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iOptron GEM45 (with built-in hub) - USB issue

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I have renamed the topic because it is not (to my knowledge) a driver issue, but rather likely an USB issue.

On the iOptron website (www.ioptron.com/Articles.asp?ID=318) I don't see the 210105 firmware you're referring to H.F.. Thanks for pointing it out though and I'll keep an eye out for that.

In the mean time I'm happy that the Bluetooth solution works fine. I can make a separate topic on how to make one yourself.

Rishigarrod, you could remove the iPolar with the two screws in the front and then loosen a grub-screw (stelschroefje) on the side, then rotate as you like and tighten again. Afterward of course, re-calibrate the iPolar.

Cheers!
Bart
Last edit: 3 years 1 month ago by Bart.
3 years 1 month ago #67253

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@Bart. I am very interested how you put together the Bluetooth interface.
Does everyone polar align "weights down". I know this mount is a little strange when it comes to parking positions.
3 years 1 month ago #67271

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Ok, well since you live so close by, maybe we can meet and I'll show you how the Bluetooth device works. It's now essentially an iOptron iStarFi, but bluetooth.

I also polar align with the CW down. Somehow though, the mount doesn't go back to that position after polar aligning (with EKOS)
Somehow my iPolar didn't work with my laptop this time. Maybe a loose contact, I disconnected some connectors internally to figure out the schematic.

Tonight I achieved polar alignment error smaller than 30" within four iterations of polar aligning. That was without any prior alignment, just place the mount, eye-ball one of the edges of the saddle toward Polaris and go from there.
The first iterations, the alignment vector is completely out of the image, rendering it useless.
The error in Alt & Az though were reported and I could work from there, making me even more in favor of a live updated Alt & Az error.

Here is a meta-astrophoto of my setup at the moment:
Last edit: 3 years 1 month ago by Bart.
3 years 1 month ago #67275
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Sounds like a good plan but I will have to wait until we are out of lockdown. My wife is in a high risk group so we are not taking any risks.
Tried to collect some date tonight but it was far too windy with my Edge 8HD. That's the disadvantage in living in the middle of a polder.

Looks like you also have an SCT on your mount. What are you using?

I can only get the iPolar to work if I plug into the mount. If I try to connect to the saddle it is not recognised.
3 years 1 month ago #67281

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The full name should be v20210105 in www.ioptron.com/Articles.asp?ID=318, but the download link is invalid. My GEM45 just comes with firmware(v20210105).

Hi, Rishigarrod, please let me know the difference if you upgrade to new firmware.
3 years 1 month ago #67287

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Something is not quite right with the USB on this mount. After multiple attempts I finally get it connected.
Sometime the Commander will connect and other times it won't. I also have to make multiple attempts to connect the iPolar to native Windows 10.

When I try to upgrade (at least when it will connect) I get:
Version of mainboard in the package:210105
Version of RA board in the package:210105
Version of Dec board in the package:210105
Connecting .... Connected.
Initializing .... Complete.
Upgrading .... Failed.

When it works its great but this USB stuff is a bit frustrating!
3 years 1 month ago #67293

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Now it's more than a little frustrating because now the mount will no longer startup.
The failed upgrade managed to trash the firmware completely. I have just emailed iOptron support. I do hope this does not mean sending the whole thing back!
Last edit: 3 years 1 month ago by Rishi Garrod.
3 years 1 month ago #67307

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No idea why but I decided to try the upgrade again, update one by one instead of the intelligent update (no idea if this made the difference).
All working again! Not planning on updating the firmware again in a hurry.
I hope it all still works with Indi, that's the next test.
3 years 1 month ago #67309

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3 years 1 month ago #67312

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Will give it a try this evening.

My conclusion on the USB issues is that a powered hub alleviates the problems. Even on my MacBook Pro it seem the USB ports are right on the limit of the power/voltage required by the mount/iPolar. As soon as I attach a USB powered hub the problems seem to go away. Is this a reasonable conclusion?
3 years 1 month ago #67315

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New driver gives us Park!
You can now set your own park position using the handset. I tell it to find home and then set the park to the current position. Then you can give the park command in Ekos and it goes to that park position!

@Bart: when I started testing I thought I will plug the mount directly into my RPi4, that was a bad decision. I got all the same errors you saw. Strangely when I used my old powered hub I also got errors.
It will only work using my Pegasus UPB! I am coming to the conclusion that the RPi USB / Firmware / Kernel has some issues with some devices. Back to your conclusion that maybe universal isn't so universal after all.
3 years 1 month ago #67327

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Following carefully! Newest releases from IOpron here: www.ioptron.com/Articles.asp?ID=337&fbcl...NT12bkBxTg44R1rCcO_I
Waiting for my GEM45, I'm reading and researching it's capabilities. The stumbling stones I have found so far for my use of it are the internal cabling.
1. The 12V is rated only 3A? My Raspberry Pi4b needs 3A on it's own. In addition I need to feed auto focuser, two dew shield heaters and cameras. Do I need to add an extra feed for 12V up to scope? (plan is to use a Pegasus Astro there)
2. Only USB2 is available at saddle. Modern cameras use USB3. More important is that I intend to have my RPi up at scope where most of the clients are. The built in USB is then pointing the wrong way since the RPi will be the master and need to control the mount below. Do I need to pull an USB(3) cable down to connect the mount? Currently I'm using a powered USB3 hub down at the tripod that I connect to the mount (and WiFi dongle and hard disk...)
3. From the above it seems that I will not benefit from any of the internal cabling provided! The question then, Will there be room for additional power and USB cable internally? Any advice for how to practically arrange it?
4. The IPolar seems so far unsupported from Kstars-Ekos-INDI. There is no more a separate USB connector for it. How do I then use it. Do I have to use it together with the GPS, before connecting my USB from RPi and bring out a PC just for doing alignment? Can this be done without also brining up Windows mount control and ASCOM that I do not intend to use?
Please share your experiences with me so I can make the right decisions when the mount arrives. (Picture is current config:)
3 years 1 month ago #67393

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