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SKySafari 6 Pro (iOS) + SkyFi (Firmware 2.3.3) + iOptron ZEQ25 = Connection Fail (Needs Path To Reproduction)

cannot connect to the ZEQ25 mount
Sky Safari 6 Pro can make a wireless network connection to the scope, but the scope is not responding.
Sent ASCII at 2018/07/30 16:35:09 with error 0:
:V#
Received ASCII at 2018/07/30 16:35:12 with error -13:
Sent ASCII at 2018/07/30 16:35:12 with error 0:
:V#
Received ASCII at 2018/07/30 16:35:15 with error -13:
Sent ASCII at 2018/07/30 16:35:15 with error 0:
:SR9#
Received ASCII at 2018/07/30 16:35:18 with error -13:
Sent ASCII at 2018/07/30 16:35:18 with error 0:
:SR9#
Received ASCII at 2018/07/30 16:35:21 with error -13:
Sent ASCII at 2018/07/30 16:35:21 with error 0:
:GD#
Received ASCII at 2018/07/30 16:35:24 with error -13:
Sent ASCII at 2018/07/30 16:35:24 with error 0:
:GD#
Received ASCII at 2018/07/30 16:35:27 with error -13:

 

SkyFi Firmware 2.3.3
ZEQ25 140219
RA 140121
DEC 140121

9 comments

  • 0
    Avatar
    Bill Tschumy

    1. Are you sure you are using an iOptron serial cable?

    2. Did you star align the mount before connecting?

    3. Have you updated the firmware in the ZEQ25 recently or is this a brand new mount?  iOptron has changed the firmware in some of the new mounts which seem to be causing problems.  I don't think the ZEQ is affected by this, but you never know.  We will be releasing a new version of SkySafari in a week or so that will hopefully be compatible with the new firmware.

  • 0
    Avatar
    Bill Tschumy

    You might also try the iOptron CEM type and see if that works for you.

     

  • 0
    Avatar
    Hsautter

    So I have tried everything I can think of...

    SkyFi creates an adhoc network or joins a local network successfully. Accessing the setup web page is successful. Powered from the 9V adapter.

    Telescope Setup:  iOptron SmartEQ/iEQ/zEQ & 8407/8       Equatorial GoTo (German) mount

    Connect fails with these log file messages:

    Sent ASCII at 2018/08/10 10:23:26 with error 0:
    :V#
    Received ASCII at 2018/08/10 10:23:29 with error -13:
    Sent ASCII at 2018/08/10 10:23:29 with error 0:
    :V#
    Received ASCII at 2018/08/10 10:23:32 with error -13:
    Sent ASCII at 2018/08/10 10:23:32 with error 0:
    :FW1#
    Received ASCII at 2018/08/10 10:23:35 with error -13:
    Sent ASCII at 2018/08/10 10:23:35 with error 0:
    :FW1#
    Received ASCII at 2018/08/10 10:23:38 with error -13:

     

    The mount is active, aligned, and set at the zero position or a star location, tracking or stopped,  all with the same result: The scope is not responding. I have Not installed any firmware in the mount (versions are noted above)

    I setup a direct serial connection and the mount responds as expected. 

    Conclusion:

    The mount and serial cable are working as expected.

    Wireless network access to SkyFi is working as expected.

    Either the programming or the SkyFi serial interface are at fault.

    I would be willing to test with the Mac OS version of the code... but I do not own a copy and at this point do not want to spend additional money on something that may not work.

     

     

  • 0
    Avatar
    Bill Tschumy

    Yesterday we released a new 6.2.0 version of iOS SkySafari that has some fixes for iOptron necessitated by their new firmware.  Have you tried that version?

  • 0
    Avatar
    Hsautter

    The new version was installed today...  same results

     

    Sent ASCII at 2018/08/10 14:00:17 with error 0:
    :V#
    Received ASCII at 2018/08/10 14:00:20 with error -13:
    Sent ASCII at 2018/08/10 14:00:20 with error 0:
    :V#
    Received ASCII at 2018/08/10 14:00:23 with error -13:
    Sent ASCII at 2018/08/10 14:00:23 with error 0:
    :FW1#
    Received ASCII at 2018/08/10 14:00:26 with error -13:
    Sent ASCII at 2018/08/10 14:00:26 with error 0:
    :FW1#
    Received ASCII at 2018/08/10 14:00:29 with error -13:

  • 0
    Avatar
    Bill Tschumy

    We had iOptron test the new code and they found no problems.  Not clear what is going on.  I will confer with the guy that write the scope control code to see if he has any ideas.

    When you say "I setup a direct serial connection and the mount responds as expected. ", what exactly did you do?

    It is possible the SkyFi is bad.  If you are somewhat technical, you can hook the SkyFi output to a terminal program and see if anything is being sent out the serial port.

  • 0
    Avatar
    Hsautter

    I purchased  serial to USB converter and connected to a Mac laptop.  Running an INDI server from http://www.cloudmakers.eu/xindi/  and user their Telescope program to control the mount.  This worked as expected.  

    I will attempt to get the data from the terminal program 

  • 0
    Avatar
    Hsautter

    Connected the SkyFi serial cable to the Serial to USB adapter with the null modem adapter.

    Started screen in a terminal window communicating with /dev/tty.KeySerial1

    powered up the SkyFi and started the connect sequence...  

    This text was displayed on the screen. 

    :V#:V#:FW1#:FW1#:SR6#:SR6#

     

     

  • 0
    Avatar
    Bill Tschumy

    OK, that is good.  Those commands are what I'd expect to see and that means your serial port is working properly.

    Let me talk with Tim and see if he has any other thoughts about this.

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