Help! Nexstar SLT firmware update issues

[chrisp9au]

I have successfully updated the hand control on my Nexstar SLT mount, from V 4.17 to V 4.22
It updated without a hitch, very happy, so happy I decided to update the Motor Control.
If only I hadn't! :(

I tried updating from V 5.14 to V 5.18
MCupdate reports "An Error occurred Programming Data at Address: 709" and recommended restarting the programming.
I have restarted it many times, getting errors at a number of different addresses.
After an hour I cancelled out and tried to re-install the old version V 5.14.
Same problems.Now my hand control cannot communicate with the mount!
Hand control says "No Response 16" which is the azimuth motor.

:help::help::help:


Has anybody experienced this? More importantly has anybody recovered from this?

[chrisp9au]

Happy to say that folk over on Cloudy Nights helped me to resolve this issue.
Particularly Michael Swanson who runs the Nexstar resource site, https://www.nexstarsite.com/
I spent $30 on ebay getting an old desktop PC with a serial port, to avoid using a USB adapter.
Plugged in the SLT mount and ran the MCupdate program with no hassles at all.
Very happy with the outcome, and amazed at how fast Windows 7 operated!
Have also installed a Celestron Skyportal Wifi unit, and am now running the scope from Sky Safari. :thumbsup: