HEQ 5 lead

[brrttpaul]

The one with the telephone connection, how can I check that its working properly. The reason I am asking is I just cannot connect at all either on my laptop or on the main desktop and I hadnt changed nothin, I have run diagnostics checked long/lat are the same unistalled and reinstalled I cant think of anythingg else I can do my, only thing i can think of is the lead

[Yearofthegoat]

Hi, do you mean the smaller Autoguider socket on the right?

If you mean the other one, the Hand Controller lead (the larger of the two sockets) you can try a Cat5 ethernet patch (not crossover) cable, as I believe they're the same.

[brrttpaul]

its the one that replaces the hand controller with a usb on the other side, its done my head in TBH, I keep going back to it to see if I have missed something but just cant figure it out, I never changed nothing and it worked all of a sudden it dont, the only thing I can think of is either a lead or its in conflict with other software that I downloaded ( sequence gen pro and Maxim). 

[Starlight 1]

I do not think any of the wires are wire as a phone lead or the hand set side do not play with the leads . look in the driver side  on computer  its may have chance the com port

or a driver update have move it.

[brrttpaul]

I have no idea what you are saying lol im sorry. I have the lead that goes into the hand controller on the HEQ5 instead of the hand controller lead, the other end of it plugs into a usb port on my laptop, I have used it for months without any issues until now (just when I get my ccd camera and new scope), 

[Starlight 1]

I have no idea what you are saying lol im sorry. I have the lead that goes into the hand controller on the HEQ5 instead of the hand controller lead, the other end of it plugs into a usb port on my laptop, I have used it for months without any issues until now (just when I get my ccd camera and new scope), 

Its not a lead playing up. are you pluging the same USB lead in the same computer port each time , if not it will chance the com port number. (this is what I think you have done)

[Yearofthegoat]

I have no idea what you are saying lol im sorry. I have the lead that goes into the hand controller on the HEQ5 instead of the hand controller lead, the other end of it plugs into a usb port on my laptop, I have used it for months without any issues until now (just when I get my ccd camera and new scope), 

Ah, like a serial-to-usb 'EQDIR' adapter cable?

If you're running Windows, you can go into Device Manager and uninstall the USB device. Reboot then plug it back in. Windows should pick it up and install the driver. After that check that the COM port number for the device (cable) matches the one set in whatever software you want to use it with (e.g. EQASCOM). If that doesn't work then it may well be the cable, for example the chip has gone. Apparently there have been some reliability issues with certain types of serial-to-usb chips (Prolific? perhaps, used in Hitec Astro cable like the one I have).

HTH

[brrttpaul]

yes thats it, ok looking at my laptop nowin device manager>ports (com&LPT) it then says intel active management technology, doh just realised i have uninstalled everything again get back to you when I install it again

[brrttpaul]

ok just reinstalled everything and still wouldnt connect, i have gone to ports again and this time i also have Prolific USB to serial Comm Port (COM7). if I click on driver details there seems to be two there, the first says C:\Windows\system 32\drivers\ser2pl64sys   the 2nd one says C:\Windows\system32\drivers\serenum sys

Should there be two on there?

[brrttpaul]

meant to say it is the hitech eq direct lead also that im using

[Starlight 1]

ok just reinstalled everything and still wouldnt connect, i have gone to ports again and this time i also have Prolific USB to serial Comm Port (COM7). if I click on driver details there seems to be two there, the first says C:\Windows\system 32\drivers\ser2pl64sys   the 2nd one says C:\Windows\system32\drivers\serenum sys

Should there be two on there?

The lead is working as its showing up (com 7) open EQ mod program in the set -up side  and chance to com 7. have you done that as well,

[brrttpaul]

yip done that and also clicked the binoculars to search keeps coming back not found, checked my coordinates are the same everything, cant think what else to do

[Starlight 1]

yip done that and also clicked the binoculars to search keeps coming back not found, checked my coordinates are the same everything, cant think what else to do

go back to the search but just tell it its in con 7 in the pull down . did you do that.

[Starlight 1]

Long shot, go in members list and look for Bubbles 82 about 6 week ago his computer done the same and Skipper Billy put a full list in on resetting all com port.

[brrttpaul]

I will have another go at it later in the day i know its something stupid and probably staring me in the face

[brrttpaul]

tried it and failed i give up lol

[Spikey]

Try a different USB lead to the mount. I've seen many fail to connect for that reason. Poor quality leads, leads too long etc..

[brrttpaul]

im not using any extension and its the hitec one, someone on here said its not the lead as its picking it up ok so i have to be missing something

[brrttpaul]

ok i have gone to the point where i have unistalled everything drivers wise, now when i plug in the mount windows tries to load the driver for it and is always unsuccessful, ( i read somewhere not to have windows load the driver) but i cant find what acctual driver I need!. I have loaded ascom and also loaded eqascom so cant see what else i need to do to get the dam thing working

[Spikey]

ok i have gone to the point where i have unistalled everything drivers wise, now when i plug in the mount windows tries to load the driver for it and is always unsuccessful, ( i read somewhere not to have windows load the driver) but i cant find what acctual driver I need!. I have loaded ascom and also loaded eqascom so cant see what else i need to do to get the dam thing working

The USB to serial drivers are also needed.

If it was showing as a COM port on the PC then it was likely OK that end. I'm assuming you've plugged a handset directly into the mount and made sure that it all works as should.

If the PC was OK and the mount was OK the only other thing it can be is COMMS between the 2, so it's the lead or the EQDIR adapter. If the drivers load and it shows a COM port in the devices it's highly likely to be an issue with the lead.

Use a different (known good) lead to plug directly from the laptop into the mount EQDIR adapter. Also if you have a different PC load everything from scratch onto that one and try again.

I'm afraid there is no real quick fix that I can suggest you have to go with what you know is good and work one way for the other.

[Spikey]

im not using any extension and its the hitec one, someone on here said its not the lead as its picking it up ok so i have to be missing something

Not at all. I've seen many PC's pickup the COM port and the mount refuses to work due to a duff lead.

[peroni]

Have a read here for the instructions on how to install the drivers needed for HitecAstro.

[brrttpaul]

thx for your help im trying again from scratch, cant understand how it worked before and not now, i havnt got another hitec lead but did plug the synscan in to see if the mount works ok and alls good there. I have been reading somewhere about before loading ascom to check mark windows netframe 3.5?  and now im going that route. Only thing else the other night something came up with the ascom logo saying you dont have permission to use this this is not a programme, (something like that)  I may as well plug away while the weather is foul, at its worst i will go back to the handset (forgotten how to use that now lmao)

[Pompey Monkey]

I'm having exactly the same problem with a serial lead/USB to serial adapter (using the Prolific chipset) on my new Obsy PC.

It worked fine once and now refuses to work at all. The driver loads and the COM port is fine, but the EQMOD driver set-up completely fails to pick it up. If I try to connect to the mount, I just get the "Port not available message".

The lead worked with no problems at all on my laptop with both HEQ5 and AZ-EQ6 mounts.

I've ordered a Hitec lead to try to fix the issue once and for all, but now I'm not so hopeful.

I think I'll also post this on the Yahoo EQMOD group anyone there knows the solution.

[brrttpaul]

mine is the hitech one, really cant work out how it worked one night then not the other, I have gone back to the synscan now as I feel I am over comlicating things trying to run before I can walk.  New scope, new camera its a lot to take in especially while I,m trying to learn without clear skies. I find i,m learning one thing then forgetting the other stuff,