Orion StarShoot II DeepSpace and remote focusing

Ok, I've got this idea and I want to know if it's realistic.

I just got a Celestron 8" with NexRemote, so I can ostensibly remote control where it points from my basement on cold winter nights. However, how does one look through the eyepiece remotely? Ahhh, the Orion StarShoot II DeepSpace Color camera just went on sale for $300. So if I get about 50 ft of USB cable and 50 ft of whatever cable my NexRemote requires, I'm golden ... right?

How would I focus the StarShoot from my basement? Would I ...

a) Set the focus once and forget about it
  (does this require back-and-forth between basement and
   telescope multiple times until I get it right?)

b) The StarShoot has a focuser
  (MaxIm DL Essentials software offers live focusing aid)


Additional questions:
  Will the signal degrade over the 50' distance it has to travel to my laptop?

  Am I going to need an extension to provide the "additional 15mm of in-focus travel"?

Any advice or insight you have to give will be appreciated.

Danny

Danny,

Yes, the signal will degrade seriously over a 50' cable run. In fact, your computer will not recognize the presence of the camera. I needed a 16' cable run and the computer would not recognize the camera without going through a powered USB hub. The SS II is powered from the USB port. The SS Pro must have a separate dedicated 12V power supply, either battery or appropriate 120AC/12VDC power supply. In the manual for the SS II there is a warning about the length of the cable run.

No, the SS II does not have its own focuser. You will need an electric focuser capable of remote control via the computer. There are several versions of focusers and software for that purpose.
Most electric focusers will not accomodate the full focusing range of a SCT. It will require close focusing initially. for the temperature conditions. The electric focuser is mainly for "fine tuning" your initial focus. On a SCT an extension tube is not usually necessary.

There is a way of using two (I think) wireless routers to connect a computer in the house and one in the observatory or at the telescope. It was published in Sky & Telescope about 2 yrs. ago.

I hope this has answered someof you question.

Gary Caldwell
[email protected]