Weasner's Meade AutoStar Suite User Feedback

AUTOSTAR SUITE USER FEEDBACK

Last updated: 31 December 2008

This page is for user comments and information specific to the Meade AutoStar Suite. If you have any comments, suggestions, questions or answers to questions posed here, e-mail them to me and I'll post them. Please use an appropriate Subject Line on your message. Thanks. (The Lunar Planetary Imager, LPI, and Deep Sky Imager, DSI, are covered in the Helpful Information - Astrophotography area.)

Subject:	AutoStar Suite v5.0 will not connect to virtual COM ports without error!
Sent:	Monday, December 29, 2008 12:56:53
From:	Keith Woodard (kwits@comcast.net)
I have my AutoStar 497 connected to my laptop's USB port via a RS232
converter adapter; I installed the latest Meade driver to support this
connection. I have Meade's AutoStar Suite v5.0 installed and it works
great while my AutoStar is connected via its 505 cable but not when
emulating a virtual port like COM10. The ASU finds the virtual port with
no problem but the Suite throws an error. Have you observed this issue
under your setup?

Best Regards,
Keith
Proud USAF Veteran of Operation Desert Storm
AIM:  kwoodard65

Mike here: Not all USB-serial adapters work reliably with the AutoStar and its software. What adapter are you using? See the article "AutoStar and USB" on the Helpful Information: AutoStar Info page for more information. I recommend using a Keyspan model. Also, have you tried one of the other applications for controlling the AutoStar, such as AstroPlanner or Scopedriver?

And:

I just found a fix for using the AutoStar 497 with AutoStar Suite via a
USB connection by setting the telescope protocol for Network. Read this
website for details!

http://www.weasner.com/etx/autostar/2008/remote.html

Best Regards,
Keith

Mike here: Yes, you need to set up a "network" connection to enable the multiple AutoStar Suite applications to "talk" to the AutoStar via the single RS-232 serial port.

Subject:	Re:Netscope.exe (Autostar Suite Feedback 12/8)
Sent:	Friday, December 12, 2008 16:05:49
From:	mhogansr@comcast.net (mhogansr@comcast.net)
This is a quirk in Autostar Suite version 5 that wasn't in earlier
versions. For some reason, it opens a network port when started which is
one of the same same ports that Netscope opens. The result is a
conflict. You can find a full description in the Autostar Suite archive
for August of this year, near the bottom. There is also an easy
workaround given.

Hope this helps,

Mike Hogan

Subject:	Netscope.exe
Sent:	Monday, December 8, 2008 03:50:50
From:	jm dean (jmdean@cwgsy.net)
I have just bought a Meade LX75 10" SN. I have spent hours trying to get
it to work with my laptop (Dell Inspiron 6400). I am running Windows XP
and a USB to Serial adapter. When I set it up using the via com port
command it works ok. But I cannot set it up using NetScope.exe. In the
first instance I get "Runtime error 10048 address in use". If I shut
down Autostar Ver 5.0 and run NetScope.exe by itself I get "listening"
in the bottom dialogue box of the NetScope window but it never connects
to an ip address, and the network connection fails if I try Autostar via
network. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

JM Dean

Mike here: There are some articles on the AutoStar Suite network server capability on the Helpful Information: AutoStar Info page, including the article about using it on a Mac. See if anything there helps. Let me know.

Subject:	Telescope Incompatability
Sent:	Sunday, November 30, 2008 21:12:04
From:	Mark Cooper (mark.cooper@protegic.com.au)
Good morning, I hope you are well today. I have spent the best part of
the last 2 days trying to get my ETX 125EC to start working with my
Laptop and the AutoStar Software. I have since been advised that I need
to come back to Meade for a patch for compatibility with Vista?

Can you please help.

Regards,
Mark

PS.      By the way I love the Telescope.

Mike here: I need more info. What software: AutoStar Suite or the AutoStar Update application? Does your computer have a real serial port or are you using a USB-serial adapter? If an adapter, which one? Not all work reliably with the AutoStar (see the article "AutoStar and USB" on the Helpful Information: AutoStar Info page.

And:

Thanks for your quick feedback. I loaded  the Version 5.0 Autostar
Suite. I am using a USB Serial Adaptor. I know the one I have works as I
tested it at the local shop earlier today and with XP software it seemed
to work a treat. Known adaptor numbers are N287 for the connector.
Thanks again.
Mark

Mike here: Search the ETX Site for "autostar suite vista" and you will find lots of hits. Check the ones dated in 2008.

And:

ETX Site...?
Mark Cooper

Mike here: Sorry. I assumed you got my email address from visiting my ETX Site. Go there. http://www.weasner.com/etx

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