USB on the new EQ5 Pro Motor Control Box

[DanLXIX]

I had to replace my old motor control box just before Christmas, and the new one has a USB socket on it. I've been using the WiFI adapter for a while so I didn't put any effort into exploring this, but it would actually be useful to be able to be online at the same time as controlling the mount so I thought I'd try plugging it in - the PC doesn't recognise anything on the USB when I do.

Now I haven't checked another cable because I don't actually have another one and I don't have any other USB A connected equipment to test the cable, so before I go chasing this down a deeper hole has anyone successfully connected one of these new boxes with USB?

[Dr_Ju_ju]

1st off, does "device manger" manger recognise that something had been plugged in ??  if so you will probably need to install some drivers for the PC to properly recognise the mount.... 

Also I suspect, as the WiFi is active, that it will need to be disabled before the USB port becomes active ??   

[DanLXIX]

Yeah, Wi-Fi was unplugged when I tested and the device manager doesn't see a thing when you plug it in. 

I also ran the Synscan app but that didn't see anything, which is not surprising given device manager couldn't either. 

[Cosmic Geoff]

I have a Synscan V5 handset which has a USB port in it, but there is a USB-to serial adapter inside the handset, so before you can connect up the handset with a USAB A-B cable, you need to install a Prolific chipset driver for the Usb-serial, which in turn requires the ASCOM platform to be installed first.   I speculate that the new port on the box has the same issue.

The handset port should show up in Device Manager, but with an indication that it needs a driver. 

[malc-c]

From discussions with members who were considering replacing / repairing synscan units the newer versions with USB ports actually use ARM microcontrollers that don't appear to have any USB- Serial chipset such as the prolific convertors in the PCB.  Whilst there is an "ASCOM" driver for the V5 handsets, nothing exists for the newer mounts, so my guess would be that the handling of the USB comms is part of the mounts firmware.

I could be wrong as I've not examined a new board first hand... and this has been based on images of a new board

From what I've read connecting a USB lead should cause device manager to display the connection as a Comport and this need setting to 115000 baud rate rather than 9600 when using an EQDIR cable on an older version of these units.  It may be worth the OP contacting the retailer for some advice, and if it is of the opinion that the module is faulty it can be replaced under warranty

 

[malc-c]

Been googling around and it may be unique to the new EQ6 mounts with USB, but device manager does indeed register a prolific chipset....so it might be worth downloading the prolific chipset  from here plugging the USB lead in with the mount powered up and seeing if it detects the mount.  If it does change the  driver settings to 115000 baud and see if EQMOD can communicate with the mount

[DanLXIX]

Thank you Malc, I'll take a look at that this weekend and see what happens. 

[DanLXIX]

Well I didn't get a result with the drivers from Skywatcher - device manager saw the mount but with an error, but I went and got the latest Prolific drivers and after a baud change and a reboot, all is working.

EDIT: I should add that I tested it via the Synscan Pro app. I haven't been using EQMOD because I was connected on the WiFi module, but I'm now going to explore that.

Edited April 23, 2021 by DanLXIX
Added edit

[malc-c]

Excellent..  The issue is that Microsoft totally re-wrote the kernel (the core code) with windows 10, and this meant all the vendors for any product had to re-write their drivers.  Prolific didn't do that, so MS basically gives you a warning stating the support for that driver ended in 2012.  The thing is, either Prolific have had a change of heart over the years as so many devices with their 2302 chipset became obsolete, and have now produced a win10 compliant driver, or MS have built in support for legacy windows 7 drivers and not told people !

Anyway, glad you have it sorted.

[DanLXIX]

Maybe I should have also said that I downloaded the driver from here and the date on the driver is March 21 so I would say Prolific are keeping it up to date.