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Cables for AZ-EQ6


TareqPhoto

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I want to upgrade my mount through the hand controller, but i don't know which cable to use for that, so can you recommend one?

The hand controller has 2 ports, one to power up, and second i don't know for what, i think to connect to the PC, i have a cable coming with it but it is with serial port, now i have 2 options, either buying a converter, or buying another cable that is directly from hand controller to PC with USB end.

There is another solution but not sure if that is working or not, which is to buy an internal card for desktop which has a serial port, so i can connect with the attached cable, but i can't tell how good is this method, and what is the speed, and most important if that hand controller can recognize the card from PC, any suggestions?

Beside the power port and SNAP port for camera control, there are 2 ports, one is for Hand Control which is done, and the other one is for Auto Guide, what is this one for? how to use it? is there any cable i can use for this port and where i can connect it to?

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10 hours ago, kendg said:

The usb serial port converter works well for me. Make sure it is a "prolific" chip set.

You will also need a 12 volt power source for the hand set.

Power source i already have, working great, maybe will buy something better or giving more power, but not sue if this will damage the mount or not.

What do you mean by "prolific"? what is it?

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There are a number of USB serial cables that use different chip sets for the converter. The "Prolific" (brand of the chip set) seems to be the one that has the best success. Windows drivers install automatically. 

When you look for the cable, it should say Prolific chip set and not Prolific compatible. Probably the Prolific PL2303 or Prolific PL2303HX chip sets are the ones to look for.

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2 minutes ago, kendg said:

There are a number of USB serial cables that use different chip sets for the converter. The "Prolific" (brand of the chip set) seems to be the one that has the best success. Windows drivers install automatically. 

When you look for the cable, it should say Prolific chip set and not Prolific compatible. Probably the Prolific PL2303 or Prolific PL2303HX chip sets are the ones to look for.

The problem is when i post same question in many forums, sometimes i get different answers or reviews or recommendations.

Now you said to go with prolific chip set cable, someone posted me saying to go or recommend the FTDI one as some members has issues with prolific ones but not that much, and he has no issues with his for years, so now i should go with prolific or FTDI chip one?

I just replied that to him, but i said that i have to wait long so i can get the budget and order online, i won't order only the cable , and i have so many items to buy at once, locally i think i will not find this cable until i go far and it will cost me more than online, the only cheaper option locally i can go with if possible is to buy that internal card which has serial port, so i can add it to my desktop components and connect the included cable directly to PC without converter cable, but i don't know how good is this option if i do?!!!

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From FLO i saw this cable from the same brand of the mount, is it any good or i should pass it?

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/celestron-mounts/sky-watcher-synscan-usb-to-serial-rs-232-cable.html

From another online store i saw many cables as well, some with prolific and some with FTDI, not as compatible, i can easily by one of each [i mean both] when i get the budget because not expensive, but i should just choose one anyway.

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I have no experience with the FTDI chip set but if it works, then great.

My cable was about $25 Canadian and I got it locally. It uses the Prolific  PL2303 chip set and I have no problems with updating the hand set or using it to connect to the  mount with EQMOD.

The FLO one should work and FLO stands behind their products.

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3 minutes ago, TareqPhoto said:

From FLO i saw this cable from the same brand of the mount, is it any good or i should pass it?

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/celestron-mounts/sky-watcher-synscan-usb-to-serial-rs-232-cable.html

From another online store i saw many cables as well, some with prolific and some with FTDI, not as compatible, i can easily by one of each [i mean both] when i get the budget because not expensive, but i should just choose one anyway.

I have an older lead with the Prolific chipset and a newer FTDI one and both work absolutely fine on my AZ EQ6 with EQMOD.  I use the FTDI one now and have kept the Prolific one as a spare just in case.

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Ok, i will check some stores locally first, hope to find that with one of them, and i will check the price of that internal serial port card, if it is so cheap i may give it a try before buying the cable.

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Check your PC motherboard, it may have a serial connection header.  Basically even recent motherboards have the connector on them but they just don't bother adding the cable to provide the socket to the rear panel of the pc.

Like DB9-board-connection2.jpg

 

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The older the better as back then all had them and even had the riser cables supplied and fitted.  See if you can find the motherboard make & model and find the manual from the makers support pages.

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