Telescope Reviews: CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4.15

· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt

· Submit a Review / Article

Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums

Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu… uh, User

You are not logged in. [Login]

Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online
FAQ · Calendar

Equipment Discussions >> Mounts

Pages: 1

Dolbs
journeyman

Reged: 10/17/08

Loc: Perth Western Australia

CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4.15
#2929759 - 02/15/09 06:32 PM

After updating the handcontroller to GEM 4.15 my scope is up to 90 deg off its inital alignment stars. I have done a factory reset and checked the West v east longditude and checked every thing I can think of including turning the GPS off, but it still misses by 90 degrees approx. My mount is permanently set up in a Astrogazer dome so nothing has changed on my initial setting up. I previously was using 4.12 and have always had issues with the 'Calibrate Mount' function. Every time I used that function the mount would misalign and I would have to do a 'Factory reset' That does not resolve the issue now using GEM4.15. I am in Perth Australia and I am concerned that the software may have a bug in it for the southern hemisphere. All I wanted to do was to use the new any star polar alignment feature to check on my polar alignment accuracy. Any suggestions? If not I will re-istall and if that doesn't work roll back to version 4.12.

Post Extras:

astroman68
sage

Reged: 07/09/07

Loc: West Yorkshire, UK

Re: CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4.15 new

[Re: Dolbs]
#2930523 - 02/16/09 07:53 AM

Have you checked your long/lat/date/time settings.
I upgraded mine to 4.15 and had to reset the above.
Also check whether the long is E/W and Lat is S and check that the tracking is eq south it defaults to eq north. Hope this helps.

Post Extras:

astroman68
sage

Reged: 07/09/07

Loc: West Yorkshire, UK

Re: CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4.15 new

[Re: astroman68]
#2930524 - 02/16/09 07:56 AM

Try reverting to 4.13, if it dosn't work. With this you can upgrade your motor controllers too via the handset.

Post Extras:

rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4.15 new

[Re: Dolbs]
#2930590 - 02/16/09 08:41 AM

Quote:

After updating the handcontroller to GEM 4.15 my scope is up to 90 deg off its inital alignment stars. I have done a factory reset and checked the West v east longditude and checked every thing I can think of including turning the GPS off, but it still misses by 90 degrees approx. My mount is permanently set up in a Astrogazer dome so nothing has changed on my initial setting up. I previously was using 4.12 and have always had issues with the 'Calibrate Mount' function. Every time I used that function the mount would misalign and I would have to do a 'Factory reset' That does not resolve the issue now using GEM4.15. I am in Perth Australia and I am concerned that the software may have a bug in it for the southern hemisphere. All I wanted to do was to use the new any star polar alignment feature to check on my polar alignment accuracy. Any suggestions? If not I will re-istall and if that doesn't work roll back to version 4.12.

1. Check all your settings and, in particular, TIME ZONE and DST status.

2. If that doesn't help, do a "reset to factory values" in the HC and reenter all your data.

Post Extras:

Qkslvr
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 06/23/06

Loc: NE Ohio, US

Re: CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4.15 new

[Re: rmollise]
#2931086 - 02/16/09 01:26 PM

Also did you update the motor controllers at the same time?
I did the hand controller plus both motor controllers, and I'd have to say my goto's are better than ever.

Post Extras:

jog
sage

Reged: 10/26/06

Loc: nj

Re: CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4 new

[Re: Qkslvr]
#2931189 - 02/16/09 02:28 PM

Hey guys I recently bought a cg5 mount and the version that came with mine is 4.13. I was looking on the Celestron web site for the 4.15 version but could not find it. is there another link to get it?
Thanls.

Post Extras:

rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4 new

[Re: jog]
#2931255 - 02/16/09 03:02 PM

Quote:

Hey guys I recently bought a cg5 mount and the version that came with mine is 4.13. I was looking on the Celestron web site for the 4.15 version but could not find it. is there another link to get it?
Thanls.

No. You use the Celestron firmware update application. It will download the 4.15 code and install it for you.

Post Extras:

rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4.15 new

[Re: Qkslvr]
#2931259 - 02/16/09 03:05 PM

Quote:

Also did you update the motor controllers at the same time?
I did the hand controller plus both motor controllers, and I'd have to say my goto's are better than ever.

Unless there is a problem, there is no reason to update the MC firmware when you do the HC.

Post Extras:

Qkslvr
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 06/23/06

Loc: NE Ohio, US

Re: CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4.15 new

[Re: rmollise]
#2931279 - 02/16/09 03:19 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Also did you update the motor controllers at the same time?
I did the hand controller plus both motor controllers, and I'd have to say my goto's are better than ever.

Unless there is a problem, there is no reason to update the MC firmware when you do the HC.

Why wouldn't you update the motor controllers while you're doing the HC?

Like my mount would always crash my camera into the mount, if I didn't re-goto whatever I was on at Meridian, Now it looks like RA stops. I don't know if that's HC or MC, But I'm happy it does that now.

Post Extras:

jog
sage

Reged: 10/26/06

Loc: nj

Re: CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4.15 new

[Re: Qkslvr]
#2931313 - 02/16/09 03:46 PM

thanks rmollise.

Post Extras:

rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4.15 new

[Re: Qkslvr]
#2931474 - 02/16/09 05:11 PM

Quote:

Why wouldn't you update the motor controllers while you're doing the HC?

Like my mount would always crash my camera into the mount, if I didn't re-goto whatever I was on at Meridian, Now it looks like RA stops. I don't know if that's HC or MC, But I'm happy it does that now.

Why wouldn't you? The CG5 MC firmware has not had a major update in a long time. Unless you have a really old mount (> 4 years old), totally unecessary from a performance standpoint.

More importantly, when I am doing something like this, I want to do one thing at a time and make sure it is OK, so I know where to troubleshoot if I need to.

Post Extras:

Dolbs
journeyman

Reged: 10/17/08

Loc: Perth Western Australia

Re: CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4.15 new

[Re: rmollise]
#2931877 - 02/16/09 08:57 PM

Thanks for the info guys. All of your comments were pertinent but I had already checked them. Last night I reinstalled 4.15 but the problem remained. I then reverted back to 4.13 and all is well again. I will check the MC firmaware but I am confident that it is the latest for the CG5 mount. Interestingly the 4.15 firmware was confusing west with east. All settings have been checked more than once and with both the GPS (opt extra) on and off.

Post Extras:

garyc11
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 11/20/04

Loc: Niagara Falls,NY

Re: CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4.15 new

[Re: Dolbs]
#2931966 - 02/16/09 09:38 PM

did you go thru the entire alignment dispite the alignment stars being so far off?

Post Extras:

Patrick
Postmaster

Reged: 05/16/03

Loc: Franklin, Ohio

Re: CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4.15 new

[Re: Dolbs]
#2932122 - 02/16/09 11:04 PM

Quote:

Interestingly the 4.15 firmware was confusing west with east.

It sure sounds like a Northern hemisphere/Southern hemisphere bug. Have you tried calling Celestron and asking them about it?

Patrick

Post Extras:

Qkslvr
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 06/23/06

Loc: NE Ohio, US

Re: CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4.15 new

[Re: rmollise]
#2933383 - 02/17/09 04:23 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Why wouldn't you update the motor controllers while you're doing the HC?

Like my mount would always crash my camera into the mount, if I didn't re-goto whatever I was on at Meridian, Now it looks like RA stops. I don't know if that's HC or MC, But I'm happy it does that now.

Why wouldn't you? The CG5 MC firmware has not had a major update in a long time. Unless you have a really old mount (> 4 years old), totally unecessary from a performance standpoint.

More importantly, when I am doing something like this, I want to do one thing at a time and make sure it is OK, so I know where to troubleshoot if I need to.

My CG-5 ASGT was only a couple years old, and I'm pretty sure my firmware was down rev.

And while upgrading software doing one thing at a time might be okay. When you have multiple pieces of software that have to work together keeping their rev's in sync can prevent a lot of problems. And I'm even more weary of embedded firmware in a single unit.

Just my 2 cents....

Post Extras:

InterStellarGuy
professor emeritus

Reged: 06/25/08

Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

Re: CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4.15 new

[Re: Patrick]
#2933496 - 02/17/09 05:17 PM

If its a north south bug then couldnt he test this by inputting his location as the southern hemisphere, then if it is switched it will reverse and act as if he is in the north?

Post Extras:

Dolbs
journeyman

Reged: 10/17/08

Loc: Perth Western Australia

Re: CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4.15 new

[Re: InterStellarGuy]
#2935565 - 02/18/09 04:43 PM

Celestron's reply.

******************
Thank you for your e-mail. I'm very sorry you are having issues using the latest GEM 4.15 software. There is a problem we have learned of recently using this firmware version in the Southern Hemisphere. Please rest assured our Engineering are working on the problem. Kindly continue to use the previous firmware in the meantime.

Again, please accept our apology for this inconvenience.

******************************************

Post Extras:

astroman68
sage

Reged: 07/09/07

Loc: West Yorkshire, UK

Re: CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4.15 new

[Re: Dolbs]
#3021313 - 04/03/09 02:56 AM

4.16 update now available from celestron website via hand controller update software. Fixes include:
- southern hemisphere fixes
- SAO align star fixes
- Improved GOTO approaches on extended meridian

This should clear problems.

Post Extras:

astroman68
sage

Reged: 07/09/07

Loc: West Yorkshire, UK

Re: CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4.15 new

[Re: astroman68]
#3021329 - 04/03/09 03:22 AM

Looks like the motor controller firmware is now up to 5.16.
Fixes include:
* Corrected bugs in slew limits (now called RA Limits) and improved precision to 1 degree.
* Higher precision is only accessible with version 4.16 and later of the Hand control.

Post Extras:

rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: CG5 Go to issue after software update to GEM 4.15 new

[Re: Qkslvr]
#3021593 - 04/03/09 09:28 AM

Quote:

And while upgrading software doing one thing at a time might be okay. When you have multiple pieces of software that have to work together keeping their rev's in sync can prevent a lot of problems. And I'm even more weary of embedded firmware in a single unit.

Just my 2 cents....

Except that's not a factor here. The new HC software works just fine with the older motor control software. It's your mount, though, you should do whatever you want to it.

Post Extras:

Pages: 1

Extra information

18 registered and 40 anonymous users are browsing this forum.

Moderator: Bowmoreman, bilgebay, iceblaze

Print Thread

Forum Permissions
      You cannot start new topics
      You cannot reply to topics
      HTML is disabled
      UBBCode is enabled

Thread views: 1026

Jump to

CN Forums

Home

Cloudy Nights LLC
Cloudy Nights Sponsor: Astronomics