It Works! Mini display for Telescope PC

[Garbz]

I've been working on mounting a FitPC on the telescope with the idea that everything is autonomous and then only connect to it over the wireless. I'd setup the telescope using a laptop to start the session, then pack up the laptop and head inside where I would take over using my desktop PC.

But then I thought it would be nice to still have a screen so I could see what the laptop was doing.

iPad!

It had everything going against it. The 2048 x 1536 resolution is higher than the FitPC can handle, the screen needs a lot of power from the 5V line, more than the DisplayPort can handle, and eDP is not quite the same as DP. Then it needed backlight control and after purchasing a few bits that I thought would never work we get the picture below. There's soooooo much more screen realestate than my crappy old laptop!

For $130ish total I now have a 2048x1536 10" screen that weighs next to nothing. Now to figure out how to mount it. :D

[Mighty_oz]

Duct tape is always your friend :) Nice job, maybe velcro ?

[Garbz]

Hahahah yes velcro fixes everything. Actually the problem I have is more the security of the screen. Currently the controller board is velcro'd to the back of the screen and very lose. I'm worried about snapping the stiff but fragile screen cable.
I may mount the thing on ply or something.

Then velcro it to the scope :)

[rally]

Chris,

I am not clear on what you have done exactly ?
What is the screen device ?

There is no reason why the iPad cannot easily be made to work simply by running a VNC client on the iPad - of which there are many and a VNC server on the Fit-PC

Whatever screen resolution you set on the Fit can be seen by either scaling or by a fixed size Window on the iPad or other portable device
There are VNC clients for most platforms that work with RealVNC etc and they can all be connected simultaneously too
So you can control your system via the iPad and the laptop and the office PC all at the same time if you really wanted.
They just need to be able to communicate across your network.

Of course this doesnt work until the system is fully booted and running - so the BIOS boot sequence and initial WIndows Boot will not be visible or controllable using VNC if that is what you were trying to achieve

Sorry if I missed something

Rally

[Steffen]

Oh, you astro imagers...! :scared3:

Cheers
Steffen.

[Garbz]

Sorry it's not an iPad. It's just the LCD panel from an iPad, can be bought for about $90 from any repair place. An aftermarket controller for the screen then runs backlight control and then this becomes effectively a very cheap very high resolution screen for a PC.

What I'm trying to achieve is basically a local status visible on the telescope itself. For instance if the wireless network craps itself, or it locks up during bootup, or (insert other reason why VNC may fail to work). If I'm in the middle of a 15min frame and VNC drops out, did it drop out because the wireless died or has the computer locked up completely? If it's just the wireless then how long until the current sub is finished before touch the telescope?

That kind of thing. I wanted a display, I wanted it cheap, and the highest resolution possible. Off the shelf stuff is nightmarishly expensive.




It's cold outside in winter :P

[FlashDrive]

Very neat ....:thumbsup:

Col....

[alistairsam]

hi,

Why not just leave a laptop connected to the telescope? so that runs all software, you can set it to run even with the lid closed, and if you ever need to check something when your rdp or vnc is not working, open the lid?
i got a core2 duo laptop from ebay for $90 and works great.
i put it in a box with an access point underneath connected via ethernet.
that way, if i go out to the fields, I can wirelessly access the scope laptop from my normal laptop. same at home.
just use a usb hub on the scope, so you have one usb and one power coming to the laptop and that's it.

never thought of getting an ipad display separately though. good thinking.

Cheers
Alistair

[Garbz]

That's my current way of doing things, however this is part of 2 things I'm trying to achieve:
1) Setup the telescope in a small home observatory in a way that I can flick the power switch and go without incurring the 1 hour setup time. This will necessitate me taking the laptop away.
2) Eliminating cable tangle. I hope to be in the position to only have to run a 12V power lead up to the scope and do everything else from the mount. I've had a few close calls with tangled cables. The FitPC and maybe the display will be mounted on my OTA.
3) My laptop gives me the ... runs. It's got a pathetic display with very poor viewing angles, crap brightness, and even worse resolution. The iPad screen is an IPS display which is resistant to changes in viewing angles and is very rare on laptops except for maybe Apple laptops. I had one case where I was trying to find a faint target on the laptop outside and failing miserably, I went inside to my desktop and could see it clear as day. This is my attempt at getting a decent display for the thing.

I think Steffen is right, I'm turning into a couch astronomer. :rofl:

[Harb]

where did you get that screen ? I have a need for one.....different purpose :)

[Garbz]

Ebay. For your different purpose be sure to disassemble your iPad first if you can and check the model. The iPads changed screens at some point and I don't think all 3rd gen iPads have the same screen. They are all available.

Also if you're fixing a crack, check to see if it's not just the digitiser, they are separate on the iPad and the digitiser sits over the screen and can be replaced for about $30. Most people's broken screens aren't actually broken screens but broken touch digitisers.

[Harb]

Thanks Chris,

I am actually looking to change the screen on one of my CNC machines, and this looks like a good project ;)

cheers !

[Garbz]

Ahhh right. Well the screen by itself comes with only an FFC cable and uses eDisplay Port as the protocol. You'll likely need a converter board like this one: http://abusemark.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=47 and then it will still only speak DisplayPort, so if you need HDMI or something else then it'll start getting more expensive.