Remote image control

[Carole]

Do any of you control your imaging from indoors?

I do once it is all up and running, and for many years I have used Teamviewer.  However, TeamViewer seems to keep accusing people of using it for commercial purposes and shutting people down demanding a subscription.  This happened to me once but somehow I managed to override it.

Anyway, following a discussion on SGL recently some-one who had been permanently shut out or must pay a fee was asking if there was an alternative.  Among many suggestions was Anydesk.

So I decided to install it as a back up.  Then a few nights ago, I came indoors having copied and pasted and E mailed myself the TV one time password, but when I got indoors and tried to connect it said the password was wrong.  I really couldn't be bothered to go back into the observatory, interrupt the imaging (as I can't see very well with the screen dimmed down and the Red plexi glass on it), so decided to try out Anydesk.

My goodness, it worked straight away, and you can make the connection from indoors, no need to go outside to get a code, you can even enlarge the screen if you need to, I much prefer it to TV and will now stick with this, and there will be no traipsing outside to get a new code if the internet drops like I normally have to.

So I thought I'd share this info.  No doubt some of you have your own pet methods of doing this, but for those who haven't it's brill.

Now if only I could get this to work at Astrocamp where I don't have a Wifi signal, Noel tried to connect my two PCS at Astrocamp once but we couldn't get it to work, I need a computer whizz to help me but will have to wait until the CV crisis is over.

Carole     

[The Thing]

I use VNC in various flavours as it works on Android phone, tablet, PC, Laptop, and RaspberryPi. And its simple but you do need the IP address of the target device you want to operate. I think you can set up an account and then see your devices but that presumes internet so never bothered.

[JohnH]

VNC works but you need to consider:

1) you need the url, and possibly port number, of the device you are accessing, and
2) if your device has windows with various controls they cannot be moved outside your browser.

I have almost got Stellarmate/Ekos functioning via VNC but not to the point of achieving an image yet.

Regards,

JohnH

[RobertM]

I (still) use Windows RDT from my study PC or Splashtop from the iPad. Windows RDT likes a stable connection but it just works if you have that.

Robert

[Roberto]

I use TightVNC.  It works very well across the same network; ie doesn't have the ability to control over the web unless you are connected via VPN to your network.  It is very reliable and has good control of latency.  I don't have a PC in the observatory so I connect from the living room (or from bed) to my imaging PC inside via it.

Roberto

[NoelC]

Windows Remote Desktop.  You need Win10 pro for it to work (upgrade cost £15).  I have a media pc in the observatory running the kit with a TP Link AV1300 mains ethernet hub connecting to the internet, I force a connection from the house ad hoc.  Getting back onto the observatory PC requires re-logging in locally, but it doesn't disturb the operating session.
So far pretty faultless, RDT gives full control (just like sitting at the PC).

[Carole]

Interesting variety of methods.  I try to avoid anything which uses an IP address to work because in the early days of my Observatory I had it wired up to access it remotely by Phil Bourke, and as far as I recall that worked with VNC (I think), but every time I tried to use it it would not connect),  I got Phil back a couple of times to find out why and apparently the laptop hard reverted to different IP address or something.  Phil would fix it and then it would keep on happening. 

I gave up in the end and used Teamviewer.

Carole 

[Mac]

Hola.

I use team viewer, free of charge, and you can use it from any device onto any other device, I currently use a Mac to access PC's ect.
Plus its free (non comercial) and works from anywhere in the world,

Even from a smart phone.

Mac.

[Carole]

Do I take it from the Hola greeting, that you are now in Spain?  If so how did it eventually come about as the last we heard was your buyer had pulled out and you risked losing £40,000.

Rather than hijack this thread, you might want to post the reply in a separate thread.  If you are indeed there Mac, congratulations.

Carole