing as one star alignment except that you choose the object to sync to One star alignment chooses the star object for you 6 4 Electric Focuser If you have an electric focuser in your system and it is supported by GOTONOVA use this option to adjust the focuser Use b for coarse tuning and VA for fine tuning Refer to your Electric Focuser operation manual for detailed instruction 6 5 Set Up Controller 6 5 1 Set Up Local Time Refer to 4 2 2 19 6 5 2 Set Up Site Refer to 4 2 1 6 5 3 Set N S Hemisphere Set north or south hemisphere 6 5 4 Set Display Contrast Use arrow keys to adjust LCD display contrast 6 5 5 Set Eyepiece Light If you have an illuminated reticule eyepiece or illuminated polar scope and it is supported by GOTONOVA hand controller use this option to adjust the light intensity 6 5 6 Set Backlight Adjust LCD and keypad backlight 6 5 7 Set Anti backlash Use Arr
43. to cause the problem Also check all the plugs and connections 4 System balancing 22 4 Star Alignment accuracy GOTO accuracy 1 Leveling very important 2 Site information minutes ahead or behind UT DST 3 System balancing 4 Use most updated firmware 5 Select right mount type A A 6 Set backlash to 0 in both DEC and RA 7 Check the power supply which include e Using the battery Is the battery fresh How long it has been used frequent slew and GOTO will deplete battery power very quickly e Using AC or DC adapter Check the plugs to the mount and to the power outlet e Using extension cord Make sure the cord is in good condition Power drop along the extension cord was known to cause the problem Also check all the plugs and connections 7 3 lOptron Customer Service If you have a question concerning your MiniTower Pro contact the iOptron Customer Service Department Customer Service hours are 9 00 AM to 5 00 PM Eastern Time Monday through Friday In the unlikely event that the MiniTower Pro requires factory servicing or repairs write or call the iOptron Customer Service Department first to receive an RMA before returning the telescope to the factory Please provide details as to the nature of the problem as well as your name address and daytime telephone number We have found that most problems can be resolved by telephone So please call first to avoid returning the tele
44. ts which vary from state to state iOptron reserves the right to modify or discontinue without prior notice to you any model or style telescope If warranty problems arise or if you need assistance in using your telescope mount or controller contact iOptron Corporation Customer Service Department 6E Gill Street Woburn MA 01801 www ioptron com Tel 866 399 4597 Fax 781 935 2860 Monday Friday 9AM 5PM EST NOTE This warranty is valid to U S A and Canadian customers who have purchased this product from an authorized Optron dealer in the U S A or Canada or directly from Optron Warranty outside the U S A and Canada is valid only to customers who purchased from an iOptron Distributor or Authorized iOptron Dealer in the specific country Please contact them for any warranty 4
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