HEQ5 PRO GOTO freeze up

[raymo]

If it is not one thing, it is another. My hand controller has started freezing up while manually operating the motors. The power is
uninterupted, and the controller lighting stays on, but no button
functions. I have to switch off, and initiate the mount again. Is this a known fault?
Continuing on about a previous post of mine; I am quite
disappointed with Live View, which I had hoped would help solve my
focussing problems. It's o.k. through a camera lens, but almost
useless through my 8" f5 Newt, even at prime focus. It will just pick
up a second mag. star if you know where to look for it. Turning up
the LCD brightness to max. seems to make no difference. If I put
47 Tuc dead centre nice and bright in the viewfinder, there is not a
trace of it in L.V.
Any thoughts?
raymo

[White Rabbit]

I don't think it's a known problem I've had the same mount for years and never heard of the problem. First thing I'd do is check the cable. Try and wiggle the cable on the mount and hand controller, see if you can replicate the error. Take note of what your doing when it happend, you might be able narrow it down.

Regarding aligning and focusing, I'm assuming you're using a dslr. If you have a laptop use the laptop to controll the camera your live view will be much bigger and make focusing easier. Secondly get a focusing mask for you scope, and only use bright stars to focus.

Aligning .

What I do is dial the iso up and take a series of short exposures nudging the scope with every image until the object is centred. It doesn't take long.

Sandy

[wasyoungonce]

Not sure on the HEQ5 freeze...might be power? Is it in warranty?

Some DC plugs/Jacks of that type are 2.1mm centre pin some 2.5.....so you can fit a 2.5mm centre plug in a 2.1mm jack (not the other way around) but it will have intermittent connection problems that can fail at the most inopportune time.

See if you can wriggle the plug and make the fault re-appear.

Live view is a real issue with DSLRs and focusing on a star. Some people centre on a brighter star, enlarge in by 5X then 10X, and focus it then slew to their desired target.

But IMHO live-view just doesn't cut it for fine astro focusing. You need a bigger screen...aka a laptop and a software program like BackyardEOS (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/www.backyardeos.com/)(BYEOS) or Astro Photography Tool (http://www.ideiki.com/astro/) (APT) to do better focusing and intervalometer control (and much more) with the DSLR.

I use APT...just personal pref though BYEOS is good. APT has a free ver although it only costs 12.7 euro.

But trying to use the back of a DSLR screen for live-view focusing in astrophotography....that is not easy and will all end in frustration.

[Shiraz]

one more vote for cable problems. the power lead or the handset cable could cause the symptoms.

I used a cat5 lead when my handset cable developed intermittent disconnect problems - still working.

[raymo]

Thank you all for your help. I don't know if the mount is still under warranty; I'll have to find out. The freeze up has happened during
each of the last four sessions. I don't think that the power supply
is to blame; there is no interruption to the light in the controller,
and the scope keeps tracking perfectly. It only happens when I am
using the motors manually for guiding or slewing. When it freezes,
it keeps tracking, and the only way you can change anything is to
switch the mount off. It is reminiscent of when a computer freezes
and all you can do is switch off and reboot.
raymo

[Shiraz]

that suggests that the handset is losing comms with the mount when you move the handset - replace the handset cable.

[alistairsam]

Handset cable sounds like the logical cause.
If you could substitute with a cat5e lead, then it's an easy test.
As for focusing, get a bahtinov mask and focus on Canopus or Sirius or any bright star. You need to do it just once and will take you less than a minute, and will get your focus almost perfect. No ambiguity, because without a mask, although it may look perfect on the LCD, when you zoom in later is when it'll be apparent that it was ever so slightly off.
You should be able to do it without the laptop. Just set it for 1s and watch the screen preview as you shoot and focus, although I've never tried without a laptop. you can use canon's free software for camera control as well.

[2stroke]

Get a eqdirect cable and use eqmod if you own a notebook, will be a hell of alot cheaper then a new headset if its dead. I would say it's damaged at one of the plug ends, you could get a electronics repairer to fix it by adding new ends or buying a crimping tool and cat5 ends and doing yourself. Not sure wiring wise but you might even be able to use a cat5 cable :) sure someone can answer if not.

[2stroke]

lol bet me to it by a few seconds haha:rofl:

[raymo]

Once again thank you all for your input. I managed to get my hands on
another handset cable, and it froze up again after 30 mins. of random
button pressing. It has occurred to me that when frozen, not only do
commands to the mount stop working, but all other buttons don't
work either. I assume that looking through the the NGC list, or the
Messier list, for example, takes place within the handset, and has
nothing to do with mount, and therefore the problem must be within
the handset.
I'll ring the supplier tomorrow and see if it is still under
warranty; and I will get a Bahtinov mask as well.
thanks again raymo

[raymo]

Supplier says that warranties are no longer transferable
BOO HOO :(:(
raymo

[Shiraz]

not necessarily - I don't know the handset protocol, but it could possibly be in a loop waiting for a handshake from the mount (eg "understood last command and have executed it, you may go onto the next one"). If it does full handshaking and is waiting for a mount response that never gets there down the cable, it could just lock up completely.

Carefully check the connectors, sockets and cable again - I had a similar problem and only one out of the three (might even have been four) cat5 cables I tried would work reliably - that one has worked for years now.

[Steffen]

My hand controller cable (the coiled one) had its RJ45 connectors not crimped properly (not all the way). As a result my hand controller lost connection to the mount every so often. I inserted the connectors into my trusty RJ45 crimp tool, gave it a good squeeze and the connection problems were gone for good.

Just one more thing to check, I guess.

Cheers
Steffen.

[raymo]

Thanks Steffen, I'll have a look at the connectors in mine.
raymo

[wasyoungonce]

I agree...I'd be looking at the most obvious things first. From my experience.....faults with systems that have removable interconnect cables most often have the faults in the connection or cables.

As stated the cable may have a bad positive connection with the Registered Jack (RJ).