Bluetooth Serial Adapter
for wireless telescope control
Bluetooth Serial
adapter configuration
The following page is specific to the
Paramount ME.
However, the only change necessary for most other serial interfaced
telescope mounts (Celestron, Meade, AstroPhysics', Gemini, SGT) will
be the baud rate. More often than not the baud rate is a slower 9600 instead of 38400 baud
used by the Paramount. Outside of the baud
rate all other settings should be the same. Consult your telescope documentation
for baud rate setting if you are not sure.
NOTE: Make sure you are logged
onto the system as an administrator when configuring serial ports or
installing any software. Although the Windows Configuration utility
does not check for this (it should) you will need to be an
administrator to add other USB/Bluetooth devices and adapters.
The AirCable manual states you can use
HyperTerminal to configure the device. That means that you must have
a working COM PORT on your system already. If you do not have a
native COM PORT i.e. COM1 you will need to add a serial port using
either a USB to
RS-232 serial adapter or by installing a board inside your PC.
USB to RS-232 or even the serial boards are easy enough to come by. I prefer
that
Keyspan or
IOGEAR brands for USB to
RS-232 myself based
on personal experience and price. For PCI serial boards inside the
PC for adding COM ports I
prefer the SIIG brand. These all work
extremely well.
USB
to RS-232 adapter - A COM PORT is required to configure the
device.
Keyspan example
High Speed USB Serial Adapter
Model USA-19HS
After the necessary
drivers have been installed for the USB to RS-232 serial adapter use
the Windows Device Manager to
check the COM PORT assignment. This is EXTREMELY helpful!!!!
Device Manager Com
Port settings
COM10 (Belkin
serial USB to RS-232)
NOTE: In the
above example the Windows Configuration Utility will be using COM10
to configure the device! If you do not know what COM PORTS the
system has use the Windows Device
Manager to find out what your com port settings are.
Null Modem Adapter
- required to connect the device to a PC or Laptop's serial port
This device requires a
Null modem adapter to connect it to the PC. However, the Null modem
adapter is NOT used during normal operation and that is a plus.
Newer Aircable devices are now being shipped with the null modem
adapter. Whoo hoo!
Because I ordered the
AirCable in the male DB-9 configuration to match the Paramount's
RS-232 connector a female to female gender
changer in addition to the NULL modem adapter is required for
configuring the device via the PC/Laptop RS-232 male port. In lieu
of a gender changer you can also use a straight wired DB-9 female to
DB-9 Female cable attached to the serial port. Remove the two
additional adapters when operating the scope.
Null Modem Adapter
Used for Configuring ONLY!
IMPORTANT!
First download the Windows based configuration utility
program offered on their web site! You won't regret it. This is far
easer then trying to manually use HyperTerminal to configure this
device. IMHO this software should be included with the device and so
should the Null modem adapter. With the male versions the gender
changer too would be a nice touch. Charge more if necessary!
Although the software
is a bit quirky and in "Beta" mode it can be used! Pay close
attention to the console settings and
make sure the settings are what you want.
http://aircable.net/support-downloads.html
<----Click here to get the Windows configuration software.
I prefer the configuration software
because it is more intuitive then using HyperTerminal. Looking at the list of
commands that come with the device are a bit daunting. However, if
you are bold enough feel free to use
HyperTerminal to manually
configure the device <-- This walks you through every
step!
Make sure you are
supplying power to the device indicated by the green power LED using
either the power supply that came with it (9 volts) or your own. I
have used +4.5 volts positive tip successfully. Next connect the
device to a known working com port (example COM1) using a
null modem adapter and gender
changer if necessary (male gender DB-9).
When the software has
been installed successfully launch the currently "Beta", but fully
functional I found, configuration software. The software is located
on the Start | All Programs list and is found in the group named
"AirCable Configurator". Don't let the lack of an Icon concern you
;).
Configuration
software
Press OK
Personally I found the
configuration software intuitive enough to use without any help and
successfully configured the serial device to work with the
Paramount ME
in about 10 minutes! If you follow the steps presented here verbatim
you should be able to get the device to work.
Hopefully I can make
this as painless as possible for you. The only difference I can see between the
Paramount ME
and other serially controlled (RS-232) "goto" mounts is the baud
rate. 9600 baud is somewhat of a standard in the industry and that
should be the only change necessary to the settings. If you are not
sure please consult your telescope's documentation.
Select the
proper COM port number first!
Native Com1 in our example (change as
necessary!)
Can also be a USB to RS-232 adapter
COM PORT
The software is smart
enough to only show the COM PORTS that are currently available on
your system! If the COM PORT you are using is not shown here
you must resolve the lack of a COM
PORT issue first. Please refer to the Windows documentation or
elsewhere for details on properly configuring or installing COM PORTs.
Another nice feature
of the software is even though I had already configured this device
to be 38400 baud for the Paramount ME with hardware handshaking
DISABLED the software was able to auto-detect the device on COM1 and
allowed me to configure it just fine. NICE!
When you have selected
the proper COM PORT the AirCable serial device is connected to (including null modem
adapter and gender changers if necessary) next choose the "Open
Port" button to the left under
Port:. Now simply "Get the settings" from the device using
the button "Get from Device". If all is well note the text shown in
the Console section on the right!
Note settings on
the right under Console
You should see something similar
First change the default Mode from "0 Manual Mode" to a mode of "3
Service Slave Mode" on the bottom of the General Tab. Use the down
arrow to the right of the Mode option to access the other modes. See
below!
Mode 3 - Service
Slave Mode
Change the Service Mode to 3 Slave
here!
Ignore the UART tab.
Because the baud rate is hardware configured using the dip switches the UART settings are not
used. For the
Paramount ME the hardware dip switches on the device are On - Off -
On - Off. That is 38400 baud with hardware handshaking disabled.
Binary 1 0 1 0. For scopes other than the Paramount ME - 9600
Baud is somewhat more of a standard baud rate. 9600 Baud with no
handshaking = 1 1 0 0.
Location of DIP
switches
You must set the baud rate After Configuring!
Paramount ME configuration shown 38.4k baud
WARNING! Failure to set the baud rate will cause a
communications error! When using the Paramount ME this results in a
single click on the mount followed by an error message in TheSky
indicating there is a communications problem. See
Telescope not responding.
Note: The Temma goto
mount uses a baud rate of 19200 and Even parity. Most other
"goto" mounts are 9600 baud, and no parity.
Next use the
"Services" tab. You wan the device to be "Discoverable" and "SPP"
enabled. The SPP setting allows the serial port to be seen
(CONTROL-A then DDS[CR] for HyperTerminal). See below.
Services tab
Check Mark SPP and Discoverable
Next use the "OTHERS"
tab. I chose the option to "Require Authentication" and then "Create
Unique PIN and add it to the Name". Personally I have had
better luck using Authentication but I see no problem with doing so.
Others tab Requires
Authentication and Create Unique PIN
Note proper settings on right!
In my example here
clicking the option "Create Unique PIN and add it to the Name"
worked great. NOTE: The pre-assigned PIN here is "18764". You
will have to enter this PIN number when prompted for it!
Note that the PIN
number is not reflected on the General tab after it has been
automatically assigned. I think this maybe an oversight - a bug in
the software. Just make sure you note the PIN number under the
Console settings. 18764 above!
WARNING!
The flag indicating
the use of Hardware Handshaking does NOT reflect the status of the
device! Above
it is clear that hardware handshake is "DISABLED" by looking at the
console. However, the flag shows it is checked or "ENABLED" on
the left.
Ignore all warnings
to the contrary regarding disabling the hardware handshaking. You do not want to use
it.
In addition to setting
the baud rate with the dip switches set the
dip switches to handshaking off as well. That is a 0 or move the dip
switch down. The right most switch
is down = off or zero meaning disabled - no handshaking. I do not know whether or not
the hardware setting overrides the software setting. I chose to set
both to disabled.
Ignore any hand shake warnings!
Yes
Again, just make sure
that handshaking is disabled.
If you prefer to
manually set the device using HyperTerminal the following settings
are what you will want. Refer to the manual for details on how to
manually configure the device.
NOTE:
The PIN will vary as will the ADDR number!
Once you have
specified all the proper settings you will configure the device
using "Apply All Settings". You will be prompted to "Set LinkKey".
Choose Yes.
Choose Yes
What this does frankly
I am not sure to be honest. I just know that it worked by choosing
yes. I did not find a reference to this yet so I always JUST SAY
YES. But NO may work fine.
When the AirCable
device has been properly configured it will be available
(discoverable) as a
Bluetooth device. Click Add on the Bluetooth Devices dialog as
shown below.
BlueTooth Devices
Click Add to see a list of
Bluetooth devices
Because the device has
already been configured to be "Discoverable" and the serial port
option enabled you can use the "Add" Bluetooth Device Wizard to find
the device by name.
Check My device
is set up and ready to be found
Press NEXT
Find the
AirCable device by name
(assuming you assigned AirCable to the device)
Choose Next
If you have not given
the device a name it will show only as "New" device, not AirCable as
shown above. Best to go back and use a name so you can be sure what
you are connecting to.
No name given
Better to assign a name like AirCable
for clarity!
Because Authentication is being used
you will have to enter the PIN number assigned to the device. Again,
in my experience using Authentication
has always worked and poses not problems!
Enter PIN number
here <---Click here for PIN location
Press next
WARNING!
YOU MUST SEE THE
FOLLOWING TAKE PLACE after double mouse clicking on the
device name and entering the PIN!
Brief message
you must see!
Note the pass key being used
You must see the following dialog
indicating that TWO individual COM PORTS have been assigned to the
system.
Exception
to the TWO COM PORT requirement <--click here
If you are using the matched USB -
Serial adapter and the Aircable Bluetooth serial adapter only one
COM PORT is used. This configuration is much easier then using
Bluetooth by the way! And best of all it just works! The same COM
port number is remembered too so you don't have to continuously
change TheSky's COM PORT number.
If you do not see the following dialog
indicating that two com ports have been added or it is not displayed at all you
MUST go back and reconfigure the device again!
DO NOT
CONTINUE UNTIL YOU HAVE THE TWO PORTS Outgoing and Incoming as SHOWN
below. These will also be displayed in the
WINDOWS DEVICE MANAGER!. Again
with the exception stated above.
It is possible when connecting to the
device that all seems normal. However, if the COM PORT assignments
are not displayed as shown here they have not been added to the
system! I have seen this!
Note Windows COM PORT assignments
here!
Two Com port assignments is normal!
You must see two COM PORT assignments
as shown above. One incoming and one outgoing. You use the Outgoing
COM Port in TheSky! See above using COM PORT #94. If you do not see
the two com ports go back and double check the device settings.
Without an incoming and outgoing port the connection in TheSky will
fail to connect to the device.
Task Bar
Right-click on the Bluetooth icon  to
access the Bluetooth menu.
Show Bluetooth devices
Double check the COM port settings
DO NOT CONTINUE UNTIL YOU HAVE
THE TWO PORTS Incoming and Outgoing SHOWN HERE
on the Bluetooth Devices | COM Ports tab.
The ONLY exception is using the Air Cable USB to Serial adapter and
Bluetooth serial port. This is also true when using Windows Mobile
device.
Properties Tab
on Bluetooth devices
Display the Com Ports assigned
Use Com Ports tab
The COM
port assignment here the Outgoing on COM41 is then
set in TheSky's Telescope Setup.
After the device has
been discovered and the COM PORT assigned to the system you can see
the COM PORT number you need to enter in TheSky using the Properties
of the device. Choose the Devices Tab then Properties.
Device Tab
Click Properties
You can now connect to the telescope wirelessly using OUTGOING port
COM71 above. Telescope | Link Establish
using the settings Paramount ME using
Com71.
See the section Entering the
COM PORT in TheSky for details.
Improper configuration - No
Serial Port Service found or only one com port
If you attempt to
"Add" the Outgoing port by forcing it you will see the following
error message! This indicates that the device settings have not been
configured properly. You cannot continue until both the ingoing and
outgoing ports are shown.
NOTE: This will
also be the case if you use the Windows Device Manager to check the
port settings. A single COM PORT will not work UNLESS you are using
the Air Cable USB to Serial adapter paired with the Bluetooth Serial
device. See below showing only 1 com port setting.
Use the Start button
then up to Control Panel and Open the System icon. From there use
Hardware Device Manager. In the device manager go down to the entry
"PORTS" as shown below.
Use Hardware
Then Device Manager
Another example of
Bluetooth com port assignments shown
Yours will undoubtedly differ!
OR even easier!
Using the Bluetooth
Manager
Show Bluetooth Devices
This is the COM port to use
After the Bluetooth
serial adapter has been properly configured and you are connected
(paired) use the
proper com port setting by entering the OUTGOING COM PORT NUMBER in
TheSky's Telescope Setup. In the example above that is Standard
Serial over Bluetooth link (COM6). Again yours will differ. Keep in
mind this could be ANY COM PORT number. Above the AirCable COM PORT
was assigned to COM PORT6. The point is that these will vary and you
simply CANNOT GUESS or play musical COM PORTS. Either ask the
Bluetooth manager or the device manager for the com port settings.
ALWAYS check the Windows Device
Manager if you are unsure or use the Right Mouse Click Bluetooth
Icon | Show Bluetooth Devices | Services Tab. This is the easiest way to find out
what COM PORT to use.
COM PORT of
Bluetooth serial adapter
TheSky's Telescope Setup
Specify the COM port here
Now you are ready to use TheSky's Telescope | Link Establish. If the
telescope is on and the correct serial port is entered you are good
to go. If the telescope does not respond
check power on the scope and Bluetooth adapter and then go back and
make sure you have entered the correct Bluetooth
COM PORT number.
Paramount is not
turned on or,
Bluetooth adapter not plugged into
telescope!
NOTE:
The above error indicates a valid
COM PORT
is trying to be used but the telescope is not responding! Check the
power to the mount AND the Bluetooth serial adapter. If you still
have problems connecting double check the
Baud Rate settings! If the
Paramount ME clicks once and fails to connect this is most likely
the case.
What COM PORT setting are
using in TheSky? Does it exist?
What COM PORTS are listed in the Device Manager?
If you hear one single click in the
Paramount ME when attempting to connect or the telescope still
doesn't respond after verifying all the settings make sure you have
set the proper Baud Rate using the dip switches.
REMEMBER!
You can only configure the device using the default 115K baud
rate. After configuring the settings set the dip switches
accordingly, 384 baud for the Paramount ME and 9600 for most other
scopes.
Make sure you are supplying power to
the device indicated by the green power LED using either the power
supply that came with it (9 volts) or your own. I have used +4.5
volts positive tip successfully. Next connect the device to a known
working com port (example COM1) using a
null modem adapter and gender
changer if necessary (male gender DB-9 version requires female to
female adapter AND a
null modem adapter.
HyperTerminal will
prompt you for a name for the connection. Enter AirCable or your
telescope name something that makes sense.
HyperTerminal connection
AirCable
Start | Accessories | HyperTerminal
Pick the proper COM PORT
If you do not know
what COM PORTs the system has installed use the
Windows Device Manager! Again
if you do not have ANY com ports
listed in
your system you will have to add one. The most convenient way to
accomplish that is to use a USB to
RS-232 adapter. These run about $25.00 U.S.
The only way to configure the device
with HyperTerminal is to use the DEFAULT settings. These are shown
here. 115200 baud, 8 Data Buts, No Parity, and 1 Stop Bit. The
hardware handshaking must also be enabled both here and on the
device. That is switch 4 is in the DOWN position.
Use the defaults for the device shown!
Press OK
Hardware handshaking
must be ENABLED when configuring this device! Don't forget to
set the baud rate using the
dip switches AFTER configuring the
device using the default 115K baud.
Now to see what you
are typing in Hyper Terminal (more convenient this way) use File | Properties and
from there choose ASCII Setup.
Choose ASCII Setup here
All other settings are left
untouched!
Enable Echoing
ONLY check Wrap lines and Echo
Now you are ready to send commands to
the device. A list of commands are available in the AirCable manual.
The only commands addressed here are those that apply.
The first thing to do is find out if
the connection is actually working. Just send the command "CONTROL+A
followed by a Capital "H" no quotes then Enter. The letter H must be
capital H not lowercase h! To make this easier TURN ON the Caps Lock
on your keyboard so you know you are sending the Capital letters!
This command will display the status
of the device. You should start with the simple status command first
then proceed to the other configuration commands.
CONTROL+AH[ENTER]
If all is well you will see the
following.
Good to Go!
The device has responded!
your settings may differ!!
If the device does not respond check
the COM PORT number, the
com port settings and make sure you
are using a null modem adapter
(and gender changer if necessary i.e. female to female with a DB-9
male connector) connected to the AirCable device. You can
not proceed until this works. Period.
Let' start by clearing all the pairing
information stored in the device. Issue a command CONTROL+AZ[ENTER].
You will only see an OK when the command has been accepted. Always
re-check status after each command to see if you have done it
properly. CONTROL+AH[ENTER]
Next try to enter a new PIN number for
device. Use any 8 character pin you want. Example, 1234. Issue
CONTROL+AP1234[ENTER]. Then check status. You will see OK1234.
CONTROL+AH then shows the new pin number has been assigned.
Here is the screen showing this. The
smiley face is the CONTROL+A.
PIN assigned
CONTROL+AP1234[ENTER]
Cool! Getting there.
Next let us change the Mode from 0 to
the correct Mode 3. Issue CONTROL+AA3[ENTER]. Issue a status check
CONTROL+AH[ENTER]. Note the Mode is now 3.
The device also needs to be
discoverable and the serial port service enabled. Issue
CONTROL+ADDS[ENTER]. Status check again CONTROL+AH[ENTER].
discoverable
services: 0x8
Also DISABLE hardware handshaking.
CONTROL+AK1[ENTER]. Check Status CONTROL+AH[ENTER].
hardware handshake disabled
Almost there!
Give the device a name like AirCable.
Must be 8 characters! AirCable just works! Issue
CONTROL+ANAIRCable[ENTER]. And again. Status Check! CONTROL+AH.
AIRcable V6.10
name: AIRcable
Pin: 1234
mode 3
not paired
require authentication
discoverable
services: 0x8
hardware handshake disabled
ADDR: 000A3A2D7C64
The above should do it.
When you have the above configuration you are ready to start using
the wireless control.
Exit HyperTerminal. Set the dip switches on the device to the
correct Baud Rate (38400 Paramount ME) and Disable hardware
handshaking switch 4 down or UP DOWN UP DOWN - 1 0 1 0. Now try discovering
the Bluetooth device.
Remember that you do not need to use the
Null modem adapter for normal operation, only when configuring! |
