Q. When using Star Sense, why does my telescope go all around the houses on some of its GOTOs? I'm sure I set 'Cordwrap' to 'OFF'??!! A. Because Star Sense reset it to 'On' after you did your alignment.

[StarGazingSiouxsie]

Hi,

Now, I know that Cubble likes to keep fit. I try to keep all of my telescopes healthy and feed them only the best planets and DSOs. 

But - why is that Cubble just LOVES to go all around the houses on some of his GOTOs?! Talk about taking the long way home!!!  I could have sworn that I had 'Cordwrap' set to 'Off'............. 

I have set Cubs up with a totally cordfree / wire free system and therefore find this going 340 degrees around to an object that is 10 degrees away incredibly annoying and time wasting.  

Well, I think I may have found the answer today. Some of you may already know this but for those that don't, I hope it helps relieve some of your frustration. 

What I disovered is that the Star Sense hand controller resets the Cordwrap setting (MENU>>>TELESCOPE>>>CORDWRAP) back to 'ON' each time a new alignment is completed. So, one can spend time seemingly making sure that it is set to 'OFF' (if that's the setting you want, of course) only to find that once you have completed an alignment, the hand controller defaults the Cordwrap setting back to 'ON'.

So, if you don't want or need Cordwrap set to 'ON', make sure you change the setting after completing each new alignment.

 

Siouxsie 

Edited October 11, 2020 by StarGazingSiouxsie

[globular]

Hi Siouxsie,

I tend to control my Evo 8 with SkySafari rather than the handset - and this does not reset the cordwrap after alignments... thank goodness.

I did use the handset for a while though and I don't recall it behaving as you describe then either.  🤔

Have you updated the firmware?

Do you share the handset between your different scopes?  I have experienced some settings reverting to defaults if I swap between the StarSense and non-StarSense handsets. I think each new pairing of handset and scope might reset things to default.

[The Admiral]

2 hours ago, StarGazingSiouxsie said:

What I disovered is that the Star Sense hand controller resets the Cordwrap setting (MENU>>>TELESCOPE>>>CORDWRAP) back to 'ON' each time a new alignment is completed.

Well that would explain what I was getting too, even having set 'cordwrap' to off. Why on earth would it do that, other than bad programming?

Mind you, I've now got rid of StarSense as I'm using an iOptron mount.

Ian

[StarGazingSiouxsie]

1 hour ago, globular said:

Hi Siouxsie,

I tend to control my Evo 8 with SkySafari rather than the handset - and this does not reset the cordwrap after alignments... thank goodness.

I did use the handset for a while though and I don't recall it behaving as you describe then either.  🤔

Have you updated the firmware?

Do you share the handset between your different scopes?  I have experienced some settings reverting to defaults if I swap between the StarSense and non-StarSense handsets. I think each new pairing of handset and scope might reset things to default.

Oh yes, firmware updated and checked regularly. 

No, Cubs and Celeste have their own handcontrollers. 

This is defs not an issue restricted to my hand controller as Celeste's Star Sense hand controller does the same thing, plus Ian's post below. For a long while I just accepted it as an idiosyncrasy  of the OTA but it's great now knowing what the real cause was. I estimate I may have wasted as much as half an hour each session in total time waiting for Cubs to take the long way home.

Edited October 10, 2020 by StarGazingSiouxsie

[globular]

As you say, now you know you can work around it. And we all can too now we know 👍

However, if you can get this in front of someone at Celestron then they will fix it in a firmware update - the difficulty is getting their attention.

When I got my 60th Anniversary Edition and noticed that there was no way to see the battery charge status (because the LED is blocked on this version and the StarSense handset provided didn't have a way to view it either) I managed to get a route to Celestron via the UK distributor (Hinds) and they have since provided a firmware update (Version 1.20.20244) that adds the Peripheral Menu (where the battery status can be viewed) to the StarSense handset.

It's got to be worth a try.

Edited October 11, 2020 by globular
30th corrected to 60th

[StarGazingSiouxsie]

24 minutes ago, globular said:

As you say, now you know you can work around it. And we all can too now we know 👍

However, if you can get this in front of someone at Celestron then they will fix it in a firmware update - the difficulty is getting their attention.

When I got my 30th Anniversary Edition and noticed that there was no way to see the battery charge status (because the LED is blocked on this version and the StarSense handset provided didn't have a way to view it either) I managed to get a route to Celestron via the UK distributor (Hinds) and they have since provided a firmware update (Version 1.20.20244) that adds the Peripheral Menu (where the battery status can be viewed) to the StarSense handset.

It's got to be worth a try.

Oh, you have the 60th Anniversary limited edition, too?! I think  it's the best looking, most elegant telescope every produced by anybody! 

I raised exactly the same issue with Celestron. In the end, I had to purchase a separate Nexstar hand controller  (as it didn't come with one) just to be able to access the Peripherals menu. Well done for getting that done!!! 

I must have missed the 20244 update by literally days., I try and check for updates about once a month.

Thanks to you, I've just updated both Celeste's and Cubs' hand controllers! It will be a lot easier now being able to check Celeste's power status without having to get the NexStar hand controller out. so thanks! 

[globular]

Now you’ve updated your StarSense handset and no longer need to swap between it and the NexStar handset I recommend you check again if you still get the issue with CordWrap. I could be wrong but I have the feeling that changing handsets is resetting the Cordwrap setting and once you stick to the same StarSense handset the setting will stick.

Yes I have anniversary edition and I love it!

Edited October 11, 2020 by globular

[StarGazingSiouxsie]

45 minutes ago, globular said:

Now you’ve updated your StarSense handset and no longer need to swap between it and the NexStar handset I recommend you check again if you still get the issue with CordWrap. I could be wrong but I have the feeling that changing handsets is resetting the Cordwrap setting and once you stick to the same StarSense handset the setting will stick.

Yes I have anniversary edition and I love it!

The Cordwrap issue is nothing to do with changing hand controllers nor updating them   

I'm getting the issue with Cubble, my CPC1100 for which I never use the Nextsar handset. But I'm also getting the same issue with Celeste, the 8" Evolution when I use her Star Sense hand controller. 

Edited October 11, 2020 by StarGazingSiouxsie

[globular]

Fair enough. 

I’ll stick with SkySafari where I don’t get the issue. If I ever go back to the hand controller and get the issue I’ll no doubt make a fuss with Celestron and maybe get lucky again and they’ll fix it.

[StarGazingSiouxsie]

8 minutes ago, globular said:

Fair enough. 

I’ll stick with SkySafari where I don’t get the issue. If I ever go back to the hand controller and get the issue I’ll no doubt make a fuss with Celestron and maybe get lucky again and they’ll fix it.

Tbh, 

I know someone who has wrtitten a few books about Celestron telescopes and he's been bringing known faults to Celestron's attention for years now and has been largely ignored. Same with the Star Sense manual - people have been telling Celestron for years now that there are fundamental errors within it but Celestron have not updated the manual. Which makes their more recent update of the Star Sense hand controller to now include 'Peripherals' alll the more remarkable.

For me, I'm just relieved that I now know why Cubs was taking the long route for so many gotos. It's just another step I'll build into the alignment routine - switch Cordwrap to 'Off' immediately following successful alignment. 

Edited October 11, 2020 by StarGazingSiouxsie

[globular]

Agreed.

One more thing before I stop bugging you with this;  is the cordwrap OFF while it’s aligning and it sets itself to ON when it’s finished? Or is it ON while aligning and you find it convenient to turn if OFF when you do?

It’s not a big deal but the alignment will probably be faster with cordwrap OFF - depending on your orientation.

[StarGazingSiouxsie]

14 minutes ago, globular said:

Agreed.

One more thing before I stop bugging you with this;  is the cordwrap OFF while it’s aligning and it sets itself to ON when it’s finished? Or is it ON while aligning and you find it convenient to turn if OFF when you do?

It’s not a big deal but the alignment will probably be faster with cordwrap OFF - depending on your orientation.

No bugging here  

What seems to happen when using the Star Sense controller is this - you power up your mount, do your time / date / location checks and even check that 'Cordwrap' is set to 'Off'. After the alignment though, the hand controller gremlins reset 'Cordwrap' to 'On'. The good news is that when it's switched back to 'Off', it stays off, at least until the next alignment. I haven't yet checked to see if this issue also happens when adding an Alignment Reference (IE following the main alignment and having switched 'Cordwrap' to 'Off') I hope not, but I'll check next time I'm out. 

Edited October 11, 2020 by StarGazingSiouxsie

[globular]

Okay, so it’s OFF the whole time with your manual step after alignment. About as good as you can get with the hand controllers. 👌

[StarGazingSiouxsie]

You can test / prove this is happening inside without having to align the telescope outside. 

Just power up the telescope indoors, and check that 'Cordwrap' is set to 'Off'. 

Level the OTA, point it to north (although you don't have to - the telescope just assumes you are pointing north for 'Quick Align' although the Star Sense manual does not tell you this) select 'Quick Align' and then you are aligned.

Check 'Cordwrap' and you'll find it's been reset to 'On'.

Edited October 11, 2020 by StarGazingSiouxsie

[Shimrod]

6 hours ago, StarGazingSiouxsie said:

Tbh, 

I know someone who has wrtitten a few books about Celestron telescopes and he's been bringing known faults to Celestron's attention for years now and has been largely ignored. Same with the Star Sense manual - people have been telling Celestron for years now that there are fundamental errors within it but Celestron have not updated the manual. Which makes their more recent update of the Star Sense hand controller to now include 'Peripherals' alll the more remarkable.

For me, I'm just relieved that I now know why Cubs was taking the long route for so many gotos. It's just another step I'll build into the alignment routine - switch Cordwrap to 'Off' immediately following successful alignment. 

I would suggest raising this at Team Celestron - it provides direct contact with the software and firmware developers - and some very responsive fixes to bugs. It also provides access to beta versions of software and firmware as they come out. You need to register on the website and wait a day or two to be approved before you can post.       

[Starwatcher2001]

Blimey, you're right. Your little test sequence produces the same results on my 9.25 Evo. (Handset firmware 1.20.20162  Jun 11 2020).

I've never noticed as I use SkySafari which is better behaved.

Good bit of Sluthing Siouxie.