6 replies to this topic

[ValeRyo]

I have a HEQ5 that I always used with no issue at all with the "typical" FTDI RJ45 to USB cable. As I'm struck by nearly 4 months of bad weather, I decided to try to eliminate the cable and switch to a bluetooth or wifi connection for the mount, so I followed adaptor projects I found here or on the net, they all provide pinout connection as follows (this is taken from https://eq-mod.sourc...eqdirect2.htm):

 

 

so it seems that I have to connect cables to pins 1, 5, 6 and 8, so I made both the Bluetooth adapter and the Wifi one but I've never been able to connect the mount via EQ Toolbox (BT) or the Synscan app (Wifi) even if I could see and connect either to the BT and the Wifi.

 

Today I decided to look at the USB cable and to my big surprise I found that the cable connected are on pin 1, 2 5 and 6! And they're totally different from the above pinout map!

 

 

To make things worse, the official EQMod page show that for the EQDIRECT-USB the cables must be connected to pins 4, 5 and 6

 

Now I'm totally confused!!! What is the actual pin map I have to use? Can this explain why I can't actually connect the mount with the stuff I built? If I had to refer to the EQDIRECT-USB my cable should not even work, but it does... What's this all electronic voodoo stuff??? Please help!!! 

[bignerdguy]

I did a little searching and also found this:

 

 

and then there is this explanation:

 

https://www.gary.bil...nt-interfacing/

 

Hope this helps.

[ValeRyo]

thanks, but this is more confusing... considering the first pinout numbering, the article suggests to pin 1, 3, 4 and 8, that's another combination..     I'm very well confused...   

[wtd1114]

Haven't seen much activity on this topic, so I thought I'd pipe up...  I have built a WIFI adapter with a Raspberry Pi Zero W a long time ago.  It works with the Android Synscan Pro app.  I have the Orion versions of the Skywatcher mounts.  I have the Sirius and the Atlas Pro AZ/.EQ-G.  I used the pinout diagram in the manual.  The HEQ and EQ-6 R should be the same.  In those manuals, it show the same diagram as posted by bignerdguy.  So your first diagram should be correct and should work.

 

Your USB cable is working because only pins 1, 5 and 6 are needed (GND, TX and RX) for the direct cable to work.  According to the Skywatcher manual, pin 2 does nothing. Which makes sense.  Your USB direct serial adapter cable is getting power from the USB port on your computer so it does not need the 12V.

 

Now, for the wireless WIFI adapter, you need to power the processor on the adapter, in my case, the Raspberry Pi.  The 12V pins (7 and 8) are 12V that is coming from the mount.  This is where you get the power to run the wireless adapter.  This is where the hand controller box would get its power.  Of course, I have a 12V to 5V DC to DC converter to take the 12V from the mount, convert it to 5V, before applying it to the Pi.

 

Some possible things as to why your project is not working: the baud rate is not correct, the TX and RX connection is swapped.

 

It has been a long time since I did this project, so the details are pretty fuzzy.  However, I hope you are not confused about the pinout on the connector...

 

Best,

 

Willis

[ValeRyo]

For reasons unknown to me, I changed the RJ45 connector with a spare ethernet cable and it worked. Iìve been able to connect via wifi on the synscan app, but I got two problems! the first one is that there was a consistent lag between the command and the execution, for example pressing the directional nuttons would move the mount but after about half second, can this be improved? or does this lag affect the guiding?

Second problem: after disconnecting it, I've not been able to connect it again!!! I didn't touch anything but the synscan could not connect again, getting "unexpected response", any idea on how to solve this???

[bignerdguy]

For reasons unknown to me, I changed the RJ45 connector with a spare ethernet cable and it worked. I've been able to connect via WIFI on the SynScan app, but I got two problems! the first one is that there was a consistent lag between the command and the execution, for example pressing the directional buttons would move the mount but after about half second, can this be improved? or does this lag affect the guiding?

Second problem: after disconnecting it, I've not been able to connect it again!!! I didn't touch anything but the SynScan could not connect again, getting "unexpected response", any idea on how to solve this???

Question: has your HEQ5 been belt modified?  if not that may account for it as there is a short lag when changing directions i found with my mount since the worm gears have a bit of play in them when changing direction.  That translates to about 1/2 second or so.  it could also be the baud rate of your setup, too.  The HEQ 5 mount i believe for me worked best at 9600 baud and had issues at anything faster, if i remember correctly (been a while since i have been able to take it out for a session).

 

As for the second question, not sure there, might have simply lost connection to the mount.  Are you running any of this from a PC or only your phone with the Synscan app?  i know with the PC if you disconnect it without powering it off and back on it can glitch windows for some USB devices. something similar may happen here if you have both the Synscan app and mount running at the time you disconnect one of them.  might try this:  power both off starting with the App first, then the mount.  wait 10 seconds, then power the mount then app and see if it connects. Wait for the mount to connect via WIFI before you start the app.

[ValeRyo]

Yes, my HEQ5 has the belt modification, the difference is compared to the response to the cable connection, the "traditional" EQMod, and it shows in all 4 directions, it looks like there's a lag between when I press the button, any, and the actual movement of the mount!

 

I had this problem with PC and mobile. Once I was able to connect with the PC synscan app then I couldn't reconnect both from the PC and the android app. I'll try to switch off the mount and wait!