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Well the cable finally arrived. It's actually 2 cables: the first is a USB to serial RS232 port converter cable, the second is the RS232 to RJ45 connector that attaches to the Synscan handset.
Firstly I installed the driver so the computer recognises the serial converter cable - all good.
Unfortunately when I attach the second cable with the Synscan unit attached to it, nothing happens. The Skywatcher firmware updating program scans the COM ports but doesn't see the Synscan unit. Grrrr!
So tomorrow I'll try a different computer, but I suspect the problem lies with the fact that I'm trying to connect via USB to Serial converter (which I must, as my computer doesn't have a serial port).
All this leads me to reflect on the fact that the Synscan doesn't in fact have a USB connection. RS232 serial ports are so '90s !!!
We have two laptops, one netbook and one desktop computer in our household. None of them have a serial RS232 port, all of them have multiple USB ports. Why Skywatcher still supplies handsets in 2013 with a proprietary serial connector is beyond me. Comes down to cost I suppose.
Anyway when (if) I get it all working I'll post again, re the benefits or otherwise of upgrading to V3.35
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