CGX not responding to phd2 calibration, using ascom celestron drivers.

[Dale Wilson]

Watched several youtube videos and installed celestron telescope drivers(ascom).  Phd2 connects to the mount, but the mount will not respond to the calibratioin attempts, nor does the mount respond to the ascom telescope control panel.

I have the guide camera wired, usb, to the computer.  The Cgx is usb tethered to the hand controller.

I have used the celestron CPWI software to run the scope, both through the hand control and the usb on the side of the mount.  This part works flawlessly.

I have not tried the st4 connection method, because it is said that the usb method works better.

Any help would be groovy! 

[bw_msgboard]

We'll need to see your PHD2 log files in order to give you any help.

 

https://openphdguiding.org/getting-help/

 

Bruce

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From: open-phd...@googlegroups.com [mailto:open-phd...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Dale Wilson
Sent: Tuesday, September 07, 2021 11:16 AM
To: Open PHD Guiding
Subject: [open-phd-guiding] CGX not responding to phd2 calibration, using ascom celestron drivers.

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[Dale Wilson]

Here is my guide logs.

I am new to phd2.  Learning curve is a bit steep for me.

Thanks,

Dale

https://openphdguiding.org/logs/dl/PHD2_logs_Pqb6.zip

[bw_msgboard]

I guess I don't understand what you're doing here.  For the logs you sent - 9/6 and 9/7 - calibration was attempted only on 9/6.  But even then, you were using a simulator for the mount!  That won't work.  If you want to guide, you need to establish a PHD2 mount connection to the Celestron ASCOM driver.

 

Regards,

Bruce

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From: open-phd...@googlegroups.com [mailto:open-phd...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Dale Wilson

Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2021 11:28 AM
To: Open PHD Guiding
Subject: Re: [open-phd-guiding] CGX not responding to phd2 calibration, using ascom celestron drivers.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/d1ffa8d2-5e42-49da-bbd7-c2c53b0abb55n%40googlegroups.com.

[Dale Wilson]

I guess "I" don't understand as well.  I know I had linked onto the Celestron telescope option in selecting the mount.  Why it doesn't show up in the logs is a mystery to me.  I'll have to try it again.  

Thanks

[Dale Wilson]

I attempted to connect.   The software would not recognize the com port, and or, the ASCOM driver.  I downloaded the most recent Celestron driver.  Still no effect.

Also, the Meade LPI would "time out".  

I do not know computers very well.  USB ports on the mount and hand controller simultaneously and tested the connection to the Celestron CPWI software.  Both connected with the mount, without hesitation.  I know the physical connection is solid.  Something in PHD2 is not reading the info correctly.

,

Please, any help is appreciated

[alberto di stazio]

Hello,

have you got a USB- Serial interface?  This might drive you crazy, I experienced issues after a BIOS update of my PC... I own a CGEM DX. 

Alberto 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/open-phd-guiding/3732a0c7-18be-499f-bb87-4b99f745872bn%40googlegroups.com.

[wave...@talktalk.net]

I suspect the mount driver doesn't have the correct Windows COM port assignment, so there's no communication between computer and mount. The USB-COM adapter cable can be plugged into any USB socket on the laptop, A virtual COM port is created by Windows and is assigned a specific COM port number. The mount driver needs to know which in order to talk to communicate. So, you must enter the appropriate COM number into the mount driver interface. The COM number for the USB socket in use can be found by opening Windows Device Manager.

So, open Windows Device Manager, where yo'll see a list of all the devices used by the computer. Look down the list for >Ports (COM & LPT). Click on the > to expand it and you'll see a sub-list of virtual serial ports, each with a description and COM number. Find the one related to your USB adapter cable and note the assigned number (i.e. COM1, COM2, COM3, etc). Close Device Manager and start PHD2. Open the Connect Equipment interface and you'll see your mount driver name in the Mount selector. To the right of this, click the its 'tools' button, which opens the driver interface. Somewhere on the driver interface will be a field to set the COM port number. Enter or set it to the one you just noted down. Close the tools interface and press the Connect All button. Test the communication between PHD2 and mount using something like the Tools/Manual Guide option. The mount should move accordingly.

Note that the COM number will change if you plug the mount cable into a different USB socket. So if you tend to swap things around you must ensure the driver knows where to look.

Hope this helps,
- Jack

[Carlos Tortolini]

If you are using CPWI and you have the mount connected to it, you need to select "CPWI" as the telescope in PHD2. CPWI works as a hub for connections to the mount and you won't be able to connect to it using the Celestron ASCOM driver while at the same time connected with CPWI. 

Go to settings in the connection window in PHD2 and select "CPWI".

Hope this helps.

[Dale Wilson]

Thank you all for the help.  I'll let you know how it goes.

[John Brozena]

There are 2 different ASCOM drivers for the CGX, one using CPWI as you noted can be used through the USB connection on the side of the mount, and as ctor said you have to select the CPWI ASCOM as the telescope in PHD2. The other way to connect is using the Celestron univied ASCOM driver (available on the ASCOM web site). This only works through a micro USB connector on the bottom of the handset to the USB on the computer (or hub to the computer). Then you would select ASCOM as the telescope. The advantage to doing it this way is you can use Cartes du Ciel and other planetarium software instead of CPWI.

John