Synscan pro app instead of EQMOD with AZEQ5

[R26 oldtimer]

A little background...

I've been happily using my AZEQ5 mount with my DIY wifi adapter for the past year now with my phone utilizing the synscan pro app and skysafari for visual.

Starting with AP, I still used the above method, only difference was using the synscan pro app to control my dslr via the mount's snap port with excellent results.

Then the AP kicked in for good, so i got myself NB filters which require longer exposures, hence the need to guide. So loaded up an older laptop with APT, PHD, EQascom platform, and the synscan pro app. Managed my first guided session where I controlled my main & guiding camera through usb connection and the mount through wifi ( APT -  EQascom  synscan driver - synscan pro app). Then it struck me that there is no need to control the mount wireless since I already had my lappy tied up to the rig with the camera's usb cables. Also the AZEQ5 mount comes with a usb port so no need for specific cables.

That's were troubles started.... I downloaded eqmod and could not connect the mount to the pc. It seems that the AZEQ5 has a prolific chip onboard. There are endless discussions on the net about genuine or not prolific chips, drivers, settings etch. I was struggling for hours with eqmod trying to configure COM3 port to recognize the mount, changing baud rates, trying every possible solution on the net, with no results and I really started to hate EQMOD.

Then it just struck me. I remembered that when I was configuring the synscan pro app  settings for  wifi connection under SETTINGS-CONNECT SETTINGS-NETWORK there was also another tab marked as SERIAL. So I tried that, had a com selection setting, set the COM port to 3 (where the device manager reported the prolific usb to serial) and... presto. The synscan app on the pc communicates through usb with the mount, and all the other apps (APT,PHD2) via EQascom  synscan driver do too seamlessly.

I really prefer the synscan app UI instead of EQMOD, and really happy that my mount's usb port works as it should!!

[alexbb]

46 minutes ago, R26 oldtimer said:

A little background...

I've been happily using my AZEQ5 mount with my DIY wifi adapter for the past year now with my phone utilizing the synscan pro app and skysafari for visual.

Starting with AP, I still used the above method, only difference was using the synscan pro app to control my dslr via the mount's snap port with excellent results.

Then the AP kicked in for good, so i got myself NB filters which require longer exposures, hence the need to guide. So loaded up an older laptop with APT, PHD, EQascom platform, and the synscan pro app. Managed my first guided session where I controlled my main & guiding camera through usb connection and the mount through wifi ( APT -  EQascom  synscan driver - synscan pro app). Then it struck me that there is no need to control the mount wireless since I already had my lappy tied up to the rig with the camera's usb cables. Also the AZEQ5 mount comes with a usb port so no need for specific cables.

That's were troubles started.... I downloaded eqmod and could not connect the mount to the pc. It seems that the AZEQ5 has a prolific chip onboard. There are endless discussions on the net about genuine or not prolific chips, drivers, settings etch. I was struggling for hours with eqmod trying to configure COM3 port to recognize the mount, changing baud rates, trying every possible solution on the net, with no results and I really started to hate EQMOD.

Then it just struck me. I remembered that when I was configuring the synscan pro app  settings for  wifi connection under SETTINGS-CONNECT SETTINGS-NETWORK there was also another tab marked as SERIAL. So I tried that, had a com selection setting, set the COM port to 3 (where the device manager reported the prolific usb to serial) and... presto. The synscan app on the pc communicates through usb with the mount, and all the other apps (APT,PHD2) via EQascom  synscan driver do too seamlessly.

I really prefer the synscan app UI instead of EQMOD, and really happy that my mount's usb port works as it should!!

Indeed. I've never bothered spending a lot of time convincing eqmod to connect to the mount. I managed on the AZ-EQ5, but never on the EQ6-R. Regardless of the combinations, eqmod refuses to create a stable connection. OTOH, the SynScan app connects without issues and allows pulse guiding too. You can connect to SynScan mount with any other app, pulse guide, etc. Moreover, you can polar align without seeing Polaris using the SynScan polar alignment procedure which I found accurate enough. I didn't find that feature within the eqmod ecosystem.