Gday Ken
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If you're going direct to the handcontroller port on the NEQ6 mount then you DO need a EQDIR module between the USB/ Serial
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As i have been playing with this a fair bit recently ( with my EQ6Pro ), i would suggest a "clarification" on terminology may help.
The PC to HbxPort cable uses simple "rs232" serial commands, whereas the handbox to mount cable uses simple "TTL" serial commands.
The only difference "from a cabling and data point of view" is the voltage levels involved.
I think too many commercial names get bandied around that can cause confusion when describing these cables and when they should be used.
If you have a real serial port on yr PC/Lappie, or a std USB to "rs232"serial converter, then you can use that directly with the hbx, or, if you want to plug into the mounts Hbx port, you need to use an inline max232 converter ( or the like ) to convert it to TTL voltages.
You can also buy specific USB to "TTL"Serial converters, which makes a neat "one cable" connector that can plug directly into the mount, but not the hbx.
It is still essentially a USB to serial converter tho.
I note that shoestring has a USB2EQ6 cable that looks for all the world like a std USB2Serial converter, but if i read it correctly, the DB9 connector is preconverted to TTL levels and wired to suit the EQ6 port.
This could be a trap for the unwary, esp if they mix a real rs232 converter up with a TTL converter.
Andrew