Dear Friend,
We are very proud to offer you, for free, the most advanced and sophisticated astronomical software for a PDA.
Download Tachyon Here
How to Install Tachyon in your PDA and PC
YOU NEED A POCKET PC with a STORAGE CARD and at least WM2003SE operating system. WM2006 already has NET CF libraries installed.
Installing NET Libraries 2.0
To prepare Tachyon to be installed you must consider to get both versions of Microsoft NET library that are necessary to a successful installation. You can get NET Framework Library Installation software for Windows here and for POCKETPC here. To install Windows version you must have Administrator privileges. To install POCKETPC version you will need to attach your PDA with your computer and sync. After that, run Microsoft NET Framework installation software.
PDA INSTALLATION
Unzip the downloaded files with folder structure anywhere in your PC. We recommend that you unzip in a folder called "Tachyon" to be easier to find.
Tachyon is a very complex software and, sometimes, with a steep learning curve of its more sophisticated functions. That way, be patient.
You can see in the unzipped folder two distinct executable files. To install Tachyon in your PDA, we will execute TachyonPDASetup.exe. But before executing this file please connect your PDA to PC and synchronize. After that you can proceed with installation. After a initial message remembering to connect PDA to PC, you are in the main installation screen. At left topmost of dialog there is a button with a small PDA. Press it. Upon agreeing with the EULA you will define if you want the full installation. If so, please check all checkboxes. After that you will pick up the destination of Tachyon in your PDA. We strongly recommend the use of a Storage Card as Tachyon is very heavy to be installed in Main Memory.
Tachyon is a big software with a lot of files. That way let installation proceed and take a cup of coffee :). It is a lengthy process.
After installation you will have an icon in your PDA to run Tachyon.
You are done. Take a look at "Starting With Tachyon" brochure, that is available in your Tachyon folder in PC, to have a view of Tachyon functions. We are trying to enhance this manual and Tachyon help system and, from time to time, you will have updated information available in the FORUM. The Manual in Tachyon in PDA is very detailed in terms of Astronomy. Some articles came from Wikipedia, some others from specialized sites. It is almost an astronomical encyclopedia.
MANUAL INSTALLATION
If for some reason you cannot install using setup you can manually move the files directly to your PDA. Simply goes to folder "install" and copy all files and folders to your storage card. Do a shortcut to tachyonnet.exe and you are done.
Important for non-US users
Tachyon needs “.” as a decimal separator to work correctly.
PC CLIENT
The second executable in PC Tachyon folder is a, free of charge, not yet finished, PC Client. It mimics almost all Tachyon functions, but it is less powerful than PDA version in some aspects. However, with ASCOM installed ( http://ascom-standards.org/ ), you can move your telescope and dome from TachyonPC. You need also DirectX from Microsoft (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0A9B6820-BFBB-4799-9908-D418CDEAC197&displaylang=en) .
TachyonPC client has several very powerful and useful functions not available in any commercial software. Besides allowing updating of files and transferring to PDA you have access to get from AAVSO site a bunch of charts and, eventually, transfer to your PDA with manageable size. TachyonPC allows you to build several "atlases" of images from several sources like DSS and SDSS based on catalogs and on plans. You can import Astroplanner plans. But this is a work in progress. Be patient and it can be very handy in several situations.
ADDITIONAL FILES
Tachyon is a powerful astronomical software. There is a bunch of additional files that we recommend to be installed with Tachyon. Among them we recommend GSC catalog (http://tachyonweb.net/GSC.zip a 246MB download) , Astroplanner plans and others. Check our FORUM as we will show several recommended options in Registered Users Area.
SUPPORT AND FORUM
You can access our YAHOO FORUM
If you want please register at our SITE FORUM at http://tachyonweb.net/board/ After registration we will move your status in the FORUM to registered users access. Please send me an email after registration as the number of spams is huge and sometimes I can miss a true registration.
Have fun !