Az EQ6 motor controller firmware upgrade

[Richard136]

I can find the instructions for upgrading the hand controller, but not the motor controllers.

What am I missing ?

[malc-c]

The firmware and the PC application can be found on the Skywatcher website here

Basically you connect the mount to the computer via one of three ways depending on the mount 

• Via wi-fi is the mount supports this option, and / or you use a wifi dongle or BT enabled EQDIR connector
• An EQDIR cable or USB cable (some mounts have an EQDIR cable built in so a standard USB A- B cable is all that is needed)
• Via the handset using a serial cable / USB to serial adapter, with the handset connected to the mount and in PC-DIRECT mode

Either way the computer will see a new COM port under device manager (windows), which should be detected by the firmware uploader application.  You then navigate to the downloaded binary hex file that is the firmware and click on the upload button.  The software will communicate with the mount, and if established begins the process to upload the motor controllers firmware.  Takes around a couple of minutes.

[Richard136]

Thanks

I did the handset upgrade but it wasn't connected to the mount at the time. Guess that's what iwas missing

[malc-c]

40 minutes ago, Richard136 said:

Thanks

I did the handset upgrade but it wasn't connected to the mount at the time. Guess that's what iwas missing

🤔 - so if its not connected, how did you think it would get updated ?

[Richard136]

I'm not as daft as I probably sounded in that last post!

The instructions say do the HS upgrade in a stand alone way (done, and it works). 

I couldn't find any instructions for the MC upgrade. Wasn't sure whether you connected the mount directly or via the HS.

[malc-c]

LOL I did wonder

Yeah the procedure is not really well documented in the SW site

[Ouroboros]

I’m using a Mac so assume I’m scuppered on this. 

[malc-c]

13 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

I’m using a Mac so assume I’m scuppered on this. 

Well and truly !! - seems they only produce the software to update the firmware to run on the windows platform

[Ouroboros]

Do I need to bother. I mean my mount has worked ok for 6 years or so! 

[malc-c]

If it aint broke .....

I know that some of the newer mounts had tracking issues so they've released several revisions to fix that... but for older mounts I can't see the reason to... The version for most older mounts is circa 2018

The drawback is SW don't list what fixes or enhancements the revisions address