LVI SmartGuide and Guidinga... - Baader Planetarium

LVI SmartGuide and Guidingaccessories at Baader Planetarium , Section 21 file:///D|/e/a_web_komplett/baader-zubehoer-komplett/sektion/s21/lvi_e.htm 

SECTION 21 - LVI SmartGuider SG 1 and SG 2 

Troubleshooting for the LVI Guider SG 1 (pdf-file) 

LVI-SmartGuider SG 1 - Stand Alone Autoguider, fully compatible 

with SBIG ST4 

LVI-SmartGuider SG 2 including MGC imaging and focussing 

control - Stand Alone Autoguider, fully compatible with SBIG ST4 

FAQ about the LVI SmartGuide SG1 

Download pdf-file complete catalogue Baader accessories 

Home BAADER PLANETARIUM 

LVI-SmartGuider SG 1 - Stand Alone Autoguider SETTING A NEW STANDARD IN AUTOGUIDING see tracking 

performance at Synta EQ6- and HEQ5 mount and - simply to use 

click the thumbnails 

for larger images 

Die Guiderports 

Product Order 

number 

Price 

incl.VAT 

LVI-SmartGuider 146 1800 EUR 359.- 

The LVI SmartGuider is an innovative, stand-alone autoguiding camera whose 

advanced built-in logic allows correction for all tracking errors of any equatorial 

mount equipped with a standard ST4 autoguider port. Unlike other guiders on the 

market, the LVI SmartGuider is a stand-alone unit that interfaces directly with your 

guidescope and mount, no PC required. The Control Paddle features a wide graphical 

display, which enables the user to constantly monitor the tracking performance and 

fine-tune all of the guiding corrections sent to the mount. It also has a set of easy to 

navigate menus for fine tuning all the camera parameters (both standard and 

advanced), which make the LVI SmartGuider suitable for all applications, even the 

most demanding. 

Using the LVI SmartGuider, you are tracking your EQ-6 und HEQ-5 mount like a 

premium hightech mount. 

See how easy to operate a LVI SmartGuider: 

connect power and the mount to the hand held unit 

use the ocular for focussing the telescope; the ocular is parfocal to the image 

plane of the chip. 

remove the oculare and set the tracking unit to the focuser 

1 von 5 23.03.2010 14:21


set the basic´s to the hand held unit; i.e. focal length of your 

guiding scope 

the LVI SmartGuider looks automaticlly for a sufficient guiding 

star 

with the display of numerical numbers, you are able to precise 

the focus 

now the LVI SartGuider calibrates your mount automaticlly 

start guiding - that´s all ! 

NO NEED FOR A LAPTOP 

Not having to use a laptop for autoguiding carries a number of advantages: 

1. For all those who don’t really need a PC (e.g. as is the case with traditional film or DSLR imaging), the 

benefit is twofold: you save on PC hardware cost and on the energy needed to power it. 

2. CCD users can benefit as well, as the use of the stand-alone LVI SmartGuider greatly reduces the 

performance overhead on the PC. This is very convenient especially with resource-hungry setups where 

the PC is already under heavy load (e.g. with big multiple-megapixel CCDs, electrical focusers, 

motorized filter wheels, etc.). This also significantly lowers the chance of dangerous operating systems 

crashes. 

3. As the LVI SmartGuider is sensitive enough to find a suitable guide star anywhere in the whole sky 

with exposure times of around 1 second, you can also save on the cost of a micrometric guidescope 

support, needed to scan the “celestial neighborhood” in case a sufficiently bright star cannot be found 

in the field of view. 

TOTALLY INDEPENDENT OF THE SOFTWARE 

Using the LVI SmartGuider ensures that you will never have to wrestle with device drivers under Windows, 

and that it will never fail you, even with setups you have never used before. 

VERY EASY TO BE USED 

TheLVI SmartGuider camera is very easy and fun to use! Now anyone can start his fascinating journey into 

the realm of astronomical photography, without having to buy overly complicated autoguiding cameras, or to 

look through hundreds of boring manual pages to learn how to tweak every single parameter. LVI has made 

the astrophotographer’s life so much easier, everything is just a click of a button away! 

Click the thumbnails for larger images with image properties 

FAQs about the LVI SmartGuide 

Two images, standing for 

the guiding performance 

of the LVI SmartGuider: 

left (colour image) 

tracking of a Synta EQ6 

mount and beneath 

(black&white) tracking 

performance shown at 

example at an HEQ 5 

mount. 

Question concerning the connection of LVI-SmartGuider onto a Losmandy mount 

Question: is there any electrical problem like for SBIG cameras connecting to Losmandy autoguider port 

directly? SBIG for example requires a relay-box adapter to isolate the camera electronics from the mount 

electronics. Honestly, I don't expect any problem, I only want to be sure so I'm asking this. 

Answer: The Losmandy motor drive is fully compatible with our camera and it can plug straight to the 

autoguide port with no problem. SBIG cameras are requiring the relais box adapter because they draw a 12V 

current to run the relais box adapter. Look at these documents: 

http://www.sbig.com/pdffiles/relay_box_instructions.pdf 

http://www.atscope.com.au/techhelp.html 

Our camera doesn't send a 12V current to the mount, so the adapter isn't required. 

Rather, Losmandy #492 dual axis drive has a bug which cannot process two simultaneous corrections (RA 

and DEC) at the same time. This is a well known bug among Losmandy users which could cause a not so 

perfect autoguiding! Gemini GOTO system isn't affected at all by this bug. 

2 von 5 23.03.2010 14:21


pdf-file with overview of the LVI SmartGuide 

pdf-file with instruction manual. 

TRY THE LVI SMARTGUIDER SIMULATOR and learn how simle to use the LVI SmartGuide 

LVI-SmartGuider - SG 2 The LVI SmartGuider 2 Imaging Control System comes complete with the dedicated 

MGA opto-relais box which connects onto all of your imaging equipment (mount, DSLR, focuser). 

click the thumbnails 

for larger images 

Artikel Order 

number 

LVI-SmartGuider - SG 2, including the MGA 

Controlbox which controls a variety of Canon, Nikon, 

Pentax and Sony DSLR cameras and many more 

features. 

More informations about the LVI SG 2 and download 

files here 

Price 

incl.VAT 

146 1810 EUR 449.- 

SmartGuider SG 2, including Imaging Control System - the future in high 

performance astrophotography 

Any Astro-Photographer very well knows that perfect autoguiding is vital for 

achieving pinpoint resolution in spite of the many hours required for collecting light 

with various filters and modern CCDs and DSLR-cameras. But that's not all. 

Successful imaging is the result of a complex process that requires various 

electronical components to flawlessly cooperate in unison. However - in many cases, 

this process is not flawless as too many different devices must be controlled at once 

through a PC or Laptop. 

3 von 5 23.03.2010 14:21


ADVANCED DSLR CONTROL with SG 2 -REFLEX(TM) 

The SG 2 REFLEX-software implemented into the 

MGA-device controls a variety of Canon, Nikon, Pentax and 

Sony cameras by offering the same control parameters that 

are usually managed by second party commercial software. 

Single shot exposure or multiple exposure control 

Bracketing - when activated the camera automatically 

images in a user-defined sequence 

Time out control between consecutive exposures - 

for sensor cooling. 

Mirror lock - prevents vibrations caused by mirror flip 

prior to releasing the shutter 

Dark frame capture - when activated, the camera 

automatically starts taking darks 

Time out - When activated the DSLR starts to capture 

images after a preset time only 

Statistical info - two screens in the SG2 hand control 

unit display all preset parameters 

ADVANCED SG 2-FOCUS CONTROL 

The SG 2 FOCUS-software in the MGA unit controls the 

Starlight-FeatherTouch MSM-motor focuser - as well as 

Baader-Steeltrack focusers equipped with Baader-Steeldrive. 

The MGA also does supply power to the focus motor through 

3 x AA batteries mounted inside the MGA unit - and it 

supports following operations: 

Focuser model selection - selects your model of 

focuser from an internal database 

Automatic calibration - automatically calibrates for 

absolute focus position (homing) 

Temperature compensation - compensates for 

temperature induced focus offset by reading the 

thermo probe 

Temperature coefficient self-learning - automatic 

"self-learning" function of temperature coefficient 

Permanent saving - permanently saves a preset 

T-coefficient. 

Manual adjustment - supports manual fine 

adjustment/override of preset T-coefficient. 

Statistical info - provides statistical info and displays 

preset parameters via the SG 2 hand control 

ADVANCED SG 2-AUTOGUIDING 

The autoguiding port in the MGA unit features state of the 

art optocoupled ports enabling non-simultaneous corrections 

of RA and DEC axis individually. These elaborate control 

functions are vital for perfect autoguiding also with older 

Losmandy #492 "Digital Drive" (and the like) mounts. A 

dedicated AUTOSTAR port enables perfect autoguiding with 

all Meade mounts equipped with Autostar #497 (LX90 and 

LXD55/75). It offers an ease of use never before thought 

possible. 

In comarison to the LVI SG1 Guider newly implemented 

software functions: 

DITHERING: enables an ever so small small frame 

displacement between single guiding frames when 

activated. This procedure kills cold pixels ("black holes" 

in the raw image) prevailant in any guiding camera, 

while the celestial target remains perfectly stationary 

at the imaging sensor of the CCD- or DSLR-camera 

PULSE GUIDE: controlls and finetunes the duration of 

corrective pulses. Together with the 

AGGRESSIVENESS-function, this new function helps to 

eliminate overcorrection (hysteresis) 

THRESHOLD: supports the removal of hot pixels by 

adjusting the background noise level. Pixels having an 

ADU value lower than threshold value are not 

considered by SmartGuider 2 camera while searching 

for a guide star. This avoids hot pixels from beeing 

recognized as fake stars. 

MAX EXPOSURE: limits maximum exposure time to 

adjust on camera sensitivity 

4 von 5 23.03.2010 14:21


pdf - DOWNLOADS: (from left to right): LVI SG2 + MGA connecting and accessories diagram, technical data 

of the system, complete flux diagram of the software and the LVI SmartGuide SG 2 in an overview. 

top of page 

Youre LVI Guider doesn´t work as you expected ?Download the pdf-file 

troubleshooting and Hints to use the LVI Guider 

Download pdf-file complete catalogue Baader 

accessories 

printversion of this page 

5 von 5 23.03.2010 14:21

LVI SmartGuide and Guidinga... - Baader Planetarium

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?