DSI as guide camer

[samos]

Can I use my DSI as a guide camera attached to a guide scope?
This is for a 8" LX200 GPS ... shooting in Alt/Az, with the Meade de-rotator.
I thought the DSI plugged into a laptop, but a guide camera needs to plug into
the scope itself, so Im (obviously) confused about what gets plugged in where.
Thanks

[Joe Lalumia]

Yes-- the older DSI cameras are regularly used as a guide camera.

[fogfire]

yes you can....

When you see a Guide Camera plugged into the scope that is because it has a built in guider interface, which is not needed.. just very convenient.

When using a DSI with PHD PHD Guiding you have two options:

1. Connect to the scope directly using the serial cable to the hand controller that you use to update the Hand Controller or use software like Stallarium to control the scope.*
2. U can add an interface between the computer and the dedicated port one of the cheapest an most common is : GPUSB The Shoestring Astronomy Store - GPUSB

*You also need to install ASCOM drivers for the scope for PHD. ASCOM - Standards for Astronomy There is a small scope control pad tool that will let you test the drivers before you even try to work with PHD.

There are two ways to attach the DSI.. either with the Eyepiece adapter if you have a guide scope like the 50mm sold for Orion or other scope with 1.25" EP or you can get a Finder scope to T2 adapter... This is with Finders like Celestron 9x50mm with built in EP.