HEQ5 connection problems

[Karlzburg]

I'm having problems connecting my laptop and heq5, more so them talking to each other. I have this cable https://www.bintel.c...-eq5-interface/ and my laptop ( Toshiba satellite with windows 10 ), my laptop can see the cable in com3 but ascom or eqmod can't see it.

I have CDC, Ascom and Eqmod all loaded, I've run the eqmod toolbox and registered windows and ascom it brings up unexpected error;quitting but underneath is says eqascom sucess.

When I do a comms statistics for com3 it times out and the other ports it says nothing there, I've tried changing the port number and still the same thing happens.



When I run ascom diagnostics there are no errors the only thing that stands out is Platform 5A, 5B, 5.5 and Platform 6 developer not installed, I'm stumped at what is the problem and hoping someone can help.



Cheers

Karl

[xelasnave]

Its a pity my memory is not better but I think there is something in the ascom box that requires you type in the comm port.
That should keep you busy until someone else comments☺
Good luck.
Alex

[Startrek]

Karl,
As promised I just sent you a detailed procedure on how to get your mount running via EQMOD
This should get you going

Cheers
Martin

[Startrek]

Karl,

I sent it to your email

Martin

[Karlzburg]

Nothing in email as yet Martin

[Karlzburg]

found it

[Karlzburg]

I'm starting to think I got a bum cable from Bintel, as far as I can tell communication stops at the mount.

[Startrek]

Karl,

That’s unusual I’ve never heard of a failed cable before

Did you install the driver for the Virtual Com Port from the FTDI site.You have to select the one that corresponds to your laptops operating system ( windows 10 ) Refer to FTDI application note AN _396 titled FTDI Drvers Installation Guide for Windows 10

Remember maximum length on USB is 5 metres. Did you use a USB extension lead or just the USB2EQ5 cable on its own

Can’t think of anything else ? If the FTDI driver is installed you should see the virtual com port in Device manager under ports - USB serial port (COM3)

Shouldn’t even have to touch the EQMOD toolbox

Just checking your going straight to the mount ( hand controller unplugged and removed )

Martin

[Karlzburg]

I have the latest driver installed, Com3 is the open port which the computer can see the cable there and goes when the cable is removed.
I've used even with ascom set up and hitting the little bino it's search comes up blank finding nothing. The mount works fine with the controller in so I know it's not an issue which leads my to believe it's the cable.

[silv]

Provided you did follow the guides sent to you via PM:

Do you have an old XP/Win7 machine sitting around and can test cable/mount on that? Maybe your gut feeling is correct and it is a bad cable. Even if it works in XP but not in Win10. There's an explanation to that in this thread: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/529371-usb-to-serial-adapter-windows-10-driver/
If the connection doesn't work in XP/Win7, either, the cable is physically broken. The CN-thread above can give an idea on what to watch out for if a replacement seems to be the probable fix. Good luck.

[Karlzburg]

I don't have an old machine to try it out on, which is a bummer, every avenue I've been down suggest it's stops at the plug on the mount.

[Startrek]

Karl,
I've just had a look at a youtube clip on EQASCOM : diagnosing comms failures from Chris Shillito of EQMOD


Does your EQMOD error say "Connect Error Port not available" or "Connect Error Time out"


'Connect Error Port not available' usually means the port you have selected ( say COM3 ) on your ASCOM set up screen does not physically exist in your laptop. Therefore go into your computer , ensure you are still connected to the mount go into Device manager and check the Port number/s that appear there and simply unplug the cable to see which port number disappears. If it is different to your ASCOM set up screen simply change it by double clicking on it, go into com port properties and change it to match the Ascom set up screen





'Connect error timeout' usually means the mount is switched off or a cable fault not a port allocation / identification issue



I don't know if the above is of any assistance


Martin

[Karlzburg]

I've double checked that problem many times over, always checked which port the cable was plugged into and made sure ascom matched and vise versa. On the eqmod set up where you can hit the little bino would show nothing found in the com ports, yet knowing com3 is taken by the usb serial cable.

I watched that YouTube clip and noticed there wasn't much help on troubleshooting if a problem came up.

I'm still leading down a faulty cable road, no call back from bintel.

[AndrewJ]

Gday Karl
Have you tried to do a loopback test on the cable?
ie short the Tx and Rx pins on the plug with a bit of fine wire
and then use an app like hyperterminal or putty to send a command and see if it gets mirrored back.
Andrew

[Karlzburg]

how do I go about that ?

[AndrewJ]

Gday Karl

As i mentioned, you need an app that can send data out on a COM port.
Putty is free and works on win 10

You then short the relevant pins on the plug of the adapter so that the sent data gets routed back via the received data line.
ref piccy of the wiring of the plug for the comms into the mount

If you send some data and it comes back, you know the converter itself is working.


Andrew

[Karlzburg]

I take it the position will be the same from your picture to mine?

[AndrewJ]

Gday Karl
It seems we were posting at the same times :-)
Your adapter has no wires for the 12V so thats good,
and confirms you are going into the mount not the Hbx.
In your plug, yellow and blue are the Tx and Rx
so use a fine bit of wire to short the 2 together, then send something.
If it echoes back, the converter is working.
I mentioned in the PM my test app can do this automatically when it tries to connect, but you could also use any terminal control app like Putty etc.
Andrew

[silv]

Do not rely on "search", do not use the little bino icon to search for the COM port. The search function/bino icon doesn't work reliably.
Use the drop down menu directly underneath the icon and pick the COM which shows up in Windows device manager when the cable is connected to USB.
At this point, the mount isn't involved at all, yet. Even with mount powered off, the setup-window should still show the assigned COM port because of the connected cable and proper configuration as verified in device manager.

Remember not to switch to different physical USB ports on your laptop while setting up and testing. Changing the USB port changes the COM port number.

I know you received several PMs with several how-to guides. Maybe this one was among them, maybe not. It mentions the unreliability of the COM-port "search" function. So I'll add the link to it to give further trouble shooting, if necessary, a solid base we can all refer to. http://www.lightvortexastronomy.com/tutorial-setting-up-an-equatorial-mount-on-ascom-with-eqmod-stellarium-and-cartes-du-ciel.html

[Startrek]

My EQMOD has been working fine since I set it up back in August
If you connect your mount with the EQDirect cable ( USB2EQ5 ) and leave the mount switched off , you will always get a com port error and usually defaults to COM16 regardless of your com ports settings. I intentionally leave it off from time to time , com port error comes up , switch on the mount , click the binocular icon and my com port is “found” every time

[Karlzburg]

I had the mount switched on, did a com test on the cable with tx and rx looped and said it was fine. Until I took the loop off and was still sending and receiving which means faulty cable.

[Karlzburg]

Silv I didn't just rely on the bino to search, I went through device manager so I knew where it was at. Even setting it to the com port needed still the problem occurred, I went down every avenue I could troubleshooting along the way. I did the whole kit and caboodle, you name I did it, read about it, watched it.

[AndrewJ]

Gday Karl
Have attached what the log from my app should show
if the Tx/Rx are disconnected,
and what you should see if they are shorted.


Andrew

[Karlzburg]

Thank you everyone for you time and help with this matter.

[Startrek]

Karl,
I had a lot of help too from IIS members when trying to set up EQMOD to my mount
Glad to help

PS: wait till you set up Backyard EOS as well , it’s a great program ,so versatile and easy to set up and use

Martin