Cable suitable for Skywatcher with Synscan

[Mokusatsu (Australia)]

I need the cables to connect my Skywatcher goto with Synscan AZ to a PC.

I got it second hand and missing the cables. I want to update the Synscan AZ firmware, maybe interface the scope with a laptop running Stellarium or something.

I believe there is a Synscan-serial cable which comes with the new unit, and most modern laptops won't have a serial port so I'll need a serial to USB cable as well.

Where can I purchase these things at a reasonable price?

[Allan_L (Allan)]

Originally Posted by Mokusatsu

I need the cables to connect my Skywatcher goto with Synscan AZ to a PC.

I got it second hand and missing the cables. I want to update the Synscan AZ firmware, maybe interface the scope with a laptop running Stellarium or something.

I believe there is a Synscan-serial cable which comes with the new unit, and most modern laptops won't have a serial port so I'll need a serial to USB cable as well.

Where can I purchase these things at a reasonable price?

Try Jaycar Electronics.
But be sure to get the right one for the version of Windows you are running on the PC.

[Mokusatsu (Australia)]

So what kind of cable should I ask for?

There is a serial-USB cable which appears to be fairly ubiquitous. What's the other one called, the synscan-serial cable?

[Allan_L (Allan)]

Originally Posted by Mokusatsu

So what kind of cable should I ask for?

There is a serial-USB cable which appears to be fairly ubiquitous. What's the other one called, the synscan-serial cable?

It is still a serial to usb cable.
But it will have a chip in it and requires a driver.
Some chips and drivers are not compatible with various versions of windows.
Ask them.
Cost is about $25-$30 from memory

[RKenning (Robert)]

I recency purchased a StarTech 1 Port USB to RS232 DB9 Serial Adapter Cable from Mwave. It cost $30 and works perfectly on a new ASUS Win 10 64bit laptop.
As soon as I plugged it in, it downloaded a driver and set itself up. It has a genuine Prolific chip and comes with a cd, although I didn't need to use it.
Good Luck and Clear Skies.

Rob

[jenchris (Jennifer)]

I bought a db9 connector and made up my own cable with an rs232 connector from hitecastro .

[Mokusatsu (Australia)]

Any chance you could write up a description of how you made your own Synscan cable?

I can solder and follow instructions, I just want to know what I need to buy.

Is the Synscan cable really just a straight up connection of a RJ11 (??) cable to a RS232 plug, which merely requires the appropriate pins to be soldered in the right order, or does it have some smarts to it?

This one on eBay appears to be home made, just some bloke soldering them up in his shed. If I can buy the parts from an electronics place and solder them up in 10 minutes I might as well DIY too.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Serial-Ca...YC5F60ygWpGQWg

[Mokusatsu (Australia)]

I found this on eBay. Does it appear to be suitable?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/APC-Molde...wAAOxyUrZSu-Hd

Edit: I just figured out that this will NOT work. There are six wires in the handset plug so it is RJ12, not RJ11.

[Mokusatsu (Australia)]

This one, on the other hand, looks more promising.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DB9-Femal...MAAOSw2XFUmWLy

[Allan_L (Allan)]

Did a google search for you (Google is your friend)
and found this article, on THIS Website.
So much good info on IIS if you search for it.

I can't verify if it works but it sounds like what you were asking for.

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=80796

Originally Posted by Mokusatsu

Any chance you could write up a description of how you made your own Synscan cable?

I can solder and follow instructions, I just want to know what I need to buy.

Is the Synscan cable really just a straight up connection of a RJ11 (??) cable to a RS232 plug, which merely requires the appropriate pins to be soldered in the right order, or does it have some smarts to it?

This one on eBay appears to be home made, just some bloke soldering them up in his shed. If I can buy the parts from an electronics place and solder them up in 10 minutes I might as well DIY too.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Serial-Ca...YC5F60ygWpGQWg

[jenchris (Jennifer)]

The hitechastro chip comes with the info.
Though if I remember correctly, there's an oddity.
I was unsure whether the pics were the pin end or the solder end.
I looked on the web for an ortho pic . It came up on the search engine page.
Just searched rs232 to db9 connection pinout.

[Mokusatsu (Australia)]

I put in a lowball "make an offer" for that RJ12 to DB9 cable from eBay and it was accepted.

If it is wired up wrongly, what is the worst case scenario?

Would it simply fail to work, or is it possible that higher than tolerable voltages will be applied to sensitive places, resulting in damage to the Synscan controller?

If actual damage is possible, I might find a friend with a multi-meter to test the connections first. If not, I'll just try it out first and then see if I can crack it open and rewire the leads.

[jenchris (Jennifer)]

It may shut down the laptop.
You need to remove the battery to untrip it.
There's no real reason for it to be wired wrong. It's only 3 wires.

[AndrewJ]

Gday Mokusatsu

If in doubt, NEVER EVER use the handbox or scope electronics to "test" a cable. Pin 1 in the Hbx port has 12V on it, that may upset things if it goes back the wrong way.
Doing a continuity test is quick and simple ( and cheap )
The DB9 to RJ11 only needs 3 wires in order to work.
Based on the DB9 connector these are pins 2,3 and 5.
You can use the wiring diag in the Synscan3 manual ( in Appendix B ) to confirm the orientation of these wires as they go into the Handcontrol

Andrew

[Allan_L (Allan)]

Originally Posted by Mokusatsu

I put in a lowball "make an offer" for that RJ12 to DB9 cable from eBay and it was accepted.

If it is wired up wrongly, what is the worst case scenario?

Would it simply fail to work, or is it possible that higher than tolerable voltages will be applied to sensitive places, resulting in damage to the Synscan controller?

If actual damage is possible, I might find a friend with a multi-meter to test the connections first. If not, I'll just try it out first and then see if I can crack it open and rewire the leads.

As per the Manual:

Do not use RS-232 cable other than the one provided to connect between the hand control and your computer. It may damage your computer or the hand control. If you are making your own cable based on the information provided in Appendix B, make sure that only pin 2, 3 and 5 connect to the com connector on your computer.

[Mokusatsu (Australia)]

Ok, fair warning!

I'll check it before using, and if necessary change the wiring around.

[Mokusatsu (Australia)]

Can someone post a link to the manual you are looking at? The Synscan manual I found via Google doesn't have an appendix B.

[Mokusatsu (Australia)]

Actually never mind, I found a thread...

http://www.astronomyforum.net/telesc...connector.html

[Mokusatsu (Australia)]

I think if anyone wants to DIY on the cheap, rather than start with a serial cable and crimp on a new RJ11, you might start with a RJ11 cable and just wire on a DB9. 4 wire RJ11 wires are cheap and plentiful and DB9 connectors to be soldered or screwed onto wires cost $1 to $1.50 on eBay.

In the mean time though, my friend is an electronics tech and he'll check the leads for me and if necessary crimp on a new RJ11 head with the right connections.

[AndrewJ]

Gday Mokusatsu

I think if anyone wants to DIY on the cheap, rather than start with a serial cable and crimp on a new RJ11, you might start with a RJ11 cable and just wire on a DB9.

Exactly what i used to do
Just buy a few metres of "flat" 4wire telephone cable
Crimp an RJ11 to the end
Solder the correct wires to the DB9 and close it up.
When the plastic tab on the RJ11 finally breaks off :-)
its simple to just crimp on a new one, and the wiring order takes care of itself.

Andrew