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iOptron AZ Mount Pro Firmware 190221 Cannot Be Used With SkySafari 6 Pro (Solution: Update To Latest Version Of SkySafari)

Misc

June 12, 2019 13:33

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Hello,

As a long time user of SkySafari, I have always been successful with it's use with my iOptron Az Mount Pro... until the last firmware update. Prior to the last firmware, the mount always connected very rapidly and was extremely stable. Now, with the latest firmware (v190221 which fixes some critical issues with the mount), Skysafari can connect with the mount via WiFi, but 'Does Not Get A Response". I know the mount is OK, because I can connect successfully with my Win 10 laptop and TheSkyX via the iOptron WiFi ASCOM utility. This continues to work as always, but SkySafari 6 Pro (latest version)  no longer gets a response. No amount of 'Resetting to Factory' and double/triple checking of set up parameters will make it work.

As I said, it says it can connect, but gets no response.

I opened a ticket with iOptron and this is what they said:

"...Similar issue was reported from customers with our other mounts. We fed back to our development team, and just got their reply; they did not find an issue at our end, the new and old firmware is identical and the new one fixed a couple of bugs. They suggested check with the SkySafari developer..."

So at this point, I am appealing to your support, as SkySafari is sort of 'dead in the water' for me for the time being.

Please advise,

Thank You

-John

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16 comments

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  Bill Tschumy June 12, 2019 17:52

  We will look into this and get it fixed ASAP.

  iOptron contacted us and indicated there were problems with the older firmware with our new release.  Maybe there are two problems.

  I wish iOptron would stop changing things in incompatible ways.

   

• 0
  
  Bill Tschumy June 17, 2019 17:31

  We understand the problem and are working on a fix.  iOptron changed the firmware version number in a way that breaks things.  They changed the version number to something above the changeover from V2 protocol to V3.  Our code is assuming the firmware speaks V3 because of the version number but apparently it is still V2.

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  Wade Van Arsdale June 29, 2019 22:25

  Thanks Bill,

  I'm having the exact same "mount won't respond" problem with my IOptron AZ-Mount Pro after it connects successfully to the IOptron's embedded WiFi network.  I'll wait out a fix from you guys.  Let me know if I can help you guys test any SFP-6 software patches on this specific IOptron mount (their product #8900...mount is brand new with latest HC and mainboard firmware Ver. V_20190221).

   

  Wade Van Arsdale
  (Registered Sky Safari Pro 6 and IOptron user)

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  Dan Callahan July 01, 2019 06:39

  Same here. I just received the Ioptron Az Pro mount yesterday. New in the box.it had V20170322 and similar main board firmware.   With that Sky Safari 6 Pro worked correctly.   I just updated to the most current from ioptron V20190221 for HC and Mainboard.   The same problem occurred as above, it stopped Sky Safari 6 pro from controlling the mount.  I reverted to Sky Safari 5, that still works until a patch is ready. Not a problem although a new Sky Safari 6 Pro customer might not have version 5 to fall back on.

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  Wade Van Arsdale July 01, 2019 14:46

  Dan/all,
  I re-flashed the IOptron AZ-Mount Pro mainboard firmware with IOptron's most recent version immediately *BEFORE* Ver. 190221.  It's Ver. "170410".  I left the IOptron handpad firmware at its very latest version (190221).  The mount now connects and runs the mount successfully via WiFi with SkySafari V.6 Pro (latest ver.) on my iPhone 7 Plus with latest IOS version.

  CAVEATS !!
  1)  I don't know if IOptron would approve of doing this or not.
  
  2)  Likewise, I don't know if there are problems with using this particular hc-mainboard firmware combo or not.
  
  3)  I haven't fully function-tested every last feature available with this firmware combo and Sky Safari 6 Pro.  So I don't know if any bugs are lurking somewhere in the combo.  But at this point it appears everything on the WiFi connectivity, main mount control functions and sky database is working fine via WiFi.
  
  4)  As always, if you do this, you do it at your own risk.  I make no guarantees as just an end-user that you won't have problems from this or that it will even work at all.  If you do it, be sure you have the original IOptron firmware file(s) available on your pc first in case you need to re-flash and drop back to your starting point.
  
  5)  To get the V 170410 mainboard .bin file from IOptron, just use their same download link that you used for V.190221 and substitute 170410 into the URL address at the point in the address where "190221" was located.  It worked this past weekend unless IOptron pulls the link down for some reason.

  This did at least give me a way to stay on SF6 Pro and keep using the IOptron via WiFi.

  Hope this helps until SF or IO can get a patch file out for us.
  
  Thanks,
  Wade

• 0
  
  Misc July 01, 2019 16:32

  Hi All,

  I had this version prior to going to the last one. It was not a great experience. The biggest problem was random run-away goto's that rotate horizontally and never stop. Also, often when initializing the run away problem would manifest (5 times out of 10). The last version solved this issue.

  Go back at your own 'frustration tolerance'. I for one am happy to be rid of it, but now I am waiting for SkySafari. Should not be long I hope.

  Thanks

  -John

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  Dan Callahan July 01, 2019 17:24

  Wade and all,

      Wade, thank you for the research !

      Reverting to the older MainBoard firmware V20170410 will solve Sky Safari 6 issues but......

      I did download the old 170410 mainboard firmware as a back up but did not upload to the AZ Pro mount.

  This older main board version would at times rotate the long way in AZ.  That may be meridian problems.   I. E.   When just west of the meridian initiating a goto command to just east of the meridian would at times rotate 300 degrees in AZ rather that moving shorter path the other way 60 degrees.  I did not explore that bug much before loading the new Main Board V20190221 firmware.    V20190221 resolved those problems as well as an apparent Zero position erratic behavior. 

  As far as possibly regressing to the old 170322 Hand Control firmware, substituting the old name in the URL did not return a page.   But as Wade said just reverting the main board firmware allows Sky Safari V6 to work normally.

  I will continue to use Sky Safari 5 Pro with the new Main Board V20190221 firmware until a permanent fix comes from either team.   Probably not Ioptron.   Ioptrons communication is not the best.

• 0
  
  Wade Van Arsdale July 01, 2019 18:52

  Thanks for the info guys. Yup the hc firmware substitute links didn't work last weekend, only the mainboard substitute link to V. 170410 worked. That's how I wound up with 190221 on the handpad and 190221 on the mainboard, then later 170410 on the mainboard. Only the mainboard substitute link works (so far).

  So far the 190221 + 170410 firmware combo hasn't acted up on mine so will probably stay with that till a permanent fix is out.

  Thanks,
  Wade

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  Misc July 17, 2019 13:34

  Hi Guys,

  Just wondering how much longer before a patch is released. Summer is only so long... :-)

   

  Thanks

• 0
  
  Wade Van Arsdale July 22, 2019 15:52

  Hi all,
  Update from above posts:  I installed the latest Sky Safari 6 Pro update on my iPhone 7 plus (latest IOS) this weekend on 7/21/2019.  I re-flashed the Ioptron mainboard firmware back upward to the latest released version (v. 190221) from earlier v.170410 (see above post).  HC firmware was already at latest v.190221 from previous firmware flash.
  
  The WiFi and app connectivity now appears to be successful between the mount and the SF6 Pro.  I didn't see any references to connectivity fixes in the Apple app store write-up for the SF6P update but it is definitely talking to the mount now via WiFi and connecting/controlling the mount normally, at least on this mount.

  Wade

   

• 0
  
  Tom Zepf July 27, 2019 20:57

  Wade, I tested this too, and agree it looks to be fixed now, for both iOS and MacOS. Thanks for the heads-up!

• 0
  
  Keiron Smith September 23, 2019 17:48

  Hi  Everyone, 

  Was this issue resolved by a new iOptron firmware update?  Can I consider this issue resolved?

  Thanks!

• 0
  
  Tom Zepf September 23, 2019 18:03

  Hi Keiron, this issue was resolved for me in the latest versions of SkySafari for iOS and MacOS. There have been no firmware updates from iOptron.

  Thanks,

    Tom

• 0
  
  Keiron Smith September 23, 2019 18:14

  Thanks, Tom!

• 0
  
  Wade Van Arsdale September 23, 2019 19:17

  Keiron,
  All well on my Ioptron AZM-Pro mount with Sky Safari's latest update. Using latest available mount and handpad firmwares from Ioptron.

  Thanks,
  Wade Van Arsdale

• 0
  
  Keiron Smith September 25, 2019 16:59

  Thanks, Wade!