iOptron GoToNova 8401 Instruction Manual

SmartStar® CubePro

TM

Instruction Manual

Table of Content

Table of Content .............................................................................................................. 2

1. Introduction ................................................................................................................. 4

1.1. CubePro Features ................................................................................................ 4

1.2. CubePro

2. CubePro Assembly ...................................................................................................... 6

3. GOTONOVA

3.1. Key Description ..................................................................................................... 8

3.2. The LCD Screen ................................................................................................... 9

3.3. Connection to a Computer .................................................................................... 9

4. Getting Started ............................................................................................................ 9

4.1. Level and Align the Mount .................................................................................... 9

4.2. Setting Up the Mount .......................................................................................... 10

4.2.1. Set Up Time Zone ........................................................................................ 10

4.2.2. Set Up Daylight Saving Time ....................................................................... 11

4.2.3. Set Mount Type ............................................................................................ 11

4.2.4. Set Anti-backlash ......................................................................................... 12

4.2.5. Go to the Moon ............................................................................................ 12

4.2.6. Initial Star Alignment .................................................................................... 12

4.3. Turn Off the Mount .............................................................................................. 13

5. Use the CubePro ....................................................................................................... 13

5.1. Manual Operation of a Telescope ....................................................................... 13

5.2. Slew to an Object ................................................................................................ 13

5.2.1. Planets, Sun, Moon ...................................................................................... 13

5.2.2. Deep sky objects .......................................................................................... 13

5.2.3. Comets ......................................................................................................... 13

5.2.4. Asteroids ...................................................................................................... 14

5.2.5. Stars ............................................................................................................. 14

5.2.6. Constellations ............................................................................................... 14

5.2.7. User Objects ................................................................................................ 14

5.2.8. Enter R.A. DEC ............................................................................................ 14

5.3. Sync to Target .................................................................................................... 14

5.4. Electric Focuser .................................................................................................. 14

5.5. Set Up Controller ................................................................................................ 14

5.5.1. Set Up Local Time ........................................................................................ 14

5.5.2. Set Up Site ................................................................................................... 14

5.5.3. Set N/S Hemisphere .................................................................................... 14

5.5.4. Set Display Contrast .................................................................................... 14

5.5.5. Set Eyepiece Light ....................................................................................... 15

5.5.6. Set Backlight ................................................................................................ 15

5.5.7. Set Anti-backlash ......................................................................................... 15

5.5.8. Set Key Beep ............................................................................................... 15

5.5.9. Set Mount Type ............................................................................................ 15

5.5.10. Reset All ..................................................................................................... 15

5.5.11. Update Firmware ........................................................................................ 15

5.5.12. Set gear ratio .............................................................................................. 15

TM

Assembly Terms ................................................................................ 5

TM

8401 Hand Controller ......................................................................... 8

2

5.5.13. Set Language ............................................................................................. 15

5.6. Align .................................................................................................................... 15

5.6.1. One Star Align .............................................................................................. 15

5.6.2. Two Star Align .............................................................................................. 15

5.6.3. Three-Star Align ........................................................................................... 16

5.6.4. Dis R.A axis error ......................................................................................... 16

5.6.5. Test Anti-backlash ........................................................................................ 16

5.6.6. Polaris Position ............................................................................................ 16

5.7. PEC Option ......................................................................................................... 16

5.8. Set Up Tracking .................................................................................................. 16

5.9. User Objects ....................................................................................................... 16

5.10. Auto Guide ........................................................................................................ 16

5.11. Park Scope ....................................................................................................... 16

5.12. To Park Position ............................................................................................... 16

6. Maintenance and Servicing ....................................................................................... 17

6.1. Maintenance ....................................................................................................... 17

6.2. Troubleshooting .................................................................................................. 17

6.3. iOptron Customer Service .................................................................................. 18

Appendix A. Technical Specifications............................................................................ 19

Appendix B. GOTONOVATM 8401 HC MENU STRUCTURE ........................................ 20

Appendix C. GOTONOVATM Star List ........................................................................... 22

Appendix D. Set Up USB-PC Connection ..................................................................... 27

Appendix E. Firmware Upgrade .................................................................................... 34

Appendix F. Use a PC to Control an iOptron Mount ...................................................... 37

Appendix G. RS-232 Command Set.............................................................................. 38

IOPTRON TWO YEAR TELESCOPE, MOUNT, AND CONTROLLER WARRANTY ... 43

NEVER USE A TELESCOPE TO LOOK AT THE SUN!

Looking at or near the Sun will cause instant and irreversible damage to your eye.

Children should always have adult supervision while observing.

WARNING!

3

1. Introduction

1.1. CubePro Features

CubeProTM GOTO altazimuth (A/A)
Mount is the ideal portable mount to go with
your traveling OTAs, such as a 60mm or
80mm ED refractor, a 90mm or 100mm
Maksutov-Cassegrain or a 114mm
Newtonian reflector. It can also be used to
mount solar scopes.

It features a SmartStar
computerized control system with 130,000
objects and 8-line backlit LCD screen. A 32
channel internal GPS, easy alignment
procedure and accurate GOTO and auto­tracking minimize the setup time.

Package Contents

The CubeProTM mount comes with the tripod in the same shipping box, which includes:1

• Telescope Mount (with builtin GPS)

®

1” stainless steel tripod with metal
platform and metal hinges makes the mount
very sturdy. Compact design of the tripod
and the mount makes it easy to carry
around in a travel case. The mount
assembling takes less than 5 minutes.

Standard dovetail makes this mount
compatible with many different OTAs.

CubePro

TM

is compatible with all
ASCOM compliant planetarium programs
and many other programs such as Sky X,
Starry Night and Voyager.

• AC Adaptor with cord

• 8401 Hand Controller

• Controller Cable

• USB cable

• Tripod

• Tripod bolt (with black shaft) and Tray Lock

• Tripod Tray

• 1.5 kg Counterweight and shaft

1

The contents may vary slightly.

4

1.2. CubeProTM Assembly Terms

1. Telescope (not included)

2. Dovetail Lock

3. Hand Controller

4. Altitude Lock

5. Mount

6. Tripod

7. Inner support/Tripod bolt

8. Tray

9. Tray lock

10. Counterweight (not shown)

Figure 1. CubePro mount and tripod

5

2. CubePro Assembly

Step 1.

Step 2.

Step 3. Installing Batteries

Extend tripod legs to full extension.

Attach mount to tripod using the long bolt (#7). Slide tray on

bottom of shaft. Then screw on round black knob (#9).

Pull the batteries compartment cover (shown) open.
Gently pull the batteries holder out of the compartment to avoid
breaking the attached wires.

Step 3a.

Insert 8 AA batteries (not included) according to the diagrams on
the holder.*
Replace the holder back into the batteries compartment and
replace the cover.

Note

: fit the batteries holder back into the compartment with the
attached wires at the bottom right corner (see arrow in the
photo).

* Use only fresh batteries; do not mix fresh and old

Step 4. Attaching Telescope

Dovetail
lock (#2)

batteries; insufficient battery power may cause error
messages.

Attach telescope to mount using the dovetail lock knob (#2).

6

Step 6. Connecting Hand Controller

Plug hand controller into any one of the HBX (handbox) ports on
the mount. Plug in power plug if a AC adaptor is used.
Turn on power. Now you are ready to observe. Use the 4 Arrow
keys (▲▼◄►) to rotate the scope Up, Down, Left, and Right.
Use the Number key to change the slew speed from the slowest
(1 - 1X) to the fastest (9 - MAX).

The other HBX is reserved for accessories, such as electronic

focuser, laser pointer and autoguider adapter. DO NOT plug

non-iOptron accessories into the unit to avoid damaging the
mount or accessories

7. This step allows you to attach the counterweight to the mount.

(note: if you have a scope less than 7 lbs., attaching a
counterweight is optional).

Unlock and remove the altitude lock (#4). Screw on the counterweight

shaft and tighten it.

8. Slide the counterweight onto the counterbalance shaft. Next, insert
the brass pin into the hole on the counterweight.

9. Secure the counterweight by tightening the lock knob.

Counter weight is heavy. Please handle with care to avoid

injury!

7

3. GOTONOVATM 8401 Hand Controller

Figure 2. GOTONOVA 8401 Hand Controller

GOTONOVA

shown in Figure 2.

TM

8401 hand controller (HC) is the standard controller for a CubePro, as

3.1. Key Description

• MENU: Press “MENU” to enter the
Main Menu.

• BACK: Move back to the previous
screen, or end/cancel current operation,
such as slewing.

• ENTER: Confirm an input, go to the
next menu, select a choice, or slew the
telescope to a selected object.

• Arrow (▲▼►◄): Press ▲▼ buttons to
move a telescope along the DEC
direction, ►◄ to move a telescope
along the RA direction. Brows the
menu or move the cursor in operating
menu.

HBX
Port

USB
Port

• Number Keys: Input numerical values.
Also used to adjust speeds (1: 1X; 2:
2X; 3: 8X; 4: 16X; 5: 64X; 6: 128X; 7:
256X; 8: 512X; 9: MAX)

• Light Key(☼): Turns on/off the red LED
reading light on the back of the
controller.

• ? Key: For help or extra information.

• STOP/0 Key: Stop/Start tracking.

• HBX (Handbox) port: connect the HC to

CubePro mount using a 6-wire RJ11
cable.

• USB port: connect the HC to a
Computer via a USB cable.

8

Figure 3. 8401 HC LCD Information Screen

3.2. The LCD Screen

The 8401 HC is designed to use for both
iOptron’s equatorial (EQ) mount, such as
the SmartStar
Equatorial Mount and the GOTONOVA
Equatorial Kit, and AltAzimuth (A/A) mount,
which includes all SmartStar
mounts and telescopes. It consists of a
large 8-line LCD screen, which displays all
the information as shown in Figure 3. The
user interface is simple and easy to learn.

• GPS status: When the power is turned
on, it shows “GPS ON”, which means a
GPS receiver is connected. When the
GPS receiver finds the satellite and
receives GPS signal, it shows “GPS OK”.
The “GPS OK” may turn off after few
minutes.

• Slew speed: It has 9 speeds: 1X, 2X, 8X,
16X, 64X, 128X, 256X(1º/sec),
512X(2º/sec), MAX(4º/sec).

• Tracking speed: It has 4 speeds: Cel
(celestial), Sol (Solar), Lun (Lunar), Def
(user defined)

• Mount Type: EQ is equatorial and A/A
altazimuth.

®

-PR GOTO German

®

GOTO

TM

3.3. Connection to a Computer

The GOTONOVA hand controller has a
USB port which can be connected to a
computer. This will allow Firmware
Upgrading, Database Updating, or
Planetarium application. A USB2COM driver
is needed to simulate the USB port to a RS­232 serial port. (see Appendix D)

The CubePro

TM

can be controlled by a
number of popular astronomy software
programs. For astronomy software that
does not have an embedded iOptron mount
driver, an ASCOM driver and related
platform are needed. Please refer to
Appendix F for more information.

4. Getting St arted

In order to experience the full GOTO
capability of GOTONOVA technology, it is
very important to set up the mount correctly
before observation.

4.1. Level and Align the Mount

Each time the Mount is turned on, the
default position is Parking Position, i.e.,Alt.
90º0’0” and Azi. 180º0’0”, which means the
Mount is leveled, facing south and the
telescope pointing up at the Zenith. The
procedures are:

• Level the Mount. Adjust the leg length to
make sure the bubble on the side of the
mount is centered. Turn the Mount
around to make sure it is always leveled.
It is also recommended to use additional
levels to assure very precise leveling.

Leveling is critical for a good GOTO
and tracking accuracy.

Select and slew
Sync. to target
Electronic focuser
Set up controller
Align
PEC option
Set up Tracking
User objects

• Face the South.
Align the Mount to
south by turning

Up

the South mark
facing south. An
additional
compass may be
needed. There are

South

two ways to do so.
One is loosen the AZI lock (7) a little
and manually turn the Mount to face
south. Then tighten the AZI lock again.
The other is turn on the Mount. Turn the
Mount facing south using hand control.
Then turn off the power.

• Point to Zenith. Unlock the ALT Lock
and turn the telescope to point up
directed at the Zenith.

4.2. Setting Up the Mount

A CubePro is equipped with
a GPS receiver, which will
receive the local time,
longitude and latitude
information from a satellite
after the link is established.
However, manual input is still needed for
time zone and Daylight Saving setting.

A clear sky outside is needed for GPS to
communicate well with the satellites.

Press ENTER. Scroll down and select “Set
up site”

Set up Local Time
Set up site
Set N/S hemisphere
Set display contrast
Set Eyepiece light
Set Backlight
Set anti-backlash
Set Key Beep

Press ENTER. The longitude and latitude
coordinates will be updated when the GPS
picks up satellite signals. “W/E” means
west/east hemisphere; “N/S” means
north/south hemisphere; “d” means degree;
“m” means minute; and “s” means second.

Set up site info:
Longitude:
W071d27m47s
Latitude:

N42d15m40s

300 Min. behind of UT

If for any reason your GPS can’t pick up a
signal you can manually enter the GPS
coordinates. Press ◄ or ► key to move the
cursor and using ▲ or ▼ key to toggle
between “W” and “E”, “N” and “S”, using
number key to change the numbers. It is
always a good idea to do your home work to
get the GPS coordinates before traveling to
a new observation site.

4.2.1. Set Up Time Zone

Press MENU button, from the main menu,

scroll down and select “Set up controller”

The site coordinates information can be
found from internet, such as GPSVisualizer
(http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/geocode
entering the city name or address. In case
you only find the site information in decimal
format you can convert them into d:m:s
format by multiplying the decimal numbers
by 60. For example, N47.53 can be

10

), by

changed to N47º31'48”: 47.53º = 47º +0.53º,

0.53º=0.53x60'=31.8', 0.8'=0.8x60"=48".

Therefore, 47.53º=47º31'48" or 47d31m48s.
Same as N47º31.8’: 31.8’=31’+0.8’,

0.8’=0.8x60”=48”.

Press ◄ or ► key, move the cursor to the
bottom of the screen to set the time zone
information (add or subtract 60 minutes per
time zone). Enter minutes “ahead of” or
“behind” UT (universal time).

• New York City is 300 minutes “behind”
UT

• Los Angeles is 480 minutes “behind” UT

• Rome is 60 minutes “ahead of” UT

• Beijing is 480 minutes “ahead of” UT

• Sydney is 600 minutes “ahead of” UT

All the time zones in North America are

behind UT (universal time), as shown in the

following table. So make sure it shows
“behind” instead of “ahead of” UT.

Time Zone Hours

behind UT

Enter

Minutes

Hawaii -10 600

Alaska -9 540

Pacific -8 480

Mountain -7 420

Central -6 360

Eastern -5 300

To adjust minutes, move the cursor to each
digit and use the number keys to input
number directly. To change the “behind” or
“ahead” of UT, move the cursor to “ahead”
and using ▲ or ▼ key to toggle between
“behind” and “ahead”. When the number is
correct, press ENTER and go back to the
previous screen.

For other parts of the world, you can find out
your “time zone” information from internet,
such as

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/

.
DO NOT COUNT DAYLIGHT SAVING
TIME.

4.2.2. Set Up Daylight Saving Time

Scroll up and select “Set up local Time”

Set up Local Time
Set up site
Set N/S hemisphere
Set display contrast
Set Eyepiece light
Set Backlight
Set anti-backlash
Set Key Beep

Press ENTER.

Set local time:

2008-06-01 11:55:09
Daylight Saving Time Y

Use the ◄ or ► key to move the cursor to
the bottom of the screen, use the ▲ or ▼
button to toggle between “Y” and “N”. Press
ENTER to go back the previous screen. The
local time also can be manually entered in
case of GPS malfunction or testing the
mount inside.

The time and site information will be stored
inside HC memory chip. If you are not
traveling to other observation site, they do
not need to be changed.

4.2.3. Set Mount Type

The 8401 hand controller that comes with
the CubePro can function in both EQ and
AltAz. For the CubePro you will need to set
the hand controller to function in AltAz.
Scroll down and select “Set Mount Type”,

11

Set up site
Set N/S hemisphere
Set display contrast
Set Eyepiece light
Set Backlight
Set anti-backlash
Set Key Beep
Set Mount Type

DEC anti-backlash:

0150 steps

One steps equal to

1.5 arc second.

Press Enter.

Equatorial Mount
Alt/Azi Mount

Select Alt/Azi mount and press ENTER to
go back the previous screen.

4.2.4. Set Anti-backlash

For an Alt/Azi operation, both R.A. and DEC
anti-backlash should be set to 0 step
(factory default setting). Scroll down and
select “Set anti-backlash”

Set up Local Time
Set up site
Set N/S hemisphere
Set display contrast
Set Eyepiece light
Set Backlight
Set anti-backlash
Set Key Beep

Move the cursor to each digit and use the
number keys to set the anti-backlash to 0.
Press ENTER to go back the previous
screen.

Press BACK button to go back to main
menu.

4.2.5. Go to the Moon

After performing these set-ups the mount is
ready to GOTO and track objects. One of
the most common objects is the Moon.

To slew to the Moon, press MENU button,
select “Select and slew” by pressing the
ENTER button. Select “Planets, Sun, Moon”,
and use the ▲ or ▼ buttons to select Moon.
Press ENTER. The telescope will
automatically slew to the Moon and lock on.
It will automatically begin to track once it
locks on. Use the arrow keys to center the
Moon in your eyepiece if it is not centered.
Or for better performance use Sync to
Target (see instructions later).

Press ENTER. A R.A. anti-backlash will
display:

R.A. anti-backlash:

0150 steps

One steps equal to

1.5 arc second.

To adjust steps, move the cursor to each
digit and use the number keys to input
number directly. Press ENTER, a DEC anti­backlash will display:

4.2.6. Initial Star Alignment

A simple star alignment/synchronization can
be performed to improve the GOTO and
tracking accuracy. To do so, after slew the
mount to an object, such as Moon, press
MENU button, scroll down to “Sync. To
Target”, follow the on-screen instruction and
press ENTER.

An alternate way is to perform an “Easy
One Star Align”. To do so, press MENU
button, scroll down to “Align”, select “Easy
One Star Align” and press ENTER. The
screen will list three bright objects for you to
select from (ex. Moon, Jupiter, Venus).

12

Select an object using ▲ or ▼ key. Then
press ENTER. Next use the arrow keys to
slew to the object until it is centered in your
eyepiece. Then press ENTER.

You may need using number keys to
change the slewing speed to make the
centering procedure easier.

individual number. The check mark (√)
indicates the object is above the horizon,
and a cross mark (X) means it is below the
horizon. In some catalogs those stars below
the horizon will not display on the hand
controller.

5.2.1. Planets, Sun, Moon

4.3. Turn Off the Mount

When you are finished observing it is
recommended to return the mount to Park
Position. If the mount is not moved then no
initial set up is needed when you turn on the
mount next time. To park the telescope
press the MENU button, scroll down to
“Park Telescope” and press ENTER. Once
the telescope returns to Park Position turn
the power off.

5. Use the CubePro

5.1. Manual Operation of a
Telescope

You may observe land and astronomical
objects using GOTONOVA’s arrow keys.

After the telescope was assembled
(referring to Section 2. Telescope
Assembly), flip the I/O switch on the
telescope mount to turn on the mount. Use
►,◄,▼ or ▲ buttons to point the telescope
to the desired object. You may need to use
the number keys to change the slewing
speed. Simply press a number while
slewing to change the slew speed.

5.2. Slew to an Object

Press the MENU button. From the main
menu select “Select and Slew.” Select an
object that you would like to observe and
press the ENTER key.

The GOTONOVA
has a database of about 130,000 objects.
Use the ► or ◄ buttons to move the cursor
and the ▼▲ buttons to change the

TM

8401 hand controller

There are 10 objects in the Solar system
catalog.

5.2.2. Deep sky objects

This menu includes objects outside our
Solar system such as galaxies, star clusters,
quasars, and nebulae.

• Named Deepsky Objects: consists of 60

deep sky objects with their common
names. A list of named deep sky objects
is attached in Appendix C.

• Messier Catalog: consists of all 110

objects.

• NGC IC Catalog: consists of 7840

objects in NGC catalog and 5386 objects
in IC catalog. To select an object from
NGC or IC catalog, move the cursor to
NGC, using▲ or ▼ button to toggle
between NGC and IC. Then move the
cursor to numerical position and use the
number button to select the object.

• UGC Catalog: consists of 12939 objects.

• MCG Catalog: consists of 29004 objects.

They are listed numerically from
MCG+15 to MCG-05.

• Caldwell Catalog: consists of 109

objects.

• Abell Catalog: consists of 2712 objects.

• Herschel Catalog: consists of 400

objects.

5.2.3. Comets

This catalog contains up to 190 comets.
This database is customer upgradeable.

13

5.2.4. Asteroids

This catalog contains up to 4096 asteroids.
This database is customer upgradeable.

5.2.5. Stars

• Named Stars: consists of 191 stars with
their common names. They are listed
alphabetically. A list is attached in
Appendix C.

• Double Stars: consists of 40 double
stars. A list is attached in Appendix C.

• GCVS Variable Stars: consists of 38624
GCVS variable stars. They are listed
numerically.

• SAO Catalog: consists of 26584 SAO
catalog objects. They are listed
numerically.

5.2.6. Constellations

selected object. Multiple syncs can be
performed if needed.

“Sync to Target” will only work after “Select
and slew” is performed. Otherwise, the
system may perform incorrectly. You can
change the slewing speed to make the
centering procedure easier. Simply press a
number (1 through 9) to change the speed.
The default slew speed is 64X.

“Sync to Target” does the same thing as

one star alignment except that you choose
the object to “sync” to. One star alignment
chooses the star/object for you.

5.4. Electric Focuser

If you have an electric focuser in your
system and it is supported by GOTONOVA,
use this option to adjust the focuser. Use
◄► for coarse tuning and ▼▲ for fine
tuning.

This catalog consists of 88 modern
constellations with their names. They are
listed alphabetically. A list is attached in
Appendix C.

5.2.7. User Objects

This catalog can consist up to 256 user
predefined objects. These objects need to
be entered before they can be selected for
slewing.

5.2.8. Enter R.A. DEC

Here you can go to a target by entering its
R.A. and DEC numbers.

5.3. Sync to Target

This operation will match the telescope's
current coordinates to Target Right
Ascension and Declination. After slew to an
object, press MENU—then scroll to “Sync to
Target” and press ENTER. Follow the
screen to do the sync. Using this function
will re-calibrate the computer to the

Refer to your Electric Focuser operation
manual for detailed instruction.

5.5. Set Up Controller

5.5.1. Set Up Local Time

Refer to 4.2.2.

5.5.2. Set Up Site

Refer to 4.2.1.

5.5.3. Set N/S Hemisphere

Set north or south hemisphere.

5.5.4. Set Display Contrast

Use arrow keys to adjust LCD display
contrast.

14

5.5.5. Set Eyepiece Light

5.6. Align

If you have an illuminated-reticule eyepiece
or illuminated polar scope, and it is
supported by GOTONOVA hand controller-­use this option to adjust the light intensity.

5.5.6. Set Backlight

Adjust LCD and keypad backlight.

5.5.7. Set Anti-backlash

Use Array Keys to move the cursor and
Number Keys to change the number. 0 is
suggested for Alt/Azi mount. For an EQ
mount, the default setting is 150 for both
DEC and R.A.

5.5.8. Set Key Beep

Turn the key beep on/off.

5.5.9. Set Mount Type

Although CubePro is an Alt/Azi mount the
controller can be used for either Equatorial
Mount or Alt/Azi Mount. This command
changes between the two positions (EQ and
AltAz).

5.5.10. Reset All

Reset all settings to factory default data.

5.5.11. Update Firmware

Firmware updating using iOptron
Downloader through USB port on hand
controller. (Refer to Appendix E.)

5.5.12. Set gear ratio

Reserved for future products.

This function is used for aligning the
telescope. In addition to “Easy One Star
Align,” the system also provides “One Star
Align” and “Two Star Align” for Alt/Azi mount.
“Three Star Align” is only supported by EQ
mode.

5.6.1. One Star Align

From the main menu select “Align”. Select
“One Star Align”. Use ▲ and ▼ buttons to
select a star and press ENTER. A list of
align planets or stars that are above the
horizon is computed based on your local
time and location. Use arrow buttons to
move the telescope and center the star in
your eyepiece. You can use the number
buttons to change the slew speed.

Press ENTER when finished. If your setup
is leveled well, one star alignment should be
sufficient for good GOTO accuracy. To
increase the accuracy you may choose to
do two star alignment.

5.6.2. Two Star Align

Two star alignment will increase the GOTO
accuracy of the mount. It is suggested to do
two star alignment after one star alignment.
Two star alignment requires a wider view of
the sky, since the two align stars need to be
far apart. Select “Two Star Align” in the
Align menu. When you finish the first star,
the system will prompt you to choose the
second star. If the star you choose is too
close to the first one, the system will let you
choose another one. When you are aligned
with the second star, two star alignment is
finished. You can reject the suggested star
if it is blocked by the tree or behind the
house.

5.5.13. Set Language

Select hand controller language.

“Two Star Align” results will be overridden if
“One Star Align” or “Sync. to Target” is
performed after “Two Star Align.”

15

5.6.3. Three-Star Align

5.9. User Objects

It will increase the accuracy even higher
and requires an even wider view of the sky.
This basically asks you to choose a third
star to align after two-star align. Three star
alignment is not available for Alt/Azi mode.

5.6.4. Dis R.A axis error

This only works for EQ mode. This displays
the celestial pole point error. Point error is
zero when you power on the mount (unless
you “Park Telescope” before powering off.

5.6.5. Test Anti-backlash

This command tests the backlashes in both
R.A. and DEC. The saved numbers will
show in “Set Anti-backlash” menu. However,
if no high accuracy is needed or your
equatorial mount is not a high accuracy unit

(i.e. the worm gear has different clearance

in different positions) you can omit this
procedure.

This command only works for EQ mode.

5.6.6. Polaris Position

This shows Polaris position.

Besides various star lists available in the
hand controller --you can add, edit or delete
your own user-defined objects. All data you
enter is supposedly J2000.0 epoch.

5.10. Auto Guide

This is an advanced function for autoguiding
when a guiding scopes and a camera are
equipped. The GOTONOVA supports
autoguiding through ASCOM protocol, such
as PHD Guiding or Guidedog, or an ST-4
guiding camera (an extra ST-4 to HBX
adapter is needed). Please follow the
guiding software for detailed instructions.

This function is not supported in Alt/Azi
mode.

5.11. Park Scope

This procedure only needs to be done if you
do not move your telescope mount after you
power off the GOTONOVA. Celestial pole
pointing error will be stored to flash memory
and recalled when you power on again.

5.12. To Park Position

5.7. PEC Option

Periodic Error Correction (PEC) is not
supported in Alt/Azi mode.

5.8. Set Up Tracking

A user can set up tracking in the main menu
by selecting “Set up tracking”. Then the user
can select “Sidereal speed”, “Solar speed”,
“Lunar speed”, and “User defined speed”.
For “User defined speed” this can be
adjusted from 91% to 109% of sidereal
speed by pressing the ▲or ▼ buttons.

This moves your telescope to park position.
When power is turned on--the mount
assumes the physical position is the park
position. This is its reference point for all
other objects.

16

6. Maintenance and

Servicing

Also check all the plugs and
connections.

4. Check the hand controller cord. Unplug
it and re-plug into the other HBX port.

6.1. Maintenance

The CubePro is designed to be
maintenance free. Do not overload the
mount. Do not drop the mount which will
damage the mount or affect the GOTO
tracking accuracy permanently. Use a wet
cloth to clean the mount and hand controller.
Do not use solvent.

If your mount is not to be used for an
extended period, dismount the OTAs and
counterweight. Remove the batteries from
the battery holder if they were installed.

6.2. Troubleshooting

The following suggestions may be helpful
for the operation of the CubePro. More
information can be found in our online FAQ
section (www.iOptron.com
“support”).

1. Error Message “Warning! DEC. (or
R.A.) driver motor over current. Please
check balance.”

1. Check if the mount or OTA is blocked by
any obstructions.

2. Try to operate the mount without an
OTA.

3. Check the power supply. This is a
common reason for this message and

unexpected slew behavior or
movement. which include:

• Batteries:

How long have they been used?
(frequent slewing and GOTO will
deplete battery power very quickly)

• AC or DC adapter:

to the mount and to the power outlet.

• Extension cord:

is in good condition. Power drop
along the extension cord has been
known to cause this error message.

Are the batteries fresh?

then click on

Check the plugs

Make sure the cord

5. Error Message “Warning! Can not
communicate with DEC motor
controller.”

1. Check the hand controller cord. Unplug
it and re-plug into another HBX port.

2. Check the power supply, which include:

• Using the battery? Is the battery

fresh? How long it has been used?
(frequent slew and GOTO will
deplete battery power very quickly)

• Using AC or DC adapter? Check the

plugs to the mount and to the power
outlet.

• Using extension cord? Make sure

the cord is in good condition. Power
drop along the extension cord was
known to cause the problem. Also
check all the plugs and connections.

3. The object is jumping up and down in

the eyepiece or over-slewed, and other
unexpected slew behavior or movement.

(1) Use most updated firmware.
(2) Set backlash to 0 in both DEC
and RA.
(3) Check the power supply, which
include:

• Using the battery? Is the battery fresh?
How long it has been used? (frequent
slew and GOTO will deplete battery
power very quickly)

• Using AC or DC adapter? Check the
plugs to the mount and to the power
outlet.

• Using extension cord? Make sure the
cord is in good condition. Power drop
along the extension cord was known to
cause the problem. Also check all the
plugs and connections.

(4) System balancing.

17

4. Star Alignment accuracy; GOTO
accuracy

1. Leveling (very important).

2. Site information (minutes ahead or
behind UT, DST).

3. System balancing.

4. Use most updated firmware.

5. Select right mount type (A/A).

6. Set backlash to 0 in both DEC and RA.

7. Check the power supply, which include:

• Using the battery? Is the battery

fresh? How long it has been used?
(frequent slew and GOTO will
deplete battery power very quickly)

• Using AC or DC adapter? Check the

plugs to the mount and to the power
outlet.

• Using extension cord? Make sure

the cord is in good condition. Power
drop along the extension cord was
known to cause the problem. Also
check all the plugs and connections.

6.3. iOptron Customer Service

If you have a question concerning your
CubePror contact the iOptron Customer
Service Department. Customer Service
hours are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Eastern
Time, Monday through Friday. In the
unlikely event that the CubePro requires
factory servicing or repairs, write or call the
iOptron Customer Service Department first
to receive an RMA# before returning the
telescope to the factory. Please provide
details as to the nature of the problem as
well as your name, address, and daytime
telephone number. We have found that
most problems can be resolved by
telephone. So please call first to avoid
returning the telescope for repair. Call toll
free in the U.S. 1.866.399.4587 or

1.781.569.0200. It is also strongly

suggested to send technical questions to

[e-mail]

.

18

Appendix A. Technical Specifications

Mount AltAzimuth Mount

Body Materials Die-cast Aluminum

Motor Dual-Axis DC Servomotor, DC12V

Speed

GPS 32-channel GPS

GOTO System GOTONOVATM 130,000+ objects database

Tracking Automatic

Payload 12 lb

Counterweight 3.3 lbs (1.5kg)

Tripod 1” Stainless Steel

Battery

USB Port Yes

Protocol ASCOM

Firmware Upgrade Yes

PC Computer Control Yes

Weight with tripod 12 lbs

(1×,2×,8×,16×,64×,128×,256×,512×,MAX）

Dual-Axis, 9-Gear, Electronic

AA x 8（Not Included）

19

Appendix B. GOTONOVATM 8401 HC MENU STRUCTURE

MENU

Select and SlewSelect and Slew

Planets, Sun, MoonPlanets, Sun, Moon

Mercury

Mercury

Venus

Venus

Mars

Mars

Jupiter

Jupiter

Saturn

Saturn

Uranus

Uranus

Neptune

Neptune

Pluto

Pluto

Sun

Sun

Moon

Moon

Deep Sky ObjectsDeep Sky Objects

Named Deepsky Object

Named Deepsky Object

Messier Catalog

Messier Catalog

NGC IC Catalog

NGC IC Catalog

UGC Catalog

UGC Catalog

MCG Catalog

MCG Catalog

Caldwell Catalog

Caldwell Catalog

Abell Catalog

Abell Catalog

Herschel Catalog

Herschel Catalog

CometsComets

AsteroidsAsteroids

StarsStars

Named Stars

Double Stars

GCVS Variable Stars

SAO Catalog

ConstellationsConstellations

User ObjectsUser Objects

Enter R.A. and DECEnter R.A. and DEC

Sync. To TargetSync. To Target

Electric Focuser

Electric FocuserElectric Focuser

Focus

FocusFocus

Set Anti-backlash

Set Anti-backlashSet Anti-backlash

20

Set Up ControllerSet Up Controller

AlignAlign

Set Up Local Time

Set Up Local Time

Set Up Site

Set Up Site

Set N/S Hemisphere

Set N/S Hemisphere

Set Display Contrast

Set Display Contrast

Set Eyepiece Light

Set Eyepiece Light

Set Backlight

Set Backlight

Set Anti-backslash

Set Anti-backslash

Set Key Beep

Set Key Beep

Set Mount Type

Set Mount Type

Reset All

Reset All

Upgrade Firmware

Upgrade FirmwareUpgrade Firmware

Set Gear Ratio

Set Gear RatioSet Gear Ratio

Set Language

Set LanguageSet Language

Easy One Star Align

Easy One Star AlignEasy One Star Align

One Star Align

One Star AlignOne Star Align

Two Star Align

Two Star AlignTwo Star Align

Three Star Align

Three Star AlignThree Star Align

Disp. R.A. Axis Error

Disp. R.A. Axis ErrorDisp. R.A. Axis Error

Test Anti-backslash

Test Anti-backslashTest Anti-backslash

Polaris Position

Polaris PositionPolaris Position

PEC OptionPEC Option

PEC Play BackPEC Play Back

Record PECRecord PEC

Delete PEC RecordDelete PEC Record

Set Up TrackingSet Up Tracking

Sidereal SpeedSidereal Speed

Solar SpeedSolar Speed

Lunar SpeedLunar Speed

User Defined SpeedUser Defined Speed

User Objects

User ObjectsUser Objects

Add A New Record

Add A New RecordAdd A New Record

Modify Records

Modify RecordsModify Records

Delete One Record

Delete One RecordDelete One Record

Erase All Records

Erase All RecordsErase All Records

Auto Guide

Auto GuideAuto Guide

Park Scope

Park ScopePark Scope

To Park Position

To Park PositionTo Park Position

21

Appendix C. GOTONOVATM Star List

GotoNova Deep Sky Object List

for 8401

ID No. OBJECT NGC # Messier # IC# A(Abell) U(UGC)

1 Andromeda Galaxy 224 31
2 Barnards Galaxy 6822
3 Beehive Cluster 2632 44
4 Blackeye Galaxy 4926 64
5 Blinking Planetary Nebula 6826
6 Blue Flash Nebula 6905
7 Blue Planetary 3918
8 Blue Snowball Nebula 7662

9 Box Nebula 6309
10 Bubble Nebula 7635
11 Bipolar Nebula 6302
12 Butterfly Cluster 6405 6
13 California Nebula 1499
14 Cat's Eye Nebula 6543
15 Cocoon Nebula 5146
16 Cone Nebula 2264
17 Cork Nebula 650-51 76
18 Crab Nebula 1952 1
19 Crescent Nebula 6888
20 Draco Dwarf 10822
21 Duck Nebula 2359
22 Dumbbell Nebula 6853 27
23 Eagle Nebula 16
24 Eight-Burst Nebula 3132
25 Eskimo Nebula 2392
26 Flaming Star Nebula 405
27 Ghost of Jupiter 3242
28 Great Cluster 6205 13
29 Helix Nebula 7293
30 Hercules Galaxy Cluster 2151
31 Hind's Variable Nebula 1555
32 Hubble's Variable Nebula 2261
33 Integral Sign Galaxy 3697
34 Jewel Box Cluster 4755

22

35 Keyhole Nebula 3372
36 Lagoon Nebula 6523 8
37 Little Gem 6445
38 Little Gem Nebula 6818
39 Little Ghost Nebula 6369
40 North American Nebula 7000
41 Omega Nebula 6618 17
42 Orion Nebula 1976 42
43 Owl Nebula 3587 97
44 Pelican Nebula 5070
45 Phantom Streak Nebula 6741
46 Pinwheel Galaxy 598 33
47 Pleiades 45
48 Ring Nebula 6720 57
49 Ring Tail Galaxy 4038

50 Rosette Nebula 2237
51 Saturn Nebula 7009
52 Sextans B Dwarf
53 Small Magellanic Cloud 292
54 Sombrero Galaxy 4594
55 Spindle Galaxy 3115
56 Tank Track Nebula 2024
57 Trifid Nebula 6514
58 Ursa Minor Dwarf
59 Whirlpool Galaxy 5194
60 Wild Duck Cluster 6705

5373

104

20

9749
51

11

23

No.

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

AraA

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44

Modern Constellations

Constellation Abbreviation

ndromeda

ntlia

pus

quarius

quila

ries

uriga

Boötes Boo

Caelum Cae

Camelopardalis Cam

Cancer Cnc

Canes Venatici CVn

Canis Major CMa
Canis Minor CMi

Capricornus Cap

Carina Car

Cassiopeia Cas

Centaurus Cen

Cepheus Cep

Cetus Cet

Chamaeleon Cha

Circinus Cir

Columba Col
Coma Berenices Com
Corona Australis Cr

Corona Borealis CrB

Corvus Crv

Crater Crt

Crux Cru

Cygnus Cyg

Delphinus Del

Dorado Dor

Draco Dra

Equuleus Equ

Eridanus Eri

Fornax For
Gemini Gem

Grus Gru

Hercules Her

Horologium Hor

Hydra Hya

Hydrus Hyi

Indus Ind

nd

nt

ps

qr
ql
ra

ri

ur

No.

45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88

Constellation Abbreviation

Lacerta Lac

Leo Leo

Leo Minor LMi

Lepus Lep

Libra Lib

Lupus Lup

Lynx Lyn

Lyra Lyr

Mensa Men

Microscopium Mic

Monoceros Mon

Musca Mus
Norma Nor

Octans Oct

Ophiuchus Oph

Orion Ori
Pavo Pav

Pegasus Peg

Perseus Per
Phoenix Phe

Pictor Pic

Pisces Psc

Piscis Austrinus Ps

Puppis Pup

Pyxis Pyx

Reticulum Ret

Sagitta Sge

Sagittarius Sgr

Scorpius Sco

Sculptor Scl

Scutum Sct
Serpens Ser
Sextans Sex

Taurus Tau

Telescopium Tel

Triangulum Tri

Triangulum Australe Tr

Tucana Tuc

Ursa Major UMa
Ursa Minor UMi

Vela Vel

Virgo Vir

Volans Vol

Vulpecula Vul

24

GOTONOVA Named Star List

for 8401

001 Acamar 049 Ascella 097 Kaus Australis 145 Rassalas
002 Achernar 050 Asellus Australis 098 Kaus Borealis 146 Rasagethi
003 Acrux 051 Asellus Borealis 099 Kaus Media 147 Rasalhague
004 Acubens 052 Aspidiske 100 Keid 148 Rastaba
005 Adhafera 053 Atik 101 Kitalpha 149 Regulus
006 Adhara 054 Atlas 102 Kochab 150 Rigel
007 Al Na’ir 055 Atria 103 Kornephoros 151 Rigel Kentaurus
008 Albali 056 Avoir 104 Kurhah 152 Ruchbah
009 Alberio 057 Azha 105 Lesath 153 Rukbat
010 Alchibar 058 Baten Kaitos 106 Maia 154 Sabik
011 Alcor 059 Beid 107 Marfik 155 Sadachbia
012 Alcyone 060 Bellatrix 108 Markab 156 Sadalbari
013 Aldebaran 061 Betelgeuse 109 Matar 157 Sadalmelik
014 Alderamin 062 Biham 110 Mebsuta 158 Sadalsuud
015 Alfirk 063 Canopus 111 Megrez 159 Sadr
016 Algedi 064 Capella 112 Meissa 160 Saiph
017 Algenib 065 Caph 113 Mekbuda 161 Scheat
018 Algiebra 066 Castor 114 Menkalinan 162 Schedar
019 Algol 067 Celabrai 115 Menkar 163 Seginus
020 Algorab 068 Celaeno 116 Menkent 164 Shaula
021 Alhena 069 Chara 117 Menkib 165 Sheiak
022 Alioth 070 Chertan 118 Merak 166 Sheratan
023 Alkaid 071 Cor Caroli 119 Merope 167 Sirius
024 Alkalurops 072 Cursa 120 Mesartim 168 Skat
025 Alkes 073 Dabih 121 Miaplacidus 169 Spica
026 Almach 074 Deneb 122 Mintaka 170 Sterope
027 Alnasl 075 Deneb Algedi 123 Mira 171 Sulafat
028 Alnilam 076 Deneb Kaitos 124 Mirach 172 Syrma
029 Alnitak 077 Denebola 125 Mirfak 173 Talitha
030 Alphard 078 Dubhe 126 Mirzam 174 Tania Australis
031 Alphecca 079 Edasich 127 Mizar 175 Tania Borealis
032 Alpheratz 080 Electra 128 Muphrid 176 Tarazed
033 Alrakis 081 Elnath 129 Muscida 177 Taygeta
034 Alrescha 082 Eltanin 130 Nashira 178 Thuban
035 Alshain 083 Enif 131 Nekkar 179 Unukalhai
036 Altair 084 Errai 132 Nihal 180 Vega
037 Altais 085 Fomalhaut 133 Nunki 181 Vindemiatrix
038 Alterf 086 Furud 134 Nusakan 182 Wasat
039 Aludra 087 Gacrux 135 Peacock 183 Wazn
040 Alula Australis 088 Giausar 136 Phact 184 Yed Posterior
041 Alula Borealis 089 Gienah 137 Phecda 185 Yed Prior
042 Alya 090 Gomeisa 138 Pherkad 186 Zaniah
043 Ancha 091 Graffias 139 Pleione 187 Zaurak
044 Ankaa 092 Groombridge 1830 140 Polaris 188 Zavijava
045 Antares 093 Grumium 141 Pollux 189 Zosma
046 Arcturus 094 Hamal 142 Porrima 190 Zubenelgenubi
047 Arkab 095 Homan 143 Procyon 191 Zubeneschamali
048 Arneb 096 Izar 144 Propus

25

GOTONOVA Double Star List

for 8401

No. Object Const

1 Eta Cas 21732
2 Alpha Psc 110291

Theta

3
4 Alpha For 168373
5 Alpha Aur 40186
6 Sigma Ori 132406
7 Mu Ori 113389
8 Alpha CMa 151881 Sirius

9 Delta Gem 79294
10 Alpha Gem 60198
11 Alpha CMi 115756
12 Epsilon Hya 117112
13 HR 3579 42642
14 Kapa UMa 42661
15 Psi Vel 221234
16 Gamma Leo 81298
17 HR 4167 222199
18 Mu Vel 222321
19 Alpha UMa 15384 Dubhe
20 Zeta UMa 28737
21 Iota Leo 99587
22 Gamma Cen 223603
23 Gamma Vir 138917
24 Beta Mus 252019
25 HR 5089 204545
26 Alpha Cen 252838
27 Zeta Boo 101145
28 Gamma Lup 225938
29 Gamma CrA 83958
30 Xi Sco 159665
31 Alpha Sco 184415 Antares
32 Lambda Oph 121658
33 Zeta Her 65485
34 Eta Oph 160332 Sabik
35 70 Oph 123107
36 Zeta Sgr 187600 Ascella
37 Delta Cyg 48796
38 Beta Del 106316 Rotanev
39 Tau Cyg 71121
40 Epsilon Lyr 67310 double double

Per 38288

SAO Name

Achird

Alrisha

Fornacis

Capella

Wasat

Castor

Algieba

Mizar

Porrima

Marfic

26

Appendix D. Set Up USB-PC Connection

1. Download USB2COM driver (cp2102.zip file for 8401) from iOptron Website

2. Install cp2101(usb2com) driver

Choose the appropriate driver for your OS. In this case is a Windows XP operation system.
Double click on it, and you will see:

Click “Next”.

27

Select “I accept the terms of license agreement”, and click “Next”

Using the default installation path, c:\SiLabs\MCU\CP210x, or specify your own path by click
“Change”. Click “Next”. Then click “Install”.

28

When finished installation, click “Finish”

3. Plug the USB cable to the USB port on your PC, plug the other end of the USB cable
to hand controller. Turn on the power on the mount.

4. Install the Hardware

The computer will find a new hardware and show the following screen

Select “No, not this time” and click “Next”.

29

Select “Install from a list or specific location” and click “Next”.

Select “Search for the best driver in these locations,” and check “Include this location in the
search.”

Click on “Browse” and select the cp210x driver from directory
c:\SiLabs\MCU\CP210x\Win2K_XP, click OK.

30

Click “Next”. The computer will start to install the driver for the USB2COM. When the installation
is done, click “Finish”.

If the computer shows “find a new hardware” screen again, just repeat the steps in this
section again.

31

Now you computer should be ready for Firmware Upgrading, computer communication with the
mount via ASCOM platform and planetarium software applications. However, you need to find
assigned COM port number for the USB connection. To do so, right click “My Computer”, and
click “Properties”

Click “Hardware”, click “Device Manager”

32

Double click on “Ports(COM & LPT)”, find out the COM number and write it down (in the
following figure, it is COM4)

33

Appendix E. Firmware Upgrade

1. Download and install Firmware Downloader from iOptron Website

2. Double click and open “iOptron Downloader”

On the interface, select appropriate port using pull-down menu (in this case, COM4):

34

Click “Open Data File”, and select appropriate “.bin” file that matches your hand controller.

and click “Open”. Select “Main Program” in Update Type.

Click “Start Download”
It shows “Please reset GOTONOVA[GOTOSTAR], waiting for connection…”

On the hand controller, press “MENU”, and using ▼▲ scroll to select “Set up controller”, press
“ENTER”, then select “Upgrade firmware”, press “ENTER” and the upgrade starts.

35

Now the upgrade is finished.

Typical Errors:

1. Invalid Port Number: in Device Manager, make sure you have the correct COM port

number for CP210x.

2. Wrong “.bin” file: make sure you have the correct “.bin” file for firmware upgrade.

3. Wrong downloader, you should use iOptron Downloader instead of the Flash

Downloader.

4. Use cp210x driver provided by iOptron. The newest version from SiLab may not work

properly for iOptron’s hand controller.

36

Appendix F. Use a PC to Control an iOptron Mount

In general you need the followings to use a PC to control the mount,

1. Download USB2COM driver (cp2102, zip file for 8401 and 8402A)

http://www.ioptron.com/manuals/USB_2COM_Driver.zip;

2. Install USB2COM and establish the connection between the mount and the PC (see

instruction);

3. ASCOM platform (download from http://ascom-standards.org/);

4. iOptron ASCOM drive (download it from iOptron website

http://www.ioptron.com/Files/File/iOptronAscomSetupV1.02.rar); and

5. Planetarium software.

Some company integrated iOptron’s products into their planetarium software, such as
Voyage and The Sky X Pro. Therefore, an ASCOM plug-in will not be needed. Most planetarium
software can be used to control iOptron’s product via ASCOM.

Some other ASCOM drivers, such as LX200 Generic ASCOM driver and AstroPhysics
GTO driver, are also compatible to SmartStar

®

mount.

37

Appendix G. RS-232 Command Set

Abbreviations used:

DD or DDD degrees or day of the month depending on the context
HH hours
MM minutes or month depending on the context
MM.M minutes and tenths of minutes
s + or – sign, assumed to be + if omitted
SS seconds
SS.S seconds and tenths of seconds
YY last two digits of the year

General Telescope Information:

Command: :SG sHH#
Response: “1”

Set the offset from Greenwich mean time. The offset can be entered in signed format (­12 to +12) hours.

Command: :Sg sDDD*MM:SS#
Response: “1”

Set the current longitude. The east is positive while the west is negtive.

Command: :St sDD*MM:SS
Response: “1”

Set the current latitude.

Command: :SL HH:MM:SS#
Response: “1”

Set the current local time.

Command: :SC MM/DD/YY#
Response: 32 spaces followed by “#”, followed by 32 spaces, followed by “#”

Set the current date.

Command: :GG#
Response:

East Longitude E HH:00#
West Longitude W HH:00#
Get the offset from Greenwich mean time.

Command: :Gg#
Response: sDDD*MM:SS#

Get the current longitude.

Command: :Gt#
Response: sDD*MM:SS#

38

Get the current latitude.

Command: :GL#
Response: HH:MM:SS.S#

Get the current local time in 24 hour format. Overflows from 23:59:59 to
00:00:00.

Command: :GS#
Response: HH:MM:SS.S#

Get the current local sidereal time in 24 hr. format.

Command: :GR#
Response: HH:MM:SS.S#

Get the current Right Ascension of mount.

Command: :GD#
Response: sDD*MM:SS#

Get the current Declination.

Command: :GA#
Response: sDD*MM:SS#

Get the current Altitude.

Command: :GZ#
Response: sDD*MM:SS#

Get the current Azimuth.

Command: :GC#
Response: MM:DD:YY#

Get the current calendar day.

Telescope Motion

Command: :MS#
Response: “0” if command accepted,
"1Object is below horizon #" the desired object is below 0 degrees altitude. (8
trailing spaces before “#”, 32 total characters plus “#”)

Target command: Slew to the most recently defined RA and DEC coordinates in RA­DEC mode,

Command: :Mn# :Ms# :Me# :Mw#
Response: (none)

Command motion in the direction specified (n=north, s=south, e=east, w=west) at the
currently selected guide or centering rate. Motion will continue until a quit command is
issued.

Command: :Qn# :Qs# :Qe# :Qw#
Response: (none)

39

Stop motion in the specified axis. Note that :Qn# is identical to :Qs#, and :Qe# is
identical to :Qw#. Motion is terminated only if it was not started by a slew (:MS#)
command.

Command: :Q#
Response: (none)

Motion in both axes is stopped, regardless of how the motion was invoked.

Command: :RG#
Response: (none)

Selects guide. If tracking is stopped, turns tracking on.

Command: :RC#
Response: (none)

This command sets to quit guide mode.

Command: :RCn#
Response: (none)

:RC0 # Set moving speed by N-S-E-W Keys to 16x
:RC1 # Set moving speed by N-S-E-W Keys to 64x
:RC2 # Set moving speed by N-S-E-W Keys to 256x
:RC3 # Set moving speed by N-S-E-W Keys to 512x

Command: :pS#
Response: “East#” or “West#”

This command returns the side of the pier on which the telescope is currently positioned.

Position

Command: :CM#
Response: “Coordinates matched. #”
(there are 5 spaces between “Coordinates” and “matched”, and 8 trailing spaces
before the “#”, the total response length is 32 character plus the “#”.

Calibrate mount. Current Right Ascension and Declination become the commanded
Right Ascension and Declination. This command does the same thing as synchronize to
target. This command should be used after a “:MS#” command has been finished. This

means a GOTO must be done first.

Command: :CMR#
Response: “Coordinates matched. #”
(there are 5 spaces between “Coordinates” and “matched”, and 8 trailing spaces
before the “#”, the total response length is 32 character plus the “#”.

Calibrate mount. Current Right Ascension and Declination become the commanded Right
Ascension and Declination. This command synchronizes HC coordinate to commanded
coordinate. No GOTO needs to be done first.

40

Command: :Sr HH:MM:SS.S#
Response: “1”

Define the commanded Right Ascension, RA.

Command: :Sd sDD*MM:SS#
Response: “1”

Define the commanded Declination.

Miscellaneous

Command: :F+# :F-# :FF# :FS# :FQ#
Response: (none)

Advances (F+) or retracts (F-) focus adjust motor on the eyepiece. F+ or F- commands
commence adjustment and :FQ# stops it. If :FS# has been issued previously, then the
focus adjustment will be slow. If the :FF# command has been issued, then the
adjustment will be fast. If neither FF nor FS is specified, the power up default of FS is
assumed.

Command: :F1# :F2# :F3# :F4#
Response: (none)

Set the focus speed to 1.2,3,4, from slow to fast.

Command: :V#
Response: (current servo controller software RS232 command language
version number)

This command returns the current servo controller software RS232 command language
version.

Command: :Vs#
Response: (current servo controller software infomation)

This command returns the current servo controller software information.

Command: :STR0#,:STR1#,:STR2#
Response: ‘1’

This command sets the track rate.
0 - sidereal
1- solar
2- lunar

Command: :GTR#
Response: ‘0’,’1’,’2’

This command gets the current tracking rate.
0 - sidereal
1 – solar
2 - lunar

Command: :SGS0#,:SGS1#,:SGS2#,:SGS3#,

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Response: (none)

This command sets the guide rate.
0 – 1.0X of sidereal
1 – 0.8X of sidereal
2 – 0.6X of sidereal
3 – 0.4X of sidereal

Command: :GGS#
Response: ‘0’,’1’,2,’3’

This command gets the current guide rate.
0 – 1.0X of sidereal
1 – 0.8X of sidereal
2 – 0.6X of sidereal
3 – 0.4X of sidereal

Command: :SE?#
Response: ‘0’,’1’,

This command gets the slewing status.
‘1’ in slewing
‘0 ‘ not in slewing

Command: :GAM#
Response: ‘0’,’1’, ‘2’

This command gets the current mount type.
0 – Altitude/Azimuth type
1 – fork mount
2 – Germany equator mount

Command: :PK#"
Response: ’1’

This command parks the telescope .

Command: : STPKP0#, :STPKP1#, :STPKP2#, :STPKP3#, :STPKP4#,
Response: ’1’

These command sets the mount park position.
0 – original to north pole
1 - Left and vertical
2 - Left and horizon
3 - Right and vertical

4 - Right and horizon

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IOPTRON TWO YEAR TELESCOPE, MOUNT, AND CONTROLLER WARRANTY

A. iOptron warrants your telescope, mount, or controller to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for two years. iOptron
will repair or replace such product or part which, upon inspection by iOptron, is found to be defective in materials or workmanship.
As a condition to the obligation of iOptron to repair or replace such product, the product must be returned to iOptron together with
proof-of-purchase satisfactory to iOptron.

B. The Proper Return Authorization Number must be obtained from iOptron in advance of return. Call iOptron at 1.866.399.4587 to
receive the number to be displayed on the outside of your shipping container.
All returns must be accompanied by a written statement stating the name, address, and daytime telephone number of the owner,
together with a brief description of any claimed defects. Parts or product for which replacement is made shall become the property
of iOptron.

The customer shall be responsible for all costs of transportation and insurance, both to and from the factory of iOptron, and shall be
required to prepay such costs.

iOptron shall use reasonable efforts to repair or replace any telescope, mount, or controller covered by this warranty within thirty
days of receipt. In the event repair or replacement shall require more than thirty days, iOptron shall notify the customer accordingly.
iOptron reserves the right to replace any product which has been discontinued from its product line with a new product of
comparable value and function.

This warranty shall be void and of no force of effect in the event a covered product has been modified in design or function, or

subjected to abuse, misuse, mishandling or unauthorized repair. Further, product malfunction or deterioration due to normal wear is

not covered by this warranty.

IOPTRON DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WHETHER OF MERCHANTABILITY OF FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR USE, EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH HERE. THE SOLE OBLIGATION OF IOPTRON UNDER THIS
LIMITED WARRANTY SHALL BE TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE COVERED PRODUCT, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS
SET FORTH HERE. IOPTRON EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY LOST PROFITS, GENERAL, SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WHICH MAY RESULT FROM BREACH OF ANY WARRANTY, OR ARISING OUT OF THE USE
OR INABILITY TO USE ANY IOPTRON PRODUCT. ANY WARRANTIES WHICH ARE IMPLIED AND WHICH CANNOT BE
DISCLAIMED SHALL BE LIMITED IN DURATION TO A TERM OF TWO YEARS FROM THE DATE OF ORIGINAL RETAIL
PURCHASE.

Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages or limitation on how long an implied
warranty lasts, so the above limitations and exclusions may not apply to you.

This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.

iOptron reserves the right to modify or discontinue, without prior notice to you, any model or style telescope.

If warranty problems arise, or if you need assistance in using your telescope, mount, or controller contact:

NOTE: This warranty is valid to U.S.A. and Canadian customers who have purchased this product from an authorized iOptron
dealer in the U.S.A. or Canada or directly from iOptron. Warranty outside the U.S.A. and Canada is valid only to customers who
purchased from an iOptron Distributor or Authorized iOptron Dealer in the specific country. Please contact them for any warranty
service.

iOptron Corporation

Customer Service Department

6E Gill Street

Woburn, MA 01801

www.ioptron.com

Tel. [phone]

Fax. [phone]

Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM EST

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