Synscan pro wont connect to az eq6 mount

[crush]

Hello all

Hoping someone will have come across this fault before and will be able to help.

I updated the motor controller's in the mount to v2.15 to try and solve a problem with EQdir cable (that is another issue) but now cannot connect to the mount via the serial cable to the mount through the hand controller and Synsan pro, keep getting communication error and wont go any further.

Don't know if it matters but I am using a windows 11 laptop and power supply is from a bench PSU set to 13.5 volts.

Could this be a simple roll back on the controller version or am I missing something obvious?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Cosmic Geoff]

So does the mount still work properly with its hand controller? If it does, I would leave well alone there.

If you appear to have a communications fault between AZ-EQ6 and computer, then investigate the cause.  Various things might need resetting e.g. the serial port number, the baud rate, etc.

It is not wise to upgrade firmware unless you have read the small print and know for sure that the upgrade is going to have a desirable result, which outweighs the risk of something going wrong.   In the worst case, you can be left with a 'bricked' piece of kit and have to buy another.

[crush]

Hi and thanks for the reply.

The mount works ok with the hand controller and have checked the baud and correct comm port, I even uninstalled and reinstalled the comm port. 

[malc-c]

If the mount works perfectly with the handset, then no damage has been done to the controllers on the mount PCB.

As Geoff has mentioned, unless you are experiencing a particular issue that an updated firmware addresses then it's best to leave things as they are.  The problem you seem to be experiencing is a lack of communications when using an EQDIR cable directly between the mount and the PC, or when using the serial cable between the handset and PC, presumably via an USB to RS232 serial adapter. Please do not try and insert the RJ11 plug of the serial cable into the handset port on the mount... that will blow the controllers !

Without communication between the PC and mount it's going to be hard to re-flash the older firmware unless you are able to locate a cashed copy of the Skywatcher website, or already have older firmware binary files.  Even then, unless you can establish comms between the PC and mount the updater application won't work.

If the mount has a USB type B port then it uses the newer ARM based board which has a prolific 2303 chipset on board.  The driver for this chipset needs to be downloaded as it's not included with windows.  The resulting virtual com port needs to be set to 115200 baud (all other settings left as default).  If there is no USB port, and you are using an EQDIR cable,  then there is no need to change form the default 9600 baud speed.  Depending on the chipset used, the drivers may get automatically installed when the cable is connected to the PC.

 

[crush]

Thanks for the reply.

The reason for updating the drivers was because I cannot get communication through EQdir cable (Lynx astro from FLO) between Ascom and the mount. but before the update I could connect through the hand set using Synscan pro.

The mount is the type without USB.

When connecting through the handset comm 4 is set to 115200 baud using prolific 2303 version 5.2.6.2. and yes through USB to RS232 serial adaptor.

EQdir is comm 3 set to 9600 baud and have checked it is set the same in Ascom. FTDI driver loaded when it was first plugged in.

But regardless of which way I am trying to connect I get either communication error or timed out.

Any ideas are welcome because I seem to have reached my tech limit. 

One other weird thing is I can still reflash the drivers through the handset or at least it runs through and says complete at the end.

Unfortunately I do not have a copy of the older firmware files.

[malc-c]

What a fantastic reply...  so well structured and full of detail 

This is pointing towards the PC as being the cause, either hardware or more probable, software.  If you can run the firmware updater application and it can see and communicate with the mount (sends the e:1 and e:2 commands to the mount which makes the mount respond with the firmware version as two strings of numbers), so communications are OK.   You could try removing the serial cable/adapter and have just the EQDIR cable installed and see if the firmware updater application gets the same response, which again will confirm the hardware is fine.

Open Device Manager and under the "view" action at the top menu enable the option to show hidden devices.  Open up Ports (COM & LPT) and you will see all the com port assignments greyed out. Right click all the entries and select uninstall device (unless your computer has a physical D9 pin serial port you should be able to remove them all).  Now this will mean any ports for cameras etc will also be removed.  with all other devices unplugged plug the FTDI EQDIR cable into the mount, and into a USB port and power up the mount.  Windows should detect the EQDIR cable, install the driver and allocate the first available com port.  You can check the properties to confirm its set to 9600 baud.

If you have EQMOD installed as the means of mount control, then open up the Toolbox application from the EQMOD folder.  Under the set up section, select eqmod.exe in the dropdown list, and click driver setup.  In the ASCOM set up  select the port and speed and then hit OK.  Once back at the Toolbox click on ASCOM Connect and this should launch EQMOD and connect to the mount.  Hopefully by setting the slew rate to 4 and click and hold the NSEW buttons the mount will move.  If it cant establish a connection it will close and try again, close and try again in a loop.  

See how that goes for now

[crush]

Hi and thanks for the info, I had not thought of trying to update the motor controller using the EQDIR cable.

So tonight that was the first thing I tried and the first image is the response.

Then I went onto uninstalling all the comm ports and drivers with all cables disconnected as suggested, then Plugged in the EQDIR cable and powered on the mount, the driver loaded automatically and then tried again with the same result.  

 

Then disconnected the EQDIR cable and plugged in the USB to serial cable through the handset and switched the mount back on, the comm port and driver (prolific) loaded automatically. Then checked the farmwear version and the second image was the reply.

 

 

Then went on to reinstall the firmware and third and fourth image are the result.

 

 

But then when I run Synscan pro using the USB to serial through the handset I still get communication error.

I then plugged the EQDIR cable and did as you suggested in Ascom tool box and still get the timed out error.

I have thought there could be a problem on the mount mother board so opened the mount but apart from a few spots around the soldering for the ports I cannot see any real problems, photo below. (I have sent this same image to FLO and they are not concerned from what they can see)

 

My next thoughts are to bring my multimeter home tomorrow and check continuity between the port on the front of the mount and the solder on the back of the motherboard, but I am not expecting to much of a problem.

Any more suggestions would be greatly received and thankyou for your help so far. 

 

[bosun21]

For what it's worth I couldn't get my dobsonian to connect via ASCOM using the USB connection on the handset. I also tried everything to no avail. I ended up just using the WiFi signal to connect to the Synscan pro app and its mobile driver. This then allows everything else on ASCOM to communicate. In my case it was Sharpcap and Stellarium. You could use the WiFi dongle unless this isn't practical for you.

Edited March 25 by bosun21

[crush]

Hi And thank you for the reply.

Dose the mount not need to be the type with a USB port to use a WIFI?

[bosun21]

4 minutes ago, crush said:

Hi And thank you for the reply.

Dose the mount not need to be the type with a USB port to use a WIFI?

No you just need to plug the WiFi dongle into the handset port and connect to the Synscan pro app. This then allows ASCOM to communicate to each other using this method. It worked a treat for me as I was pulling my hair out before being told to try this from Alex at FLO.

[malc-c]

Excellent detailed reply.

The fact that when using the usb/serial adapter, serial cable to handset and with the handset connected to the mount was able to successfully communicate to the mount and update the firmware confirms the the motorbord is perfectly fine and there is nothing damaged inside the microcontrollers. 

This points to either the EQDIR cable as being faulty, or something strange is happening software wise.  There is a way to test the EQDIR cable, but you would need to be careful when doing this and I accept no responsibility should things do tits up.  It won't affect your mount, but could damage the chip in the cable.

Search and download Termite serial monitor here and then short together pins 5 and 6 on the RJ45 plug or pins 9 and 6 if the mount has a D9 serial connector.  Plug the EQDIR cable into the computer and launch Termite.  Under the settings point to the comm port allocated and set it to 9600 baud.  When connected click "clear" so nothing should be displayed in the main window.  In the bottom window, type in anything from the keyboard and hit send.  The main window should display those characters in blue and then it should echo back straight underneath in green.

 

If you don't get the echo back then this suggests that the FTDI chip is faulty and should be returned for replacement.  The chip could be running and provides windows with the descriptor and the USB side is fully functional, but the TTL serial side is not functioning by either not sending the string, or sends it but the RX side is faulty and doesn't read and relay it.

The alternative is to try a different laptop / computer with the EQDIR cable and mount to see if that works - if it does then the issue is with the original PC (again, assuming these are direct connections and not via any hubs etc.  If the above test works then it proves the EQDIR cable is working fine and the issue has to be with the laptop/PC.  The fact the cached ports have been cleared would suggest that its not an allocation issue.

The alternative is to just purchase a wifi dongle as suggested and see if connecting to it from your phone / or from a laptop.  I have a strong feeling that will work, but then you will never know if the issue is with the EQDIR cable, or if it is with the USB controllers on the computer, what other issues you may encounter when connecting a USB device. 

[crush]

Hi and thanks for the detailed reply.

I would never blame anyone else if I decided to follow any advice given, I am big enough and old enough to take responsibility for my own actions and accept my mistakes. But I understand the reason you put it in there.

However I don't feel confident in carrying out this test (eye's are not that good up close anymore) so think I will accept FLO's offer to return the cable to them for testing.

The new lap top has come very close to an unplanned rapid disassembly tonight. I have been through checking settings I did not even know existed and still getting nowhere.

I did have an old desk top computer but when I down loaded Ascom, Microsoft said something else needed loading to run it (can't remember what it was called) then asked for a restart and has not started since so there is another job to do 😡

I am not giving up yet but the WI-FI dongle does sound tempting.

Thanks for the help so far, it is very much appreciated.

 

[crush]

One of the many things that is confusing me is that if using the USB to serial through the handset (with the handset in PC mode) to update the drivers it can read and wright so is communicating.

Before the update I could control the mount using Synscan pro but not after, the only thing that should of changed was the software in the controllers so does this not point to the mount being the fault at least with this way of connecting?  

[malc-c]

3 hours ago, crush said:

One of the many things that is confusing me is that if using the USB to serial through the handset (with the handset in PC mode) to update the drivers it can read and wright so is communicating.

Before the update I could control the mount using Synscan pro but not after, the only thing that should of changed was the software in the controllers so does this not point to the mount being the fault at least with this way of connecting?  

The fact that when using the USB to serial adapter to connect to the mount via the handset in PC Mode the updater application could interrogate the mount for its current firmware version which it received and displayed, and then you successfully updated the firmware would rule out the USB port on the laptop, the adapter to translate the packets into strings, the MAX232 chip in the handset to shift the RS232 to 5vTTL serial, and the EUARTs in the microcontroller(s) to read the strings and respond (with the reverse happening when the mount sends the data back).   This IMO points to the EQDIR cable as being the most likely culprit, and hopefully FLO will be able confirm that.

As you have established communications via the handset, I'm guessing if you open up EQMOD or repeat the TOOLBOX option described above and select the com port for the USB to Serial adapter the mount can be controlled by clicking on the NSWE buttons.  If so then again, this rules out all those components mentioned and points to the EQDIR cable once more.  If the laptop had faulty USB ports then anything else like mice / memory sticks or cameras would also no work and you've not mentioned anything to suggest that's the case.

I've not used Synscan Pro, so can't comment if this has any part in the issue.  I'm old school and have used an home made EQDIR (FTDI cable ) cable, EQMOD and CdC to control my HEQ5 for the past 12 years... I've noticed that the manual says it needs full permissions to the folders and the server service it starts can cause the windows firewall to prevent communications of the synscan pro app talking to the mount, maybe the settings within the application need checking and resetting ??

[crush]

Hi Malcolm

You are a star ⭐

I don't know why but for some reason I did not think that you could use Ascom via the USB to serial through the handset in PC direct mode but now I do.

So tonight I set it up switched on the mount changed the com port in toolbox and clicked Ascom connect and it worked 😁

Now I will start learning how to set up and use CdC.

 

It does now seem there is a problem with the EQDIR cable so hopefully FLO will be able to sort this, it was a 5 meter one so I do agree with them it may not be faulty just my laptop cannot handle such a long one.

Thank you for taking the time and effort (and patience's) to help and explain thing so well, it is very very appreciated.