ASIAir Plus +256G "USB serial undetected" to AM5 mount

aspexil309

Everything has been working for a past few months since I got my AM5 mount and the new ASIAir Plus +256G (and the ASIAir Plus before the +256G arrived) have always been connected via USB cable from the ASIAir to the AM5.

The ASIAir Plus +256G now reports "USB serial undetected" in the ASIAir app and if I try to manually turn on the connection to the AM5 it gives me the error "Connect Failed" "Please make sure the mount is connected with the serial cable and the baud are correct"

This was all working just 2 nights ago when the rig went all night on an imaging session.

What I have tried.

2 other serial cables (still does not detect the serial port connection)
Different position in the ASIAir USB port.

I'm basically dead in the water.

I swapped out the older ASIAir Plus instead of the +256G and same "USB serial undetected" problem. Looks like this may be an issues with the AM5 mount.

Any ideas what else I can try? Is there a way to reset the AM5?

ASIMount@ZWO

Hi aspexil309,

Can you please check the am5's LED state?
Have you ever tried to control the am5 via PC?

aspexil309

The AM5 LED is flashing red and then green.

I have not tried to control the AM5 from the PC. I used it mainly for capturing images from my ASI120MM-S camera to get it into focus.

aspexil309

Also get the following error connecting to my Windows 11 PC that has all the Ascom drivers and software on it.

![
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aspexil309

I also connected the AM5 to my 2019 MacBook Pro running the ASIStudio app and ASIImg switching to the mount can see the WiFi from the hand controller but not the USB connection from the AM5. Also, the LED status light on the front next to the USB port is now dark and not lit. The Power button LED is lit. I can see from the Voltmeter inline it is drawing power.

Now been almost 24 hours and not heard back from ZWO support. Looks like another clear night and I'm dead in the water.

That is now 4 separate devices that cannot see the AM5 mount. ASIAir Plus + 256G, ASIAir Plus, Windows 11 PC and MacBook Pro.

Bonzer2u

I would try a different (dedicated) power source to the mount or quickly no 'in-line' voltmeter first (it could be faulty)???
Any changes to your hardware/cable setup 2 days ago?
What does the asimount app come up with via its wifi connection to the mount? I believe you can reset and/or install the latest AM5 firmware via the app?

aspexil309

Bonzer2u

I've tried different power sources and cables. There have been no changes. I used the rig 3 nights ago and before that I was in Korea for 2 weeks. Even without the inline voltmeter (e.g. straight from the battery) there is no recognition of the USB port on the AM5 mount. And the battery is fully charged. Every other ZWO device (ASIAir Plus + 256G, ASI533MC Pro, ASI120MM-S) is working fine. The AM5 is plugged in straight to the battery. This setup has been working for the last 3 months. Even inside hooked up to a 12V 10a power source in the wall the AM5 USB port is non-responsive.

The Am5 firmware is working fine on the mount when connected to the mount via WiFi. The USB port is dead. I have tried 4 different devices 2 of them ZWO and a Windows PC and MacBook too. None of them recognize the AM5 USB port and say it is not responding correctly to the Device Descriptor Request.

People need to beware I'm not the only person with this problem. Someone else (initial S. Z.) on the AM5/AM3 facebook page has the same problem. ZWO AM5 and his problem occurred after 6 months. My problem has occurred after 3 months. The vendor is no help either. Says I have to deal with ZWO even though the product broke in 3 months.

Still no feedback from ZWO on the support ticket I opened over 26 hours ago and I am dead in the water with a non-functional AM5 mount. A $2300 paperweight. And clear skies tonight.

ASIMount@ZWO

aspexil309
Hi aspexil309,
I'm sorry for the delay and the waste of clear nights.
It looks like the USB port became dead after 3-month use while the AM5 remain functional via Wi-Fi connection.
Have you made contact with our RMA system？
We will send you a new AM5 mainboard.

And last try to upgrade the AM5 firmware to V1.3.0.

aspexil309

Ticket # 8296 I submitted days ago.

The ASI Mount software does not give me the option to install V1.3.0 as it says it is on the lastet ASIMount version. I will try and find V1.3.0.

aspexil309

I was able to upgrade the hand controller to firmware version 2.4.

However, the Mount Info Firmware Version keeps coming back as "Get Data Failed" I've been trying for the past hour and it never retrieves the firmware version of the mount.

Also, the "AM5 Disconnected" message keeps popping up on screen a lot. The WiFi seems to be very unstable. The phone is literally only 2 feet from the AM5 mount.

aspexil309

Is there some way to connect to the AM5 through the WLAN port 4030? I can clearly see that port is up and running in my network on the IP address that is displayed in the WLAN information.

aspexil309

I have yet to see any activity on the ticket I have open.

Walf@ZWO

aspexil309 If you have changed the usb cable and the connect error is still exists, I think you should do RMA. If you want try connect by wifi, you could make asiair connect to am5 hc, use the ip 192.168.4.x ,port 4030. or you could make am5 hc connect asiair, use the ip 10.0.0.x port 4030.

aspexil309

Walf@ZWO Even he hand controller does not control the AM5.

N8tTZAZt

I just started having this problem last night. Same as OP I used two separate ASIAirPlus and neither will detect the USB. I am out of warranty too.
If can just purchase a mainboard for the mount that would be great.
Did anyone fix this problem on their mount?