iOptron Minitower help needed.

[Blue Skies]

I've got my iOptron Minitower out and working, but two things are frustrating me at the moment and I can't see anything in the manual about them.

1. The handpiece nearly always refuses to remember what year it is in - it keeps telling me its 2042, and no matter how many times I go and change it, it seems to forget it once I go 'back' to the other menus. Twice it has stayed, but I don't know why! Without the correct year the goto is a bit useless.

2. I have not found any information on how to know if the counterweight is in the right place.

I have sort of got it running, but it doesn't seem to be tracking all that well.

Is there a user group around that would be more helpful?

Thanks!
Jacquie

[alocky]

Hi Jacquie,
Although you've probably already thought of this;
If the mount's been in storage for a long time, is there a lithium or similar long life battery in the system that might have gone flat, so when you power it off the settings get lost?
As for counter weights - if it falls over you've got them on wrong :-)
You've only got a week...
cheers,
Andrew.

[Blue Skies]

Thanks Andrew, I did think of the battery but the hand unit looks pretty sealed up, I'm not keen on breaking into it. I've had experience with GPS batteries running flat before but I'm not sure if just waiting a while will help with this one. Besides, its not that old...although I don't know how long it was sitting around in the warehouse before I got it.

The counterweight only moves in the horizontal, but there is nothing to tip over, hence my confusion. You know me well enough that I wouldn't ask these questions lightly!

And I want it for tomorrow night, first up. But yes, I do want it running for the eclipse next week.

[alocky]

Just trying to help, Jaq! From what I've read on cloudynights it sounds like a bit of a lottery with these.

[Blue Skies]

..hmm, iOptron site seems to down so can't try upgrading firmware, or contact them with questions...

[Graham Beazley]

Jacquie. you have the wrong firmware.. first, is your mount the MT or the MTPRO..if it is the pro you need firmware v110 331, this will take care of that problem..I had the same thing happen to my pro and after contacting ioptron they sent me several firmwares to iron out this issue which mostly happened in the southern hemisphere.
This issue does not occur with the MT as long as you have the correct firmware installed which should be v090701.
cheers.
Graham.

[Graham Beazley]

Jacquie.
To help further.. to balance in AZ.. load your OTA and all its accessories including dew sheild if you use one and eyepiece.. then shorten 0NE tripod leg by about 50mm and tighten .. you mount will then be on a slant but it wont fall over.. undo the az clutch and the OTA will swing down by gravity, just put on the weight and slide it in or out on the bar until the OTA stays still.. if the weight is too far out on the bar then that will pull down.. it will come easy to you when you try it. Then dont forget to put the tripod leg back to its original position and tighten..

Also make sure you balance in altitude.. For good operation of the MT its important to balance in both axis.
Another important thing is to make sure the mount is level then all will be good. To level the mount if you go to the ioptron forum and search for message 6681 you will read what i have said about how to level the MT/PRO.
If you have further problems IE: targeting and tracking , let me know and i will run you thru an easy way to align the mount.
cheers.
Graham.

[jjjnettie]

I used to be quite active on the iOptron group.
here is the link to the Mini Tower group.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Mini_Tower/

I've had my MT since before they were even introduced into the country, and the battery in my handset is still going strong.
I think it may be the firmware, as suggested. (I've never updated that either, so can't help you with that)
Balancing, I've only ever put the counter weight at the very end where the notch is. To balance your scope, hold it by the dove tail bar, and work out were the center of balance is, then mark it with a niko pen so you know where to lock her in. :)
I really hope you get it sorted before next week.
I'll be giving my MT a work out then too. ( It's a beaut little mount)

[Blue Skies]

Hi Graham,
Its a MTPRO. Wondering why they can't put the right firmware in there in the first place *grumblegrumble* can't be that hard...

Thanks for the balancing instructions, will have a go. I know I need to do a bit of work in this direction as I intend to have it running with a video on the back at times, and perhaps a dewsheild, although I have a heating strip for the scope as well.

Where are the forums you mentioned - need links, please! Searches have not bought up anything much.

To JJJ - thanks for the yahoo link.

[Blue Skies]

I'm happy to report that the firmware update did the trick and the mount worked very well tonight - once I synced on the moon it tracked near perfect for several hours. Even slewed around and got Jupiter in the field of view of the video camera I had on the back! Tried it on some other objects but there was some light cloud as well as heavy light pollution so will have to wait for another night to see how it goes.

Just have to work on the balancing now, and then look at getting a laptop talking to it.

[Graham Beazley]

Hi Jacquie ,
Im glad you did the firmware and it is now operating OK.
Just follow what i said about balancing .. its easy and will come to you once you start..It is the only way to balance a mount like this and know you have it correct.. guessing is no good.
I see you now have the link to the mini_tower forum, The ioptron one you can get from www.ioptron.com (http://www.ioptron.com).
Both these forums offer heaps of help and im a regular on both of them.
Have fun with your PRO.
cheers.
Graham.