Remote Handbox and Com Port Problems

[KaosDad]

I officially blame the Government.   

Seriously - is this just a total mystery?

[gus]

hi i found this problem to get around it you can not be  connected to the planetarium view and work the on screen hand controller at the same time it one or the other.uncheck the tick in the planetarium connection box then go to the hand controller and tick connect and bobs your uncle it worked for me.

gus from scotland u.k

[noslenwerdna]

Were you having the error "node allocation failure" because I have the problem even if I am only running the remote handbox aplication by itself. I am using it on an lx90 w/ 497EP autostar... Maybe it is the EP version?

[KaosDad]

Well, I'm almost there.  I think.  I retraced all of my steps today and all of the sudden the scope & the PC started talking.  Here is what I did:

1) Shut everything down.
2) Connect the USB -> Serial cable, then the adaptor, then run the 4 pin telephone like cable from the serial adaptor to the HANDSET.
3) Turn on the scope, turn on the PC.
4) Once the PC boots up, click Start, then RIGHT CLICK on "My Computer" & Select "Properties"
5) Click on the Hardware tab then Device Manager
6) Expand "Ports"
7) Double click on your "USB to Serial port bridge" or similar product
Click port settings
9) Fire up Auto star & resize so you can see it AND the COM setting from Device manager.
10 ) Select Telescope -> Communications -> Serial Communications Setup
11) Make certain these settings match each other.  If not, adjust the setting from Autostar to match the PC.
12) Click OK, then select Telescope -> protocol -> serial port
13) You should get a pop up warning, select OK then go.


Hope this helps y'all!

[noslenwerdna]

Okay, so then what do you do after all of that and you receive the Error: Node Allocation Failure message?

[phmode]

Well, I just wrote you a very long suggestion to this based on my recent experiences in the last 24 hours; however, I just managed to hit the wrong key and lost the lot.

To summarise, I can only connect Autostar to my LX200GPS EITHER BY

Telescope/Protocol/Autostar via Serial Port

OR BY

Telescope/Protocol/Remote Handbox.

If I try to open the remote handbox after I have connected via the serial port, it just explodes all over the place!

If I am connected via Serial Port and want to use the remote handbox to move the scope, I have to click on the telescope icon (second from right hand end of toolbar in Autostar) and use the mini handbox OR I have to disconnect from the serial port and connect via Remote Handbox; I can't do both at once!

Hope this helps, Brian

[winensky]

hello all, my first post here though I have been using My LXD75 8SN and the DSI II pro for about two years. My old hand box recently died so as I awaited the arrival of the new one, I tightended up worm gears, added an electric focuser and set up for guiding...

When the new 497EP arrived, I downloaded Autostar 5.5 5CE1, Updater 5.9, the updates for my generic USB to Serial coverter and the Meade software just in case. I set up and connected the HBX to the scope and found some weird things happening with the motors. I connected up the serial cable and updated the hand box without incident. This indicated that my HBX, Updater and my serial to USB connection were all behaving.
After a recalibrate of the motors and a retrain of the drives all seemed to be running smothly. I shut everything down and then rebooted both the computer and the Scope with HBX unconnected to the computer. I then aligned the scope, fired up Autostar Suite, checked the com ports in Windows system manager, assigned the correct com port to both the serial connection and the remote handbox, connected the HBX and hit connect. No response the first time but this was the way it used to work. Hit connect the second time and got "node allocation failure".  I have tried numerous combinations of set up sequences and several re-instalations of software... no good, always the same message. This seems a not uncommon problem from the looks of this stream. I know that there has been a lot of advice abut this but I would appreciate hearing anything new.

Cheers, Matt

[winensky]

I have just noticed that Meade has released a new version of Updater, 5.9.1b as of the 26th October. It may adress some of the USB converter/conection issues that have been discussed in this and other streams recently. Worth a try anyway...