Hi All,
I'm cross-posting this note I sent to the Diffraction forum to see if anyone here has any suggestions.

What I'm trying to do is get MaxIm's Observatory window to connect to to my RCOS rotator. The Observatory window is set up to use the RCOS TIM ASCOM Rotator driver. Until last night, connecting via the ASCOM driver has not been a problem.

When I click on the Rotator Connect button the Disconnect button briefly, very briefly, flashes active and then goes back to grey. No error message or anything. I've checked the setup including the COM setting, everything seems normal.

Has anyone experienced this type of connection problem using MaxIm?

Is there some way to troubleshoot the ASCOM driver/connection?

Is there a log I can take a look at?

Some background:
I have a 14.5" RCOS with a TIM controller mounted on a Paramount MEII. My image train is consists of an AO-X/STXL FWG-8/STXL 11002M.

The RCOS came with the factory installed rotator and focuser both of which can be directly controlled via the TIM controller software. Each can also be connected, via ASCOM, to other software such as MaxIm (usually) or ACP or TheSkyX, both of which continue to connect without fail.

My MEII is connecting to the MaxIm Observatory window with no problem. More importantly, the RCOS focuser, using the RCOS TIM ASCOM Focuser driver, is also connecting, no problem. Just the rotator is not connecting.

Generally, I'm using this setup with ACP Scheduler and have had, and still have, no problems connecting to the rotator.

This past few days I've been working on troubleshooting my AO guiding using only MaxIm, no ACP. Using MaxIm alone means I have to connect the mount, focuser and rotator directly to MaxIm through the Observatory window. When using ACP I do not connect to the MaxIm Observatory.

I also generally open and connect to the TIM controller program so I can run the fans and heaters. I've tried it both ways, with and without, but no rotator connection.

If anyone has any suggestions I'm all ears.
Thanks,