Firmware upgrade trouble - Nexstar 8 GPS

[Simon1990]

Hi all,

I have checked the firmware on my second-hand scope (Nexstar 8 GPS) as advised by a friend, and it is severely out of date. I have tried to install new drivers, using the RS232 to USB interface to my windows PC. The celestron driver software asks me to select either "Com port 3 or 11" which my laptop does have. It seems unable to recognise the USB input to the RS232 converter and so I cannot communicate with the scope (either the handset or the base motor).

I have purchased 2 cables for PC connection to the scope from 'Astonomiser':

1. a PC serial cable for using planetarium and scope driving software, and

2. a programming serial cable for updating firmware and software in a base unit

If anyone knows anything about this issue, it would be exceptionally helpful to get a fix to this irritating problem.

Many thanks

Simon

[Glider]

In Control Panel\System\Hardware\Device manager look under Ports(Com & LPT) and find the USB you are trying to use listed there. Next to its listing should be the com port it was allocated to by Windows when you plugged it in. Edit the advanced device config to a comport number that the Celestron software can find, in your case it sounds like it wants to use 3 or 11.

Sometimes when I plug my USB-232 in Windows stick it at com23 and my Celestron driver is expecting com2 so every so often I have this hassle too.

[Simon1990]

MORE PROBLEMS WITH MY CELESTRON NEXSTAR 8 GPS

Hi again,

Thanks very much for your help Glider, that has solved the problem, but now I have found another.. when I have got the hand controller plugged into the pc and powered through the telescope itself, the firmware instructions tell me to hold down the "Undo" and "Info" buttons on my hand controller. Then it should begin a connection to the PC, but when I do this when powering up my scope, the hand controller doesn't react to this command at all. It just says the normal "Press enter to begin alignment" message, so I don't really know how to proceed...

Is there a secondary way of updating the firmware/software, or will I have to send the hand controller off to celestron for them to wipe the software and do a fresh install (Do they even offer a service like this??), or will I have to buy a new hand controller if I want to be able to update, or are there other options available?

Also when I go to upgrade the motor firmware all I get is a "Error: Version of motor controller does not support upgrading. Contact celestrol for a replacement motor controller board" - Do I have to do this, or is there a way of getting around it?

Has anyone else experienced these kind of problems?? Perhaps its a common fault...?

Many thanks again for any help or consideration,

Simon

Many thanks

[Glider]

My experience is only with updating the software on Skywatcher handsets, but the process sounds the same, ie press and hold a couple of buttons whilst turning the power onto the mount.

Then run the PC program, select connect to handset and away you go.

I believe that only version 3 and higher Skywatcher handsets are software upgradable. Old version 2 handsets can't be upgraded.

Perhaps this is true of Celestron handsets. When you say it is severely out of date this might be your problem.