Track The Stars is offering a new TTS Handpad Emulation App which is a small Windows application that emulates the handpad for the TTS-160 Panther mount and the TTS-300 Mammoth Mount making the handpad functionality available by PC.
The TTS Handpad Emulation App will create a software handpad on the PC that will do everything that can be done with the actual physical handpad giving complete remote control of the mount. This gives access to the full functionality of the handpad for remote control allowing complete remote imaging or EAA from a connected PC.
The new application runs under Windows (version 8, 10, 11). No installation of the app is needed. An available cable is needed to connect from an USB2/3 port to the HP port on the Mount head and is 1.8 meter long.
The TTS mounts have an internal microcontroller running the firmware that controls the mount. The handpad has its microcontroller and sends commands to the mount head but has nothing to do with the actual control of the mount. Therefore, the handpad can be unplugged and the mount will continue to operate including receiving commands over Ascom and the ST4 guide interface. The TTS Handpad Emulation App in the same way communicates with the mount head but does not take the actual control. It is therefore possible to unplug the handpad and plug in the handpad emulation app while the mount is up and running. It also means that if you need to stop the app for any reason you can always restart and connect to the mount again without losing alignment.
With the TTS Handpad Emulation App it is possible to:
– Align the mount from the PC – from indoors if wished.
– You can set up the mount without doing any physical alignment in the process. No levelling, no Polar alignment needed. Just place the tripod on the ground and install mount head, telescope, camera and PC. Now move indoors and start everything up.
– Slew to targets from the object catalogues or create your own object lists.
– Pick any object from the Messier, NGC or IC catalogue.
– Create your own User Object lists with your favorite targets. Create as many lists as you like and share them with other users.
– Slewing to objects via Planetarium software is available simultaneously.
– Change GoTo speed, guide speed, and all other basic mount settings.
– It is possible to update all settings not available through Ascom.
– Center targets using STEP Mode slewing.
– When observing the Sun, Moon and planets at high magnification the mounts STEP mode slewing can be used for fast and precise centering of targets.
– Have full control of the Optional Telescope rOTAtor.
– Control rewinding and turn the rOTAtor on/off.
– Automatic rewinding from Astrophoto tools over Ascom is still active.
You can learn more about the TTS Handpad Emulation App here.
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