EQDIR USB Driver help

[sheeny]

I'm going through rebuilding EQMOD on my new laptop. I use a EQDIR USB cable to the mount which I assume is what appears to the 'puter as a FT232R USB UART - which is what I can't find a driver for.

I downloaded a FT232R driver for windows 7 x 64 (which is what I have) but that hasn't helped.

Got any clues?

Could there be more than one FT232R driver and I don't have the right one?

...or am I just NYC and lost?:lol:

Al.

[Merlin66]

Hmmm
I thought it just needed the latest Prolific drivers...
http://www.firstlightoptics.com/hitecastro/hitecastro-eqdir-adapter.html

[Barrykgerdes]

If you are using the EQDIR USB cable it should have the RS232 drivers built into it. Your Win 7 should have a basic driver that is suitable.

Have you had a look at the Devices in the control panel to see which COM port has been allocated. This will tell you whether the device is working or needs a driver. However all you may need to do is to re-allocate the Com port number.

I used a standard USB to RS232 (prolific compatable) on my Win 7 laptop and then a standard EQDIR RS232 cable to drive a HEQ5 without bother but I have not used the USB version of EQDIR

Barry

[sheeny]

Thanks Ken and Barry. I'm away from that job for a while (got to achieve some other stuff around the place while the weather's good;)), but I'll check it out maybe this evening.

FYI Barry ATM there are no COM ports allocated. It doesn't make sense that it doesn't work - since it works on my old XP lappy.

I have in the meantime found a fairly non-descript mini-CD with the only marking on it being "USB". When I had a look, there was only one file on the disk: "Telescope Driver.exe". I'm hoping this might be what I need, but haven't tried it yet.

Al.

[peter_4059]

If it is this cable or similar:
http://www.bintel.com.au/Mounts---Tripods/Mount-Accessories/Shoestring-USB2-br--EQ6-Interface/775/productview.aspx

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

All the drivers are on the FTDI site:
http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm

[Tandum]

If you connect the pc to the Internet and plug the device in, it should auto download the drivers.

[sheeny]

Curiouser and curiouser...

I'm pretty sure is an Astronics cable (from the Netherlands), and yes, Peter, they are the drivers I downloaded that haven't helped...

I notice the Astronics website is currently unavailable (under construction it says).

The PC is connected wirelessly to the internet so windows has already done its best... but I just noticed on the EQDIR page of EQMOD they advise a driver is necessary i.e. the windows driver won;t do the job (presumably something to do with allocation of the COM port?)

:shrug:

Hmmm... smells like something stupid... or a failure.

Al.

[sheeny]

Yep, I was right... something stupid!

Looks like my USB hub has failed or at least doing stupid things (like its owner).

The puter is now full of drivers :lol::rolleyes: but the EQDIR is only working when plugged direct into the lappy. I have a spare EQDIR so eliminated that as well.

Now to find a reliable powered USB hub...

Al.

[sheeny]

Thanks for your help guys!

It seems to be working OK on the hub for the time being... maybe it needed to be plugged direct to the laptop for initial detection or something:shrug:. I tried both EQDIR cables in the hub with the same result before I bypassed the hub and bingo it worked. Now it seems happy to work in the hub as well.

Computers - Hours of fun and frustration for all the family!:lol:

Al.