extending eqdirect

[Scott]

hi all,

I'm using the eqdir to connect my neq6 to the laptop. It's only 4 or 5 ft long and at home this is fine because the laptop is pierside but when in the field I prefer to keep the laptop in the tent to protect other folks nightvision. I bought a good quality powered usb hub and everything works fine bar the mount. I tried a 5mtr usb extention to connect direct to the laptop...no joy. It works fine when connected straight to laptop but can't get it recognised any other way. 

first question, does anyone know a work around?
second question, how hard is it to change the usb lead on the eqdir module and does anyone know of a instruction vid/webpage?

thanks for reading 
(and remember....it may be your nightvision I'm saving at sgl11  ) 

[Uranium235]

Do you have another laptop hanging about Scott? You could leave one lappy with the mount as usual, but view/control it over a network (via teamviewer). I will be using powerline networking for mine, and you can just piggyback off that if you want - it has bags of bandwidth, so no danger of slow speeds.

If youre not up for that, Im pretty sure ive got a powered USB repeater cable somewhere.... I'll have a dig in me bits box.

[Scott]

cheers Rob, we'll sort something out though it's just frustrating that it's not playing ball 

[Uranium235]

Come to think of it, I will probably have a spare crock box too (once all the supplies have been emptied out of it), so thats somewhere you can put the imaging laptop and protect your (and everyone elses) night vision

Would be handy if youve got some red acetate, hopfully someone will be bringing some along.

[Uranium235]

Oh, and if you dont have a spare lappy, you can just view it on mine and dump the data to my portable HDD. I'll be bringing the big monitor so you can run two instances of teamviewer.... I think...lol. Better check if thats possible first!

[Scott]

Yeah Rob, I've got a handful of old laptops so I might just chuck 'em in the car for justin (case)

 

[ngwillym]

Did you use a standard usb extension cable or an 'active repeater' usb extension cable?

I notice on the astronomiser website, that they do eqdir cables up to 5m in length, so it must be possible.

Neil

[Daniel-K]

scott i use to use one of these in my old obsy with a 5m USB cable never had any issues with it. ive just bought another of ebay for £10

[Daniel-K]

also im struggling how to turn off my illuminated key board 

[Scott]

@ngwillym, thanks for your response. it was the active repeater extn I used. I think if it comes to it, I'll buy a bluetooth one rather than the 5 mtr one...eventually.

@Daniel-K, I don't think it's the hub thats the problem. I've got 2 cheapish ones and a more expencive one and everything runs off all of them except the mount.
never thought of the keyboard lights problem. can you change the colour of the backlight?

[Davey-T]

39 minutes ago, Daniel-K said:

also im struggling how to turn off my illuminated key board 

Mine is in control panel / windows mobility centre, I can turn brightness up and down.

Dave

 

[ngwillym]

I've got some USB over ethernet adapters - I'll see if they work tomorrow

[Dr_Ju_ju]

Hi Scott,

I make my own from an http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-TO-RS232-TTL-PL2303-CONVERTER-FOR-RASPBERRY-Pi-ADAPTER-CONSOLE-CABLE-/121070687261?hash=item1c3060141d converter & a standard RJ45 Ethernet cable e.g. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5m-LONG-ETHERNET-CABLE-CAT5e-RJ45-Network-LAN-Internet-Black-Lead-Wire-UK-SELLER-/311461006758?hash=item488485cda6:g:CdAAAOSwa39UwTbS

They all work ok..  I'll show you them at SGL11 if you want any help

[Scott]

cheers Julian that'd be great 

 

[kens]

When you connect the EQDIR to the USB hub is it getting a different COM port number?

[Physopto]

At present and for the last 5 years or more I have used a Lindy  8 meter active  USB extension. They can be daisy chained up to a total of 56 meters approximately. This is for one USB connection, as if you use a hub then it reduces the number of daisy chained devices. I just this one cable with a 3 meter cable on the end into a distribution box. That has a couple of powered hubs(4) connections on each. So I get 7 USB connectable devices in all. Works every time. Just be sure you get the Com port for your mount set correctly. I have used this on a NEQ6 and an EQ8 without problems. I am now using it to control USB devices with my latest mount. 

Derek

[Scott]

1 hour ago, kens said:

When you connect the EQDIR to the USB hub is it getting a different COM port number?

 

31 minutes ago, Physopto said:

At present and for the last 5 years or more I have used a Lindy  8 meter active  USB extension. They can be daisy chained up to a total of 56 meters approximately. This is for one USB connection, as if you use a hub then it reduces the number of daisy chained devices. I just this one cable with a 3 meter cable on the end into a distribution box. That has a couple of powered hubs(4) connections on each. So I get 7 USB connectable devices in all. Works every time. Just be sure you get the Com port for your mount set correctly. I have used this on a NEQ6 and an EQ8 without problems. I am now using it to control USB devices with my latest mount. 

Derek

Thanks ken and Derek, 

When the mount wouldnt connect, I used the driver setup in eqascom. all scans resulted in "not found".
plug the eqdir straight into laptop and its there straight away. I've used 3 different active extn usb cables with 3 different hubs and without hub with no joy. the extns work fine with the two cameras ....I'm stumped

[Physopto]

Don't worry about "not found". I got that all the time with the EQ8. Not with the NEQ6. Just specify the correct COM port in EQMOD. As long as the port is correct it should work. If not check to see if the port is correctly specified. It is worth a try before going any further.

Derek