| Comparison of well-known Steppercontrollers sorted by prices |
| Controller |
HEQ-5/6 MCU Update |
LittleFoot Vpower |
LittleFoot Elegance |
Powerflex MTS-3 SLP |
HEQ-5/6 SkyScan |
Powerflex MTS-3 SDI |
LittleFoot Elegance Photo |
FS2
(Info!) |
Pulsar + Handcontroller |
Dynostar X3 |
| Display |
optional *8 |
optional *8 |
Yes |
*9 |
Yes |
optional (145€) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Alt/Az Mode |
*3 |
*3 |
*3 |
No |
No |
*5 |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes *5 |
| Microstepping |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| ST-4 Input |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Optional (~80€) |
Yes |
Yes |
| RS232 Interface |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| USB Interface |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Interface |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
| Video Interface |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
| Firmwareupdates (Software) |
RS232 (Win) |
RS232 (Win) |
USB, RS232 (Win) |
*9 |
since V3.00 |
RS232 (DOS) |
USB, RS232 (Win) |
No Update over PC possible. |
RS232 (Win) |
RS232 (DOS) |
| Last Firmwareupdate |
Aug. 2008 |
Aug. 2008 |
Aug. 2008 |
*9 |
*9 |
Dec. 2004 |
Dec. 2009 |
May 2002 |
*9 |
Nov. 2004 |
| Price Firmwareupdates |
free |
free |
free |
*9 |
free |
free |
free |
~25 Euro |
free |
free |
| Goto |
Yes *6 |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes *7 |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Goto Protocol |
LX200 |
LX200 |
LX200 |
*9 |
NexStar |
LX200 und Powerflex |
LX200 |
LX200 |
LX200 |
LX200 und Powerflex |
| Max. Gotospeed |
100x |
100x |
100x |
*9 |
800x |
*9 |
640x |
*9 |
*9 |
*9 |
| SD-Card interface |
Optional |
Optional |
Yes (up to 2GB) |
No |
No |
No |
Yes (up to 2GB) |
No |
No |
No |
| Internal Objectcatalogue |
Optional |
Optional |
Yes |
*9 |
Yes |
Optional (75€ + Display) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Objectcatalogue Size |
~ 5 Million Objects |
~ 5 Million Objects |
~ 5 Million Objects |
*9 |
~ 13.400 Objects |
*9 |
~ 5 Million Objects |
~ 3.800 Objects |
*9 |
~ 16.000 Objects |
| Max. Objektanzahl |
several Million Objects |
several Million Objects |
several Million Objects |
--- |
not expandable |
not expandable |
several Million Objects |
not expandable |
*9 |
not expandable |
| Planet positions |
Optional |
Optional |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
*10 |
Yes |
Yes |
| Batterybufferered Realtimeclock |
Optional |
Optional |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Kit with Motors |
not needed |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Motordrivers |
--- |
L6207 |
L6207 |
L6204 |
*9 |
L6205 |
L6258EX |
A3952SW |
*9 |
L6258EX |
| Max. Motorcurrent |
--- |
3A |
4A |
500mA |
~1,5A |
500mA (new Vers. 1A) |
3,2A |
~1,8A |
2A |
1,6A (optional 3,2A) |
| Serial Autoguiding (Protocol) |
Yes (LX200) |
Yes (LX200) |
Yes (LX200) |
No |
No |
Yes (Powerflex) (LX200 *1) |
Yes (LX200) |
Yes (LX200) |
Yes (LX200) |
Yes (Powerflex) (LX200 *1) |
| PulseGuiding |
Yes (LX200) |
Yes (LX200) |
Yes (LX200) |
No |
No |
No |
Yes (LX200) |
No |
No |
No |
| ASCOM Driver |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
| LX200 Autodetect |
No |
No |
No |
No |
*9 |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
| Fast Speedselects |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
*9 |
2 |
3 |
*9 |
2 |
2 |
| Backlash compensation |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Periodic Errorcorrection |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
*11 |
Yes |
Yes |
| PEC Tablesize |
256 |
256 |
256 |
64 |
*9 |
64 |
1024 |
*11 |
300 |
64 |
| save PEC manuell |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
*9 |
Yes |
Yes |
PEC can NOT be saved! |
Yes |
Yes |
| Autopark Function (PEC usw.) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
| Backup/Restore of PEC Table |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
| PEC-Tracker |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
| Connector for opt. Encoders |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Digital Setting Circles |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
*9 |
No |
| Polar Alignment |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
*9 |
No |
| IntellyTrack® |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
| GPS Connector |
Optional |
Optional |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
| Refraction compensation |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
*9 |
Yes |
No |
| Home Position |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
*9 |
*9 |
| Auto Alignment |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
*9 |
No |
| Focuscontrol |
Handcontroller and LX200 |
Handcontroller and LX200 |
Handcontroller and LX200 |
No |
No |
No |
Handcontroller, Robofocus and LX200 |
No |
No |
No |
| Stepperfocuser |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes (1,2A) |
No |
No |
No |
| Focus-Motordriver |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
TMC 246A |
--- |
--- |
--- |
| Robofocus Relais |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Optional |
No |
No |
No |
| Temperature Sensor |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Optional |
No |
No |
No |
| Humidity Sensor |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Optional |
No |
No |
No |
| Dewpoint calculation |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Optional |
No |
No |
No |
| Dew Heater control |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Optional |
No |
No |
No |
| DCF77 Time and Date |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Optional |
No |
No |
No |
| DSLR Control |
Yes with DSLR Connector |
Yes with DSLR Connector |
Yes with DSLR Connector |
No |
*9 |
No |
Yes with DSLR Connector |
*9 |
No |
*9 |
| Programmable exposure timer |
No |
optional |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
| Saving exposure programms |
No |
optional |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
| Sky Agent |
Optional |
Optional |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
| Filter Wheel Support |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Optional |
No |
No |
N0 |
| Filter Wheel Protocols |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
TrueTech, SBIG, OES, DFM |
--- |
--- |
--- |
| Controllerconfiguration |
Win, Linux, PocketPC, (optional Display) |
Win, Linux, PocketPC, (optional Display) |
Win, Linux, PocketPC, Display |
DOS |
Display |
DOS |
Win, Linux, PocketPC, Display |
Display, DOS (Date 16.1.2000) |
Display, Win |
Display, DOS |
| Controller and Handcontroller in one Case |
--- |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Power Supply |
12V |
12V - 35V |
12V - 35V |
*9 |
12V |
*9 |
12V - 30V |
9V - 15V |
*9 |
*9 |
| Kit available |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
| Supportforum |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
*9 |
No |
| Price incl. Motorcables |
155,- € (Kit 99,- €) |
199,- € (Kit 99,- €) |
Kit ~169,- € |
(Info!)
~350,- € |
~400,- € *2 |
(Info!)
~430,- € |
499 € (DIY Kit ~300,- €) |
~870,- € |
900,- € (550,- € *4) |
(Info!)
ab 900,- € |
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| *1 serial Autoguiding over the LX200 protocoll is only conditionally possible. The problem is well-known, an elimination of errors is, as i know, not planned. |
|
*2 price contain 2 Sanyo Denki Steppermotors with Engineplate, a new front plate, as well as tools for the installation. |
| *3 a limitted Alt/Az operation is possible with IntellyTrack®. |
| *4 the Pulsar is available, for PC Freaks :-), without the Handpaddle. The price without Handpaddle amounts to 550.- € |
| *5 is available starting from the firmware V3.00b. A display is compellingly necessary (total price 575.- €). |
| *6 The transaction of the Tube (DEC swap) is supported by the Windows PC Software,
but the Handcontrollerupdate is, for more comfort, suggested. The remote control (Goto), also without the Handcontrollerupdate, over the PC or PDA is working just fine. |
| *7 The transaction of the Tube (DEC swap) is not supported by the DOS PC Software and is realized thru a very small DIP Switch (DIP10).
The Controller must be Power cycled for that function to work. The remote control (Goto) over the PC, without DIP10, is not possible. Because of the size of DIP10 (with gloves not useable) the optional Display is required for Goto.
|
| *8 The MCU Update and the LittleFoot Controller can use a PocketPC for a Display as well. The advantage is described in the Forumtopic.
|
| *9 I do not know this information so please check by your self. Shurely i would be appreciative for additional informations!
|
| *10 As the FS-2 can't keep the time and location cords, no battery buffered realtime clock, and this data get lost if you turn the controller of you need to set the time, date (in UTC) and location before you can start a planet goto! Also the planet calculation seem to be wrong as written here! Error correction? None, see last Firmwareupdate!
|
| *11 The homepage of the creator hold a lot different informations. Over Starfriends and throu discussion forums i heared a lot different things as well. As Michael Koch (FS2), acting under false identity, did already go to court because of this comparison, he looses the claim, i do not want to write something where i am not shure of. What i heard and read vary so much that i do not know what to write in this fields. I do not know what i can believe or not so i leave this fields, to prevent additional claims, unanswered!
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If you know further well-known controllers with technical data, I would extend the table gladly!
Copyright © 2006 by Anand Rajiva , E-Mail: astronomie@rajiva.de
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