USB to Serial interface to Meade Telescope

[Chuck_Sterling]

HaJo Schatz wrote:

> 
> On Sun, October 31, 2004 5:47, Chuck_Sterling said:
>> Chuck_Sterling wrote:
>>
>>> I'm trying to get KStars to control my Meade telescope mount with
>>> #497 controller. The setup is a USB to serial converter to the scope
>>> controller.
> 
> It's been long since I used these converters under Linux. At the time
> (and I guess it's still the same today) only very few of these
> adapters were supported. You'll need kernel support (or a module) for
> the converter, so you should start by scanning the kernel docs or the
> kernel-config to see whether your converter is there. You may also
> want to check http://www.linux-usb.org/ whether anything is known
> about your particular converter.
> 
> Kernel documentation will then help you further in identifying the
> correct serial port device you'll have to configure in KStars.
> 
> Your last solution might be to purchase a converter being "officially
> supported".
> 
> HaJo
> 

Jasem Mutlaq from KStars yesterday noticed my message and suggested that
I check the permissions on the /dev/ttyUSB0 device, and of course that
simple thing was something I overlooked. Once I gave my user account rw
access, the scope was found and now responds. I did find confusing the
fact that there appear to be two separate sets of these devices, one
in /dev and the other in /dev/usb. If I can believe the disparate
permissions they are two separate sets, but may be linked in some way I
do not understand. IAC, the ones in /dev are the ones I specified in
the setup. 

I also found that the convenient USB hub on top of the PC cabinet, while
it worked with the converter and scope under WinXP, did not work with
them under FC2, although I routinely use it with Lexar Jumpdrives and
the like. I moved the converter to a port on the main board, where it
works as advertised.

Thanks for your feedback.

Chuck