Newbie: DSI Pro II: Guide and Image at same time?

(Sorry for maybe a basic question), but I'm looking to get into Deepsky work and am confused by a number of conflicting posts on the DSI Pro II: Can you use a DSI Pro II to Image and guide your scope at the same time using Meade's software? (i.e. eliminate the need for a dedicated guide scope/camera?) or is this an option with a different setup other than the DSI Pro II? If it is possible, are there drawbacks? If it's not possible - any idea's why not? technically it should be do-able.

If the answer is yes, I'll figgure it out, but i'd like to save the money if it's not.

Thanks!
-Jason

Jason Melquist said:

(Sorry for maybe a basic question), but I'm looking to get into Deepsky work and am confused by a number of conflicting posts on the DSI Pro II: Can you use a DSI Pro II to Image and guide your scope at the same time using Meade's software? (i.e. eliminate the need for a dedicated guide scope/camera?) or is this an option with a different setup other than the DSI Pro II? If it is possible, are there drawbacks? If it's not possible - any idea's why not? technically it should be do-able.

If the answer is yes, I'll figgure it out, but i'd like to save the money if it's not.

Thanks!
-Jason

No. You can alternate guide frames and imaging frames (which wouldn't be very workable unless you kept exposures relatively short), but you cannot do both at the same time. The only cameras that can do that are the SBIG ones with built-in guide chips or some Starlight Xpress cameras which use the Star 2000 system. It's not technically doable due to the nature of the Meade chip and electronics.