JTW Manticore Official OnStep Controller

The JTW Manticore is an official OnStep telescope controller with BiSS-C encoder support, enabling high-precision, closed-loop mount control for observatories a

COMPONENTS

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

👤 COMPANY / BRAND OVERVIEW

JTW Astronomy is a specialized astronomy hardware vendor focused on high-precision telescope control electronics and open-source ecosystem integration.

The company is well known within the astrophotography community for producing official OnStep-compatible controllers, combining professional-grade hardware with open firmware flexibility.

JTW’s products target:

advanced amateur astronomers
observatory builders
astrophotography professionals
open-source telescope control developers

🎯 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The JTW Manticore is an official OnStep controller designed for high-precision equatorial and alt-az telescope mounts, specifically supporting BiSS-C absolute encoders.

Unlike entry-level mount controllers, Manticore is built for:

sub-arcsecond pointing accuracy
closed-loop feedback control
permanent observatory installations
advanced astrophotography workflows

It bridges open-source OnStep firmware with professional encoder-based mount control, delivering performance typically found in far more expensive commercial systems.

🧩 CORE COMPONENTS

🔧 Hardware Highlights

High-performance microcontroller (OnStep compatible)
BiSS-C absolute encoder interface
Precision motor control outputs (RA / DEC or AZ / ALT)
Multiple I/O ports for peripherals
Industrial-grade connectors and PCB layout

🔌 Interfaces & Expansion

Stepper motor drivers
Encoder feedback inputs (BiSS-C)
Limit switches, homing sensors
USB / serial interfaces
Power management for mount electronics

🧠 SYSTEM OVERVIEW

[Telescope Mount]
   ↑        ↓
 BiSS-C  Motor Drive
 Encoder     |
      ↓      |
  Manticore OnStep Controller
      |
  OnStep Firmware
      |
 ASCOM / INDI / Client Software

The controller continuously reads absolute encoder position and applies closed-loop corrections through OnStep firmware, ensuring accurate tracking and slewing.

🧠 ENGINEERING – FOCUSED INSIGHTS

✔ BiSS-C Encoder Support

BiSS-C absolute encoders provide:

true absolute position at power-up
no homing required
extremely high angular resolution
This dramatically improves:
pointing accuracy
tracking precision
recovery after power loss

✔ Official OnStep Integration

As an official OnStep controller:

firmware compatibility is guaranteed
community support is strong
customization remains fully open

✔ Observatory-Grade Reliability

The design prioritizes:

deterministic control loops
electrical robustness
long-term unattended operation

🧪 USE CASES

Permanent observatories
Advanced amateur astrophotography
Remote telescope installations
Research and educational observatories
High-precision mount retrofits

📘 KEY VALUE PROPOSITION

Open-source firmware with professional encoder support
Closed-loop control without proprietary lock-in
High-end mount performance at a significantly lower cost
Ideal balance between DIY flexibility and commercial reliability

🏷 TAGS

#JTWastronomy #OnStep #TelescopeController #BiSSC #Astrophotography #ObservatoryControl
#OpenSourceAstronomy

Documents

Comments Write