APT not seeing my mount after puter had a fit!

[simmo39]

Hi all, I have been using APT for a few years now and all was working fine till yesterday. My poter had a little fit while loading APT and I lost all my settings in APT, at first I thought I had recovered some of it but on set up last night I couldnt get the mount to be seen by APT or PHD2. It workrs fine with the handset ( I dont use that often ) and if I select the sim mount in APT it finds that ok. Im wondering if my lead to the mount has gone or am I missing something else? Im using a Lynx Astro FTDI EQDIR cable, as said that has worked fine for a few years and wasnt connected when the potter had its fit.

Thanks in advance.

[Dr_Ju_ju]

In Device Manager what port does the EQDir cable think it is ?  and is this the same port that EQMod Ascom Setup is set to use ?

[simmo39]

11 minutes ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

In Device Manager what port does the EQDir cable think it is ?  and is this the same port that EQMod Ascom Setup is set to use ?

Hi Dr ju ju, Im not the best with poters but I think I have found the port number in Device Manager but am having problems finding it in EQMod at the moment.

[simmo39]

Still no luck, have removed all software and reloaded still the same.

[Dr_Ju_ju]

in APT, in the GEAR tab, if you "shift click" the connect  button, you should be prompted with the setup window for "EQMod Ascom Setup" i.e.

Clicking on Properties should bring up something like :

make sure the right port is selected....

 

[simmo39]

8 minutes ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

in APT, in the GEAR tab, if you "shift click" the connect  button, you should be prompted with the setup window for "EQMod Ascom Setup" i.e.

Clicking on Properties should bring up something like :

make sure the right port is selected....

 

Hi, when i do that i get ab long msg saying, failed to load driver eqmod telescope and then loads of stuff i cant make head or tail of. 

[Dr_Ju_ju]

so have you installed the driver for your LynxAstro cable ?? 

[simmo39]

6 minutes ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

so have you installed the driver for your LynxAstro cable ?? 

Yep, i have. just to make sure going to check it again.

[Dr_Ju_ju]

While you're in device manager, make sure the USB Serial Port (COM_x) is using the correct driver i.e.

 

right-clicking & selecting Properties / Driver i.e. (note for me this is my setup as I make my own adaptors and so use standard FTDI drivers.)

 

 

 

[simmo39]

Hi, when i go to device manager i dont have anything sayig ports. I do have one saying universal serial bus controllers? 

[simmo39]

Hi found it and it looks for the best driver and still the same. It also says its working fine.

[simmo39]

Just got another laptop and loaded APT, ascom and eqmod onto it. mount will not connect. just to make sure loaded PHD2 and mount will not connect. Im wondering if the serial converter cable is not working although it does say it ok when the poter tests it.

[simmo39]

Hi again, just loaded NINA on the laptop, still the same. works fine with the vSIM but wont connect to my mount. really at a loss here. Anybody got any ideas what to do? im no poter expert sio it has to be simple. lol

[malc-c]

If  when you connected the handset  it reported "no response both axis" then that would mean the micro-controllers on the motor board in the mount may have been blown.  As the handset connects and you can control the scope with it then this rules out a physical issue with the mount.

One simple test to check communication with the mount is to download the mount firmware updating application.  Connect the EQDIR cable between the mount and the computer, load the application and then ensure the option to auto detect the serial port is checked, and then scan for the mount.  The software should then display the current firmware of the motor board once it's found the port and communicated with the mount.  If it reports no mount found then this would suggest either the EQDIR cable is faulty, the USB port on the laptop is faulty or the drivers for either or both have an issue.  The fact you've tried two machines, with fresh install of drivers, and nothing will talk to the mount suggests to me its the EQDIR cable that is at fault.  

The only way to confirm that is to part with another £30 or so and purchase a replacement EQDIR cable

 

 

[simmo39]

14 minutes ago, malc-c said:

If  when you connected the handset  it reported "no response both axis" then that would mean the micro-controllers on the motor board in the mount may have been blown.  As the handset connects and you can control the scope with it then this rules out a physical issue with the mount.

One simple test to check communication with the mount is to download the mount firmware updating application.  Connect the EQDIR cable between the mount and the computer, load the application and then ensure the option to auto detect the serial port is checked, and then scan for the mount.  The software should then display the current firmware of the motor board once it's found the port and communicated with the mount.  If it reports no mount found then this would suggest either the EQDIR cable is faulty, the USB port on the laptop is faulty or the drivers for either or both have an issue.  The fact you've tried two machines, with fresh install of drivers, and nothing will talk to the mount suggests to me its the EQDIR cable that is at fault.  

The only way to confirm that is to part with another £30 or so and purchase a replacement EQDIR cable

 

 

Hi, i have tried another cable and its not that, the handset works the mount fine and the laptop says the connection to the eddir cable is ok. Im at a real loss at whats wrong or what im missing in set up. going to try it with another laptop again just to see Im not going mad.

[malc-c]

Just to clarify / recap:

* Using the sysnscan handset works 

* on PC1 all the software and drivers install without error, device manager shows the EQDIR as a COM port and the baud rate set in the properties is set to 9600

* on PC1 with the same EQDIR cable installed opening up EQASCOM TOOLBOX and selecting the same COM port results in a communications error

* you have tried a second EQDIR cable on PC1

* you have tried a fresh install on PC2 using the original EQDIR cable

* you have tried the second EQDIR cable on the fresh install and that too fails to communicate with the mount

 

[malc-c]

Can you confirm that the port settings in the properties is the same as that set in EQASCOM (ignore the CH340 reference I've plugged in an Arduino just for illustration purposes  )

 

 

[simmo39]

1 hour ago, malc-c said:

Can you confirm that the port settings in the properties is the same as that set in EQASCOM (ignore the CH340 reference I've plugged in an Arduino just for illustration purposes  )

 

 

Hi Malc-c, not sure how i did it but we seem to have a working mount! thanks for the help, i was about to go for a good cry! lol.

[malc-c]

Great, so what did you change

[simmo39]

33 minutes ago, malc-c said:

Great, so what did you change

Im not realy sure, I had the right com/port but i did try a load of Baud settings and I think one of those hit the right spot. I will have to wait till I get a clear night that i can play with it propperly. I have swiched to NINA so that will be another learning curve but from what i have done with it so far it seems just about idiot proof! we will see.

[Dr_Ju_ju]

If you can get permission, & have space inside your house somewhere, you should be able to test your setup with different software\hardware configurations etc. just won't be able to get pretty pictures etc.... 

[simmo39]

12 hours ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

If you can get permission, & have space inside your house somewhere, you should be able to test your setup with different software\hardware configurations etc. just won't be able to get pretty pictures etc.... 

I had a quick play in the front room and it seems to be playing. hopefully next night out it will all work again.