Mount Connection Issue: (Ascom Meade driver) there doesn't appear to be anything connected to the COM port

[Steve Holak]

Guidance (pun intended) appreciated. New PHD2 user.

--Windows 10

--Latest Ascom platform 6.6

--Meade Classic and Autostar 1 driver (latest)

--Zwo ASI Camera (120mm)

--LX-200 Classic 12"

"(Ascom Meade driver) there doesn't appear to be anything connected to the COM port"

I receive the above error message trying to connect PHD2 to the scope mount  (RS232 port, "use newer pulse guiding." *Also* receive same message using CCD port (ST4) and unchecking the pulse guiding option.) 

I am connecting the camera via its cable to the mount RS232 port, and the USB from the camera to the laptop. The camera connects fine and works.

I ran the ASCOM diagnostics to see what COM port is visible to ASCOM; it shows port 3 and I configured PHd2 Mount to use COM 3.

Attached the debug file here. Help appreciated.

[wave...@talktalk.net]

Hello Steve, the current advice for Meade Classic owners wanting to apply pulsed guiding control, rather than via the less useful ST4 system, is to install the latest update of the Meade Generic (ASCOM) driver from Colin Dawson This provides direct PHD2 pulse guiding control and works very well.
This driver can be downloaded from:    https://bitbucket.org/cjdskunkworks/meadeautostar497/wiki/Home
With this and the latest ASCOM platform, the PHD2 connection wizard should be set to

Camera - ZWO ASI Camera
Mount   -  Meade Generic (ASCOM)
Aux Mount is not used

The USB-Serial adapter cable links the laptop to the mount's RS232 socket.
The COM port number allocated to the connection by Windows is entered into the popup from the Mount driver 'tools' button on the wizard gui. Here also are one or two additional settings relevant to guiding. For most LX200 Classics, these are left at default, though I believe the 12" provides for custom guide rates (?). It should be set to between 0.5X and 1X siderial (say 8 to 14.9 arcsec/sec).
Hope this helps.
- Jack

[mj.w...@gmail.com]

Hi Steve

"--Meade Classic and Autostar 1 driver (latest)"    that could well be the Colin Dawson Meade Generic driver that Jack has linked to ?

"I am connecting the camera via its cable to the mount RS232 port, and the USB from the camera to the laptop"

The guide port on the camera does NOT output RS232 data, it outputs N,S,E,W pulses.

That camera port is for ST-4 Guiding.  It would be connected with an ST-4 cable to the Autoguider port on the mount.

But it sounds like you have an ASCOM setup, so follow Jack's instructions.

Michael

Wiltshire UK