GOTONOVA ST-4 Autoguide Box

[rjsc2001]

Hi

I have a Ioptron ST-4 Guide box to autoguide my gotonova 8401 kit (old, i know). It's on a Vixen mount. It has been working well.

Now it has stoped working. PHD tries to calibrate and nothing happens. Before, i choose in the HC the menu auto-guide and then i would see the letters E W N S as PHD run the calibration and now there's nothing.

I also have a QHY5 camera connected to it. 

I've tried to connect pins 3,4,5,6 to pin 2 on the autoguider box to see if there was movement (the problem could be the QHY5 as well) but no such luck.

So i might have a dead unit.

Shall i buy something else? But i have the GOTONOVA 8401 as i think not every ST4 guider works with it.

What other choices to replace i have?

 

Thanks

Edited July 7, 2022 by rjsc2001

[michael8554]

The online info for the Go2Nova 8401says:

The #8401 hand controller also includes a USB port for connection with a computer for firmware upgrade or use with planetarium software.

That suggests to me that you connect the QHY5 USB to a PC USB, to supply PHD2 with guidecam images.

And a USB from the PC to the Go2Nova 8401 USB, to allow PHD2 to guide the mount.

Not sure why you need ST-4 ?

Michael

[Cornelius Varley]

27 minutes ago, michael8554 said:

That suggests to me that you connect the QHY5 USB to a PC USB, to supply PHD2 with guidecam images.

And a USB from the PC to the Go2Nova 8401 USB, to allow PHD2 to guide the mount.

The manual states that you need an ST4 to HBX interface for autoguiding, which suggests that connecting via USB ports to autoguide isn't possible.

[Dark Raven]

On 08/07/2022 at 13:19, michael8554 said:

And a USB from the PC to the Go2Nova 8401 USB, to allow PHD2 to guide the mount.

If only that would work many people would be happy. However, it does not.
I have looked for over a year for iOptron HBX to ST4 adapter without any success. It would be great if iOptron would open-source the design and firmware of the adapter so people could build themselves.

@rjsc2001 You could try asking for help at your local electronics or TV repair shop, although they are a dying breed as well.

Hope it works out and do let us know if you manage to sort it out. Best of luck.

Edited July 11, 2022 by Dark Raven

[rjsc2001]

Well, i've tried some things and i come to the conclusion that the unit is at fault (probably).

The QHY5 could be damaged, or the unit could be damaged. 

So, i've tried to catch the guide commands from the QHY5. I've made a video where when i press west on PHD manual guide the camera seems to send some command. You can see in the video the value changes from .180 o 1. which is off-the scale.

In the instrucions from the box, there's an image showing that the HC should show the message 'AUTO GUIDE PORT'  and it doesn't show that message.

I've also tried to connect the pin 2 which is the ground to the ground of a 5v power supply. And then connect the 5v positive to one of the pins. In that situation the HC showed the message and sometimes when i touch the pins with the positive 5bv the letter w or e or n would show in the HC indicating that it was guiding. 

So, my conclusion is that the unit is at fault somewhere..

Now unless someone has a second hand unit, i'm toast

The video is here 

 

[rjsc2001]

An update on this issue. 

I've bought a shoestring usb to see if the problem was the QHY5 camera. But it was not. Looks like the Ioptron guidebox is bad. I've emailed ioptron for support but they didn't replied.

So i've placed the whole controller to sell on the sell section of europe.

Anyone interested?