Software Bisque Knowledge Base Article – 1198

CONFIGURING THESKY6’S COM PORT WITH A USB TO SERIAL ADAPTOR

ISSUE

My computer only has USB ports, so I’ve purchased a USB to serial adaptor. How do I configure TheSky6 to use this adaptor?

RESOLUTION

USB to serial adaptor hardware comes with a software “device driver” that must be installed before the adaptor can be used.

After successfully installing the USB to serial adaptor’s device driver, Windows recognizes and uses the USB port as if it were a standard COM port. The device driver installer assigns a COM port number to the hardware adaptor.

Therefore, to configure applications that support serial devices (such as TheSky6’s telescope control), you must determine the COM port number that is assigned to the adaptor.

To determine the COM port number assigned to the USB to serial adaptor:

1. Click Start | Control Panel.
2. Open “Administrative Tools”
3. Open “Computer Management”
4. Click on “Device Manager” in the “Computer Management” tree list.
5. On the right side of the “Computer Management” window, expand the “Ports (COM & LPT)” node.
6. If the USB to serial adpator’s device driver is installed successfully, one of the ports listed is:

“USB Serial Adaptor Port (COMX)”

Where the “X” in COMX is the COM port number assigned to the hardware.

Use this COM port number when configuring software that uses hardware connected to the USB to serial adaptor.

APPLIES TO

TheSky6 Serious Astronomer Edition, TheSky6 Professional Edition, CCDSoft Version 5

KEYWORDS

SBKB

Last Reviewed: 07/05/2005