. He tested several telescope configurations with his Palm m130 and gathered some information about the various firmware versions and whether they are compatible. I thought it may be helpful presenting this information on my website..
I can report that Planetarium works perfectly with the Nexstar 5. I opened
the controller up and it is marked, "ver 10, 1/31/00). This controller is
used only on the original Nexstar 5 and 8. I was making a stupid error; on
that model there is a menu option for RS-232 which must be selected for
communications and de-selected to return control to the hand controller when
done using computer control.
I received an email from an ETX-70 user asking about Planetarium
compatibility. I told him it works fine but also explained what is necessary
to make these models compatible with RS-232. I assume you already know all
this but just in case this is what I told him.
The Meade 4504, ETX, and some DS models (except for the earliest ETX-90RA,
which is not Autostar compatible under any circumstances) are shipped with
either a motor controller with no digital display or goto capability
(ETX-70EC, for example) or a Starfinder 494 goto controller (ETC-70AT and
4504, for example). The Starfinder 494 looks and operates like an Autostar
and is often referred to as one but there are important differences. The
Starfinder 494, which can be distinguished by the fact that it does NOT have
a numeric keypad or a 4 position RJ connector for RS-232 use, lacks the
capability of having object lists or updated firmware downloaded into it.
More importantly to us, it also lacks the level shifters necessary to
convert RS-232 to logic voltages. It cannot be connected directly to an
RS-232 device. The two solutions are (1) Meade's model 506 (NOT the less
expensive 505) interface cable or (2) acquiring an Autostar 495 or 497
controller (distinguished by the numeric keypad). The 495 and 497 are
identical; the only difference is the flash firmware. Thus, updating either
one to a current revision results in a 497 which works well with
Planetarium. To complicate things, Meade 497 models do not recognize the
4504 telescope; patches are available from private parties on the Net to
make it compatible with the 4504.
More recently, Meade has announced that some LXD55 models will be released
as EC models - these will have only the electronic controller like the
ETX-70EC and will not be RS-232 compatible without the addition of a 497
Autostar.
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You can add Autostar rev 26Ea to your compatibility list.
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MEADE
The LX200 (non-GPS) telescopes cannot be updated without replacing
internal Proms, which are no longer being produced. I'm sure Meade will
still sell update proms of the latest levels to those with early
firmware, but I think it's expensive. The LX200GPS telescopes use
Autostar II, which is easily updated via Meade's website and provided
software. The original Autostar, used on some ETX and DS models and all
LXD55 models, is also readily updated via the internet. Some ETX and
DS models were shipped with "Starfinder" controls (model 494); these are
Autostar compatible and use the same communications protocol, but cannot
be updated and DO NOT contain the level shifters for serial interface.
Meade offered a model 506 communications adaptor which is necessary for
computer (or palm) control of these. Most Starfinder users with an
interest in computer control have purchased Autostars to solve this. The
early Autostar controllers were designated model 495; later ones were
designated model 497. They are IDENTICAL in hardware; updating the
firmware in a 495 turns it into a 497.
CELESTRON
The Nexstar GPS models, if equipped with at least rev. 3.0 of the motor
controller, have been described by Celestron as capable of online
updates of both motor controller and hand controller but Celestron has
not begun making the firmware available on the Net. Rumor has it this
will be available by the end of September. Earlier MC revs must be
exchanged by Celestron to gain this capability. The new N5i and N8i
have, I think, just begun being shipped. They are said to use the same
communications protocols as Nexstar GPS. I believe these models will
also be updateable from the internet at a future date. Earlier Nexstars
used conventional proms which must be replaced. One note on the Nexstar
GPS series; they have TWO RS-232 connectors, one 8 point connector on
the control panel, and a 4 point connector on the hand controller. There
are NOT wired together; the one on the the control panel is for firmware
updates only. All communications with these scopes are through the 4
point connector on the hand controller. Be sure to let people know if
they are having trouble with the Palm when connecting to the control
panel - that won't work!
There are three different (incompatible with each other) versions of
Celestron's original non-updateable controllers. The Nexstar 5 and
Nexstar 8 share one version, which has had no substantial changes,
according to Celestron. The Nexstars 60, 80, 114, and 4 were originally
provided with a very buggy set of firmware which included serious
communications problems. An updated hand controller is offered by
Celestron for any of these models as a no-cost swap. Celestron didn't
provide a way to check the rev numbers on the earlier controllers
without opening them up and reading the tags on the proms. There are
ways of telling what rev is present by looking for certain features
which changed with the revs; I'll send you a list of those clues when I
find it (don't remember where I left it).
The Nexstar 8GPS and 11GPS share a controller (current rev is 1.6). The
N5i and N8i share a different controller.
TASCO
Tasco (who was then Celestron's parent company) offered identical scopes
to the Nexstar 60, 80, 114, and 4 as "Starguide" models. These were
provided only with the early, buggy firmware. They are compatible with
the later Celestron controller for those models, but Tasco never updated
theirs and are now out of business. The Celestron controllers for these
models are offered by some dealers and are the only solution for
communicating with the tasco scopes. Remaindered Tasco Starguide scopes
are turning up on ebay quite frequently, so you may be getting email
from purchasers of these. They won't talk to ANYTHING so it's not
Planetarium's fault that they won't talk to the Palm.