ASCOM drivers and connectivity

[2manytrees]

Probably been asked loads of times and I have looked, and read several articles re setting-up, but am still stuck.

I've installed the ASCOM platform 6.6SP2 on my laptop (Win 10); along with EQMod/EQASCOM from the Sourceforge site; plus Carte du Ciel. I have a purchased EQMod cable running from a USB port in the laptop to the mount (HEQ5 Pro), linking into the socket where the SynScan handset normally goes. At this point I'm assuming all is correct in terms of cable connection.

However I am confused about drivers. I apparently need a driver for the main ASCOM platform. On reading the lists of scope drivers at its website, I see one for the Skywatcher mounts called Green Swamp; but then further down is EQMod/EQASCOM. So, is it one or the other, or both that is/are needed?

At the moment I can get Carte du Ciel configured to call up the EQASCOM control panel with the up/down/left/right buttons, but when pressing "connect", nothing happens....just a brief flash of another control panel and then that disappears.

The COM ports connection thing surely isn't relevant with a USB connection....am I missing some hardware? or am I still missing a driver? If I go to Windows Device manager (with the eqmod cable still attached to scope-mount), I see "other devices"--FT232R USB UART.  It states there is no driver for the device, therefore I'm assuming (rightly or wrongly) that this is an ASCOM driver that's required.

I'm sure it's almost there, but not quite. Can someone shed some light on the driver issues?

[geeklee]

17 minutes ago, 2manytrees said:

The COM ports connection thing surely isn't relevant with a USB connection....am I missing some hardware?

It is still relevant as the USB cable you mention effectively emulates a COM connection but over the simpler USB hardware (so you don't need a serial port!)

It doesn't look like you're missing any hardware and it also looks like you have almost all the software, except...

17 minutes ago, 2manytrees said:

I see "other devices"--FT232R USB UART. 

...possibly the driver for the small chip inside the EQ USB cable you have.  

If the PC is connected to the internet I'd have expected the driver to update automatically and turn into a COM port connection for you to select in the setup.  If you got something like this, they have a link to a driver (for example)

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/lynx-astro-ftdi-eqdir-usb-adapter-for-sky-watcher-eq5-pro-heq5-syntrek-pro-az-eq5-gt-az-eq6-gt-and-eq8-mounts.html

I have a different Sky-Watcher mount, but here's how things look for me:

 

EDIT: updated example link.

Edited August 25 by geeklee

[2manytrees]

I hadn't ever considered a driver for something within the cable itself...was not aware of its existence (the cable came from another retailer). The laptop isn't connected to the net at the moment, so I will have to get it to update or try and download the driver. Many thanks, I will get onto that after lunch and see what happens! 

[malc-c]

The FTDI reference is to the chipset used in the EQDIR cable that connected between the laptop and HEQ5.  Being an FTDI chip the driver is normally installed by Windows automatically.  Go to device manager and under PORTS COM and LPT right click on the entry for the FTDI port (COM xx).  Under properties set the baud rate to 9600 and then leave everything else as is.

Install EQMOD.  Run the toolbox application and under the setup panel choose eqmod.exe and then click the driver set up button.  When EQMOD ASCO SETUP window is displayed, on the left are options to select the mount type and port details.  Within the port details select the com port windows has allocated to the FTDI cable and set the baud rate to 9600., and click OK to exit back to the toolbox application.  Power up the mount and from the same set up panel choose ASCOM connect. This should make the connection and enable EQMOD to move the mount by setting the slew rate to 4 and clicking on the NSEW buttons.  Close EQMOD and close the Toolbox app.

GSS has options with it the main application to select the port and baud rate.  9600 baud is required for an HEQ5.

Once configured in CdC when you click the option to connect to the scope is should launch EQMOD and make the connection. You can then minimise EQMOD or hide CdC's connection panel.

[2manytrees]

Well.....that was hopeful, but not much happened. Managed to pick up driver from the website you linked to (selected driver for Windows 10 universal, X64 architecture); and installed successfully.

Good.....not. On examining the device manager list, I noted that the name of the device had changed from FT232R USB UART to USB Serial.....but that was all. It still had its yellow warning triangle and declared that there was no driver installed. A re-run of opening CdC/EQMod with correctly selected mount still failed to allow me to connect electronically to the mount; and any search with the binoculars simply defaulted to COM16.

I'm at the limits of my Windows-mining knowledge here, so will perhaps need to go back to the cable supplier (quite reputable) and see what they say.

Will catch up a bit later if anyone has any further thoughts.

Malcolm, sorry I didn't see your post before posting this....will follow that up as well later and see how it goes, in case I've missed a set-up stage.

 

Edited August 25 by 2manytrees
reply to another poster

[Tomatobro]

there is a possibility that the chip is a clone and not a genuine FTDI one. I know this because I have a collection of USB to serial adapters that have the issue you describe.

Windows blocks its use. For a while I found a software patch that enabled their use but I gave up on them and now pay a premium for genuine FTDI chipsets.

If I can find the link to the software patch I will post it here

[bosun21]

You are using the wrong cable. You don't use an FTDI or EQMOD cable on a mount that has the USB port. The connection is made by a standard USB2 A to B cable. I've ran all my mounts this way.

EDIT:- Sorry, I've learnt that your mount doesn't have a USB port.

Edited August 25 by bosun21

[StevieDvd]

Just to clarify.

If the mount has it's own USB port then it's likely to be using a Prolific Technology driver (the com port/serial is in the mount itself and still uses the COM port connectivity). Mounts with USB ports tend to use 115200 baud and you use a USB-USB printer style cable. Prolific Tech drivers tend to change the port number in use but hopefully EQMod on auto should find it.

The Eqmod cables that fit into the handset port on the mount have a serial chip embedded in the cable and the better ones use the FTDI drivers which normally are present or auto installed in Windows, as they are standardised to older serial usage they need 9600 baud setting. You don't need to have this type connected to the mount to load a driver or check the serial port selected.  Try the universal FTDI driver from https://ftdichip.com/drivers/ this will check the serial chip and should load the correct driver.

 

[2manytrees]

@tomatobro, ok thank you, I see the possible problem there re cloned chips. If you come across the patch, I'll have a go with it.

@bosun, my mount doesnt have any USB ports, only a ST4 for guiding and a port for the handset-controller.

I think that if I can't resolve this, I'll have to go back to the retailer; I haven't had the cable very long in terms of time.

[malc-c]

If you purchased the EQDIR cable from  a reputable retailer such as FLO then I doubt that it will be a clone or non-genuine FTDI chip.  The fact that windows is having issues installing the chipset driver is confusing as MS made the driver as part of the build under licence from FTDI since Windows 7 was launched.  VCP (virtual Com port ) drivers can be downloaded form this link (same as SteveDVD recommends)

When downloaded, right click on the file and select the option to extract the set up EXE.  Right click on the CDM212364_Setup.exe file and select run as administrator.  Just run through the installation and click finish when done.  Launch device manager and see if the cable has now been detected and the correct driver installed.  If not, delete the comport with the yellow exclamation mark and then from the top menu in device manager click on ACTION and select SCAN FOR HARDWARE CHANGES.  This should detect the EDQIR cable and use the correct VCP driver.

Just for reference the HEQ5 doesn't have a USB port (although the newer MC020 boards based around the ARM processors do in fact have the ability and the board has an unpopulated four pin header.)

One word of warning... don't use a standard USB to serial convertor and use the long grey cable that is often bundled with goto mounts.  This will blow the motor board (trust me I've repaired enough  )

You could always try plugging the EQDIR cable into a USB port on a different windows PC and see if it gets installed correctly.  If it does then you know the cable is fine and the issue is with your PC / Laptop and more probably due to privileges (hence my suggestion to install as Administrator).

Good luck and keep us posted.  Don't get too disheartened, I'm sure you'll sort it out soon.  If it does fail on two or more PC' then contact the retailer (Did you mention FLO ?) who should be able to replace it for you.  If you purchased it form e-bay or something like that then hopefully they would be decent enough to accept it back for a refund, and then purchased a Lynx EQDIR cable form FLO (or any other reputable astronomical equipment supplier) to ensure you are getting a genuine item

[2manytrees]

Malcolm, I believe you have sorted the problem. I have yet to test the connections directly with the mount (will do that later today), but here is what I have found, for the benefit of anyone else who might get this issue.

I went yesterday to the FTDI website (ftdichip.com) and had downloaded a file titled CDM-v2.12.36.4.U-WHQL-Certified.zip; this being for a Windows 10 64bit architecture

This had been reached via a slightly different route/link than the one you gave in your post above.

The file I downloaded was 276.95 kB;   the one I downloaded this morning via the link you give above was a lot more, at 2.21MB.

I've installed it this morning and Device manager now shows the COM and LPT ports section when I plug in the EQMod cable. And also indicates, for me, COM3, which I'll be able to test later on when I get the mount back out from under the stairs.

I guess this is what one might call "driver error" in more ways than one.

Fingers crossed for a successful connection to Ascom later today. And many thanks for the url link, this seemingly minor detail was the answer!

I'll confirm that all is well with the kit later on.

 

[malc-c]

Sounds positive.  If it's given you a com port in device manager and no yellow exclamation mark, then I'm sure setting it to 9600 baud (if not defaulted to that) will resolve the issues you experienced.

[2manytrees]

Have now connected successfully to the mount and all applications; the mount responds to the slew buttons and also Carte du Ciel. I think we're there. Just need to learn to drive it now! With thanks to all.

[malc-c]

Excellent...