Tutorial on how to control an iOptron mount with Stellarium

[@bhattvd1]

Great Job, Bob. You showed the whole process in full details. It will save countless hours to lost of enthusiasts!

[@antandshell]

Video is four years old and still helping people like me. Thank you sir.

[@264Salazar]

Glad this information is still relevant and useful.

[@wp4nal]

Bob, thanks so much! Without your tutorial the process would have been frustrating to say the least. Great job!!

[@264Salazar]

Glad my 6-year-old video is still helping people

[@bobuk5722]

Hi Bob. Excellent video. Thank you so much. I'm 70 and just trying to come back to this hobby after a break of 10 years. I have an iEQ45 (pre Pro) so the RS232 part alone will save me a load of agro. I want to go wireless eventually but at my age baby steps are best so I'm restarting as cabled. Cheers. BobUK.

[@264Salazar]

It is difficult to adapt wireless control to these older model mounts. I have been looking for a simple wireless setup for my iEQ30 (pre Pro) but have not found a good system. It may be time to upgrade to a more modern mount. Glad my video was some help.

[@nataala_]

Bob, I thank you very much indeed! Following your instructions, I have just successfully connected and controlled my iOpron ZEQ25GT mount with my computer running on Windows 7. Now, so much more has become possible with my truly amazing iOptron mount. Thank you!

[@Tricyklist]

A really excellent instruction video. Even for non-iOptron mounts. Thanks.

[@jayaar1]

Thank you Bob for a great video and information .I set my Celestron AVX up differently to how you did it and my 8"sct was always 2 arc seconds away from the target.I noticed you were spot on with yours.I'm going to do it your way.Thanks again.

[@264Salazar]

You are very welcome

[@LikeOnATree]

Thanks for this video, Bob! You saved me hours of frustration! Cheers!

[@264Salazar]

Glad to help

[@MrAboMariah]

Many thanks Bob This is 2nd video from you that really helped me Clear skies

[@gursach4435]

This video's been a huge help. Thank you!

[@264Salazar]

It is over 6 years old now but still relevant to iOptron mounts. Glad it helped.

[@JohnS916]

Great job Bob, easy to understand.

[@264Salazar]

John S Thanks

[@pa60pilot]

I think my goto hand controller has died for my CEM60. If I polar align prior to connecting through the laptop, do I understand that I won't need a hand controller for anything? Can the star alignment be done through Stellarium? Thanks for your effort to show this Mr. Salazar.

[@264Salazar]

You will need the hand controller to adjust the scope position when fine tuning the star alignment. You may be able to use the ASCOM controller from your PC instead of the hand controller.

[@pa60pilot]

@@264Salazar Thank you Sir.

[@infiniumguy]

Bob, You might not be a pro, but I sure followed everything you did. Nice job!!! I have a new GEM45 and I am looking for a simple way to control the mount. I'm not ready to deal with NINA. Yet! I think I just found it. Thanks.

[@southernexposure123]

Thank you for the tutorial. I just get my iOptron smart eq today.

[@264Salazar]

Congratulations. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have

[@gianniformica8235]

Thank you very much. It was exactly what I was looking for. This would be done after leveling and polar Alignment? Do you need to do any star Alignment before you do this. Thanks again. Subscribed.

[@264Salazar]

Glad I was able to help. No need to polar or star align before doing this. This will just tell Stellarium to connect to your mount when it is connected to the computer. You can polar and star align afterward.

[@gianniformica8235]

Bob, I just want to thank you again. I just got the mount working with the software and there is no way I would have figured it out without this. Im using ZEQ25 mount, running through the hand controller, directly into a usb port using RJ9 to USB cable. Set up is a little different. Thought id drop this note in case anyone needs a hand with the same mount. Thanks again Bob.

[@264Salazar]

​@@gianniformica8235 Glad I could help

[@cattaraugustonawanda4426]

Is this series still relevant with 2023 software and Ioptron hardware ?

[@alexyu6928]

I purchased an Ioptron CEM60 a few months ago and want to know if your procedure works with CEM60 mount.

[@264Salazar]

Most equatorial mounts are set up very similar and IOptron mounts are also very similar to each other. The hand controller should be almost identical, so yes this procedure should work for the CEM60

[@alexyu6928]

@@264Salazar Hi Bob, at 7:32 your video said "the Ioptron mount must be star aligned before connecting to the computer.." I have the IPolar with my CEM60 and it uses plate solving to do the polar alignment, so the mount will be connected to the computer. How will it affect the use of Stellarium then?

[@264Salazar]

@@alexyu6928 You should not have any problems if the mount is connected to the computer before star aligning. Stellarium will update the mount's position automatically.

[@douglasfarringdon3165]

Excellent demonstration!

[@264Salazar]

Douglas Farringdon Thanks!

[@nataala_]

I have three OTAs and three cameras - one of which is the Sigma sd14 dedicated to infrared (astro)photography - and I feel liberated now. I do not need to be physically sat down with the scope after I have set things up.

[@astrogerard2022]

Great video. I just bought a cem25p. Thank you.

[@adrienrivas5531]

Hello, I'm French and I'm sorry for my broken English. First of all, I wanted to tell you that I also did everything with a Skywatcher EQ6 and everything works... My problem : I have an Ioptron IEQ45 GTN and I've been trying to drive it through my computer for several days. I installed ASCOM drivers, IOptron drivers, and RS232 cable drivers. Note that the version of my racket is: 8406. I can to orient "without being able to steer with the directional arrows" the mount from the "Carte du Ciel" or Stellarium software but the tracking does not work. Thus, I can't use it well because I can't make precise movements with the "direction arrows" and the tracking is not done. I would have to connect to IOptron Commander, but it doesn't recognize my mount. Is this normal because it's a too old version, or is there a software problem? I hope you can help me. Sincerely Adrian

[@Zany4God]

It's just more work, Bob. Thank you for what you have done. The iEQ Pro is a little different.

[@mchazlitt]

Thanks Bob, very informative

[@dilipsharan8699]

Very well presented and useful tutorial

[@mrabomariah6092]

Hi Bob Many thanks for your helpful vidoes, i just want to ask about the blue adapter @ 7:11 is it a normal vga to usb? Or different ?

[@264Salazar]

Yes, it is a normal adapter. iOptron sells one on their website that is verified to work on their mounts. see link - www.ioptron.com/product-p/8435.htm

[@utilisateurinconnu7149]

Hi bob, I'm french and I just bought a mount ZEQ25GT and all I can find is in English, à technical English for the manual but I don't control so I don't understand all I can read. Your tutorial is in English too but visually I can uderstand How control the mount with ascom, stellarium and stellarium scope

[@264Salazar]

I hope my video was able to help you

[@rohanw411]

Nice video, can I connect the computer through the hand controllers second port? I am getting a error in stellerium scope saying could not open comm port 1

[@264Salazar]

I do not think you can connect the hand controller on the iEQ30 like that. Will not work.

[@rohanw411]

@@264Salazar OK thanks for the reply

[@angelsalvadeo5999]

Excelente !! Un Lujo vuestra exposición.

[@bug9999]

Dear Bob, the cem25p can work with 8inch newtonian telescope? I want to buy the mount, but not sure.

[@264Salazar]

The name 'Cem25p' means the mount is rated to carry a maximum load of 25 lbs (11.3 kg). I am certain an 8 inch newtonian weighs less than that.

[@bug9999]

Oh . I see~thank you. I'm a rookie, sorry for my stupid question. :( Your tutorial sets my mind on cem25p.I have an 150/750 newtonian telescope already :)

[@264Salazar]

No worries. I am glad to help

[@clarkastro2510]

No. Sorry the 8inch scope will be wy to heavy

[@mr1hander]

will this work with the ioptron3200

[@snogeezglasheen5643]

Thanks-very helpful

[@yabbyincoridor]

Thanks Bob, I've followed your tutorial for my iOptron ZEQ25GT mount on Windows 7 with success. However, my preferred OS is Ubuntu and unfortunately Ascom drivers are not available for linux. If you or any of your subscribers come across a fix for using Stellarium with iOptron mounts on linux I would be very happy. Thanks for your tutorial. cheers. Iv

[@264Salazar]

Ivan Aksenov Sorry I cant help you with Linux, but I am glad that you were able to connect via Windows 7.

[@guidoheuts]

All went well until I connected to Stellarium through Stellarium Scope. Stellarium Scope gave me a floating point error and wanted me to close. I'm lost now.

[@gianniformica8235]

The list if errors you are getting is because you havent set it up. Just ignore that window, get into the settings window and fomlow along with Bob.

[@ir0nmanNZ]

thank you so much!

[@VPXM2012]

Does anyone know if this software works correctly on Windows10?

[@mchazlitt]

+Daniel Kuciel I'm about to find out, I just upgraded

[@VPXM2012]

Mark Hazlitt comment or review please. It would be very beneficial before purchase.

[@264Salazar]

I am curious to find out if it works with Windows 10 also.

[@amrelsayed4247]

yes working

[@VPXM2012]

+Amr Elsayed thank you!

[@kdpallie]

excellent tutorial, thanks Bob. Managed to drive my Ioptron ZEQ25.

[@264Salazar]

Good to hear

[@Zany4God]

Bob, you should read very carefully what the subtitles are saying as you watch this video. -Mike

[@264Salazar]

+Mike Bennett Yeah. These automatic subtitles are hilarious! I have no Idea how I can fix this. This happens to all my videos. Guess I talk a bit funny & Google Translate has trouble understanding what I say.