Update Firmware Cable For SkyWatcher v4 Handset

[morayskies]

Hi All

During a recent house move, I managed to lose the USB to RJ11(12?) serial adaptor cable to update my SW SynScan V4 handset firmware🙄.  My question is, can I use an EQDIR cable (which I haven't managed to lose!) to do the same thing but, obviously, with a RJ45 to RJ11(12?) connector?  Is this feasible?  Has anyone done it? If so, what connector did you use to allow connection between the EQDIR cable and the multi purpose RJ11(12?) post on the handset?
Thanks for looking.

[Cosmic Geoff]

Why do you want to update the firmware?

I suggest reading what your user manual says about updating the firmware (if anything.)

Edited October 13, 2023 by Cosmic Geoff

[morayskies]

Hi

The reason I'm asking is that I recently sold on an SW EQ5 Pro mount which was working fine when I demonstrated it to the buyer.  The new owner tried it out with a 12v battery (I always used a mains supply) and I don't think the battery was fully charged.  As a result, the mount made a horrendous noise from one of the motors (stalling?) - when he described it to me I recognised this as a symptom of low voltage and suggested he ensure that further attempts should be made when the battery was fully charged.  At about the same time, the LCD screen went blank.  I suspect that the low voltage may have made the handset go into setup mode and, when trying to slew the mount, he has inadvertently, adjusted the contrast so that the characters are no longer visible.  He says that, with a fully charged battery, the motors are no longer noisy but the LCD screen is still blank.

Flashing the firmware is one train of thought but neither of us has a cable to do this although I do have an EQDIR cable.  Hence the question.

Another option is to find a way to go back to the factory settings but, when you can't see the LCD characters this is tricky.  I note that, to perform a firmware update, part of the process is to hold down the 0 and the 8 keys at the same time when turning on power.  I'm wondering if this will also put the handset back to its factory settings.

Thanks

[Neil H]

Hi a new cable is not a bad in price I will see if I can find one 

Edited October 14, 2023 by Neil H

[Neil H]

It says this fits 

https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwj7nLuqivaBAxXF7e0KHWWNBaoYABAUGgJkZw&ae=2&gclid=CjwKCAjw-KipBhBtEiwAWjgwrFTYZYYqh-HBVCaXFNzgdLQmX5cFJsbEEmB9unxUbqjN1Wadj7LFixoC7N4QAvD_BwE&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESV-D2NSqFiQBvbKK-xuyr8Oi2Hq3mjGQSHCjlPs18_Y7y9ZXicuHWQU6ZXqwv0NLiKbSrLJZjHV5i3we-IPH843tDmV1SlhMCWgzkNrsWzD_CPMGUCqdxLw&sig=AOD64_1tDd-ej_dBPWol0Wqw_UO4qLYaZA&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwjp7LOqivaBAxXPWUEAHbt3B6AQwg8oAHoECAYQGw&nis=8&dct=1&adurl=

[bosun21]

2 hours ago, morayskies said:

Hi

The reason I'm asking is that I recently sold on an SW EQ5 Pro mount which was working fine when I demonstrated it to the buyer.  The new owner tried it out with a 12v battery (I always used a mains supply) and I don't think the battery was fully charged.  As a result, the mount made a horrendous noise from one of the motors (stalling?) - when he described it to me I recognised this as a symptom of low voltage and suggested he ensure that further attempts should be made when the battery was fully charged.  At about the same time, the LCD screen went blank.  I suspect that the low voltage may have made the handset go into setup mode and, when trying to slew the mount, he has inadvertently, adjusted the contrast so that the characters are no longer visible.  He says that, with a fully charged battery, the motors are no longer noisy but the LCD screen is still blank.

Flashing the firmware is one train of thought but neither of us has a cable to do this although I do have an EQDIR cable.  Hence the question.

Another option is to find a way to go back to the factory settings but, when you can't see the LCD characters this is tricky.  I note that, to perform a firmware update, part of the process is to hold down the 0 and the 8 keys at the same time when turning on power.  I'm wondering if this will also put the handset back to its factory settings.

Thanks

I have two EQ5 mounts and the noise he's describing is what happens when one of the motors moves out of alignment of the drive cogs. It probably occurred when he was transporting it home. It's very easily rectified.

[morayskies]

On 14/10/2023 at 18:33, Neil H said:

Hi a new cable is not a bad in price I will see if I can find one 

Thank you

[morayskies]

On 14/10/2023 at 18:40, Neil H said:

It says this fits 

https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwj7nLuqivaBAxXF7e0KHWWNBaoYABAUGgJkZw&ae=2&gclid=CjwKCAjw-KipBhBtEiwAWjgwrFTYZYYqh-HBVCaXFNzgdLQmX5cFJsbEEmB9unxUbqjN1Wadj7LFixoC7N4QAvD_BwE&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESV-D2NSqFiQBvbKK-xuyr8Oi2Hq3mjGQSHCjlPs18_Y7y9ZXicuHWQU6ZXqwv0NLiKbSrLJZjHV5i3we-IPH843tDmV1SlhMCWgzkNrsWzD_CPMGUCqdxLw&sig=AOD64_1tDd-ej_dBPWol0Wqw_UO4qLYaZA&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwjp7LOqivaBAxXPWUEAHbt3B6AQwg8oAHoECAYQGw&nis=8&dct=1&adurl=

Hi

Thanks for sourcing this.  It would still need a USB to serial adaptor to allow connection to my laptop though.

[Neil H]

Yes they are real easy to find 

[morayskies]

On 14/10/2023 at 19:37, bosun21 said:

I have two EQ5 mounts and the noise he's describing is what happens when one of the motors moves out of alignment of the drive cogs. It probably occurred when he was transporting it home. It's very easily rectified.

I suppose that could have happened although, since I suggested ensuring the battery he was using was fully charged (he said at the time of the noise the battery was about 50% and supplying 12-12.2v although I dont know if this is what was being supplied at the time of the noise during slewing) the noise has not recurred.  I'm more concerned about the handset not displaying any characters as this could be an expensive issue to rectify and wonder if this could be due to low voltage too.  It could be that he has accidentally adjusted the contrast and now, as a consequence, he can't see what he is doing!  He has implied that, if the issues persist, he would like to return the mount.  Hmmm.  I know it must be frustrating for him, but, I sold the mount in good faith and demonstrated it to him before he paid for it.  The motors were not noisy and the handset display was working fine at the demo - If they weren't, I'm sure he wouldn't have bought it.  I am very reluctant to accept the mount back as it was a private sale, it was working at the time of sale plus I don't how it has been treated since then.  If I were to consider taking it back, then, I would expect it to be working as it was when I sold it.  It would, of course, be different if I was a astro equipment supplier selling a new item or a secondhand item with a warranty.

[Neil H]

https://www.bing.com/aclk?ld=e8xCRHFYePQkJ9JhVIRwTWPjVUCUw2Yu28lEVwL-tULnMENGy0pwth8yl8DhORUqVkY5QEWkDFp3_uDQ2uKhtiNnIT870qQhGScH52GpGVITfWiFDKckuloZvtxuehpZlTihq35DTUGDgtKho-5u1Dce83BcDDesDhCMgMtQuk_k4EFExSrqIJ28-By580uX0-QJlZPQ&u=aHR0cHMlM2ElMmYlMmZ3d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvLnVrJTJmQWRhcHRlci1DaGlwc2V0LUNhYmxlQ3JlYXRpb24tQ29udmVydGVyLVJlZ2lzdGVyJTJmZHAlMmZCMDc2OUZZN1I3JTJmcmVmJTNkYXNjX2RmX0IwNzY5Rlk3UjclM2Z0YWclM2RiaW5nc2hvcHBpbmdhLTIxJTI2bGlua0NvZGUlM2RkZjAlMjZodmFkaWQlM2Q4MDE5NTc0OTUwNjA4OSUyNmh2bmV0dyUzZG8lMjZodnFtdCUzZGUlMjZodmJtdCUzZGJlJTI2aHZkZXYlM2R0JTI2aHZsb2NpbnQlM2QlMjZodmxvY3BoeSUzZCUyNmh2dGFyZ2lkJTNkcGxhLTQ1ODM3OTUyNzU1NTExNzglMjZwc2MlM2Qx&rlid=d35a68e343bf168160af0dccb88b666d

[morayskies]

4 minutes ago, Neil H said:

Yes they are real easy to find 

He has implied that he may wish to return the mount due to the handset not displaying characters and noisy motor when slewing.  I'm very reluctant to do this as neither of these issues were apparent when I demonstrated it to him.  If I did consider taking it back, it would need to be working as I sold it.  I don't know if there has been accidental damage done and don't really see why I should bear any costs of repair.

[Neil H]

No you should not if you showed it working that's all that you need to do , what about getting him to bring it back so you can reflash it ??

[morayskies]

1 minute ago, Neil H said:

No you should not if you showed it working that's all that you need to do , what about getting him to bring it back so you can reflash it ??

To be honest, this is the main reason I was asking about cables - the EQ5 Pro cable got lost during a recent house move so was not available to the new owner.  My 'new to me' HEQ5 Pro also doesn't have the necessary cable to flash that either so I will probably have to get one for myself anyway 🥴

I vaguely remember that there was a way of going back to Factory Settings for the handset using a certain key press combination when powering up.  This would, hopefully, reset the contrast so that the characters would be seen (this is assuming the handset has not been damaged).  I can find reference to holding the  0 and 8 keys down when powering up but this was pre flashing the firmware.  I'm not sure what would happen if this was tried and subsequent flashing operation was not carried out 🤔

[Neil H]

Have you look in the manual ? Don't waste your time I just looked there is nothing about factory reset , I did read on an old thread  about power the mount up in the dark then change angle your looking at display and you should see the display lettering very dim but should worth a try 

Edited October 18, 2023 by Neil H
More info

[morayskies]

12 hours ago, Neil H said:

Have you look in the manual ? Don't waste your time I just looked there is nothing about factory reset , I did read on an old thread  about power the mount up in the dark then change angle your looking at display and you should see the display lettering very dim but should worth a try 

The only reference I could see in the manual about a Factory Reset was via the menu system.  Not much good if you can't see the menu!  The mount is with the new owner so I personally cannot try angling the screen but I could suggest it although, I suspect, he has already tried this