Hitecastro DC Focus ASCOM 64 bit?

[m37]

Hey all

My HitecAstro DC Focus works a treat with the official software but to get it to work in Backyard EOS I believe I need to set it up via the more generic ASCOM route. Unfortunately the ASCOM driver is throwing up an error when I try to connect to it in ASCOM Diagnostics. Anyone got any ideas or am I being dim?

Cheers

[red dwalf]

don`t know much about this sort of thing but there is a driver on the hitec astro website that might be usefull, i recently did the same thing but i`m using ATP software and it works a treat with that

[m37]

Thanks for the response man. Yeah, have that one already. BYE is recognising it as connected but doesn't do anything. On testing with the diagnostics in ASCOM I got the error. Weird.

Not really the end of the world, it works fine with the supplied software. Might email the BYE developer dude.

[guyroch]

Well. I'm the BackyardEOS developer dude so I'll try to help here.

This looks to me like a 64 versus 32 bits driver issue.

BYE is a 32 bits app and therefor requires the 32 bits drivers of your ASCOM driver.  Some vendor have both 32 and 64 bits driver so you may want to verify you have the correct one.

The reason ASCOM diagnostics is throwing an error is probably because you have a 32 bits OS and therefore ASCOM diagnostics runs in 32 bits and you're using a 64 bits driver for your focuser ...OR... the other way around.

Keep us posted and feel free to send me a direct email.

Guylain

[m37]

Merci Guylain. Great bit of software you have there. Bargain!

Yeah, you're quite right - HitecAstro have confirmed this too. I'm getting a message from the BYE log saying "ASCOM Focuser Connection Lost!" if this gives any clues?

The driver is ASCOM compliant and works for both 32 and 64 bit I'm told.

cheers

Christoph

[guyroch]

Christoph,

I've changed how BYE connects to ASCOM devices in 3.0.1 which should be released sometime in October 2013.  Let see if that fixes it.

Keep me posted,

Guylain

[m37]

Nice one matey, thanks for letting me know. Once again, great bit of software.

[mikeobrien]

I have exactly the same problem same ascom error message has anyone got any further with this?

Mike

[mikeobrien]

I have flagged this with hitecastro and sent a screen shot as requested, will update when I get any info.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[mikeobrien]

May have solved this, looking in task manager I noticed ms framework 4 stopped. Restarted it and can now select the driver will actually try it soon.

Mike

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[sidelight]

WhenI spoke to HiTec about this I was told that the diagnostics does additional checks/tests so throws this error, however the driver will work in either a 32 or 64 bit environment.  I have found that the driver behaves well even though the diagnostics complains.

Cheers

Ross

[mikeobrien]

I couldn't use it as the ok button was not active. As per the screen shot a few posts back.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

[alcol620]

Hi Red Dwalf

Your post was sometime ago. Can you remember the procedure for getting it to work with APT?

Thanks

Alec

[mikeobrien]

Never did get it working with Ascom

[alcol620]

Now all working with APT and the Hitecastro software. Great bit if kit. Will be able to stay indoors and focus the scope now, previously had to carry the laptop outside, focus and bring it back in again before starting the imaging session. Now apart from connecting the cables all can be controlled from the warmth of the house.