ASCOM: Driving me to despair.

[Waldemar]

On 30-11-2017 at 21:40, Cornelius Varley said:

I expect it is your rs232 adaptor. It is not possible to connect a mount to a computer simply by wiring an RJ12 plug to an RS232.

Maybe you can borrow a FTDI based converter to try if that will work before you buy one.

My experience is that the converters with a FTDI chipset always work... 

Prolific is a gamble, the cheap Chinese ones... well... just throw them away and buy a real one.

[RandomUsername]

Is there any way to force it to 'run' with an oscilloscope? I think that would be the best place to start.

I could keep buying things and I'm not 100% sure that the programme is working correctly. I need to measure a 'what if signals were being given out' scenario. For nothing to happen at all doesn't prove anything about the cable. It could even be an issue with the mount itself. It hasn't been used in a couple of years.

If I could get a signal outgoing I would have some confidence that the programme can do something. Who knows, it could be an issue with a firewall, or conflicting programme/driver.

[michael8554]

RS232 cables can be tested with a "loopback" test.

Any text typed into a Hyperterminal type prog  should bounce back onto the screen when send and return lines are  shorted.

Google for full details.

Michael

[RandomUsername]

Ok, thanks. But that's not quite what I need. I actually need to force the programme to run so I can check what's going wrong. I am going to presume for the moment that the cable is ok, and that the problem lies with either the mount or the programme.

I think I'll give either stargazer or ASCOM a shout.

[Waldemar]

In your ASCOM file is an diagnostics program. If you run that it should tell you what is wrong.

[bottletopburly]

Make sure you use a FDTI chipset , the Yahoo eqmod forum is a good  place for answers and queries .

regards dave 

[cosmos]

Hello,

Same problem here using ascot with the skywatcher driver, ports are working and show up in device manager in windows, but when the properties box comes up in ascot to pick the com port none are shown and  it won't let you input any port number, and i know the port is there and working.

[Waldemar]

bad RS232-USB converter maybe? In my experience FTDI always works...

[definisdl]

Waldemar, ya old dog! 

Why am I not surprised to find you here, as well.

i know why all this frustration and grief happens, but there’s not enough room here for a semester of knowledge, so the short version.

Laws and codes require manufacturers only five years to support certain tangible products.

But this kind of creative non-sense, twisting intent for the sake of narrowly focused economic growth has caused too much entropy, to the point where working stiffs simply boycott stuff.

Let em cut their own throats.

Yep, just spent several thousand for a new rig this old body can lift, portable for dark sky journeys.

Ive an acquaintance here nagging me to spend the cash and go Takahashi all the way and that WAS the plan.

Think I’ll just stick to what I know works and stay old school tech.

This ain’t a hobby if it ain’t enjoyable. Neither were the other two.

perserverence [sic]?

 

 

[Waldemar]

3 hours ago, definisdl said:

Waldemar, ya old dog! 

Why am I not surprised to find you here, as well.

i know why all this frustration and grief happens, but there’s not enough room here for a semester of knowledge, so the short version.

Laws and codes require manufacturers only five years to support certain tangible products.

But this kind of creative non-sense, twisting intent for the sake of narrowly focused economic growth has caused too much entropy, to the point where working stiffs simply boycott stuff.

Let em cut their own throats.

Yep, just spent several thousand for a new rig this old body can lift, portable for dark sky journeys.

Ive an acquaintance here nagging me to spend the cash and go Takahashi all the way and that WAS the plan.

Think I’ll just stick to what I know works and stay old school tech.

This ain’t a hobby if it ain’t enjoyable. Neither were the other two.

perserverence [sic]?

 

 

😂🖖

Hey Dan, How are you doing? I see you found your way to more fun!
Takahashi... great optics, but what DID you buy? Making me curious...

edit:
Sorry for hijacking the thread, people

 

Edited October 16, 2019 by Waldemar

[definisdl]

Replaced and old 8”sct with,

EQ6-R Pro,

Quattro 250p,

4 IDAS Neb filters and

ASIAIR, Zwo and etc.

The tak and dome can wait til I relocate or just give it up.

This is nuts. 

so I don’t hijack, this error ever get solved?

End rant.

Thanks,

dan

 

[definisdl]

The saga continues, two weeks and a day now.

Had all the drivers and win app on the ASUS q504 extracted and installed for SynScan Pro last Sunday. ASCOM as well.

All week it’s been purchase WinZip, but did that dance long ago so installed that from an old flash drive, yep, last Sunday. Smart eh? Maybe not.

Fast forward last nite. But first, know that I’ve tried removing Norton AV couple of times over last two years, maybe three, because of the auto-renewal shenanigans.

Anyway, after finding and deleting norton on the web browser; a second time, nothing works.

No SynScan except zipped in my downloads tab.

i couldn’t even get the Sky-Watcher dongle app full functionality to park the mount.

Whom and why the hacking? Who knows.

Left a message with the supplier this am asking for help. Maybe pay all the restocking fees. 

Ive lost all perspective...

[Waldemar]

43 minutes ago, definisdl said:

The saga continues, two weeks and a day now.

Had all the drivers and win app on the ASUS q504 extracted and installed for SynScan Pro last Sunday. ASCOM as well.

All week it’s been purchase WinZip, but did that dance long ago so installed that from an old flash drive, yep, last Sunday. Smart eh? Maybe not.

Fast forward last nite. But first, know that I’ve tried removing Norton AV couple of times over last two years, maybe three, because of the auto-renewal shenanigans.

Anyway, after finding and deleting norton on the web browser; a second time, nothing works.

No SynScan except zipped in my downloads tab.

i couldn’t even get the Sky-Watcher dongle app full functionality to park the mount.

Whom and why the hacking? Who knows.

Left a message with the supplier this am asking for help. Maybe pay all the restocking fees. 

Ive lost all perspective...

I have bad uxperiences with Norton as well... It is totally entangled in your system, hard to get it out. Needs a special programm to do that:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/norton-removal-tool/

Maybe you did not get the comport number right? You know how th change that I guess?
What brand USB RS232 converter do you use? Prolific always gives me problems, not to speak of the Chinese stuff...

Get one with a FTDI chipset. Most of the time they are plug&play, especially with W10.

 

[definisdl]

Doesn’t matter. I’m sending it all back today. 

If I can’t make an eight bit mount connect to a any computer, I’m just not smart enough anymore,

D

[definisdl]

If what this needs is an ftdi then why didn’t isn’t it in the box?

That dog don’t hunt, I believe you’d agree.

thanks for tryin,

dan

[Astro_mark_c]

On 05/01/2016 at 12:58, MARS1960 said:

Hi all,

I hope this is simple fix.

I have the ascom platform 6, i have the drivers, i have the celstron drivers, i have cartes de ciel.

Everytime i connect up, open CDC i click telescope, control panel, select and click on ASCOM celestron telescope then click connect.

I then get a box saying ascom tescope chooser, i pick celestron click properties but it wont let me put anything in the com port number so when i go back and click connect i keep getting a box saying: Error, the port name cannot be empty, but it wont let me type the port number in the com port box when i hit properties in the configure box, this is frustrating as its actually the only thing ASCOM really needs, i'm lost, please help.

Thanks.

I had the same problem with my EQM 35 pro mount, I was getting the Error port name warning when trying to get PHD2 to recognise my mount connected to my laptop via ASCOM.  I appear to have gotten it working by clicking on the spanner icon on the mount line and making sure the port was the port I was using (by checking my control panel).  Then I was able to move my mount with my laptop.  Haven't tried the actual guiding part due to high winds tonight.