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When One Of 5 Hand Celestron Controller Keys Are Pressed The Scope Does Not Send Data Anymore (Solution: Push The "BACK" Button Until You Return To The "CPC READY" Level Then Connect With SkySafari)

The SkySafari app on my iPad gets a ‘connection failure’ error message when I press ‘telescope connect’. The message indicates that it is connecting to skyfi WiFi but skyfi can’t communicate with the telescope via the serial port. It worked a year ago. I did upgrade the firmware a few days ago and wonder if that’s causing this problem. The telescope is a celestron cge 1100 with a German equatorial mount. I tried the troubleshooting guide, carefully connecting skyfi after first aligning the scope with the hand controller. I tried all the celestron scopes but always get the same error message.

Has anyone sent their skyfi back for out-of-warranty repair?

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5 comments

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    Catimossi

    Here’s a screenshot

  • 0
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    Catimossi

    Tried reverting to SkyFi firmware version 1.3.1. Still get same error. The unit worked 2 years ago when I bought it so maybe I still don’t have the firmware version that it shipped with.

    Apparently there is no mechanism to send the unit back for repair to answer my own question from a previous comment.

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    Donald Horne

    This works for my CPC 1100.

    So simple.  From SkySafari Yahoo group search for "NextStar+ and "Connection Failure""

    https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/skysafariastronomy/conversations/messages/12715

    When SkySafari is connected to a scope it displays the constantly changing coordinates of the target except if one of the keys of the NextStar+ hand control is pressed : SOLAR SYSTEM, STARS, DEEP SKY, IDENTIFY and SKY TOUR.

     

    When one of these 5 keys is pressed the scope doesn't send data anymore (the coordinates are frozen) and the "Connection Failure" dialog appears.

     

     To re-establish the connection, you have push the BACK button until you return to the "CPC READY" level and click Connect in SkySafari

  • 0
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    Catimossi

    I have a Celestron CGE with a NexStar 3.01 hand controller that includes a serial port on the bottom. The skysafari connects to that serial port (9600 baud). The serial connection between the SS and the controller is never successful. So there’s no issue of ‘losing the connection’ or ‘re-establishing’ the connection.’ The usual recommendation is to first perform the 2 star alignment then connect the ss. That didn’t work.

    since ss used to work, I’d like to restore the original version of the firmware that came with ss 2 years ago. Unfortunately I don’t remember what version that was. Anyone have an idea?

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    Keiron Smith

    Hi Chris,

    You said you "...have a Celestron CGE with a NexStar 3.01 hand controller".  Is that 3.01 the firmware version?  What is the firmware in the hand controller?  As you said you could make the connection previously I was assuming that the firmware was sufficient.  But, let's check this box now. 

    The baseline requirement for Celestron support in SkySafari 4/5 is Celestron firmware version 4.0 or higher, which is basically everything sold since 2008. This excludes the older Nexstar GT series, the original Celestron Nexstar series and the Celestron Ultima 2000.

    Thanks!

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