206 replies to this topic

[lucutes]

In case anyone else is looking for this information, I've just gone through quite a bit of searching, and ultimately called Celestron technical support (thanks for your patience, Will…!) to find how to use the Celestron Firmware Updater (CFM) version 2.3.7111 to update my CGX mount and StarSense accessory from my MacBook Pro (late 2016, USB-C ports only) running macOS Sierra (10.12.5).

 

I've successfully updated:

1. The CGX mount with the NexStar+ hand controller
2. The StarSense accessory with the StarSense hand controller

 

Here's what I needed to do to get CFM to find the devices, and do the updates.

1. Download the Prolific USB-to-Serial driver from here: http://www.prolific...._id=229&pcid=41
2. Install the driver you just downloaded (restart of the computer is required, but no further configuration is needed)
3. (First, do the NexStar+ hand controller and related mount updates) With ONLY power and the NexStar+ hand controller connected to the mount and NO connection between the hand controller and computer:
   1. Hold down both the Celestron logo and the MENU/7 keys on the hand controller
   2. Turn on the mount
   3. Confirm that the hand controller says (1st line) "BOOT LOADER Serial" and (2nd line) "User Keypad Entry"
   4. Without turning off the mount, connect a known-good USB cable between the hand controller and the computer (I have a MacBook Pro with only USB-C ports, so I used the Apple USB-C to USB-A adapter)
   5. Open the CFM.jar (Java application). If the CFM doesn't discover your devices (NextStar+, CGX, CGX RA Switch, CGX Dec Switch), you need to check some settings in the CFM, as follows…
      • In the Options menu, be sure that ONLY the Allow Program Updates is checked "√" (check if if needed)
      • Choose Options > Connections… and be sure Serial is set as the connection type, Automatic for discovery method, (don't change anything in the default port settings), and check √ the box to update default settings when device is found. Click OK after confirming these items.
      • In the NexStar+ menu, choose Mount Types, click the radio button for Equatorial (GEM), and the radio button for Always do what I selected this time. Click Select to save and close the dialog box.
   6. Confirm the middle pane of the CFM main window shows "All packages successfully downloaded". If not, click the Try Again button until you get the packages downloaded.
   7. In the bottom pane of the CFM main window, click the Update button to start the first update. You should see the progress indicated below, such as (1/2 packages) and a percentage. The number of packages and speed will depend on the status of your devices when you started.
   8. Once the update completes, Click the Update button again. REPEAT UNTIL NO FURTHER UPDATES ARE NEEDED! (I needed to click Update and let the process run 3 times, for a total of 14 packages; 1 in the first run, 2 in the second, and 11 in the third.)
   9. Power off the mount
   10. Disconnect the USB cable from the hand controller
   11. Power on the mount and go through the initialization of the hand controller (language, location, date, time). I ran a bogus alignment sequence with the mount sitting on my office floor to be sure everything seemed operational, too.
   12. Power off the mount
   13. Disconnect the NexStar+ hand controller
4. (Now for the StarSense camera and hand controller) With ONLY power, the StarSense camera, and the StarSense hand controller connected to the mount, and NO connections between the computer and the camera, or the computer and the hand controller:
   1. Hold down both the Celestron logo and the MENU/7 keys on the hand controller
   2. Turn on the mount
   3. Confirm that the hand controller says (1st line) "BOOT LOADER Serial" and (2nd line) "User Keypad Entry"
   4. Without turning off the mount, connect a known-good USB cable between the hand controller and the computer, and another known-good USB cable between the StarSense camera and the computer (I have a MacBook Pro with only USB-C ports, so I used an Apple USB-C to USB-A adapter for one of these, and an Apple USB-C VGA Multiport adapter for the other)
   5. Open the CFM.jar (Java application). If the CFM doesn't discover your devices (StarSense HC, CGX, CGX RA Switch, CGX Dec Switch, StarSense Accessory Camera), you need to check some settings in the CFM, as follows…
      • In the Options menu, be sure that ONLY the Allow Program Updates is checked "√" (check if if needed)
      • Choose Options > Connections… and be sure Serial is set as the connection type, Automatic for discovery method, (don't change anything in the default port settings), and check √ the box to update default settings when device is found. Click OK after confirming these items.
      • In the NexStar+ menu, choose Mount Types, click the radio button for Equatorial (GEM), and the radio button for Always do what I selected this time. Click Select to save and close the dialog box.
   6. Confirm the middle pane of the CFM main window shows "All packages successfully downloaded". If not, click the Try Again button until you get the packages downloaded.
   7. In the bottom pane of the CFM main window, click the Update button to start the first update. You should see the progress indicated below, such as (1/2 packages) and a percentage. The number of packages and speed will depend on the status of your devices when you started.
   8. Once the update completes, Click the Update button again. REPEAT UNTIL NO FURTHER UPDATES ARE NEEDED! (I only needed to click Update one time, for a total of 8 packages.)
   9. Power off the mount
   10. Disconnect the USB cables from the hand controller and camera
   11. Power on the mount and go through the initialization of the hand controller (language, location, date, time). I ran a bogus alignment sequence with the mount sitting on my office floor to be sure everything seemed operational, too.
   12. Power off the mount

Celebrate the fact that you're now fully up-to-date with both your NexStar+ hand controller, and your StarSense camera/hand controller.

 

Clear skies!

 

Bobby

Worked for me thank you! The driver support is the key.

[Andrew Lindsay]

Hello All,

Has anyone had success performing this update with a CPC800 using a new Macbook Pro?  I've just bought a Skysense camera and will be heading down to try it out in the coming weeks, but wanted to make sure I knew how to get the most up to date firmware on my CPC800 and new hand control.

[Gator1PK]

Bobby - I have a newer NexStar8 SE (with the USB port in the hand controller) and have been trying to update it with an iMac running High Sierra.  I did allow the "user approval before loading new third-party kernel extensions" when installing the PL2303 driver.

 

Following all your other instructions things progress as outlined.  However, when I open CFM I receive the following message:

 

"CFM detected serial ports on your PC but found no devices attached to them.
Your telescope may not be connected properly."

 

I've checked all the connections following your instructions (Selecting Alt Az as the mount type however, for this unit) and still no luck.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks.

 

Scott B.

I got my NexStar 8SE last week, so it has the MINI USB port. To microUSB, but MINI. 

 

I’m running Mojave, you have to go to Settings/ Security/ General Allow..... THEN (never seen this before) there was another button, (no longer visible), click on it and you had got a list of apps that needed your approval to load. Listed the company like Prolific that had the USB driver.  I rebooted my Mac. I deleted the downloaded CFM folder with the .jar that failed. Went to Celestron, re downloaded the CFM, unZipeed,  clicked on the fresh “.jar”. CFM started, finally saw my telescope, it downloaded packets and then installed 11 packets to the hand controller. Then everything was great!

[Newbie Deluxxe]

Sadly I'm getting nowhere…

 

I'm a mac user and really having trouble updating both my mount, Nexstar and Starsense controllers. I have the proper driver for mac and when I run the CFM.jar file it loads what appears to be many updates but the app still can't find either the mount nor controller. I also have the options for updates and mount configured correctly, and have also tried a factory reset. I'm fairly certain I've followed the procedures properly and have tried several times utilizing both direct and wifi connections, but it's still zip...

 

Thank you for your post describing your method but it seems I appear to have hit a wall.

 

It seems like it shouldn't have to be so tough.

 

Steve Wilson

Roeland Park, Ks.

Edited by Newbie Deluxxe, 05 August 2019 - 06:10 PM.

[dham340]

Sadly I'm getting nowhere…

 

I'm a mac user and really having trouble updating both my mount, Nexstar and Starsense controllers. I have the proper driver for mac and when I run the CFM.jar file it loads what appears to be many updates but the app still can't find either the mount nor controller. I also have the options for updates and mount configured correctly, and have also tried a factory reset. I'm fairly certain I've followed the procedures properly and have tried several times utilizing both direct and wifi connections, but it's still zip...

 

Thank you for your post describing your method but it seems I appear to have hit a wall.

 

It seems like it shouldn't have to be so tough.

 

Steve Wilson

Roeland Park, Ks.

Steve,

 

As long as you have installed the prolific mac serial driver check the name of the serial connection (look in the mac system info).  I think it should be cu.usbserial  As I recall, I had to make that change to get it to work. Once I did, it found the scope and upgraded. Also, the order in which you start the CFM.jar and connect the scope to the computer seemed to matter, so you can try that (connect scope then start jar or vice versa).

 

For me, even as a 100% mac/ios user, trying to do astronomy/astrophotography on the mac was such a chore that I finally went out and got a cheap windows laptop.  The added benefit was I can run CPWI now.

 

R

Dan

[Jmq4]

Im a Mac user too, but have never been able to get CFM to recognize the HC (NexStar+) or MC on a MacMini running OS 10.12.6.  It will see my wireless controller if I try to use WiFi (but not the HC or MC), and have tried two different types of USB to serial cables (i.e., different chipsets, prolific and ftdi).  I think I exhausted every permutation of plug, starting programs, software, drivers, etc..  That said, I was able to get CFM to run correctly on my Mini by running Windows 8 in VirtualBox.  I had to update Java and made sure to select the correct USB port in VirtualBox (just a dropdown in the lower right corner), but Windows recognized the adapters and loaded the drivers.  This worked first time without any permutations.

[lucutes]

Like some other devices you will get nowhere if the USB cable is not up to snuff and was mainly designed to do re-charging etc. I once went through 3 different USB cables trying to get my Nikon D5600 to talk to my MacBook. So be sure through some other way if possible that the USB cable you are using is capable of data transfer before trying to diagnose the issue because of drivers or some other idea.

[HazyNights]

Just successfully used WIFI on an old iMac with obsolete OS, to perform a Celestron firmware update.  The computer's USB port, the "prolific" USB driver,  and the hand control's mini USB port; were neither required nor used.  I hope this info helps others, as this forum has helped me.

 

The telescope to update:

Celestron NexStar Evolution 8" SCT, with StarSense camera and it's StarSense hand control with mini USB port (port type didn't matter, since I updated via WIFI), and with their new motorized focuser!  The focuser is what required these updates.

 

What didn't work:

Plan A. USB.  Even using a borrowed new Mac laptop, and with the "prolific" USB driver installed.  It never saw the telescope's devices.  ( I aged 10 yrs, too!  I wish CFM's UPDATE button included a download to reinstall my 10 yrs!  Fortunately, I didn't run the telescope on battery power, or else, they would have aged more than me!)

Plan B. Trying to update with WIFI, before using CFM with computer connected to internet; to get the telescope's associated downloads.

 

What did work:

Plan C...!!!

Telescope: Evolution has plenty of battery power, but I used its power cord, though not necessary.  Now, that I know the process, it could easily be done running on battery power, alone.
Computer: Imac running OS X El Captain, ver. 10.11.6  an obsolete OS, no longer being updated.

 

The final process, perhaps some blanks may have been filled in by the many earlier attempts:

Down load all required software   (note: the recommended "prolific" USB driver, isn't required.  WIFI process doesn't use it.)

1. Download & install Java.  It was compatible.

2. Download & install CFM from Celestron.  It was compatible.

3. With computer connected to internet, open & run CFM.jar application.  The Celestron firmware update window opens.  The only thing it successfully does at this point is the only thing that mattered: to download from their web sight, all of the updates needed for my telescope.  It doesn't matter that it doesn't find any of my telescope's devices, and fails to update anything.

4. Close the internet connection.  CFM doesn't need it anymore.

 

Update the hand control only

5. Connect only the StarSense hand control to the telescope. (and optional power cord, if you want.  I did. )

6. Press & hold down both the Celestron Logo button and the Menu buttons (#7).  Then turn on the telescope.  The hand control displays, "Boot Loader Serial" and 2nd line "User Keypad Entry".  Once this is displayed you can release these two buttons.

7. Turn on the iMac's WIFI.  In network choices, select the telescope's WIFI network.   "Celestron-??" was Mine.

8. Reopen CFM.  From main window, select options menu.  Select connections.  At the top of this popup window select "WIFI".  Then return to CFM's home page.

9. Now, when you click on SEEK, it finds the telescope's devices.  Wait, until it has found them all.  Since, CFM has already retrieved the telescope downloads, it doesn't need to access the internet, nor will it try. 

10. Click on the "UPDATE" button, and wait until it indicates, that all updating is finished.

11. Turn off the telescope.

 

Update StarSense camera

12. Connect StarSense camera cable to the telescope, also.

13. Repeat steps 6, and 9-11.  Don't forget to turn off the telescope!

 

Update motorized focuser

14. Connect motorized focuser cable to the telescope, also.  At this point, all cables were connected to it.

15. Repeat steps 6, and 9-11.

 

P.S. After finishing all updates.  I wondered, if it were possible to connect all of the cables to the telescope at the beginning, and update them all at one time; but I don't know.

[Craven]

I'm so glad to have found this thread as I started last night trying to update my HC on my 2010 8SE on a Macintosh.  I've encountered some of the same problems you folks have.  I've updated my JAVA, downloaded a Prolific driver for my Serial to USB adapter and still no luck.  I'll go back and deal with all that though.  The one question I had that I didn't see addressed is this, "What do you do if your HC doesn't have a Celestron logo button?"  The button under my "7" on my HC is "INFO."      The Celestron software update list indicates that I'm way behind, 8 years behind in updates, so I'm wondering if this HC will even work.  Also, do I need to have made a legit logon into the CFM to learn which version of software my mount is running?

[MickTaurus]

The button under my "7" on my HC is "INFO."

If it says INFO then I believe it's not the newer HC, which is NexStar+ the logo at the top of the HC.

Edited by MickTaurus, 05 January 2020 - 10:24 AM.

[Michael_Swanson]

I'm so glad to have found this thread as I started last night trying to update my HC on my 2010 8SE on a Macintosh.  I've encountered some of the same problems you folks have.  I've updated my JAVA, downloaded a Prolific driver for my Serial to USB adapter and still no luck.  I'll go back and deal with all that though.  The one question I had that I didn't see addressed is this, "What do you do if your HC doesn't have a Celestron logo button?"  The button under my "7" on my HC is "INFO."      The Celestron software update list indicates that I'm way behind, 8 years behind in updates, so I'm wondering if this HC will even work.  Also, do I need to have made a legit logon into the CFM to learn which version of software my mount is running?

That would be a version 4 hand control.  HCupdate is used to update firmware on that HC, not CFM.  Here are the instructions for version 4 upgrades:

https://www.nexstars...wToVersion4.htm

HCupdate is a Windows application, though I think some people have had success running it under Wine. 

 

Best regards,
Mike Swanson
https://www.NexStarSite.com

[AusS2000]

I recently bought a StarSense and thought I'd better update it before the sky clears.

 

What a palaver! Couldn't get any luck using USB cables with or without a serial driver. So I tried wifi (have an Evolution 6). 

 

CFM requires an internet connection to download all the latest firmware, so at first it is attached to my home access point. Then you change to connect to the Celestron_9F and it successfully discovered my devices. When I click update it begins and then fails with a 'memory error'. The telescope no longer starts up either. Fails on boot up.

 

I ended up putting the handcontroller into Boot mode and running the updater. Finally got all devices updated and running.

 

Now, for clear skies...

[cpeak66]

Thanks for the thread, still no luck here, but I'll keep at it and post an update.

 

Current situation here:

 

MacBook Pro (2017 USB-C) model running Catalina and a CGEM II mount + StarSense Camera.

 

Following instructions from multiple people here I got the Prolific drivers installed and I see the mount in my System Report on the USB chain, but the CFM software just still won't see it. I've tried both the BootLoad option on the hand controller and just normal, tried having the mount on before the CFM, then tried launching the CFM then the mount, nothing. Reached out to Celestron & awaiting a reply.

 

Thanks everyone,

 

Clear Skies!

[MickTaurus]

I have successfully updated my NexStar 8se + StarSence HC using CFM on my MacBook Pro, at first it did not recognise my scopes HC, but then I tried a different usb port and it updated.

[cpeak66]

Quick update:

 

Knowing that my Macbook did in fact see the CGEM but the CFM did not I fired up Stellarium to see if I could get that to control the mount. After about 10 seconds of configuration it worked like a charm! Stellarium is able to talk to the mount and slew it wherever I want. This tells me that the issue is with the CFM software.

 

Still waiting on Celestron to reply...

[lucutes]

Try using a different cable. It took me 3 USB cables to find one that communicated with the mount. Not all cables are the same quality. CFM found my mount (CGX) and hand controller no problem on the third cable.  Using 2015 MacBook Pro Retina.

[ESMP]

Thanks for the thread, still no luck here, but I'll keep at it and post an update.

 

Current situation here:

 

MacBook Pro (2017 USB-C) model running Catalina and a CGEM II mount + StarSense Camera.

 

Following instructions from multiple people here I got the Prolific drivers installed and I see the mount in my System Report on the USB chain, but the CFM software just still won't see it. I've tried both the BootLoad option on the hand controller and just normal, tried having the mount on before the CFM, then tried launching the CFM then the mount, nothing. Reached out to Celestron & awaiting a reply.

 

Thanks everyone,

 

Clear Skies!

Hey cpeak,

 

Here's my take on what worked for me when I couldn't get my MacBook Pro USB-C to detect my telescope.

 

Once you have your device connected to your USB port, preferably your device and nothing else (I needed a USB to USB-C adapter, obviously), launch Terminal app and type the following:

ls /dev/cu*

You should then get all your connected devices listed. Try finding one that says cu.usbserial-xxxx (1450 in my case). Once you get that, go into Celestrons Firmware Manager's settings and set it to:

 

 

Hopefully this will make your device visible to the manager.

 

Cheers!

 

-- Eduardo

[cpeak66]

Thanks Eduardo!

 

That worked - It sees the mount and StarSense so we're over the hump. But now Celestron's site crashed so I have to wait for it to go back online so it can complete the downloads :facepalm:

 

I'll write a detailed post about everything I did soon...

[mrki233]

These steps worked for me after I installed the Prolific driver.  I've updated my CPC 1100, CPC Edge 800 and Nexstar 6SE with these steps.  Macbook Pro 2016 running Mojave. 

 

1.  Connect mini-usb cable and USB-A to USB-C adapter to Mac
2.  Connect to USB port on telescope controller, holding down the MENU and Celestron logo buttons.
3.  Launch CFM by right clicking CFM.jar and selecting 'Open With' and select 'Jar Launcher'
4.  RESTART the Mac (may not be needed - use only if HC is not recognized by CFM in step 3)
5.  Controller should show in Detected Devices window
6.  Perform update (usually 11 packages are installed sequentially)

 

Note:  If you have trouble loading the updates, delete all the files from the 'Packages' folder and try again.  Updated package files
will be downloaded from Celestron.com when CFM starts.

Edited by mrki233, 13 May 2020 - 03:51 PM.

[Atul Kapadia]

Eduardo - Thank you very much.  After being frustrated for hours, I was able to make it work with your hint and one additional wrinkle.

After I changed USB port it got stuck on cannot connect to Internet.  So I first made it found the telescope using cu.usb... and then changed the setting to automatic and it found internet.  Then I was able to update.

 

Seriously software challenged!

[ESMP]

Glad to hear I could be of help! Believe me... it was really frustrating for me too. Took me a long time to find my own solution so I thought it was my duty to share it, haha.

[Jctakoma]

Thanks to user “Lift Off” Eduardo in this forum for describing the problem of “naming” a port, and to Michael Swanson of the “NexStar Resource Site” for his info on drivers, for describing what he thinks is actually happening electronically inside the hand control, and for his suggestion of the easiest way to assure you have the right cable.

 

I’ve now got my NexStar+ HC and SkyPortal firmware up to date, for a Celestron SLT128. I did this on a MacBook Pro late 2008 with Mavericks first, but then as well updated to El Capitan, and on a MacBook Pro mid-2014 Catalina system. I also got things to work on an old Sony Vaio on which I installed Linux Mint. For my own future reference, I kept notes. See below.

 

In summary, CFM connecting via wifi was easier with fewer glitches than via cable. For a cable connection, persuading CFM to recognize a perfectly good working USB/Serial port was the key. Cable types and the presence/absence of drivers did not seem to matter for me, but may for others.

 

Troubleshooting when CFM does not detect any devices:

 

If the connection is by wifi or by cable, Celestron suggests the HC should be plugged into the mount in “boot loader” mode by simultaneously depressing the Celestron key and the 7 key. Try simply not doing this.

 

If the connection is by cable, consider switching to wifi. Wifi connections seem to encounter fewer problems. This may require a separate purchase of Celestron’s SkyPortal wifi appliance. Connect the computer first to the Internet via wifi, let CFM download packages, then connect the computer to the SkyPortal via wifi.

 

If the connection is by cable, and if the computer has several USB ports, try switching the cable to a different port. This is because ports may have unique names inside the computer’s operating system, and CFM looks for one particular name.

 

If the connection is by cable, and if the problem is the same no matter which USB port is used, or if the computer has only one USB port, then it may be that the computer has assigned a name to the USB port that is not recognized by CFM. Within CFM, open Options/Connection. For Default Port Settings/Serial, type the name of your computer’s USB serial port. To find the port name, open the computer’s Terminal application, which can be found via the Mac OS Launchpad (rocket ship symbol in a gray circle). With the HC attached by cable to a USB port, type (or cut/paste without quotation marks) “cd /dev” and then “ls”. The listing is in alphabetical order, so look for one that begins with “cu.” There should be one that looks like “cu.usbserial” or perhaps “cu.usbserial-1410”. Type that word in CFM, without quotation marks, exactly as it appears in the Terminal listing.

 

If the connection is by cable, and if no “cu.usbserial” or variant appears in Terminal, then a software “driver” may be required. In Terminal, type “cd /Library/Extensions” and then “ls” and look for “ProlificUsbSerial.kext”. Alternatively, the computer may have an “FTDI” type driver installed. If neither are there, or if only the FTDI driver is there, then go to the Prolific website for the PL2303 driver for your operating system. Follow the Prolific company’s instructions for installing it.

 

If none of the above works, the problem may be with the cable itself. I suspect this is rare. The cable should be of a type that transmits data, but most standard cables will work. Test a cable with a camera or other device that transmits data, or simply try a different cable designed for a camera.

 

If none of the above works, there are some who suggest a cable port driver conflict is the culprit. This seems unlikely. Nonetheless, to solve this problem, if indeed it is a problem, the writers generally suggested using the “Terminal” program to delete one set of drivers before installing another. This involves logging into your computer, via Terminal, as a Super User or Root User, it means you know where to find the drivers, and it means you know how to delete them, without screwing anything else up. Unless highly skilled at this sort of thing, none of this is recommended.

[andyho]

Bobby Roe's StarSense update instructions worked perfectly for me on my Macintosh computer! What's different about my setup is that I have Celestron's StarSense AutoAlign kit for Skywatcher Mounts.

 

In addition to the StarSense hand controller and camera, the kit for Skywatcher mounts includes an "Auxiliary Port Interface for Mount." This is a small box that has one port (the wider one) which connects directly to the Skywatcher mount; there are three additional ports for connection of auxiliary devices.

 

Per Celestron's instructions that come with the Skywatcher kit, connect the interface box to the Skywatcher mount using Skywatcher's hand control cable. Then connect the StarSense hand control to one of the three auxiliary ports and the StarSense camera to another auxiliary port. 

 

While holding down the Celestron Logo + Menu keys on the StarSense hand control, turn on the mount. Turning on the mount provides power to the StarSense hand control and also to the camera.

 

Now follow the rest of Bobby Roe's update instructions, and you should be good to go.

[Wallache]

Has anyone had issues running CFM on a Mac?  It had me install Java Developers Kit, but now I just get a “CFM.jar could not be launched” error.  
 

Sorry for the non-telescope tech support question.   

[Terrybythe sea]

Has anyone had issues running CFM on a Mac?  It had me install Java Developers Kit, but now I just get a “CFM.jar could not be launched” error.  
 

You have to install a driver as well. Here is a link to Mike Swanson's site and the various firmware versions. The link for your scope will probably have instructions for getting the correct driver (if not, the link for Nexstar 6/8 SE definitely does provide one, you might try that).

 

https://nexstarsite.com/Firmware.htm

 

CFM runs fine for me on os Catalina, but be aware that this driver won't be supported in the coming Big Sur, so you'll probably want to keep Catalina around on a separate partition or drive.