Gav
First - it can work. I control my CGEM mount on a win10 computer, using a serial-USB interface. I have used a win7 laptop in the past - but I never tried ASCOM - only ever direct to Stellarium like you/
I connect to
- Stellarium directly without ASCOM. I also connect to it indirectly via ASCOM with StellariumScope =
http://welshdragoncomputing.ca/
- AstrophotographyTool and PHD2 via ASCOM.
So given what you said the problem I assume you have a correct and working cable to the mount. So the problem must be with ASCOM? I haven't used NexRemote so don't know about that. I assume that Cartes uses ASCOM to connect.
When you connect via ASCOM does it come up with the COM port that handles your mount?
Lots of these programs wont connect properly unless the scope has gone through the alignment on the handcontroller.
Also, not all USB-serial interface will work with this (I just can't remember which ones don't).
Sorry I don't have an easy fix without seeing the errors you get.
Chris