Nexstar 4SE Trasmit Data Problem

[Mache]

Hi All,

As from Friday night after viewing for 20 mins or so i turned the handset off and on again to see if i had inputted the time/date correctly as i was having some issues with the tracking. I turned on the handset to be confronted with the 'Transmit Data' on the screen.

It hasn't budged from there since so i Google'd it and it says to update firmware which didn't work, then another quick Google it says to replace the handset... which is over a £100...

Has anyone had this problem fixed? I'd rather not go out and spend that much to replace it to be honest.

Thanks

Mache

[ronin]

Why did the firmware update fail?

Just wondering if the problem was that the PC has only USB ports and the update uses the older serial ports.

There are often problems as some converters work and others simply do not.

[Mache]

I'm not sure to be honest, i got to the bit were it says to push the 'Info' and 'Menu' buttons together to initialize 'Transmit Data' which i do but it wont progress to the next part of the tutorial.

On the USB thing i have a converter (Serial to USB), the software (HC Update) recognizes the port.

I really don't have a clue whats happening, one minute it was all good (except the tracking) next was not.

[ronin]

Don't know if you go to LDAS but there are a good number of scopes like the 4SE there and they have a Star Gazing Live event on Saturday. It may be worth dropping in and asking the people there.

Equally someone here may come along and offer a solution.

Someone may know if that converter works with the scope, seems to be 2 sets of drivers and one is fine the other isn't, and I suspect both say they are OK.

You could go ask on Cloudy Nights, there is a Celestron Nexstar specific section there, so a fair chance that someone may recognise the problem. One thing I have noticed concerning firmware updates is that no one offers the service meaning I assume that the process is prone to going wrong, so no one takes the chance.

Shame as the sky over Hitchin is clear tonight.

[Mache]

I've heard of LDAS, may pop down there Saturday if its clear, thanks for that.

Ill head over to cloudy nights now and search there forums see if someone else has posted something about it.

Thanks for the info ronin, are you heading out to LDAS saturday, may see you there if you do.

Thanks again.

[ronin]

For Saturday they are meeting sort of in the park at the middle of town - Elizabeth Howard Memorial Hall, Norton Way South.

Down the bottom there is a park and that is where they will collect, there is car parking at the place or use the bottom end of Leys Ave. Not sure how to describe it. Going assume you half know.

[Mache]

After a couple days talking to Celestron ive finally got my scope back up and running!!

What we found out was the driver version on the Serial to USB lead just wasn't working with the HCUpdate so i finally found the driver 3.3.11.152 and all is now updated and working!

Just a heads up for those who may have the same problem as me, here's the copy to the email i had off them saying which drivers WILL work:

It seems that is where the problem is, for some reason the drivers are automatically updating with out your knowledge and the version that you have doesn't communicate with the update software. Here is a trick on how to get the version to a number that would work.

1.  Insert the CD-Rom that came with the driver.  Choose to "explore" the disk rather than AutoStart.

 

2.  Go to the directory called /Drivers/Windows/

3.  Run the program called setup.exe (sometimes the .exe extension is hidden by Windows). When the program runs it will do one of two things.

a.  It will give you the option to “Re-install”, “Repair”, or “Remove”.   If this happens choose Remove and go to the next step.  This step removes any Prolific drivers installed by Windows or by another copy of this program.

b.  It will automatically install things (without giving you the Re-Install/Repair/Remove).  If this happens, let the installation complete.  Then repeat step 3!   It will give you the choice to “Remove” and you can remove it as in 3a above.

 

4.  Run the setup program a 2^nd time (3^rd time if you got 3b).

5.  The installer will not give you any choices but will directly install the correct drivers from the CD.

 

6.  REBOOT the computer.  Sometimes the computer will ask you to reboot.  Other times it will not ask.   But even if it does not ask, it did not work (for me) until after I rebooted.

.  **Version 3.4.36.247 on Windows 7x64 works.  Version 2.1.30.193 works for both Windows 7x32 and Windows 7x64.**