SynScan polar alignment bug

[LewisM]

Nope, it's carp too.

Darned thing gave me an 11° error to the east after running the thing. I figure maybe if I run it again, and correct it 11° WEST instead, it may bring it back onto target LOL.

I think the Chinese winged the wong numbers.

[ReaPerMan (Paul)]

Originally Posted by meade expert

Anyone find 3.33B01 firmware any good?

The 3.33b has the same problems as 3.32. Whilst the Star selection etc is better than 3.28b The prime function of Polar adjustment is still screwed up. I have no idea why they can get it right in an earlier version and then throw out what works and replace it with this piece of Poo!

The only other thing I have noticed is that (as stated in my previous posts) the handpiece reports odd things even after you do the polar align when you rinse and repeat it then gives you a whole lot of other error numbers. I would have thought that the numbers would get progressively smaller until 'perfection' but even after a 3 star align and the 3rd iteration It was telling me i was something like 17 minutes off in Alt (but only 3 secs off in Az). After correcting this making sure that the star was centered in my illuminated eyepiece I watched the star for 5 minutes and it remained rock steady in the center of the crosshairs. I asked the handpiece to do a Goto and it missed by miles. I then disconnected the handpiece and connected the mount to the computer. When I fired up Maxim's observatory and asked it to go to Acrux It was right there almost dead on the crosshairs in the camera picture. I adjusted and synced acrux's position in the observatory software and asked it to go to another target and it nailed it again. In fact every target was spot on! These were my best goto results ever, but notabley not from the handpiece. I'm at a loss for these inconsistancies, I plan to use the handpiece to do a 3 star align, Polar adjust, 3 star align, Polar adjust and then send it to home and use my computer software and EQMod from then on. If I do this I'll cut down my present setup times by half. I can only hope skywatcher get it right eventually as if it all worked as advertised it would be terrific.

regards

Paul

[cosmophoton (Luiz)]

Hi Paul and LewisM,

I have noted the same thing with 3.33B01 firmware (thanks Agustin for the download). The alignment seems good, but the goto function is not working at all. Hope that they fix that soon!

Clear Skies,
Luiz

[Steffen]

I wonder whether they're even aware. I don't know how much feedback they're getting from the southern hemisphere. I encourage everybody to report these bugs.

For want of a better channel I've used the "contact us" form on the skywatcher.com.au website.

Cheers
Steffen.

[RobC (Rob)]

The following is an evaluation of the polar alignment carried out by a friend of mine in December 2012. This was fowarded to Skywatcher through one of their dealers but as yet we have recieved no response from Skywatcher

" Last night I had a chance to test the Final release version of the HEQ5 firmware Ver3.32.

The new firmware is now designed to work with AZ and EQ mounts and will auto detect
what mount that it has been connected to, which I guess could be a good thing, maybe..

Here is my evaluation it might as well be a beta version, as once again the polar alignment
procedure dose not work. which is consistent with all previous version other then Ver 3.28b21
which was the first version to have it implemented, and works just great although not 100 percent
it is at least 90 percent accurate.

My alignment here is so close that I only needed to do the re-Polar Alignment procedure once
with minor adjustments, so I slewed the scope to Betelgeuse which at this stage was pretty high up
and not far from the Meridian then come back in an hour to check the drift and it hadn't even moved,
that is, no guiding.

So I'm sure there are lots of issues still with the firmware, although I didn't check the Sidereal rate problem,
at a guess I'm sure the issues with that hasn't been resolved."


Rob

[AdamH]

I've just upgraded from 3.27 to 3.32 primarily to use this feature. My experience was that the elevation and azimuth errors doubled after each iteration of Polar alignment adjustment. I'm glad to discover that the problem wasn't solely my incompetence.

[JQ (John)]

I purchased a Skywatcher 100ed pro with an HEQ5 mount. I could not believe I could align the scope so easily on the second try. Then I upgraded to 3.32.

I emailed Skywatcher and received a very prompt response - next business day. They said they are aware of the problem and that it's Southern Hemisphere specific. They also said they are working "flat out" to fix the bug.

It can't come soon enough. Back to 3.27.

Regards and thanks for the great community support.

John

[HunterGeo (David)]

Originally Posted by Steffen

After successful 3-star alignment (and ignoring a small polar alignment error), the mount slews to objects I tell it to go to, and upon arriving there (pretty much spot on) slews away by about half a degree, slews back to the object and goes back and forth a couple of times until it stops half a degree away from the object.

I'm also having this issue (v3.32 firmware) as well as the issue where the P.A. makes things worse rather than better.

[Stardrifter_WA]

Originally Posted by HunterGeo

I'm also having this issue (v3.32 firmware) as well as the issue where the P.A. makes things worse rather than better.

What I find difficult to accept is that Skywatcher allegedly knows about the issues with the 3.32 firmware, whilst still allowing their product to be sold. One shouldn't have to wind back to an earlier version of software to get a new mount to work properly. This is just wrong

It has certainly put me off buying their new EQ6 Az/Equat. mount. But, what are the alternatives; the Meade LX80? I don't think so.

[MrB (Simon)]

Yes it is very confusing. I don't understand how it has been so long now with no fix when I have read reports of the PA working in earlier versions.
Get one coder working on it fulltime and the issue would be solved in no time. Their priorities obviously lay elsewhere, like getting the EQ8 to market.
I've not gone past v3.27, and not likely to anytime soon.
Maybe they think we Southern Hemisphere customers are not worth the effort?

[Stardrifter_WA]

Originally Posted by MrB

Yes it is very confusing. I don't understand how it has been so long now with no fix when I have read reports of the PA working in earlier versions.
Get one coder working on it fulltime and the issue would be solved in no time. Their priorities obviously lay elsewhere, like getting the EQ8 to market.
I've not gone past v3.27, and not likely to anytime soon.
Maybe they think we Southern Hemisphere customers are not worth the effort?

Maybe the ACCC could do something about it, since the product clearly doesn't conform to advertised statements. Maybe they should pay all owners having trouble compensation, since they appear to know the problem exists.

[AdamH]

I contacted SkyWatcher Australia here http://www.skywatcheraustralia.com.au/?page_id=1767

On my first contact at the end of January I was told:
"Thank you for your email. The factory R&D team are currently working on it."
(That's the reply in full)

I've recontacted them today to see if they have any dates, and will provide an update here if they get back to me.

I'd encourage everyone to politely contact them asking for information.

[Stardrifter_WA]

Originally Posted by AdamH

I contacted SkyWatcher Australia here http://www.skywatcheraustralia.com.au/?page_id=1767

On my first contact at the end of January I was told:
"Thank you for your email. The factory R&D team are currently working on it."
(That's the reply in full)

I've recontacted them today to see if they have any dates, and will provide an update here if they get back to me.

I'd encourage everyone to politely contact them asking for information.

I did, and got no info

[Astroman (Andrew Wall)]

I am hopefully getting a mount soon with v3.20 does this have the polar alignment feature on it or would I need to upgrade? Not sure I wan to if there are known issues with the firmware.

[Visionoz (Bill)]

That site belongs to Tasco the Oz local distributors for Skywatcher - perhaps it is not getting through to the "right channels" - may be better to contact the original Skywatcher HQ - unfortunately there isn't any email contact address on their site as their "Contact Us" & Customer Support page points to all their distributors world-wide

However I have gleaned this email address which should be received by someone in their company: administrator@skywatchertelescope.n et

HTH
Cheers
Bill

Originally Posted by AdamH

I contacted SkyWatcher Australia here http://www.skywatcheraustralia.com.au/?page_id=1767

On my first contact at the end of January I was told:
"Thank you for your email. The factory R&D team are currently working on it."
(That's the reply in full)

I've recontacted them today to see if they have any dates, and will provide an update here if they get back to me.

I'd encourage everyone to politely contact them asking for information.

[AdamH]

There's a new version of the firmware, but it doesn't fix the PA issue.
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...d.php?p=946322

[raymo]

Hi Andrew,
My v3.20 does not have the P.A. facility, and, like you, I am wary of upgrading. I have several issues with it already, and don't want
to add more.
regards raymo

[2stroke (Jay)]

looks like they fixed it in v3.37 LMAO

edit that's v3.34 other wise that sarcastic joke doesn't apply rofl

[seeker372011 (Narayan)]

Is there any update on the PA routine with Synscan that anyone knows of?

Hate wasting clear nights drift aligning

The v 3.35 is supposed to have an improved routine..does it work for the Southern Hemisphere?

[LewisM]

The PA feature of 3.35 when I tried it simply refused to work. It tells you to centre a star, I do, and hit enter, and it goes back to the Setup page all over again. In other words, it doesn't do ANYTHING.

I just drift align. Less frustrating.