How do most users connect with CCD Autopilot?
When using a remote observatory (in my case in the back yard) is there a way to run CCD Autopilot on a computer in the observatory and connect to it over a local intranet from the house? Or run long USB or serial links out to the observatory from the house? I understand that some users are connecting to their observatories over the internet and using CCD Autopilot, does it have some remote capability built in like ACP does?
Thanks,
Rex

Hi Rex,

One way to do that is to run CCDAP4 on the computer in your observatory and connect to that computer over your Local Area Network (LAN). You can use a program like UltraVNC or even Windows Remote Desktop to control the observatory computer. CCDAP4 needs to run on the computer that is running the software that is controlling your hardware which would be your observatory computer. I run all of my systems that way and it works just fine. HTH ....

Rex,

You can connect to the observatory computer using RealVNC (free) or Radmin. Both will give a full graphical view of every application window running on your remote system, including CCDAP. Radmin uses some video hooks into Windows and is a bit more responsive than RealVNC but both are completely usable.

John and Frank,
Thanks for the replies, I have experimented with windows remote desktop and had some lag issues. I use ACP on the GRAS site daily and like it but $900. for a license to connect to a computer 30 ft away seems too much in this economy so I will probably buy CCDAP4 and try Radmin. I just started using CCD-Stack and am very impressed with the simple well designed interface.
Rex

Hi Rex,

Depending on bandwidth of your LAN, all the remote software control programs could have a lag at times. I have had very good results with UltraVNC. It uses a Video Hook Driver that ties directly into the video bus and only transmits changes in the screen. It is very fast and works well on a 100MB LAN.