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SimpleGpUsb - A home brew auto guider...


samtheeagle

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Well, at last, I can now gladly announce I am another proud owner of SimpleGpUSB that I made myself, following your instructions ;) .

So a HUGE THANK YOU:icon_salut:. It was a breeze putting it together, but I couldn't get it to work at first, and, after rechecking all the connections, all the possible mechanical flaws and then re-installing the software.... I realised I missed the "COM port" part, had simply left it at "COM3" as in your photo..! :icon_eek: Fixed that and voila! :eek:

Thanks again mate

Marius

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Do I need to use a usb interface if my guidecam already has an st4 port? (I'm getting hold of an orion starshoot autoguider as we speak should come tomorrow).

The way I see I'd connect the guidcam st4 port to the handset and then the cam via usb to the laptop? I hope this is so...as then I wouldn't have to make an interface?

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Cheers Sam, well got the camera....made the finder guide scope (Had to hacksaw about 10mm offa the end so as to get focus by rotating the lense and then locking it down with the locking ring so no messing about with extension tubes and alike) also modded the handset...so just need a clear skies to see if I can guide on a star!

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  • 1 year later...

Hi Guy,

Thanks for sharing this. I have a couple of questions:

I have made the hardware, connected it to my computer and it sees the new usb device. It is asking for to allow to connect to the internet to search for the driver. Should I allow this?

At what point do I install the ASCOM driver? Do I need this if I intend to use MaximDL for guiding?

The current ASCOM driver is version 6. Will this be ok or do I specifically need v5.a?

What is the sequence of installing the drivers and configuring the hardware?

Thanks

Bill

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Searching the internet for the driver wont find anything, so don't bother. The ASCOM driver software I have written should automatically install the driver required for the CP2103 device, so just run that installer and you should be good to go (you might need to unplug and then plug the device in again to get windows to notice it).

I'm not sure about MaximDL, as I've never used it. But if it supports ASCOM guiding devices it should work.

So I assume that you have MaximDL and the ASCOM platform already installed. So then you run the driver installer I have provided, which installs the low-level usb hardware driver and the ASCOM driver for SImpleGpUsb. Then in maxim I assume you can choose the ASCOM guiding device, and are able to configure it's options i.e. what COM port it is connected as.

Hope that helps.

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Hi Guy,

The version of ASCOM on the Ascom web site is v6. If I install that version then run your Driver Install.exe I get a message saying that SimpleGpUsb needs Ascom v5.0a. Do you know where I might get this older version? have tried searching without success.

Bill

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Ahhhh I see. I've got a feeling I did a special build already to remove these pre-requisite checks, as they caused grief... Yes indeed, I've already uploaded a Driver Install - No Checks.exe to the following yahoo group area:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/sgl_observatory_automation/files/SimpleGpUsb/

That should sort you out :(

EDIT - ASCOM v6 should all be backwards compatible as far as I know. But let me know if you have issues, I've not upgraded yet. Rather unusually I'm sticking with the if it asin't broke, don't fix it approach.

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I managed to find the v5.0a Ascom Package on a 3rd party site and I have now been able to install the SimpleGpUsb drivers and configure the CP2103 board. So far, so good.

I am, however, stuck on how to configure the Ascom Driver Properties as per Fig 9 in the instructions. How do I get to this dialog box?

Any help much appreciated.

Thanks

Bill

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  • 4 weeks later...

I know nothing about electronics so this might be a (really) stupid question.

I have made the SimpleGpUsb and it works a treat - thanks for that, Guy. Would it be possible to make another one and, with some reprogrammig of the chip, have it control a standard SW autofocusser via Ascom? The SW Autofocusser has an "In" and "Out" control and a variable speed control. Would it bepossible to modify the hand controller in a similar fashion to the SimpleGpUsb hand control mod?

As I say, I know nothing about electronics so please feel free to tell me not to be so stupid :D

Bill

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  • 2 weeks later...

@hallmat - What you're after sounds a bit more complicated than what the project is about. SimpleGpUsb is nothing fancier than an electronic switch, it effectively "presses" the buttons on the existing hand controller. So if your dob already has motors and a controller, then maybe...

@A320Flyer - Pretty much yes. I think. The hardare I used for the SimpleGpUsb should certainly be capable of doing that kind of thing. Again it would simply be acting like a switch, "pressing" the buttons of the existing hand controller. Of course the software side of things would be a considerably more complex matter. The ASCOM driver is quite a beast to write.

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Hi Sam

It's me again - I've built my Homebrew (with your input - Thanks for that :D)uising the Uno and tried it out.

Seems to be working OK but the weather has not been kind enough so I haven't done anything serious with it.

When last out I accidently stepped on the HB Box and damage the RJ-12 socket so much so that I must replace it.

Problem - each time I solder to the terminals of the new RJ-12 it all goes pear-shaped, melting plastic and wobbly metal terminals :)

The RJ-12 terminals are just too close for me to solder with any success.

Question, 2 actually.

1. How did you attach the cables to the terminals of the RJ-12 ?

2. is there a miniature plastic connector on the market to attach cables to the RJ-12 terminals.

I managed to get an example of what might do the job but can't seem to find a source (except for collecting old computer cabling and canabilising).

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Dante

post-15882-13387768508_thumb.jpg

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Hi Chris

Thanks fot the reply. Had a look at the link and yes that's just what I need. I wish I had thought of doing the connections that way in the first place then maybe i wouldn't have had so many headaches.:D

Again, many thanks for the link, you're a star :icon_salut:(excuse the pun)

Dante

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  • 1 month later...

Thanks Sam, another SimpleGpUsb has just been brought into the world thanks to your instructions and software driver. :)

I haven't tested it in earnest yet, but checked it with PHD using the manual slew controls and everything seems to work just fine.

Rob

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I found this very interesting, thanks for sharing it.

I've been trying to get my cg5 modded guide port working all week. Ironically it's working now and I find this post.

Your pdf made it very easy to understand how it all works. I had no idea.

I might build one just for the experience as I'd like to learn more about electronics.

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Is anyone using this with the EQ3-2 Synscan GOTO upgrade?

I have made the SimpleGpUsb and have it working with my non-GOTO EQ3-2 and a modified hand controller. I am considering upgrading with the Synscan GOTO upgrade and I just want to be sure my SimpleGpUsb will work with it.

Thanks

Bill

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  • 2 weeks later...

Does anyone have Sam's driver working on Win 7 64 bit? I just can't get it to work on my laptop, it does however work just fine on my wifes laptop with Vista installed on it.

Unfortunatley she's not keen on sharing :(

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  • 1 month later...

I've just received my CP2103 board this morning, and after a bit of faffing about I think I've got it working ok on Win7 HP 64-bit.

1. Uninstall any driver (sam's) that you may have

2. Go to https://www.silabs.com/products/interface/usbtouart/Pages/usb-to-uart-bridge.aspx

3. Download "CP210x_VCP_Win_XP_S2K3_Vista_7.exe"

CP210x VCP Win XP S2K3 Vista 7 6.5 10/14/2011

4. Install that & you should see it under Device Manager as "Silicon Labs CP210x USB to UART Bridge (COMxxx) & it reportedly says device ok etc.

5. Download "AN223SW.zip"

CP210x Port Configuration and GPIO Software

6. Use the new "CP210xPortConfig.exe" from that to change the settings for figure 4 in the PDF

7. Use the new "CP210xPortReadWrite.exe" from that to test read/write

8. Download "an144sw.zip"

CP210x/CP211x Device Customization Software

9. Use the new "CP210xSetIDs.exe" to change the device name string

You may or may not have to play around with the COM port number (defaults to COM3) within the Windows driver settings after doing stage 4.

Now to build the rest of it :)

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1. Uninstall any driver (sam's) that you may have

Hi Matt,

I (think) you've got as far as I managed to. But I believe you still need Sam's Ascom driver to talk to PHD and that is where the problem is.

Ascom tells me that Sam's driver isn't compatible with 64 bit windows.

I may well have done something wrong, but I followed the same route as you for getting the CP210x configured.

Good luck with it though, and hopefully it's just me being stupid :)

Rob

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