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Skywatcher autofocuser


IvanT

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Hi Chris

Thanks for your reply. Yes the same message appears in Sharpcap as well, and no it doesnt seem to do anything behind the scenes. Ascompad does recognise and give the option to select the hitec focuser, but gives a communication error when i attempt to move the focuser

Stephen

If Hitecastro are to compete with well established products such as shoestring's FCUSB then I would assume their intention would be to produce an ASCOM driver that allows integration with any ASCOM client software and that is not restricted to Hitecs own contorl software. The error message you describe is therefore rather unexpected if it is being generated by the Hitec driver.

I wonder if the message is simply advisory and perhaps ASCOM connection does complete behind the scenes? Does the same message appear with sharpcap as well as ASCOMPAD?

With regard to ASCOMPAD all I can say is that if the HitecAstro driver is fully ASCOM compliant then ASCOMPAD should be able to control it. ASCOMPAD is known to work fine with JMI, OPTEC, Robofocus, lakeside and Shoestring focusers so I don't see any real reason why Hitecastro should prove to be an exception.

I assume hitecastro/FLO must provide some level of technical support for this product as part of their customer service - It might be worth dropping them a line.

Chris.

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Hi Stephen,

Reading Hitecastro's documentation it would seem that the message regarding using "original software" is quit enormal and will appear whenever if you click on the "properties" button of the ASCOM chooser. Whilst it is an odd design choice for hitec not to provide a setup/configuration interface via ASCOM it really shouldn't prevent ASCOM connection and control of the focuser. Do you get any error messages when you hit the OK button in the ASCOM Focuser Chooser - if not then connection may be succeeding. If it is then what do the Focuser properties show in ASCOMPAD (Devices->Focuser1->setup menu) ?

What is the error message you get when you attempt to move the focuser from ASCOMPAD?

Chris.

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Hi Stephen,

Do you get any error messages when you hit the OK button in the ASCOM Focuser Chooser - if not then connection may be succeeding. If it is then what do the Focuser properties show in ASCOMPAD (Devices->Focuser1->setup menu) ?

What is the error message you get when you attempt to move the focuser from ASCOMPAD?

Chris.

No error messages when i hit ok in the ASCOM focuser chooser. When i attemnpt to move the focuser I get a popup box titled 'HitecDCFocus', with a dialog that reads 'Error Communicating with device'. Closing or OK ing this box brings up the same message again- one for each of the steps in the chosen preset. Same message in Sharpcap.

Focuser Properties box as follows

Driver ID ASCOM.HitecDCFocus.Focuser

Focuser Type: Absolute

Max Increment 15000

Max Step 65535

Step Size 0.0000

CanHalt No

Temp Comp No

Can report Temp No

Can report Position Yes

Can report step size No

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Hi Stephen,

Ok, so it Certianly looks as though the "fault" lies at the Hitecastro driver end of things and not at the ASCOM level. It would seem the AASCOM level connection has been established as the various properties have been read by ASCOMPAD from the Hitec ASCOM driver.

I note the hitecastro documentation states that their own control software can be run simulataneously with their ASCOM driver. Have you tried this? You never know, perhaps using the connect button on their software might bring their ASCOM driver communications into life (OK I'm clutching at straws here).

Chris

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Good News! I now have it working with ASCOMPAD and Sharpcap. An uninstall of the driver and hitec software followed by a reinstall of the driver first, then the software seems to have done the trick. It seems that once the hitec software has been used to input your favoured settings, clicking on 'save to controller' then allows the other programs to control the focuser. Havent tried it with APT yet, but will give that a bash later

Thanks to Chris and David for their input

Stephen

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