This page is for user comments on Astronomy software for the Windows (including the Meade AutoStar Suite), Macintosh, Android, and iOS systems. Items that are more "review" oriented will be posted on the Astronomy Software Reviews page. If you have any comments, suggestions, questions or answers to questions posed here, e-mail them to me for posting. Please use an appropriate Subject Line on your message per the Site Email Etiquette. Thanks. Remember, tips described on this site may invalidate the warranty on your telescope or accessories. Neither the submitter nor myself are responsible for any damage caused by using any contributed tips.

Subject:	re: Meade ETX 125/computer control/ Starry night or Orion Starseek
Sent:	Wednesday, February 1, 2012 10:05:21
From:	richard seymour (rseymour@wolfenet.com)
Susan wrote:

> I suspect the RS232 pin out on the serial cable may not be correct
>  as when I connect the telescope to the computer with it via the usb
>  adapter, the telescope does not appear as a device.

A few notes:  the "telescope" will not appear as a "device" to your computer
(at least not to the operating system, be it Mac OS X or Windows).
The operating system only sees the usb-to-serial adapter.

If you are using a "real" Meade 505 cable to connect from the USB-serial
adapter to the Autostar, there are a few things to watch for:
(a) the Autostar end goes into the second (smaller) hole on the Autostar
itself (near the Scroll Up key)... not into any hole on the telescope's
base.

(b) if it's a relatively-recently purchased Meade 505 cable, about a
year ago Meade shipped a bunch of mis-wired DB9/RJ12 adapter lumps
(which forms half of the 505... you've got the wire and the lump).  If
you take an ohmmeter and compare your end-to-end wiring with the
(correct) diagram here: http://rseymour.home.wolfenet.com/505serial.html
that may reveal the problem.

(c) if you have a "terminal emulator" program, you can try the
steps/tests listed here:
http://www.weasner.com/etx/autostar/as_testing.html

good luck
--dick

And:

From:	Susan Hurley (sfhurley@me.com)
Many thanks Dick
It is helpful to know not to expect to see the telescope as a device.
I have the cable plugged into the correct hole and will check the pinout
Regards

Susan

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