Semi ACP Related RCOS TCC Software Issue

[Bill McLaughlin]

I posted this over in the non ACP section but it may relate to ACP/ASCOM since I am seeing symptoms there.

Post and link to other thread, feel free to post a reply there.

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Hi:

Just built a new PC and am unable to get the RCOS TCC (II) to connect. No help at all on the RCOS forum. I have the same setup on another PC and it works fine with the SAME OS, the SAME versions of the TCC SW, but now I get an "Unable to open RCOS Com object" message when I try to start the TCC SW (the SW fails to start). No hardware changes to the TCC have been made and the Edgeport it connects through is working fine with the Paramount and the roof controls.

Also FYI, RCOS TCC does not show up as a choice in any of the ASCOM programs. Probably but not definitely related. Sounds like it did not install correctly but I used the same files and procedure (at least as far as I can remember from the older PC).

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Thread: http://forums.dc3.com/showthread.php?t=5446

[Bill McLaughlin]

OK, fixed this as well. Found an obscure reference on the RCOS forum. FYI, once you install the TCC SW and update the "RCOS-ae.exe" file, you need to double click
on that file (which appears to have no effect) and then start the program as usual with the "RCOS TCC.exe".

This does not appear to be in the documentation as far as I can see. Very odd. The problem is that the TCC I and TCC II are now poorly supported. RCOS has moved on to their "Telescope Interface Module (TIM)" I wonder how long it will be before a yet newer OS breaks the old TCC totally, forcing us to spend $2450 to get a new system?

[Paul Shulins]

Bill,

I feel your pain. I have a TCC as well. I am now having problems connecting and am not sure of the solution! In my case I start the TCC Program, and it only sometimes connects to the TCC. I have tried everything, including a new PC with new serial ports, new serial cable, new power supply, even re routing the serial cable. No support from RCOS Forum. My observatory is 2500 miles away, so this adds to the frustration. The funny thing is that sometimes I can connect for hours, sometimes only a few seconds, ad sometimes not at all. I try turning off all other programs, rebooting the PC, etc. Does this sound familiar to you? Are you suggesting double clicking on the RCOS-ae.exe file helps? I will try just abut anything at this point!

Thanks,

Paul

[Bill McLaughlin]

Yes, that is what I did. In my case just after the (re) install and before I tried to run
the main .exe. It appeared to do nothing but when I then ran the main .exe, the program started normally. Others have had this work as well.

OTOH, I have since returned to using my old PC to run the system because the AOL would simply not track properly. It would lose the star after a few minutes every time. Bear in mind this is with two PCs running the same OS, the same versions of ALL software, using the same connections to the equipment, everything. No one can explain why this has happened or what I might be able to do. Although a few folks have seen it happen, all of them eventually went back to their old systems because of it and were unable to fix it.

Basically, the TCC is a very marginal piece of hardware that is very marginally supported. If mine eventually fails again, I may seriously consider selling the scope instead of getting the new system (there is an old say that starts with "fool me once")....

[Bob Denny]

As a last ditch, you might contact Mike Rice at New Mexico Skies. They have done (afaik) all of the depot repair of TCC units for Bisque over the years. If anyone can ring it out and make it right, they can.

[Paul Shulins]

Bob,

Do you mean TCC Repairs for RCOS?

[Bob Denny]

Yes, they are said to have done repairs for RCOS tothe TCC. The new TIM is RCOS' current system, by the way.