Sky-Watcher SynScan USB Adaptor

The Sky-Watcher SynScan USB Adaptor is a compact and affordable dongle designed to modernize your current Sky-Watcher mount with "PC-Direct" functionality. By replacing the need for a SynScan hand controller, this adaptor allows you to connect your mount directly to a computer via a standard USB cable. This interface opens up your equipment to a vast ecosystem of open-source and commercial software, including popular planetarium programs like Stellarium and Cartes du Ciel, as well as essential autoguiding tools like Open PHD Guiding. Whether you are using a Windows PC, macOS, or Linux through the INDI Library, this adaptor provides the digital bridge needed for advanced telescope control and high-precision astrophotography.

This versatile adaptor is compatible with a wide range of Sky-Watcher systems, supporting both Equatorial (EQ) mounts and Alt-Azimuth configurations, such as the GoTo Dobsonian series. It is specifically intended for older mount versions, providing them with the same modern connectivity found in the latest EQ8-R models or systems utilizing the Version 5 SynScan hand controller. Please note that if your mount already features a built-in USB port or if you are using a Version 5 hand controller, this additional adaptor is not required for PC connectivity.

Product Features in Detail

Unlock Full Planetarium Control
Instead of scrolling through menus on a hand controller, you can simply click an object in a program like Stellarium and watch your telescope slew to it instantly. This visual interface makes navigating the night sky much more intuitive and efficient.

Professional Autoguiding Integration
For astrophotographers, this adaptor is a game-changer. It allows PHD2 to send microscopic tracking corrections directly to the mount's motor controller, ensuring that mechanical errors don't ruin your long-exposure photographs.

Streamlined Setup
By removing the hand controller from the loop, you reduce the number of cables and potential points of failure in your imaging train. This "lean" setup is highly favored by mobile astrophotographers who want to minimize clutter.

Modernize Legacy Mounts
If you own an older Sky-Watcher mount that predates the USB era, this adaptor is the easiest and most cost-effective way to give it "Version 5" features without having to purchase an entirely new hand controller or mount head.

Open Source Versatility
Because it supports the INDI Library, Linux and macOS users can utilize powerful open-source suites like KStars and Ekos to fully automate their observing sessions, from focusing to sequence capturing.

Precision Pointing with ASCOM
Using the ASCOM platform via this adaptor allows for advanced features like "Plate Solving," where your computer takes a photo, analyzes the star field, and perfectly centers your target automatically every time.