Eqmod question

[widow18]

Hope this is an easy one. I have been using Eqmod with a HEQ5Pro for a fair while now, long enough to have forgotten the intricacies of setting it up, just remember it was stressful for a person with my computer skills.
I am going to upgrade to a EQ6 mount, will I have to change any of the settings?
I know there is a group of which I am a member, but it is a difficult question to search out in conversations.
Thanks in advance
Peter

[peter_4059]

Shouldn't need to change any settings but I think you'll need to change the connection on the cable to the mount unless you are still using the handcontroller. The HEQ5 uses RJ45 and the EQ6 uses DB9 connection.

[Astroman]

As Peter says, it's only the cable you need to change, all other settings should work "out of the box".

[widow18]

Thanks a lot for that, any idea where I can source one of these cables?
Regards
Peter

[Astroman]

Bintel sell them..
http://www.bintel.com.au/Mounts---Tripods/Mount-Accessories/Shoestring-USB2-br--EQ6-Interface/775/productview.aspx

[Astroman]

or if your hand with electronics etc.. you can make up an adapter to go from your current cable to the EQ6 DB9 plug

[Merlin66]

If you're currently using EQMod via the Synscan handcontroller set to "PC Direct" then there's absolutely no change.
If you currently use a EQDir cable, then you'll need to upgrade to the DB9 connector on the mount. All the settings you've been using should still work OK.

[widow18]

Thanks again guys, I am using EQdir so will need a cable.
Regards
Peter

[coldknights]

It's $62 or buy this below


Buy a RJ45 to Db9 converter and rewire it to suit the wiring pinout you require
Link Below to a RJ45 to DB9




http://www.ebay.com/itm/DB9-Male-to-RJ45-Modular-Adapter-White-/111240181527?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19e66e7717

[widow18]

Thanks Cathy, with my electrical skills I think ebay would be a very expensive option.
Regards
Peter

[netwolf]

U can get the same db9 adapter at jaycar. No electrical knowledge needed u just push the pins into the socket. You will need the color coded rj45 map and the u push the pins where u need them to go on the db9 socket.

http://www.jaycar.com.au/products_uploaded/PA0906.pdf

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=PA0906

If u want u can call me and il walk u through it. It's very easy. If I was local id do it for u.

[widow18]

Thanks for that, I suppose if I had or knew where to get the required RJ 45 map It would as you say not be difficult at all. I will go to J Car and check it out.
Regards
Peter

[Astroman]

http://eq-mod.sourceforge.net/eqdirect2.htm Pin connections are on this page.

[widow18]

Andrew
I have seen this page, and a few others and the reference to the RS 323 is what confuses me, especially on the page you refered to too. In bold it says never connect directly from the mount to the PC, which it appears the J Car solution does. Pardon my ignorance.
Regards
Peter

[peter_4059]

Peter,

How do you currently connect to your HEQ5 - we are assuming you have a USB-Serial TTL cable - like this one

http://www.bintel.com.au/Mounts---Tripods/Mount-Accessories/Shoestring-USB2--br-EQ5-Interface/774/productview.aspx

This cable has a USB to Serial TTL converter built into the USB plug. The other end of the cable is an RJ45 connector that plugs into the HEQ5. The EQ6 uses a DB9 connector instead of the RJ45. The JACAR adaptor converts RJ45 to DB9. You just need to know which pin of the RJ45 goes to the correct pin on the DB9. Attached in the pictures below is the RJ45 pin connections and a picture clarifying the pin numbering on the RJ45 plug. The third image is the pin connections for the DB9 plug.

You need to make the connections for the TXD, RXD and GND connections. Don't bother with the 12V connections.

In summary:
TXD: pin 6 of the RJ45 goes to pin 6 of the DB9
RXD: pin 5 of the RJ45 goes to pin 9 of the DB9
GND: pin 4 of the RJ45 goes to pin 4 and 5 of the DB9

Ignore the reference to the colours of the wires - this is referring to the colour of the wires in the USB-Serial TTL cable - not the JACAR adaptor.

Finally the drawings of the DB9 and RJ45 have the TXD and RXD labels reversed however what is important is TXD on the RJ45 goes to TXD on the DB9 etc.

RS232 is the serial connection designation - the website is saying don't connect a serial port on the computer to the mount as the mount needs serial TTL. The cable is converting USB to serial TTL using this cable:

http://www.dontronics-shop.com/ftdi-usb-to-serial-ttl-level-5v-converter-cable.html


Hope that clears it up.

Peter

[widow18]

Peter
Thanks for that.
I will try and see if I have this correct.
I get a cable USB TTL converter from Don. Get a DB9 from jcar, and wire them up as per instructions on that page.
Please correct me if I am wrong.
Regards
Peter

[peter_4059]

Yes - that is the way I did mine. Do you already have one of these for your HEQ5?

[Astroman]

Are you currently using the PC-Direct Method (through the synscan hand controller)? If so you will not need anything, it will work the same way as you have been doing with the HEQ5Pro. As I think we understand it, correct me if I am wrong, you said you have the EQDir Cable (no hand controller is used), so you only need to get the item from Jaycar.

[widow18]

Yes I have the shoestring cable from bintel, and I operate my HEQ5 using Stellarium and EQmod off the computer with a gamepad. Fantastic setup, I don't know why everyone doesn't use it. I tried using the Synscan controller the other day inside while re-greasing the gears and couldn't remember how it worked, but I could remember why I was happy to stop using it.
Peter

[peter_4059]

So you have one of these?

http://www.store.shoestringastronomy.com/images/eqdir.jpg

and one of these to connect the EQDIR to your HEQ5?
http://www.store.shoestringastronomy.com/images/eqcbl01.jpg

If that the case then I think all you need is a standard serial cable to replace the eqcbl01 with a DB9 plug on both ends or plug the EQDIR straight into the EQ6 where the Handcontroller would normally attach as per the attached pic...

[widow18]

Peter
No, I have one of these.
http://www.bintel.com.au/Mounts---Tripods/Mount-Accessories/Shoestring-USB2--br-EQ5-Interface/774/productview.aspx
Regards
Peter

[peter_4059]

OK - that is the same as the Dontronics USB-Serial TTL cable I first described. The cheapest option is to get the JAYCAR RJ45 - DB9 converter that Netwolf describes in post #9 above and follow the pinout I described in post #15.

You will still use this cable - just with an adaptor on the end to attach it to your EQ6.