· 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 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 exparrot member Reged: 02/13/12 Loc: DFW, TX PC-to-LX80       #5523001 - 11/16/12 02:30 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I've been struggling with this for some time, now. This week I broke down and bought another Meade #505 cable and that seems to be the fix. Woo-hoo! Today, I tested with AutoStar Suite, PHD, Stellarium, and my favorite, SkyTools. All worked well, connecting okay, or slewing to targets, or tracking for long periods without the connection timing out. Troubleshooting this was pretty frustrating because there's so many possible points of failure. I've uninstalled and reinstalled ASCOM6 countless times, as well as the Meade-specific driver. I've poured through multitudes of forum conversations until my head was spinning. Went through 3 USB-to-DB9 cables. And, all I ever needed to do was fork out another $20. I should have known it was going to be something proprietary since both my 8SE and Cube Pro have always worked fine with my laptop. I guess chalk it up to newbiness! So, if there's any owners out there, still fighting this, try a new #505 before ripping your hair out! Jerry Post Extras:       Mkofski professor emeritus Reged: 07/19/11 Loc: Greenfield, Indiana, USA Re: PC-to-LX80 [Re: exparrot]       #5523038 - 11/16/12 03:03 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Jerry, Troubleshooting a problem with multiple failure points can be a real pain. Glad you got it working. I'm not having any problem with PhD but Meade's AutoStar Suite won't work. Haven't had time to work on it but I think this will be a driver. Post Extras:       exparrot member Reged: 02/13/12 Loc: DFW, TX Re: PC-to-LX80 [Re: Mkofski]       #5523167 - 11/16/12 04:38 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Mike What version of AS Suite are you running? I have 5.53. I usually have the laptop already connected to the mount before I start. 1)Power up mount 2)Align 3)Start AS Suite 4)Configure serial port: Telescope>Communications>Serial Port Setup... 5)Start the communications link: Telescope>Protocol>AutoStar via Serial Port (or F6) The target box on the star map should move to wherever the mount is currently pointing. To disconnect: Telescope>Protocol>None (or F5) My serial setup is standard 9600 baud 1 stop bit 8 data bits no parity no flow control Jerry Post Extras:       Mkofski professor emeritus Reged: 07/19/11 Loc: Greenfield, Indiana, USA Re: PC-to-LX80 [Re: exparrot]       #5523649 - 11/16/12 11:32 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Jerry, Thanks for the ste-by-step. I think that is the version I'm running. Just had leg surgery so it will be a week or 3 before I get back to any observing. The last 3 nights looked great. The corralary to "new equipment leads to rain". Post Extras:       exparrot member Reged: 02/13/12 Loc: DFW, TX Re: PC-to-LX80 [Re: Mkofski]       #5523927 - 11/17/12 08:17 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Mike, I hope the recovery is quick. Take it easy and heal up - you've got to be in good shape to haul that 65lb LX80+tripod around!!! Jerry Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 19 registered and 33 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: 409 Jump to *Announcements and News* -----   Cloudy Nights Announcements   Discussion of CN Articles, Reviews, and Reports   Celestial Events*General Astronomy* -----   Beginners Forum   General Observing and Astronomy   Outreach   Light Pollution*Equipment Discussions* -----   ATM, Optics and DIY Forum   Binoculars   Binoviewers   Cats & Casses   Classic Telescopes   Equipment   Eyepieces   Mounts   Observatories   Reflectors   Refractors    Video and Electronically Assisted Astronomy*Astrophotography and Sketching* -----   Beginning and Intermediate Imaging   Film Astrophotography   DSLR & Digital Camera Astro Imaging & Processing   CCD Imaging & Processing   Solar System Imaging & Processing   Sketching   Astro Imaging/Sketching Contest *Observing* -----   NEO   Planetary and Solar System Observing   Lunar Observing   Deep Sky Observing   Double Star Observing   Solar   Variable Star Observing and Radio Astronomy*Telescope Specific Forums* -----   Celestron NexStar    NexStar GPS / CPC Telescopes   Questar Forum   Meade ACF/RCX / LX / GPS    Meade ETX*Speciality Forums* -----   Arizona Science and Astronomy Expo   NEAF (Northeast Astronomy Forum) and NEAIC (Northeast Astro Imaging Conference)   AstroArt   Astronomy Clubs and Star Parties   Astronomy Software & Computers   AstroWebsites   Science! Astronomy & Space Exploration, and Others   Space Rocks   Stellar Media*Swap and Shop* -----   Shop and Swap Audio Components*CN Feedback and Vendor Announcements* -----   Vendor and Group Announcements*International Year of Astronomy 2009 - Forums are now closed.* -----   IYA Archive Info CN Forums Home

Cloudy Nights LLC Cloudy Nights Sponsor: Astronomics