COMSOFT®
PC-TCS™ Personal
Computer-based
Telescope Control System
PC-TCS is a Personal Computer based Telescope Control System
designed for use with moderate to large professional astronomical telescopes. PC-TCS is a
mature product, having been developed over the past nine years. This system is now in use
at over fifty observatories around the world, including the Stewart Observatory
60- and 90-inch telescopes. The software will run on all IBM computers and compatibles. Optical
Guidance Systems supplies PC-TCS pre-installed in a Pentium-class Windows computer.
PC-TCS operates in a DOS exclusive mode as a telescope/dome control computer, and as a
slave to the observatory host computer for Internet operation. However, Its true utility
is the sophisticated user interface that allows the observer to perform functions
previously unavailable in any observatory class control system.
PC-TCS provides the observer with a highly flexible battery of motion control functions
handsomely matching the demands of astronomical observing. As much as possible, system
complexity is minimized by the use of a "Menu Driven" user interface that, in
most cases requires only single keystrokes to make the telescope perform complex tasks.
Version 5.0/DCS of PC-TCS includes several third party digital and analog I/O cards;
version 5.0/CT includes only a single counter/timer control card, available from a number
of vendors if replacement or upgrading is required. Optionally, PC-TCS can use a single
4-Port Serial Card (Personal Computing Tools, Inc.) to accommodate up to 8 channels of
remote serial access to the control system.
To learn more visit The COMSOFT®
Web Site.
Software Bisque®
MKS-3000™ Telescope Motion Control
System
The Paramount's MKS-3000
control system boasts state-of-the-art electronics for unmatched performance.
The MKS-3000 control system
uses brush-less DC Servo motors. If your mount is used for survey astronomy all
night, every clear night, no other type of motor is sufficient. Note that the
life of the brush-less DC servo motor is limited to the service life of the
bearings. This translates to about 100,000 hours under normal operating
conditions. On the other hand, the life of brushed DC Servo motors is
limited to the life of the carbon brushes, which is anywhere from 4,000-10,000
hours according to the manufacturers specifications.
Brush-less motors also do not
"cog" at any rate. This ensures a smooth, constant output when
tracking at the Sidereal rate.
