Skysync GPS v SkyPortal WiFi module

[Butterfly Maiden]

Hello David and welcome to the Forum.

[KingNothing13]

Hi David - welcome to the forum.

I have no experience with that equipment, but from this page:

" There’s no need to input GPS coordinates or set the time and date—this information comes directly from your device."

It seems like you would not need the GPS unit - maybe someone else here can verify, or you could contact Celestron support and see what they recommend.

[Makuser]

Hi David. I have no experience with the NextStar 5SE with Star sense scope, you might post your question and receive more help on the TSS sub forum here at:
viewforum.php?f=13
I hope this helps David and welcome to the TSS forum.

[helicon]

Welcome to TSS and congrats on the new (to you) telescope. The fun begins here.

[planecrazzzy]

.
Hi ,
From another beginner... The locating stuff is the least of your worries.
That will come later , start wrapping your head around the View...and WHERE you "CAN" view
Because unless you have an auto locating / polar aliened device, your gonna have to know the sky
before you type in the info your locator needs.
.
Planets have been a good start for me , Viewing them , and finding them with the naked eye now.
Knowing there aprox path , there colors slightly different than the stars ( naked eye )
.
meanwhile , learning more of the sky... and it's rotating.... and NEW constellations move in (for beginners)
.
First thing I did after buying a telescope... I put it away... until I could learn more about WHAT I was looking at.
.
Just a thought.

[Juno16]

Hi David,

I don’t have any experience with Skysync GPS, but I had excellent success using the Celestron Skyportal wifi module with my Nextar 130SLT. I used it with SkySafari on my iPhone. Location / time/date information was provided to the mount by SkySafari (ipnone).
There is also a free app (also called SkyPortal) that works well and provides the same information to the mount via the Skyportal wireless module.

[JayTee]

I own the Wi-Fi module. Let me do some investigating and see if it helps with the location or if the GPS is actually necessary. I'll let you know tonight or tomorrow.

[JayTee]

Sorry I took a while, I couldn't find my Wi-Fi module. Finally got a chance to use it last night and had a lot of fun with it. The Wi-Fi module uses an app ,one of many, to align and control your telescope. The Celestron app Sky Portal is a free version of Sky Safari 6 and works well enough. Sky Safari 6 and 7 also can use the Wi-Fi module. You do not need a GPS with the Wi-Fi module because it's using the planetarium apps location, date, and time so that's already input when you do an alignment through the app.

Hope this helps.