LOOK MA, NO HANDSet !!

[beamish]

Finally took the plunge and decided to remove the Handset from the HEQ5 Pro set-up and go solely for the EQMOD route.

Like Reggie, I ordered a TTL232R from FTDI http://tinyurl.com/2v6phv. They were very sharpin delivery, 2x days.

Read up on it and pestered Reggie with some silly questions, then decided to make it up today. I bought the 2nd smallest project box from Maplins and then chopped down some data cable to approx' 2 1/5 foot.

made some holes in the project box, threaded the cables thru connected 'em up according to the EQmod site then,having isolated the spare wires and covered them and the joins with shrink tubing I then encased it all in hot glue.

Tested the contacts at the RJ45 end with a voltmeter-ok phew !!

Next was the frightening bit, connecting it up to the mount and trying it out-would it blow my board??

Couldn't get it to work at first, but then checked Device Manager and changed the comm port settings accordingly.

YEEEEESSSSSS !!! :thumbright: :thumbright:

"WE" are now without the handset and running directly from the eq and planetarium S/W.

That's a whole lot of faffing done away with at a stroke.

I can thoroughly recommend going down the route to H/S freedom and cheap !!! Very, Very,very easy peasy and I'm no electronics boff (as some of you will know).

Thanks to Reggie for his support and George, who I believe was responsible for bringing it to our attention in a thread a few months ago.

Give a whirl guys and guyesses !

(click to enlarge)

(click to enlarge)

Karlo

[blinky]

Just as well you never had a dodgy wire with all that hot melt glue! Well done though, fancy making me one?

[beamish]

Just as well you never had a dodgy wire with all that hot melt glue! Well done though, fancy making me one?

,I did check the Module contacts with a voltmeter 1st -it had ,thankfully occurred to me too. Craig, it really is very easy- but if you'd like me to I will, pm me! I owe you !

Karlo

[Starflyer]

Excellent news Karlo I think I need to go for this myself now.

I can't get the tiny link to work :?

How does this connect up, do you use a serial to usb adapter connected to this gizmo and then connected to the D9 connector on the mount? Where does the RJ45 connector come into it? How long can the cable be, 5 to 7m would be good?

Loads of daft questions, but I haven't researched this in any depth and as you know I've been using PC direct through the handset from day one?

Cheers,

Ian

[beamish]

Hya Ian,

just noticed you've got an EQ6.

No USB/Serial adapter used.For your mount not sure about cable length but for me the mount side according to Chris Shillito from EQMod, should be limited to about a metre,however you can add a 5m Active USB onto the Lappy side . I am going to try it thru a hub too ! I just got bored with having to input everything into the H/Set before I could even go into PC-Direct, then of course there's the H/set to get damaged or affected by the cold. It's taken out an unnecessary link.

Link works=http://apple.clickandbuild.com/cnb/shop/ftdichip?op=catalogue-products-null&prodCategoryID=47&title=Cables%3A+TTL-232R+and+variants

also look at this page here, http://eq-mod.sourceforge.net/eqdirect2.htm, it pretty much tells you all you need to know. Its certainly within your capabilities !! The RJ45 refers to us poor plebs with HEQ5's

But even with the D-9 it's simple, "To create the EQDIRECT-USB all theat is needed is to connect a 9 way "D" type plug to the flying lead of the TTL232R. The connections are as follows:

Solder Pin 6 of the 9 way D-type Plug to the Orange wire.

Solder Pin 9 of the 9 way D-type Plug to the Yellow wire.

Solder Pins 4 & 5 of the 9 way D-type Plug to the Black wire."

Go for it ,you know you want to !!

Karlo

[Reggie]

Actually the FTDI cable is a usb to serial (TTL) adapter, that's why it gets a com port in windows Well done Karlo, you made a much better looking one than me, I just wanted to get mine to work at the time, I'll pretty it up later when I can get to maplins.

It was nice of the EQMod guys to put the picture up of the RJ45 orientation after I posted on the EQMod yahoogroup asking for confirmation of the pin outs, I'm sure it will save someone a lot of heartache.

@Starflyer, the cable that you wire into the ftdi cable should be as short as possible, otherwise you will get communication problems apparently, mine is 2ft, seems to be ok so far. If you want to extend the cable, do it from the usb side, I think a 2m or so usb extension cable should be OK but any longer and I think you will need a 5m usb booster extension cable.

that's a helluva lot of glue in there Karlo I just put enough on mine to halt water ingress, but that's a good idea, its got a nice anchor to it to stop anything getting pulled out or stressed.

Have you had a chance to use yours in anger yet? I've had a couple of trips out and I must say the accuracy is absolutely superb, for the first time ever I am actually able to get my chosen guidestar in my SPC900nc's FOV, so I can now do the majority of a session without having to go outside in the cold. It also means that I can be certain of very decent accuracy when I start to use my 6SE for imaging again.

On my EQMod first light I managed to get a few snaps, best of the bunch being M101, 23x6min exposures @ ISO800, can't remember if I did flats, certainly would've done darks and bias though, probably over/undertweaked in post processing but still pleased with the result

[steppenwolf]

Well done Karlo, you really won't regret making this move!

[Paxo]

Excellent move Karlo, and well done on the 'fiddly' bits.

Steve..

[beamish]

Cheers guys,

The excessive glue is intended for that very purpose, anchor the cables and joints and prevent any water ingress- How much is a glue stick ?

Thanks Steve(s), I've been after getting shot of the H/s for a while and this TBH appeared the simplest/neatest solution. It wasn't too fiddly at all Steve, no cuts or bruises( hope you're recovering well mate), just scary when I fired it all up the 1st time :shock: and there's that fear!!!!!

Yup onwards and upwards.

Cheers, Karlo

[George]

Welcome to the EQmod club

[nathkrul]

I also have one of these cables as well, the best 18 squid ive spent, just crimped a rg45 connector on.

Oh and far cheaper than the EQDIR from shoestring.

Colin

[beamish]

:thumbright: It's just sooo neat ! All I need now ( like everyone else here) a BREAK IN THE CLOUDS

[Plastic chicken]

I`ve just become a "memeber" but as yet havn`t had chance to try it out!!!!

PC

[Reggie]

you'll have fun when you do

[nathkrul]

Hi thought I would post a pic of my adapter for controlling the heq5 pro with crimped on end.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13313975@N06/3213267903/

Colin

[Reggie]

Looks very professional Colin, waaaay better than my yellow masking tape effort.

[beamish]

Nice one Colin

[nathkrul]

Thanks Guys, it was pretty hard pushing stranded wire into a rg45 connector because the insulation was soo soft, took me 3 attempts to get it all the way in.

Cat5, cat6 is a lot easier, do em all the time.

but once again thanks,

Colin

[ribuck]

Hi Colin,

I'm looking to dump my handset as well. can you send me the pinouts for the rj45 for crimping.

P.s. can any recommend a controller to use with EQMOD.

Regards,

Rich.

[kookoo_gr]

for the HEQ5 Pro mount the pinounts can be found here, just scroll to the bottom of the screen EQMOD. for a controller i suggest to buy a ps3 wireless gamepad from logitech, it's very easy to use

[ribuck]

Thanks Guys,

I'm looking forward to trying without having all the hassle of setting the date etc on my handset.

I've also ordered a good usb gps dongle too.

All i know is that the other half will kill me when she realized how much i've spent in the last month.

QHY9 + 2" LRGB + 2" LPS Filter + GPS Dongle + 2" carosel for Fitler Wheel.......I'm a dead man.....lol

Damn forgot i have to get the usb cable and gamepad too..........ooopsss...

[dark knight]

I too have been looking into this but am too afraid to take the plunge as my electronics skills are zero. My mount is an upgraded eq5 to synscan goto, anyone any ideas of which wiring instructions to follow? Curiously how come some have a crimped rj connector and usb at the other end while Karlos has a small project box??

[jgs001]

I did this last year... a great decision, helped and aided by Karlo and others. I haven't got as far as crimping or a box for connecting the wires together... mine are pushed in place and secured with insulation tape... (note to self... I really must get around to making that better...) I like the idea of the project box and glue, then perhaps velco the box to the side of the mount head...

[ribuck]

Just a different approach.

The USB cable approach simply has the ttl conversion built into the usb part so it's simple to make as you only ned to crimp 3 wires.

The way with the project box is esentially the same, but not as neat as the ttl conversion is done by a bit of circuitry that they have placed in the project box.

The easiest way is to pay for the usb cable, as it's only 3 wires to crimp.

Rich.

[jgs001]

As I understood it, the project box was just to house and protect the wires, no circuitry...