ST-4 Star Tracker in Windows 7

If you happen to have a SBIG ST-4 Star Tracker and would like to use it with Windows 7, perhaps this can be of help.

Required:

• Dosbox (DOS emulation)
• CCDTRACK - (Star Tracker software for the ST-4 / useful instructions)
• Computer with a serial port

Instructions:

1. Open DOSbox
2. mount the directory that contains CCDTRACK.exe to a drive (example: "mount c c:\CCDTRACK" mounts the directory C:\CCDTRACK to Dosbox's c:\"
3. Open the com port in DOSbox ( "serial1=directserial realport:com1" )
4. Navigate to the directory that you mounted ("c:")
5. Run CCDTRACK.EXE

There are ways to automate the mounting of the directory in DOSbox, but that's outside the scope of these instructions. You can learn more about DOSbox.conf here.


Bugs:
The navigation in CCDTRACK isn't instantly available, you can use the right/left arrows to reveal the various menu options.

I was able to establish a link with the CCD/camera using a USB to serial adapter (you need to make sure to change the "realport:com1" to the actual com port for the adapter, which can be found in your Windows device manager). However, during the image grab, it would timeout.

Notes:
I tested grabbing an image in Windows 7 to verify the com connection, but haven't tested things in the field.