ASCOM nightmare

[jenchris (Jennifer)]

Not feeling so enthusiastic this evening.
Went out to play and can't get the PC to recognise the mount.
Net framework is alive and kicking
ASCOM drivers are all installed - com port recognises the USB port connector to the RS232 cable
When I flash up PHD 2.22 (new version) the guide camera installs but the ascom driver comes up with a "can't find mount on com port x" (4 or 5 depending in which side I try it)(I do tell it which port to use. Looking in device manager, it shows up when I plug it in)
I'm using Windows 7 but I've also tried it on XP with similar results
Anybody any ideas please before I spit the dummy - could it be the brand new cable?
Oh yes - I was able to drive the telescope the other night with Stellarium..

[MrB (Simon)]

Originally Posted by jenchris

could it be the brand new cable?

Is this the only change since it worked?
Is there an old cable? Try it with that.

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

"Mount on camera"?????
May be this setting?

[jenchris (Jennifer)]

Where is that setting?

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

In the "connection" drop down screen

[traveller (Bo)]

I have encountered similar problems.
Usually resolve themselves by shutting down and restarting.
I also find the star up sequence matters, for me anyway.
I do the following sequence:
EQMOD, Stellariumscope (Connect scope which automatically fires up Stellarium).
Once it is all going, then I run Backyard EOS.
I run Win 7, 64 bit and EQDIR cable to the EQ6 mount.
Hope that helps.
Bo

[jenchris (Jennifer)]

Thanks Bo - Perhaps putting in the fact that I drove Stellarium was a distraction. I don't think Stellarium uses the same connections, and I've no idea how it got working!
It's a bit confusing because all the software is so diverse and unfamiliar as well. It appears to be right and all the ticks are in the right place but the mount startup dialog in ASCOM comes up as "can't find EQmodded mount on com 4(or 5)"
I was trying to get SSAG and PHD working.

When I flash up PHD,I put eq5/6 in the mount drop down box - which is what my mount is. What does the on-camera connect to?

[jenchris (Jennifer)]

I've also tried it with the st4 cable in and with it not in - just in case it is interfering.
There's a glitch that comes in before the mount refusal which comes up as "Pulse guiding is not supported on this mount" This only comes up when I have ST4 selected. If I select pulse guiding(!) it carries on until it gets to the mount refusal.

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by jenchris

When I flash up PHD,I put eq5/6 in the mount drop down box - which is what my mount is. What does the on-camera connect to?

"On camera" is for when you have the ST4 cable connected from the port on the guide camera to the one on the mount. A side effect is that PHD can not query the mount as to where it is pointing. I've put in an enhancement request for PHD2 to be able to use ST4 to guide and a serial connection for coordinate retrieval and repositioning.

As for "can't find eqmod" are you certain you have the correct serial port? Windows has a disturbing habit of changing port numbers, especially if you are using a USB-serial converter and plug it into a different USB port, or even worse a different port on an external hub plugged into a different USB port. I recommend labeling all the cables as to where they should be connected.

[jenchris (Jennifer)]

Well, the port is activated when I plug in the cable to the USB slot - if I watch in Device Manager, the port becomes active when I put the USB plug in.
Though in EQmod it has a little pair of binoculars which if you click on it searches for a port - and can't find one.
When turned on it shows "can't find EQ modded mount on com 4" (or 5 for other USB port)

Might try and use the ST4 "on camera" thing and see what happens!!

Thanks for your continued answers, it is allowing me to understand what is going on.

[jenchris (Jennifer)]

Ok,
went down the Obsy and tried stellarium - it worked...
Didn't try to use eq5/6 on PHD used on camera and it didn't come up with a stop point - though EQmod maybe didn't need to start.
The PHD control was obviously unusable as it is day time!! - but this evening !!!! I'll let you know!!!
But if it uses the same output as Stellarium, it will be a go.!

[jenchris (Jennifer)]

Murky as last night but I wanted to test out the 'on camera' and - I am more than happy to relate that I now have function! And I have to say even though my alignment is not amazing, the guiding was better than any time with the LX90 on a wedge.
Here's a 3 min star test - and they look pretty round to me - though I have a feeling the next purchase will be a focal reducer without the field flattener - my stars get well out of shape at the edges - due to double field flattenining - ACF and reducer/flattener added together!