Skywatcher EQ3 Pro mount control question

[dazzystar]

Hi All,

My EQ3 Pro has both a handset and control box, both of which have a USB port on them. If I connect my PC with a USB to the handset I can control it via ASCOM and Stellarium. Can I do the same if I plug the USB cable directly in to the control box USB port doing away with the need for the handset to be connected?

Cheers

Daz

[malc-c]

Yes, if the mount has its own USB port then you can use a USB A-B cable to directly connect the mount to a PC and then use ASCOM and software such as EQMOD or GSServer to control the mount.  The mount will show up on a windows PC as a new COM port, and you will need to change the default settings from 9600 baud speed to 115200 in order for it to work.  This is well documented on the forum.  When connected via USB you should disconnect the handset (when powered down - do not plug/unplug the handset whilst the mount is powered up)

Ideally use passive USB cables of less than 4m.  If you want longer then the USB cable needs to be an active cable

[dazzystar]

Thanks very much for the replies. I will be using NINA so do I need to install EQMOD as well or does NINA take care it?

[malc-c]

On 28/12/2021 at 13:43, dazzystar said:

Thanks very much for the replies. I will be using NINA so do I need to install EQMOD as well or does NINA take care it?

I believe  you need to install either EQMOD or GSServer depending on your choice of telescope control, and then NINA connects to that so commands can be sent to the mount

[dazzystar]

Thanks Malcolm.

[malc-c]

Just had a skim read through the documentation and yes it does seem to use an external ASCOM telescope "driver" such as EQMOD

[ONIKKINEN]

On 28/12/2021 at 15:43, dazzystar said:

Thanks very much for the replies. I will be using NINA so do I need to install EQMOD as well or does NINA take care it?

No need for EQMOD if you connect via on-mount USB on the hand controller. Not sure about the control box though. I use my EQM35, which runs on the same Synscan hardware and firmware with NINA this way.

The handset still works this way, so you can manually slew or do GO-TOs from either the handset or NINA.

[dazzystar]

Thanks. I was thinking about that too.

[dazzystar]

1 minute ago, ONIKKINEN said:

No need for EQMOD if you connect via on-mount USB on the hand controller. Not sure about the control box though. I use my EQM35, which runs on the same Synscan hardware and firmware with NINA this way.

The handset still works this way, so you can manually slew or do GO-TOs from either the handset or NINA.

Do you not need a driver though or does NINA recognise the hand controller?

[ONIKKINEN]

Just now, dazzystar said:

Do you not need a driver though or does NINA recognise the hand controller?

I believe its the native Skywatcher driver. Not sure if i had to download it or NINA just recognized it as its been a while. Probably had to download the driver from Skywatcher.

You may also need to download the prolific chipset drivers from Skywatcher if your PC does not recognize the handset. My desktop recognized and auto installed them, but my mini-PC did not and had to install them myself.

This page has the prolific one: http://www.skywatcher.com/download/software/accessories/

The ASCOM driver page has the handset drivers if they are necessary.

[malc-c]

If you connect via the handset, and have the handset in PC-Direct mode you still need EQMOD or GSServer.  All PC-Direct mode does is act as a USB to Serial convertor - much the same was as an EQDIR cable.

Same goes for new mounts with USB ports - it's just an EQDIR adapter (USB to TTL serial) built in.

Placing the handset into PC-Direct mode and using a USB cable between it and the PC, or plugging in a USB A-B cable for modern mounts results in the same thing - The PC sees the connection as a new COM port.  This then needs to be used by EQMOD or  GSServer in order to pass through the instructions to the mount.  Both the handset and new mounts use Prolific chipsets for their USB > TTL serial adapters, the only difference is that the direct mount connections needs to be set to 115200 baud where as the handset needs the default 9600 baud speed.  The issue is the the Prolific driver for the chipset is not natively supported by Windows 10 or above which is why you need to download the driver from Skywatchers website.

Edited December 30, 2021 by malc-c

[ONIKKINEN]

3 minutes ago, malc-c said:

If you connect via the handset, and have the handset in PC-Direct mode you still need EQMOD or GSServer.  All PC-Direct mode does is act as a USB to Serial convertor - much the same was as an EQDIR cable.

Same goes for new mounts with USB ports - it's just an EQDIR adapter (USB to TTL serial) built in.

No need to use PC-direct mode with the USB plugged in to the handset. The new versions of Synscan mounts say in the manual that other than some types of firmware updates (motor controller for instance) you dont need to use PC direct mode. 

[malc-c]

8 minutes ago, ONIKKINEN said:

No need to use PC-direct mode with the USB plugged in to the handset. The new versions of Synscan mounts say in the manual that other than some types of firmware updates (motor controller for instance) you dont need to use PC direct mode. 

I stand corrected then.... It certainly used to be that way with the old handsets

[dazzystar]

OK. I'm still having problems. Let me explain what I've tried tonight.

Removed the Synscan hand controller completely and connected the usb cable from my pc to the usb port on the motor control box. Made sure the COM port speed was 115600. Turned on the motor control box and went into the ASCOM diagnostics software, chose  Skywatcher Telescope, clicked on properties then got a big error starting with Failed to load driver: "ASCOM.SkyWatcher.Telescope. 

I then tried connecting the handset back in and the usb cable to the handset and got basically the same error message.

What can I be doing or having done that's wrong people?

 

[ONIKKINEN]

4 minutes ago, dazzystar said:

OK. I'm still having problems. Let me explain what I've tried tonight.

Removed the Synscan hand controller completely and connected the usb cable from my pc to the usb port on the motor control box. Made sure the COM port speed was 115600. Turned on the motor control box and went into the ASCOM diagnostics software, chose  Skywatcher Telescope, clicked on properties then got a big error starting with Failed to load driver: "ASCOM.SkyWatcher.Telescope. 

I then tried connecting the handset back in and the usb cable to the handset and got basically the same error message.

What can I be doing or having done that's wrong people?

 

Have you downloaded and installed the drivers? The lower one in this page(not the synscan app one). I think you have since you have the Skywatcher telescope option in the diagnostics tool but just checking.

https://skywatcher.com/download/software/ascom-driver/

Also the Prolific USB-to serial drivers. (The second download here)

https://skywatcher.com/download/software/accessories/

But could be that your unit needs different drivers. I actually recently received a brand new Skywatcher mount (AZ-EQ6) that did not work with the above prolific drivers. No matter what i did the mount USB or handset USB was not detected by any piece of software and i had no control. It was visible as a COM port but just not functional. Looks like Skywatcher have started using a new version of the prolific serial chip somewhere on the mount and have just not updated their own site. I downloaded drivers here: http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=225&pcid=41 and now USB control methods work just fine. Maybe give it a try?

Its really strange that some mounts work with some drivers and some mounts work with others, kinda embarrassing how bad the situation in something as simple and crucial as a cable connection can be...

[dazzystar]

Yes I have all the drivers downloaded (probably installed those more than once in frustration!). This is so annoying....

[ONIKKINEN]

Just now, dazzystar said:

Yes I have all the drivers downloaded (probably installed those more than once in frustration!). This is so annoying....

Try the other Prolific driver?

[dazzystar]

I did...No joy. 

[malc-c]

What messages are you seeing in device manager - does it show the com port is installed correctly with no yellow exclamation marks or messages that the driver isn't installed ?

Not saying it will work, but this is the old Prolific 2303 chipset driver form prolific that I use for a USB to serial virtual com port for my serial shutter release on my DSLR.  You may need to remove any existing 2303 driver via device manager just so that you know you have a clean installation.

PL2303_64bit_Installer.zip

One possible issue is that you are having a permissions issue under windows.  If the software is being run under a user profile that lacks administrator privileges then it will fail to load the driver. 

One thing you can do to verify the driver for the chipset used is to google the hardware ID.  Here's an example (its using the CH340 chipset found on my Arduino Nano, but the same applies to any hardware)

[malc-c]

I'm wondering if the driver downloaded form the SW website is custom written to work with the synscan app

Quote

This ASCOM driver allows ASCOM clients to connect to SynScan App running on Windows, Android or iOS. After installation, choose "SynScan App Driver" as your telescope in the ASCOM client's ASCOM Telescope Chooser. SynScan App version 1.00 or above is required.

So basically you have the com port on the mount that has the PL2303 com port driver installed on the windows PC.  Then you need the "ASCOM  compliant driver" which is going to act like EQMOD or GSServer would as being the interface between the planetarium application and the mount.

So one possible thing to try to establish communications - Having installed the PL2303 driver I posted, down load EQMOD from here 

Once  installed open up EQASCOM TOOLBOX  and under the setup panel ensure EQASCOM is selected in the dropdown box, and click on Driver set up.  

This will launch the driver - Under mount type chose "SyntaEQ " if not already defaulted to this option

Set the baud rate to match the 115200 set in device manager for the port, and set the port number to match that assigned to the mount's com port

For now as this is just a test ignore the site info  - click OK

Place the mount in the default parking position,  weights down and scope pointing North

With the mount powered on and connected to the PC click the "test connection" button - if all is well this should launch EQMOD and establish communications with the mount.  If it keeps timing out and closing / opening over and over again, then click the disconnect button on the Toolbox to close EQMOD.

Assuming it connects, in the "slew control" section, change the 1 to 4 in the small drop down boc between the RA and DEC rate sliders.  

Now click on the NSWE buttons - the longer the click the more the mount should move.   

Move the mount as if pointing at a random target and click the park to home button - the scope should move both axis to revert the mount back to the default home position.

Under whichever planetarium software, or any application that needs to control the mount, when in the option to select the mount just choose EQMOD HEQ5/6 (as this was what EQMOD was originally designed for back in the day).  Don't worry about your mount not being listed, EQMOD interrogates the motor board to obtain information from it so it knows the correct gear ratios etc.

 

Naturally this can all be done in the day time - Fingers crossed 

If  you still get issues seeing the com port (even though Device Manager states its working fine) then you might just have to reside yourself to the fact this won't work for some reason, and purchase and use a LYNX FTDI EQDIR cable instead 

 

 

[dazzystar]

Thanks for the replies. I'll give that a go when I get home from work this evening.

[dazzystar]

18 hours ago, malc-c said:

I'm wondering if the driver downloaded form the SW website is custom written to work with the synscan app

So basically you have the com port on the mount that has the PL2303 com port driver installed on the windows PC.  Then you need the "ASCOM  compliant driver" which is going to act like EQMOD or GSServer would as being the interface between the planetarium application and the mount.

So one possible thing to try to establish communications - Having installed the PL2303 driver I posted, down load EQMOD from here 

Once  installed open up EQASCOM TOOLBOX  and under the setup panel ensure EQASCOM is selected in the dropdown box, and click on Driver set up.  

This will launch the driver - Under mount type chose "SyntaEQ " if not already defaulted to this option

Set the baud rate to match the 115200 set in device manager for the port, and set the port number to match that assigned to the mount's com port

For now as this is just a test ignore the site info  - click OK

Place the mount in the default parking position,  weights down and scope pointing North

With the mount powered on and connected to the PC click the "test connection" button - if all is well this should launch EQMOD and establish communications with the mount.  If it keeps timing out and closing / opening over and over again, then click the disconnect button on the Toolbox to close EQMOD.

Assuming it connects, in the "slew control" section, change the 1 to 4 in the small drop down boc between the RA and DEC rate sliders.  

Now click on the NSWE buttons - the longer the click the more the mount should move.   

Move the mount as if pointing at a random target and click the park to home button - the scope should move both axis to revert the mount back to the default home position.

Under whichever planetarium software, or any application that needs to control the mount, when in the option to select the mount just choose EQMOD HEQ5/6 (as this was what EQMOD was originally designed for back in the day).  Don't worry about your mount not being listed, EQMOD interrogates the motor board to obtain information from it so it knows the correct gear ratios etc.

 

Naturally this can all be done in the day time - Fingers crossed 

If  you still get issues seeing the com port (even though Device Manager states its working fine) then you might just have to reside yourself to the fact this won't work for some reason, and purchase and use a LYNX FTDI EQDIR cable instead 

 

 

I downloaded following your link but the only .exe file it's installed is ascompad.exe. Can't see any EQASCOM TOOLBOX...?

[Cornelius Varley]

6 minutes ago, dazzystar said:

I downloaded following your link but the only .exe file it's installed is ascompad.exe. Can't see any EQASCOM TOOLBOX...?

A better link EQMOD - Browse Files at SourceForge.net . EQASCOMtoolbox should install as part of EQMOD

[dazzystar]

belay that. Found the program and installed but there's no EQASCOM to select in the dropdown

[dazzystar]

am I meant to have the Synscan controller plugged in to the motor control box and the USB cable connected to the hand controller too...don't want that. Just want usb to control box.