Problems getting my mount to connect to the laptop (AZ EQ6 GT)

[tich]

Hi everyone.
I've had my AZ EQ6 GT a while now but weirdly I cannot get it to connect to the laptop so I can use ASCOM, EQ MOD etc, I've got a HITEC astro lead to connect the mount to the laptop but I get nothing yet when I try the same laptop & lead to an HEQ5 it works pretty much straight away with no issues. The mount I have is the older type without the USB lead so I'm having to use the lead that plugs into the handset port. If anyone has any ideas on what I'm doing wrong or whether there's something else I need to download then that would be great as I'm at my wits end here.

[almcl]

This may not be the issue at all, but check to see which Com port the AZ EQ6 is being assigned to when it is plugged in.  Is it the same one as the HEQ5? 

I *think* Windows recognizes the cable rather than the mount, so it should be the same, but worth a check? 

[bottletopburly]

Is the lead fdti type or the old trouble some type chips .

[Martin Meredith]

I found that I had to update the drivers (for the cable) to get my AZ EQ6 to talk to my laptop using EQMod. This is with the Lynx Astro cable.

Martin

 

[tich]

This is the lead I have pictured below it works great with an HEQ5 but not the AZ EQ6 I'll try downloading some drivers from the Hitec astro site to see if it helps.
The laptop doesn't recognise the mount at all when plugged in which makes me wonder if the mount needs to be set to EQ mode somehow so the laptop see's it but I can't see how that can be done.

[Dr_Ju_ju]

Even with the older type mount, it's what I have, don't connect via the handset (and putting it into PC direct mode), plug it directly into the port that the handset plugs into....

[tich]

I do connect the mount directly rather via the handset but it still doesn't work sorry should have explained this better, I've downloaded the drivers from Hitec astro but clueless on how you're supposed to install them apart from the USB driver.

[Dr_Ju_ju]

In "Device Manager", under "Ports (COM & LPT)", if you right click & select properties, what does the HitecAstro show as the manufacturer ?   

I make my own adaptors using either the newer Prolific chipsets or the FTDI chipset, and so load hardware drivers appropriate for those chipsets.  

[StevieDvd]

From what you've said above the same lead/laptop combination should work on both mounts. The HEQ5 is purely an eq type whereas the AZ EQ6 can be eq and Az, so that begs the question what software you are using to connect and if there is a different mount option to detect the mode of the AZ EQ6.

Other than that does the lead click in nicely in the handset port on both mounts? Check for fluff etc.

[tich]

Hi sorry for the delay in replying this is what I get when I plug the cable into the pc;



I get exactly the same message when plugged into the imaging laptop & I'd imagine I'll get the same with the mini PC that will be set up in the observatory at some point although I haven't tested that yet, as for software I use Ascom EQ MOD Cartes Du Ciel although I'd like to use NINA at some point.
I've downloaded the drivers required but still it doesn't connect & all I get is the same message & I've even run the check chip version which came part of the PL2303 drivers & on COM 1 I get the message no PL2303 chip the other COM ports fail, the lead itself does click in the mounts just fine so it's baffling me completely......

 

[StevieDvd]

There used to be a link to the old driver somewhere on FLO but a quick google came up with this https://vk3tbs.home.blog/2019/10/11/usb-device-error

Basicaly, the newer drivers reject old prolic chips en masse to stop the fake chips this includes some genuine ones too. If you can revert to the old driver then it should work. The less hassle route is to buy a new cable that uses FTDI drivers.

[tich]

I've tried to look for older drivers but I'm coming up with nothing apart from links taken to a dodgey site or nothing at all so I've bit the bullet & ordered a new Lynx cable from FLO, fingers crossed it will sort out the issue I'll update this thread with more info when I get to test it. It's weird as it worked fine with an HEQ5 but not the AZ EQ 6.

[malc-c]

When I built the observatory ten years back I naturally kept all the drivers and software as I have an old adaptor that uses the same chipset (even 64 bit) - Try this, hopefully it will resolve the issue

PL2303_64bit_Installer.zip

[tich]

So an update on the cables the Lynx Astro arrived from FLO yesterday & true to their word the cloud had arrived too;



But when I plugged in that cable it refused to work too even after downloading the drivers for it, EQ ASCOM couldn't find it so I went back the the HITEC astro cable removed the drivers on the system rebooted it aaaaand it works, you really can't make this stuff up can you lol.
I'm sure the Lynx cable will work it's just an oversight from me somewhere but it does frustrate me at times.

[malc-c]

Just to confirm you have downloaded the FTDI drivers from  here ?  and run the setup exe to pre install the driver ready for when the cable is plugged in ?  - If so then try the following;

Boot the PC up and open up device manager.  When you plug the Lynx cable in, can you confirm windows reacts and adds the device under the port section ?  If your laptop / PC isn't detecting new hardware then first try a manual scan by highlighting "user-PC" and then click on Action > Scan for hardware changes.  If that fails there is an option to manually install as a legacy device. 

Browse to the installation folder for the FTDI driver and confirm that the ftdiport.inf file is present.  If there is then open Device manager and highlight "user PC and from the Action option select "add legacy hardware" then Next >  change option to "install manually" > Next > Scroll down to PORTS > Next  > Then click "Have disk" > in the pop up navigate to the folder containing the driver that was downloaded and select the ftdiport.inf file, and hit open... you may get another window confirming the device to be installed, click Next  and all being well it should install the driver and add the com port to windows.

However if you have access to a second PC, before you try the legacy route, try plugging in the cable into the other PC - If that too fails to detect the hardware then there could be a possibility that the supplied cable is faulty and contacting FLO to obtain a replacement is advisable

 

[StevieDvd]

Try the Lynx one again as you have now rebooted.

Messing  around with usb drivers does tend to be a hit & miss affair if you don't reboot, it needs to remove the driver in use before it can load the replacement one.

[malc-c]

On 19/08/2021 at 09:16, tich said:

So an update on the cables the Lynx Astro arrived from FLO yesterday 
But when I plugged in that cable it refused to work too even after downloading the drivers for it, EQ ASCOM couldn't find it so I went back the the HITEC astro cable removed the drivers on the system rebooted it aaaaand it works, you really can't make this stuff up can you lol.
I'm sure the Lynx cable will work it's just an oversight from me somewhere but it does frustrate me at times.

Any update... have you managed to get it working ?

[tich]

Hi sorry for the delay I've currently spent the afternoon getting an HEQ5 connected to the laptop via the Lynx Astro cable & managed to get it to work, all I had to do was look in the device manager after all the drivers were installed & see the com port 8 was selected so I did the same in EQMOD & it connected straight away. When I get home I shall try it on the AZ EQ6 GT & fingers crossed it will work on there too, as I'm not at home right now that won't be until Monday at the earliest. But should it work that will be both cables working now so one can stay in the observatory & the other I can use at star parties which hopefully we will be able to attend to more over the coming year or so.
We've also managed to connect an ATIK 314L & the mount to NINA so that's another slippery slope we'll need to learn hopefully it won't be to painful, thanks for all your help I'll update the thread as soon as I try it on the AZ mount.

[tich]

Hmmm I thought I'd already posted that the cables work on the AZ EQ6 GT but I guess I didn't anyway I'm pleased to report that the Lynx astro & Hitec astro cables both connect to the mount perfectly now so one will be in the observatory while the other I'll use when out in the field.
Thanks all for your help.