malc-c
-
Posts
7,546 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
1
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Events
Blogs
Posts posted by malc-c
-
-
Thanks to the kind donations from the members above I now have four EQ6 motor boards all working and tested, so for now the scheme is fine for EQ6 boards. Each board comes with a report generated by interrogating the processors to confirm its fully working, so if you have an EQ6 that is failing to respond, either to the handset and / or EQMOD drop me a PM before ordering a new board...
-
Just spend £35 on a dedicated EQDIR cable from FLO and connect the PC directly to the mount rather than using the handset as a pass through.
-
1
-
-
I assume the grey cable has a USB to TTL serial converter (looking at the size of the USB "plug")
-
EQ6 mount panel Female DB-9 connector wiring :
- Grey Wire - Pin 8 (+12v)
- Black Wire - Pin 1 (+12v)
- Red Wire - Pin 6 (TTL Rx)
- Orange Wire - Pin 9 (TTL Tx)
- Yellow Wire - Pin 4 (GND)
- Green Wire - Pin 5 (GND)
NOTE that the Tx and Rx lines are TTL voltage levels of 5v. You can't simply wire a USB cables D+ and D-, and GND to the TX / RX lines. You need a USB to TTL serial converter device such as the FTDI 232 5V cable. Then connect its TX to pin 6, RX to pin 9 and GND to either pin 4 or 5.
The blown component on your board is L2 which is a 220 ohm ferrite bead use as part of the noise suppression on the 12v power rail. My guess is that you managed to ground that causing it to blow like a fuse (which is not what it is intended to do)
-
1
-
1
-
7 hours ago, Chrb1985 said:
yesterday I decided to just solder the cables from my cable directly to the cables on the other side of the rs232 plug ON the mount itself.
My problem now is that there are 6 wires coming from the mother board that goes to the rs232 plug. I assumed the colors where the same on that side as on the RJ45 that goes on the other side from mount to hand controller. This is not the case. So I need a picture of someone's motherboard connector/clip thingy that goes to the rs232 that is mountet on the mount itself. Hope this was well enough explained.
I'll attach a picture that shows what I need. It this picture it's not clear Wich cable goes where on the rs232 connector/plug.
Nooo - you learnt the hard way..... True RS232 standard is +/- 12v around the 0 volt line, thus the full voltage is 24v. These mounts use TTL 232 serial, which is 0 - 5v, so you have either been lucky and simply shorted the supply rails out, or if you have shoved 24v into the PIC's serial EUART port, have blown both PICs and the board is now useless and needs replacing.
Do you have any means to test and identify the pins and wires (such as a test meter?) - guessing what wire goes where is not how to do it, and the colours of the wires don't mean anything either. Also with the RJ45 connections used on mounts like the HEQ5 only three wires are needed (Tx, Rx and Gnd). The reason there are more wires is two are used to power the hand set, so have 12v and GND running across them. I also linked to the prerequisite page of the EQMOD website which shoes the pin outs and suggests how to wire the connections, but what's confusing me is the reference to the RJ45 socket... on the EQ6 the handset uses a DB9 socket for the handset, so any EQDIR cable that is replacing the handset also uses a DB9...
All is not lost... worst comes to the worst I have a couple of EQ6 boards that have been repaired and one could be supplied on an exchange basis
-
1
-
-
How do you intend to mount the webcam. Collimation requires the cap/laser/camera to be centrally in the focus, and parallel to the focus travel. Most astro cameras that either come with adapters or are machined to standard eyepiece sizes naturally don't have any lenses so focusing has to be done through the telescopes focusing mechanism.
The only webcam that I know that has been know to work with the method of collimation you describe is the MS Lifecam. These are around £50 from Amazon
This process was first described by Dion (of the old Astronomy Shed over 11 years ago
-
On 28/09/2023 at 16:47, Franklin said:
Looks like an EQ1 size mount as supplied with old Tasco scopes back in the 80's.
I agree, an EQ1 class of mount, but not from Tasco, at least not in the UK in the 80's. The 11TR was the largest aperture we sold (yes for my sins I worked for them back in the early to mid 80's) and the EQ1 style mount used with that scope was more like the current Synta EQ1, being more tubular than block construction.
Scouring Google it seem that the mount shown in the OP's post is found with "Saxon" telescopes, which are basically re-branded Celstron / Skywatcher, aka Synta factory but with a slight difference giving it a beefier look
-
1
-
-
22 hours ago, Cosmic Geoff said:
I'm surprised you can't buy an off the shelf cable for this.
-
22 hours ago, Stuart1971 said:
yes I have the flashing tool and the firmware file but not the XP machine…so 2 out of 3 ain't bad….
But as you say the driver is also needed but I assumed he already had that so did not list it, so really it’s 4 things…..👍🏻
Virtual Box and an XP ISO... sorted 😏
-
3 minutes ago, Stuart1971 said:
Sorry, the third item on my list above was the firmware file, not the driver…you just quoted me wrong that’s all, and that’s what I was referring too…
I think there was just some confusion...
On 26/09/2023 at 21:59, Stuart1971 said:It’s easy to do, but you need 3 things
A PC with windows XP on it, the Flashing software tool, and the SPC900nc firmware file, it’s a really simple process if you have all three, I have the flashing software tool and the firmware file, and have flashed loads of them…
I read your post as having just the tool and firmware, hence why I posted the driver... sorry for any confusion there
Anyway, between us the OP has all the tools and files needed to flash the SPC800... these webcams were really good in their day, being CCD rather than CMOS...
-
All things EQMOD can be found on the EQMOD website. Here's the prerequisite page https://eq-mod.sourceforge.net/prerequisites.html with all the schematics for DIY EQDIR cables here which includes one for the EQ6
If you happen to blow the EQ6 motorboard, I have repaired replacements available on an exchange basis...
-
Not that I know... I used one from Maplin (shows how long ago that was ) and that worked just fine. Placed the dongle on the mount, once it found enough satellites it came back with the positional data that was read straight into EQMod
-
20 hours ago, Stuart1971 said:
I think that’s the driver you have attached,
And that is what I said
On 27/09/2023 at 11:20, malc-c said:Ahh this takes me back.... I still have my Phillips 800 flashed...
SPC900 driver attached, which is the third item on Stuarts list...
20 hours ago, Stuart1971 said:to flash it you need the actual SPC900nc firmware file, not the driver…👍🏻
Which is what you have...
On 26/09/2023 at 21:59, Stuart1971 said:I have the flashing software tool and the firmware file, and have flashed loads of them…
So between us the OP has all three things to flash the camera and install it on a PC....
-
If it's displaying the "no response" message on the handset with power applied to the board then it needs to have the PICs replaced. The process of removing the old microcontrollers, programming them with a converted firmware file and then soldering them back is documented in this thread. You will need to get two PIC16F886 microcontrollers and a PIC programmer in order to load the code. If you live in the UK then drop me a PM and I'll let you have the details on how to have the board repaired. If you are outside of the UK then you will either have to buy the components and do the job yourself, or find an electronics repair shop that fixes laptops etc and get a quote from them for doing the work.
Unfortunately, you can't buy a replacement and drop it into the existing dobsonian base for the reasons the OP stated in his posts. The new boards don't fit without changing the housings, which together comes to almost the cost of a new scope, hence who this thread got started
-
Ahh this takes me back.... I still have my Phillips 800 flashed...
SPC900 driver attached, which is the third item on Stuarts list...
-
1
-
-
Where do you live ? You should be able to order the PICs from one of the global suppliers such as DigiKey, Mouser or RS.
On several occasions I've been asked to supply pre-programmed PICs to people outside of the UK and it has only ever gone smoothly once and that was using an expensive tracked and signed for service for all stages of the shipment. Others either gel lost in transit, delivered to the wrong address, or delivered to the wright address but signed for by someone other than the addressee and thus have been stolen !! I certainly wouldn't entertain a full repair from someone outside the UK where the handset needs to be sent along with the faulty boards, for these reasons. It would also be very costly given the weight and value and I'm not prepared to take that risk with someone else's equipment, nor deal with the hassle of claiming on the insurance should the parcel go missing.
Look for companies local to you who do the soldering and assembly of third party products, I'm sure they would be able to replace the two PICs for you once you have programmed them with the HEX code contained in this thread. They may even be able to do the programming and soldering for you for a reasonable fee.
-
1
-
-
That's really strange that it allowed you to upload the wrong firmware as the updating software reads back the mount details and cross references that against the file checksum and if it's not the same it reports that the firmware isn't for the mount you are trying to update. However as you now have either a corrupted or incorrect firmware installed that is preventing you upload the correct version the only way to resolve this is to reprogram the micro-controllers with the correct file. The process of which has been covered in this motorboard repair thread
However this is very much dependent on the type of micro-controller used on the motor boards. If its new then it may use an ARM processor which require a particular method of programming which isn't covered, but if they are the older 16F886 processors then the details are covered in the thread. Some of the boards that are fitted to dobsonian scopes have a row of programming headers so can be re-programmed without removal of the chips.
As you will see I've repaired a few boards that are based on the 16F886 chipset so if you get stuck drop me a PM and I'll go through the details. If the board doesn't have the ICSP header then it can be reprogrammed by soldering 5 wires to the relevant pins of the chip, but if that fails then the chips have to come off the board for reprogramming in a PIC programmer.
-
1
-
-
Have a read of similar posts and you'll soon see that getting decent images requires a scope that is way above your budget. Also you have no idea how long her interest is going to last, and most kids don't have the patience to wait for a scope to be set up etc. The Skywatcher Heritage 100P as mentioned above is an ideal starter scope for kids. It will resolve Jupiter and a good three of its moons, but only as a large dot surrounded by smaller dots, so don't go thinking you will see a large disk with banding and the great red spot. Point it at a gibbous Moon and it will give a very good image that will wow her (it did when my Nephew used one of these scopes when he was 9).
Nice to see you are thinking logically, so should she grow out of the interest you can sell it and recover some of the cost.
-
No worries - there is no rush.... your image that you posted is fabulous by the way !
-
1
-
-
I have listened to both series of podcasts mentioned on BBC sounds several times.. excellently produced and transports you to that era... Another source that covers both Apollo 11 and 13 (plus others) is Gene Kranz's book (audio book) "Failure is not an option"
It's quite amazing to realize that they managed the feat with computers that had less computing power than modern TV remote controllers.
-
Its just a shed... which by nature is not designed to be a "controlled" environment. The wood will have a moisture content, especially in damp weather, and this can lead to a damp environment which leads to mildew / mold. Most of us who added a warm room to their observatories have used insulation in the floors, walls and roof, with a little ventilation, which results in a warmer dryer environment. Now whilst there is not a lot you can do about the floor, insulating and lining the walls and roof with polystyrene and 4mm ply might be something worth considering. For now, pick up a couple of map vents like these
Place one low down on the right wall, and the other up high on the opposite wall, this should provide a decent air flow as and warm air rises and some will pass out the upper vent and cooler air will then be drawn in through the lower.
-
1
-
-
Whilst the issue may well be a design/manufacturing issue, having purchased the board from FLO it is they that you have a contact with. Now we all know FLO pride themselves in excellent customer service so I wouldn't have thought you would have much trouble opening discussions with them, especially as they have to trade under the various consumer rights that exist in the UK. It would then be down to them to seek redress through whatever distribution network SB have in place.
If a manufacture is assuming their product would only be used in one method, ie a permanent setup and not a constant set up and dismantle situation, the latter of which tends to break weak solder joints then that is being very short sighted. If it such a common issue as muted above, then they should consider replacing that socket with a type A or B USB port. But then at £700-£1500 for a PCB, maybe they are just happy to let the money roll in.
Anyway, that's my 2p worth...
-
If it's just the USB > serial chip that needs replacing then it shouldn't be a problem for any computer repair shop to remove and replace the chip, assuming is something like the FTDI 232 5V device. Heck I have a couple of these in my electronics parts box, they aren't that expensive, probably under a fiver !
Whilst I've soldered a few in my time they are fiddly, especially as I get older and need glasses ! - But I have a friend who works for an electronics company and could replace the chip for me if I asked her. If the OP wants to try this (assuming it's been proven to be the issue) then all they need do is drop me a PM to exchange details. Again there would be no guarantee, and may scupper any chances of getting the board repaired as suggested in my previous post
-
If the mount powers up through the handset, and responds just fine, but when powered directly everything is dead then this suggest the fault is either in the connection between the small interface board where all the connections are made and the main board, or the main board protection diode has blown, or the two large capacitors have failed (a common issue).
If you are confident in soldering then it might be worth looking at these parts first. If not, drop me a PM and I'll take a look. Can't promise anything, but the current board in my HEQ5 had a similar issue and replacing the capacitors brought it back to life
-
1
-
Any ideas on repairing a (slightly!) blown motor board ?
in DIY Astronomer
Posted
No more than any other SW mount. You have a couple of ground pins with a couple of +12v pins that provide power to the handset, then TX / RX (5v) comms. Under normal use there is no chance of the 12v reaching the wrong pins as the EQ6 uses a D-9 connector and can only be fitted the correct way. Same goes for most of the other mounts as the RJ plug will only fit one way. However it's very easy to assume that a standard RS232 cable can be used as that is generally what D-9 plugs and sockets were used for, but using one blows the board as Pin4 of the SW connector is ground buy on RS232 plug is the DTR pin, which will be on at +12v (or more) when data is being sent. Thus blows the power stages of the motor board. Other pins on the SW connector that are used for +12v connect to other control lines on the RS232 connector, which switch form high to low or vice versa, so again, grounding the 12v supply from the motorboard. The two pins that are connected direct to the PICs serial port via two diodes (6 and 9) are DSR and Ring - both of which swing between high and low voltages which is typically 12v. Shoving 12v into a 5v CMOS port doesn't do the PIC any good, and damages the port
With the MC004 boards used in Dosonian mounts the inter-connecting cable uses the same RJ connector, but as they are wired differently end up doing the same thing, and shove 12v into the port. If the designers had used their brains a little more they would have ensured that the supply pins used aren't the ones for communications and thus if the interlink cable gets plugged into the wrong hole...