EQ6R Pro

[Grierson]

I read a couple of posts some time ago that the latest version of the above mount has some minor connectivity port changes. None of the suppliers (including SW themselves) show an image of changes from the original. Have I got it wrong and if not could someone kindly set out what has changed as I’ve got an itch to upgrade my existing to cater for an Edge 8”. Many thanks. - John

 

[Stuart1971]

30 minutes ago, Grierson said:

I read a couple of posts some time ago that the latest version of the above mount has some minor connectivity port changes. None of the suppliers (including SW themselves) show an image of changes from the original. Have I got it wrong and if not could someone kindly set out what has changed as I’ve got an itch to upgrade my existing to cater for an Edge 8”. Many thanks. - John

 

The only changes I know of from the EQ6 to the EQ6-R are the handset is now an rj45 type connector, and the power supply is a 2 pin screw on aviation connector... HTH 👍

[MarkAR]

My AZ EQ6 has a USB B port in the handset to connect to computer and also one on the mount. Still no idea what the one on the mount does, can't connect to EKOS on my computer with it.

[Grierson]

Thank you gentlemen. Sorry I wasn’t too clear in my question, I was sure I had read that there were minor differences between the initial launch models of the EQ6R Pro and the later releases of the same model. At the time I did not have a particular interest and I may have got it wrong (again 😩) 

[Stuart1971]

40 minutes ago, Grierson said:

Thank you gentlemen. Sorry I wasn’t too clear in my question, I was sure I had read that there were minor differences between the initial launch models of the EQ6R Pro and the later releases of the same model. At the time I did not have a particular interest and I may have got it wrong (again 😩) 

I think they are the same on older and newer versions of the mount, BUT the new version 5 handset has a USB port now too....so maybe that’s what you read about.... 😀

[Wyvernp]

1 hour ago, MarkAR said:

My AZ EQ6 has a USB B port in the handset to connect to computer and also one on the mount. Still no idea what the one on the mount does, can't connect to EKOS on my computer with it.

It took some fiddling but I have used the port on the mount to computer control via eqmod.

Edited April 12, 2020 by Wyvernp

[MarkAR]

4 hours ago, Wyvernp said:

It took some fiddling but I have used the port on the mount to computer control via eqmod.

With a standard USB cable ? Tell me more, pretty please.

[Wyvernp]

6 hours ago, MarkAR said:

With a standard USB cable ? Tell me more, pretty please.

Sure thing, it's been a while but here goes.

Yep, standard usb cable. I believe inside the mount it has a usb to serial converter which will appear in device manager as a com port.

Download and install the ascom platform and the latest driver pack from their site. Bit more info here http://eq-mod.sourceforge.net/eqaindex.html

As I recall I had to change the baud rate on the com port, but again it's been a while. I'm due to get another PC set up with this within the next couple of weeks and I'll pay more attention and maybe write up a how to doc.

Wyvern

[Wyvernp]

Wish I'd seen that when I was playing around with setting it up.

[MarkAR]

2 hours ago, Wyvernp said:

Sure thing, it's been a while but here goes.

Yep, standard usb cable. I believe inside the mount it has a usb to serial converter which will appear in device manager as a com port.

Download and install the ascom platform and the latest driver pack from their site. Bit more info here http://eq-mod.sourceforge.net/eqaindex.html

As I recall I had to change the baud rate on the com port, but again it's been a while. I'm due to get another PC set up with this within the next couple of weeks and I'll pay more attention and maybe write up a how to doc.

Wyvern

And I'm on a Mac 🤣 Thanks anyway.

I remember trying it (I'm using Ekos) and setting the profile to EQMOD and nothing happened. Will try it again today  just in case it was an EKOS glitch.

Edited April 13, 2020 by MarkAR

[Wyvernp]

Ahhh ok, never tried it on a Mac. It could still be the baud rates on the com port so that's worth trying.

[MarkAR]

27 minutes ago, Wyvernp said:

Ahhh ok, never tried it on a Mac. It could still be the baud rates on the com port so that's worth trying.

No idea how to do that on a Mac (Will have a google) but just had a thought, I only tried it on my old MacAir, I now have a MacBook Pro.

[MarkAR]

It works 🥳

Plugged in to USB port, launched EKOS, in Mount/Connections it has Baud Rate options and Scan Ports, clicked on the scan and after a few attempts it locked on to 115100 Baud Rate.

No more handset jiggery.

[Stuart1971]

11 minutes ago, MarkAR said:

It works 🥳

Plugged in to USB port, launched EKOS, in Mount/Connections it has Baud Rate options and Scan Ports, clicked on the scan and after a few attempts it locked on to 115100 Baud Rate.

No more handset jiggery.

Why not just use an EQMOD cable and ditch the handset altogether, that’s what I do with ekos...? 👍
Edit: or did you mean from the USB port on the mount...?

Edited April 13, 2020 by Stuart1971

[MarkAR]

1 minute ago, Stuart1971 said:

Why not just use an EQMOD cable and ditch the handset altogether, that’s what I do with ekos...? 👍
Edit: or did you mean from the USB port on the mount...?

Yup, port (USB Hub) directly to mount, no handset involved now.

[Wyvernp]

Glad you got it working!

[Stuart1971]

24 minutes ago, MarkAR said:

Yup, port (USB Hub) directly to mount, no handset involved now.

Yes I run mine from the handset port on the mount straight to the PC...with EQMOD cable, as the EQMOD driver gives you loads more options... 👍😀