What is the usb on the AZEQ6 for and how do you get it to work?

[Longinthetooth]

HI folks - I have a Skywatcher AZEQ6GT about 5 years old. A couple of years ago the electronics had to be replaced and the new board came with a new faceplate too which featured a usb port. The faceplate bears the name AZEQ6 Pro which is a newer model of the mount. (See attached pic).

I thought "Great - that'll come in handy!" However two years on and I'm still none the wiser what the usb port is for and suppliers are still showing the faceplate without a usb. On the Skywatcher support site the current user manual for the mount does not show a usb on the face plate or mention it in the text. 

I tried connecting the mount usb to my Windows PC but it didn't show up in Device Manager. Maybe it needs a driver I thought - but again couldn't find anything specific on the SW website.

So can anyone who has cracked this issue point me in the right direction?

I haven't found anything here specifically about my query but I'm happy to be proved wrong!

Cheers

JB

 

[scotty38]

You'll need the prolific drivers for it. Some starting info on the Skywatcher site here:

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

[StevieDvd]

When you connect the usb cable to your PC it may show up in devices as unknown and not as a com port.  If you load the driver that @scotty38 mentions it should appear under Com ports. You can then use this like an EQDIR lead and if you have Syncan app on your PC you can control the mount. You can also use it to update mount firmware.

You can of course use other software like ones that accept eqmod, nina etc

[Robindonne]

And connect devices like Asiair direct to your mount.

[ONIKKINEN]

Like has been already mentioned, it can be used to bridge a PC and the mount the same way as an EQMOD cable does.

One thing though, I received my AZ-EQ6 fresh off the press in January of 2022 and the drivers in the Skywatcher downloads section did not work with mine. I had to download newer prolific drivers from the prolific site itself to get it to work (here: https://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=225&pcid=41 ).

The Skywatcher downloads section still has the old driver from 2018, so its possible they have been incredibly lazy and still not updated the download link to a more current driver while also using newer prolific chips on newer mounts. There was no way to get my mount to work with the Skywatcher driver at all, it just wouldn't come up as a COM port. Downloaded the prolific drivers from the link above and works right away, so keep that in mind if you try to run things off the USB port.

[Longinthetooth]

Thanks for the info! I'm interested in the updating firmware mentioned above StevieDvd. I wondered if that would be possible/necessary. Is there clear instruction on the SW website for this?

 

[malc-c]

Most of these newer revision of motor boards with a USB port require the resulting COM port that windows creates to be set to a baud speed of 115200 in order to permit communication.  This value needs to be set in any software (EQMOD or GS Server) that is used to control the mount.

[StevieDvd]

1 hour ago, Longinthetooth said:

Thanks for the info! I'm interested in the updating firmware mentioned above StevieDvd. I wondered if that would be possible/necessary. Is there clear instruction on the SW website for this?

 

Yes there are instructions on SW downloads site. You'd need the firmware loader and the firmware file. But first I'd check what firmware you have - the firmware loader will report that.

Note there is usually a motor firmware and a handset firmware - the handset is updated more often as it has a small database of stars/constellations.

But of course the old adage of "If it ain't broke don't fix it" probably needs to be said if you are not having any problems.

[Longinthetooth]

Thanks StevieDvd - I've recently updated the handset firmware - the latest I could find was 4.39.21 and I used Synscan Firmware Loader Ver 3.5 to do that. Does the motor firmware need a loader too? 

[malc-c]

2 hours ago, Longinthetooth said:

Thanks StevieDvd - I've recently updated the handset firmware - the latest I could find was 4.39.21 and I used Synscan Firmware Loader Ver 3.5 to do that. Does the motor firmware need a loader too? 

The motorboard firmware loader application can be found on the motorboard firmware page here  v 1.78 would seem the one to use - There are two versions of firmware, ignore the version 2.04 at the foot of the page, this is for the older PIC based motor boards.  The 2.15v for EQ6-R (with USB port) would appear to be the one suitable.  But as Steve says, if it ain't broke no need to fix it.  Last thing you need is a bricked mount

[dk101]

If you are starting to play with the USB port it is a good idea to put some blank RJ11 and RJ45 plugs in to the hand controller and the auto guide ports. This will stop you from accidentality trying to plug your USB cable in to them if, say, the cable gets unplugged in the middle of a session and you decide not to use any of the lights you have while try to reconnect the mount. If you do try to shove your cable in to, say, hand controller port, you will quickly learn that the electronics board has no protections of any sort and that you will need a new one right away. You will also need a new fuse for your mount power cable. Worst of all, your session will be over.

Not that anyone would do anything as silly as this...

 

[malc-c]

1 hour ago, dk101 said:

If you are starting to play with the USB port it is a good idea to put some blank RJ11 and RJ45 plugs in to the hand controller and the auto guide ports. This will stop you from accidentality trying to plug your USB cable in to them if, say, the cable gets unplugged in the middle of a session and you decide not to use any of the lights you have while try to reconnect the mount. If you do try to shove your cable in to, say, hand controller port, you will quickly learn that the electronics board has no protections of any sort and that you will need a new one right away. You will also need a new fuse for your mount power cable. Worst of all, your session will be over.

Not that anyone would do anything as silly as this...

 

Sound advice.... As the handset port has both Vcc and GBD pins, these will get shorted by the USB -B plugs shielding....  Attention is needed when making all the connections 

[Longinthetooth]

Thanks again for all the info and tips. Plugging usb into an rj45........ who would do such a thing! (Clears throat......)

malc-c "The 2.15v for EQ6-R (with USB port) would appear to be the one suitable."  - This says without usb post on the page you've linked to........  ?