HEQ5 PRO Syn Scan PC Control

[centroid]

Am I "not seeing the wood for the trees" here" ?

I have a new HEQ5 Pro Syn Scan mount but am struggling to get it to "Talk" to the PC. Unlike back in my previous astro imaging days, when I used an NEQ6, which of course had an RS232 input, the HEQ5 connects the to the PC via a usb connection on the handset.

I assume that the mount is still RS232, and the RS232 to USB interface is contained within the handset, hence it having a USB B socket.

I have all of the relevant ASCOM software installed, including EQMOD. If I run the diagnostics function, it reports that there are no ports available.

Within Cart Du Ciel, the scope is configured as ASCOM, and when I 'click' on 'connect telescope, the ASCOM control panel briefly (1 second) flashes up, and then disappears.

Am I missing something here, or just having a "senior moment" 😅

Edited August 24, 2021 by centroid

[centroid]

UPDATE:- I can now get the ASCOM control panel to show, in Cart du Ciel,  by assigning it to a non existent Com Port. ASCOM/EQMOD list Ports COM 1 to 16, which of course are RS232 Ports, and do not exist on a modern PC, it being USB 2 and USB 3 only.

Edited August 24, 2021 by centroid

[Dr_Ju_ju]

Correct, you are seeing the "wood for the trees"....  yes you are connecting using USB ports, but your OS/drivers/et al  interpret them as COM ports or any other type of port, as required....

So, even though you are plugging into a USB port, in device manager (Windows), they will show up as "Ports (COM & LPT)" .... (LPT=Line Printer) and I bet you may never have seen one of those !! 

[City9Town0]

I followed this... and it worked for me.

https://www.lightvortexastronomy.com/tutorial-setting-up-an-equatorial-mount-on-ascom-with-eqmod-stellarium-and-cartes-du-ciel.html

Edited August 24, 2021 by City9Town0

[centroid]

47 minutes ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

Correct, you are seeing the "wood for the trees"....  yes you are connecting using USB ports, but your OS/drivers/et al  interpret them as COM ports or any other type of port, as required....

So, even though you are plugging into a USB port, in device manager (Windows), they will show up as "Ports (COM & LPT)" .... (LPT=Line Printer) and I bet you may never have seen one of those !! 

Oh yes, I have seen COM 7 LPT ports, as I grew up long before the age of the PC  🙂. My first computer was a ZX81, and then I progressed to building my own PCs to my own spec, until it became more convenient, and no more expensive to buy "off the shelf". 

My PC, for astro use, is an i5 based laptop, running Win 10. Device Manager shows only USB Ports, and as expected, no COM or LPT ports.

I am sure the today's Skywatcher mounts are still RS232 control based, and of course PCs with COM and LPT ports, are now confined to the antiques market. 🙂

The HEQ5 Pro Syn Scan mount that I now have, has an RJ45 socket for the handset input, whereas my NEQ6 had a nine pin 'D' type RS232 connection. Assigning a coms port was easy with the old PC, which had both COM and LPT ports. This was pensioned off and scrapped when I gave up astro imaging back in 2014.

So, back to the here and now, I have a PC that has only USB ports, and a mount that is RS232. As I understand it, the USB to RS232 interface is built into the handset, which has a usb input socket. However, it still won't "talk" to the mount, via the ASCOM Platform Plus EQMOD, and yes they a Registered with the OS, and the relevant drivers installed.

EQMOD runs as a stand alone Platform, but will not communicate with the HEQ5, because it can't see a Port via which to do so.

 

 

[centroid]

51 minutes ago, City9Town0 said:

I followed this... and it worked for me.

https://www.lightvortexastronomy.com/tutorial-setting-up-an-equatorial-mount-on-ascom-with-eqmod-stellarium-and-cartes-du-ciel.html

I have seen that, and read trough it, but couldn't find a answer to the problem. I will read through it again, in case I missed something.

[M40]

As I understand it, there are two methods of connecting the HEQ5 to a pc, the first is direct connection between pc and mount using an ftdi eqdir cable and the second is connecting via the synscan handset. If you are connecting with the handset in the system, the handset must be set to pc direct mode. This is found within the utility menu of the handset. Once set, hit the find com port in eqmod and it should...... allegedly .... find the port. Hope it helps.

[Dr_Ju_ju]

Personally, I wouldn't use the handset, but just plug the AstroEQ cable(https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/lynx-astro-ftdi-eqdir-usb-adapter-for-sky-watcher-eq5-pro-heq5-syntrek-pro-az-eq5-gt-az-eq6-gt-and-eq8-mounts.html), or whatever brand you are using, directly into the port, on the mount instead of the handset..... 

then put the handset away in a draw & forget about it !!

[M40]

1 minute ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

Personally, I wouldn't use the handset, but just plug the AstroEQ cable(https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/lynx-astro-ftdi-eqdir-usb-adapter-for-sky-watcher-eq5-pro-heq5-syntrek-pro-az-eq5-gt-az-eq6-gt-and-eq8-mounts.html), or whatever brand you are using, directly into the port, on the mount instead of the handset..... 

then put the handset away in a draw & forget about it !!

I must admit that I leave the handset in the chain as I use the handset to carry out star alignment. 

[Dr_Ju_ju]

But if you are using computer control, then the alignment routines in software like Sharpcap, are far better, imho....

[M40]

7 minutes ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

But if you are using computer control, then the alignment routines in software like Sharpcap, are far better, imho....

Not going to disagree with that, I have downloaded sharpcap but never used it, my excuse is baby steps.....

[centroid]

14 minutes ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

Personally, I wouldn't use the handset, but just plug the AstroEQ cable(https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/lynx-astro-ftdi-eqdir-usb-adapter-for-sky-watcher-eq5-pro-heq5-syntrek-pro-az-eq5-gt-az-eq6-gt-and-eq8-mounts.html), or whatever brand you are using, directly into the port, on the mount instead of the handset..... 

then put the handset away in a draw & forget about it !!

That is the eventual intention, but at the moment just 'playing' with it indoors, to make sure everything is functioning as it should, then I will not be using the handset.

[City9Town0]

+1 for not using the handset.

[Priesters]

Sounds like you know a lot more about PC’s / Coms ports than I do but have you changed the ‘Baud rate’ in EQMOD which I think you need to do if connecting via USB?  Personally I use the EQDIR cable referenced previously plugged in to where the hand controller used to go and use a wireless gamepad controller for basic hand controller movements. This YouTube goes through setting up via USB.  Sorry if I’m telling you things you already know.

 

[centroid]

39 minutes ago, M40 said:

As I understand it, there are two methods of connecting the HEQ5 to a pc, the first is direct connection between pc and mount using an ftdi eqdir cable and the second is connecting via the synscan handset. If you are connecting with the handset in the system, the handset must be set to pc direct mode. This is found within the utility menu of the handset. Once set, hit the find com port in eqmod and it should...... allegedly .... find the port. Hope it helps.

Yep, tried the PC Direct via the handset, and that's a no-go. I guess I will have to forget this option, unless I can find the answer as I'm running out of both options, and patience.

[centroid]

12 minutes ago, Priesters said:

Sounds like you know a lot more about PC’s / Coms ports than I do but have you changed the ‘Baud rate’ in EQMOD which I think you need to do if connecting via USB?  Personally I use the EQDIR cable referenced previously plugged in to where the hand controller used to go and use a wireless gamepad controller for basic hand controller movements. This YouTube goes through setting up via USB.  Sorry if I’m telling you things you already know.

 

No not at all, all suggestions are welcome. The basic problem is that EQMOD cannot see the mount, let alone "talk" to it. I guess I am going have to obtain the relevant cable, to prove that the PC will actually "talk" to the mount, and that its not a fault with the Mount's firmware. It is brand new, straight out of the box, and untested.

[Priesters]

If it’s any comfort mine is a new Mount too and, so far,  I have only connected via the USB port on the Mount using the SynScan Pro driver/app. A bit like you I couldn’t get it to talk via EQMOD so I gave up as I already had an EQDIR cable.  I’ve just used that since and not gone back to trying to solve the problem.  

[tomato]

To see Com Ports in Device Manager in Windows 10 you should select “Show hidden devices” in the View menu.

They are there, why Windows 10 hides them by default beats me.

[M40]

Let me point you in the direction of this topic....

Having a quick look through it, it could simply be when you are connecting the usb cable to the handset. Do the useual without the usb cable connected, then switch the handset to pc direct mode, at that point connect the usb cable and do a search for the port in setup eqascom. When you have found the port in setup eqascom, then start eqmod.

 

[david_taurus83]

I don't know what the USB port on the handset does but you either need a serial to USB adapter and connect via the handset in PC Mode or you ditch the handset and get the EQDir cable. The Lynx Astro ones are the best ones. They just work.

[StevieDvd]

If you have one of the newer HEQ5 mounts there may be a USB port underneath the handset port. This was added by Skywatcher to allow a direct connection via a USB cable to out PC/Mac etc using a simple USB printer cable. If you have this try plugging a cable in to PC & mount whilst monitoring the Com ports in the device manager. If it activates I believe the speed for the baud rate used is 115200 - new chip uses faster baud rate than older 9600 ones.

The usb port on the handset is used for firmware updates but again you can check this by plugging in the lead and monitoring the devices  - and again probably uses the faster baud rate.

Most eqmod cables with the serial/usb chip in use 9600 baud as default.

 

Check the latest manuals for the use of the USB port on the handset, a lot of us only used the previous rj style handsets.

Edited August 24, 2021 by StevieDvd

[centroid]

1 hour ago, david_taurus83 said:

I don't know what the USB port on the handset does but you either need a serial to USB adapter and connect via the handset in PC Mode or you ditch the handset and get the EQDir cable. The Lynx Astro ones are the best ones. They just work.

I am assuming that there is serial to USB interface within the handset, as there must be  logical reason why  Skywatcher fit a USB B socket  to the handset. I do intend to get an EQDIR cable when I deploy the mount outside, but I was hoping to test the link to Cart du Ciel via the handset, as a starting point. The irony is, back in my previous astro days, I used my make up my own interface cables, to tailor made lengths. I still have the connectors, and the crimping tool for fitting them, but not the cable. I'm sure that the Lynx is a good cable, but well overpriced IMO. There are several on Amazon, around £10+ cheaper, but I don't know if they are good or bad. 

Edited August 24, 2021 by centroid
Typo

[StevieDvd]

1 minute ago, centroid said:

I am assuming that there is serial to USB interface within the handset, as there must be  logical reason why why Skywatcher fit a USB B socket  to the handset. I do intend to get an EQDIR cable when I deploy the mount outside, but I was hoping to test the link to Cart du Ciel via the handset, as a starting point. The irony is, back in my previous astro days, I used my make up my own interface cables, to tailor made lengths. I still have the connectors, and the crimping tool for fitting them, but not the cable. I'm sure that the Lynx is a good cable, but well overpriced IMO. There are several on Amazon, around £10+ cheaper, but I don't know if they are good or bad. 

If the standard USB printer cable works the only downside is that the cable does not click in. I expect someone will have designed a 3d print to solve that.

[centroid]

4 minutes ago, StevieDvd said:

If you have one of the newer HEQ5 mounts there may be a USB port underneath the handset port. This was added by Skywatcher to allow a direct connection via a USB cable to out PC/Mac etc using a simple USB printer cable. If you have this try plugging a cable in to PC & mount whilst monitoring the Com ports in the device manager. If it activates I believe the speed for the baud rate used is 115200 - new chip uses faster baud rate than older 9600 ones.

The usb port on the handset is used for firmware updates but again you can check this by plugging in the lead and monitoring the devices  - and again probably uses the faster baud rate.

Most eqmod cables with the serial/usb chip in use 9600 baud as default.

 

Check the latest manuals for the use of the USB port on the handset, a lot of us only used the previous rj style handsets.

It is the newer version with the USB socket on the handset, but it refuses to "talk" to Cart du Cie or any other similar programs, no matter what I try, so I can only assume that it is for firmware updates only.

[Cornelius Varley]

6 minutes ago, centroid said:

I am assuming that there is serial to USB interface within the handset, as there must be  logical reason why  Skywatcher fit a USB B socket  to the handset

Not that long ago people complained that the handset didn't have a USB port and required a serial/USB adapter.