EQ6 Pro PC Interface...

[RichieJarvis]

Hi All,

I am hoping someone out there with experience of an EQ6 Pro can fill me in on how it connects to a PC? I assume it uses RS-232 serial connections.

Also, can MaximDL drive an EQ6? I've been googling away without much luck on this one!!

Thanks,

Richie

[Ant]

There are several ways that you can connect to a PC I beleive.

The serial lead that you use to upgrade the firmware will allow you to connect to a PC and control movement / guide from PC.

Not sure about MaximDL, but PHDGuiding controls it fine.

Ant

[MikeP]

Have a look at this thread ... http://stargazerslounge.com/index.php?topic=21402.msg220370

Mike

[RichieJarvis]

Hi Guys,

Thats very helpful - thanks

Another quick Q - where does the serial cable plugin to the system? Is there a RS-232 port on the mount, or does it plugin somewhere else?

Cheers,

Richie

[Ant]

it plugs into the handset.

There are three "holes", 1 for the lead to the mount, 1 for the serial lead to PC and 1 for the power (needed during a firmware update).

Ant

[RichieJarvis]

I was hoping that wasn't the case... Having to drag 2 leads instead of 1 when using the handbox is a bit of a pain. I like using both PC and handbox control interchangeably, you see...

Ah well, I guess I will just have to learn to live with it once I finally manage to sell mine, and buy the EQ6.... In all other aspects it should blow my wedged LX away (I hope!)

Thanks,

Richie

[Keagle]

Can I hijack this thread? I tried setting up my EQ6 Pro with my lappy on numerous times, but I can't seem to find the right COM port. How do you find out?

[RichieJarvis]

Of course you can - I can also tell you how to find the right COM port... I am assuming you are using a Serial (RS-232) to USB converter.[list type=decimal]

[li]Open Control Panel

[/li]

[li]Double Click System[/li]

[li]Click the Hardware tab[/li]

[li]Click Device Manager[/li]

[li]Click the '+' next to Ports (COM & LPT)[/li]

[li]You will see the list of available COM ports there (example Device Manager below)[/li]

The COM port will always remain the same as long as it stays plugged into the SAME USB port, even if you are using a USB HUB.

You can also find (as I did last night actually) that some applications (such as MaximDL) do not allow ports over a certain number (MaximDL allows up to COM13.)

There is a way round this though - follow this procedure to allocate a COM port number. The system will remember it until you move the device to another USB port.[list type=decimal]

[li]Right-Click on the COM port you wish to change (I've used one of my Bluetooth ports for this example, but the same applies to Serial -> USB converters)[/li]

[li]Click Properties[/li]

[li]Select the Port Settings tab[/li]

[li]Click Advanced[/li]

[li]Select the COM port number you wish to use from the drop down - you'll have to find a free one - see the picture below[/li]

[li]Click OK twice to get back to the Device manager

[/li]

[li]Unplug and replug the Serial-USB converter, it should be recognised as the COM port you specified in the list

[/li]

(My system is jammed for COM ports, because I do alot of Serial work, yours should be alot free-er!)

[beamer3.6m]

In your example could I just ask, if you were using the actual serial port instead of a USB adapter would it be listed as 'Communication Post (COM1) as in your first picture.

This is the only Port that shoes on my laptop, in addition to Printer Port LPT1 that is.

[RichieJarvis]

Yes - thats right. Most older machines had 2 COM ports - COM1 and COM2. LPT1 is a Parallel port, which is a 25 pin D-sub socket, usually used to connect printers and scanners before the days of USB. COM ports are normally 9 pin D-sub sockets, although some very old systems had 25 pin D-sub sockets, but that would be very unusual.

The motherboard that I took that picture on only has 1 - COM1. Some newer systems and laptops don't have any, and hence require a Serial-USB converter.

You cannot move the COM port definitions within windows though - to do that, you have to mess around in the BIOS, which I wouldn't recommend unless you know what your doing (you have to change the address)

Does that help?

Cheers,

Richie

[Keagle]

Of course you can - I can also tell you how to find the right COM port... I am assuming you are using a Serial (RS-232) to USB converter.[list type=decimal]

[li]Open Control Panel

[/li]

[li]Double Click System[/li]

[li]Click the Hardware tab[/li]

[li]Click Device Manager[/li]

[li]Click the '+' next to Ports (COM & LPT)[/li]

[li]You will see the list of available COM ports there (example Device Manager below)[/li]

The COM port will always remain the same as long as it stays plugged into the SAME USB port, even if you are using a USB HUB.

You can also find (as I did last night actually) that some applications (such as MaximDL) do not allow ports over a certain number (MaximDL allows up to COM13.)

There is a way round this though - follow this procedure to allocate a COM port number. The system will remember it until you move the device to another USB port.[list type=decimal]

[li]Right-Click on the COM port you wish to change (I've used one of my Bluetooth ports for this example, but the same applies to Serial -> USB converters)[/li]

[li]Click Properties[/li]

[li]Select the Port Settings tab[/li]

[li]Click Advanced[/li]

[li]Select the COM port number you wish to use from the drop down - you'll have to find a free one - see the picture below[/li]

[li]Click OK twice to get back to the Device manager

[/li]

[li]Unplug and replug the Serial-USB converter, it should be recognised as the COM port you specified in the list

[/li]

(My system is jammed for COM ports, because I do alot of Serial work, yours should be alot free-er!)

Thank you verrry VERY much Richie! Excellent help. I'll give this a try later tonight, need something to do looking at the skies! I wont be using a convertor, but I had no idea where to start before and this gives me something to work from! :hello1:

[RichieJarvis]

No problems....

I am sure I shall be getting my own back once I actually GET an EQ6!!!

Gotta sell my LX200R first though

Haven't even had a call yet - money must be tight at the moment

[MikeP]

Back to your question about needing two leads ...

If you read through the thread I highlighted earlier, Daz is describing how he uses EQMOD which is a piece of software that runs on a PC and replaces the handset. If you use this, you control the mount using the EQMOD UI running on the PC and / or a planetarium program. I use a games controller (Logitech Rumblepad), connected to the PC to control everything.

To connect the PC to the mount, you can connect via the handset OR as I do, connect directly. Unfortunately there is a need for a bit of hardware to convert the voltages (or whatever), so I bought the Shoestring EQDIR gadget - it is advertised here http://tinyurl.com/5d9jm8 - see "EQ Direct Interface Products".

Now, where it gets interesting is if you want to autoguide with (say) a web cam and PHD, you can run PHD on the laptop at the same time as the planetarium program and both of them can connect independently to EQMOD. So, you can use the planetarium program to goto your object and use the EQMOD UI (I use the rumblepad) to centre it. Find a guide star and then do the calibrate and track thing with PHD. PHD will then send pulse guide commands via EQMOD down the same cable to keep the guide star centred. So if you wish, you can send all commands down the single cable.

Of course, if you have a guide camera that is supposed to connect directly to the mount's guide port, you'd be using two cables.

HTH

Mike

[RichieJarvis]

Cool

I'd been reading around on the EQMOD - didn't realise that the handset should be disconnected whilst using it

I much prefer that solution...

Thanks Mike

[MikeP]

It doesn't have to be i.e. you can use its PC Direct capability and save yourself the cost of an EQDIR, but if you join the Yahoo EQMOD group and read the reports of the latest SynScan firmware upgrade, you'll see there are some problems with that approach.

Mike

[RichieJarvis]

I signed up for the EQMOD forum earlier on - I was very impressed with what I saw - especially the EQMosaic facility - can't wait to try that out with M42....