meade autostar dead help please

hi my autostar (497 i think) is not working after i used the 505 cable (got cable from astrocables.com) to my pc to update it and controll it. Now when i turn it on it just makes a clicking sound. only got it be4 x-mas lxd75. so if any1 can help ! please

hi my autostar (497 i think) is not working after i used the 505 cable (got cable from astrocables.com) to my pc to update it and controll it. Now when i turn it on it just makes a clicking sound. only got it be4 x-mas lxd75. so if any1 can help ! please

Is this a new scope or pre-used? I guess the latter or you wouldn't have been updating it. I'm a firm believer in leaving scopes alone if working fine and only updating Autostar if you have bugs that need correcting or you just have to have some new feature.

Anyway, there could be a few reasons why this happened and it may or may not be recoverable....you can get some help and tips, especially from acknowledged experts Mike Weasner and Dick Seymour, by typing autostar 497 dead clicks in Google or just Autostar 497 dead. Could be a cable or serial port problem or maybe you disturbed the download at some point, perhaps even switching Autostar off. Have a look at the various links.

There is a Safe Load procedure you could try. Has helped some and not others. www.weasner.com/etx/autostar/as_safeload.html

If Autostar still does not work after checking all possible causes and remedies, best to return it to the dealer and ask for a replacement.

Might be worth posting your question on the MAPUG list - If you've fried your Autostar, the chances are that lots of people have beaten you to it! They may also be able to tell you how to fix it.

www.mapug-astronomy.net/

Phil.

Hi

Assuming that you connected everything up correctly it is most likely that the transfer to the autostar was corrupted in some way. note it can take antything up to half an hour to upgrade the software and you cant interupt it as otherwise it will be corrupted. I assume that you connected one end of the 505 to the pc and the other end to the base of the autostar 497. What actually happened when you were downloading?

The second thing is are you using a USB to Seriel adaptor as not alll of these work welll enough. there is a driver on the meade websitre that you might load down which helps things. Better still, try and get a hold of a pc with a real seriel port.

Then use safe load to try download again. I think it is down arrow and enter at the same time while swithing on the scope. The autorstar should then say safe load and be ready to reinstall the software.

Another thing is starpatch is better, robust and safer at updating the software then meede ASU. Get it from the stargps site.

Hope this helps.

it was new when i got it.
tryed safeload but its still not lighting up

Hi

This does not sound good

But it could be a cable problem. The cable between the autostar and the scope is not a straight through one but a cross over so try switching the ends around. This can cause this to happen and I bet you thats your problem......

Have you checked the cable between the scope and the autostar that the pins are nice and clean and the cable is in good condition.

Also did anything unusual happen when you were updating?

Did you use a USB adaptor or are you using a real seriel port.

When you load up ASU and try safe mode does it find the autostar on a com port.


DB