Hey Slymin, great video, very informative!! Thank you very much for taking the time out to go over all this with us!! Great Job!!

Thanks for clearly stepping us through this process. Your videos surpass manuals and written instructions. Everything that you need, but nothing superfluous. Always clear with good explanations.

You are the best at explaining things clearly! Thanks.

Very helpful video, thank you for posting it. Two points to add to help others going forward. First, using the CFM I needed to scan 3 times in order to detect all the devices I had connected. I didn't change any configurations or connections, simply re-scanned. Second, I would advise users to verify their locations settings after the update. I checked and post update, my system location was changed to Torrence California (no where close to where I live). Very simple to update,, but you need to know to check. I suggest this be added to future videos.

Thank you for this very helpful video. Great job!

I was so lost and frustrated with the Celestron site and trying to unzip files with my MacBook Air. I have a lot of your videos booked marked and checked out your " guru" knowledge. AAAAs usual, you made it and so many other challenges seem so simple. I did notice you were working on a PC and "commendeered my wife's laptop. Once again....Thank you...Thank you very much...and Happy New Year Amigo..

Slyman, on more than one occasion you've clearly and simply explained how to solve a problem I've had with my 8SE. Thank you.

Really helpful, thanks Slymin :)

You are actions are so meticulous Slymin! I never plugged USB through the plastic housing!! Great video!

Thanks. Great job. Cristal clear.

very effective video, thank you!

Thanks Forchheim great Video! What mount is it?

Hey Slymin, thanks for another excellent video! I hope you have time for this one, when I download the CFM_2.7.9144 update the unzipped folder only contains 4 files, nothing like what you download?! Any thoughts on what I might be doing wrong, or what I should install?

Hi slymin, good job for all your videos. i updated my starsense just as your video and i cant find the option for the motor focus in the menu of my hand control. (i dont have the focuser yer). is the option will appear when ill plug it in? the version of my HC is 01.20.19207. also i see the option with my other HC (nexstar+) version GEM 5.31.9200. thx for your help and keep doing awesome videos!!

Hey Slymin, I enjoy your videos. But like one user below asked. After my update of Starsense I cannot find the focuser in the menu at all. Is it hidden? I can find it in Nexsatr, but not Starsense? Thanks

Tanks

Is the Focus Mtor able to receive firmware updates, too? Thanks for the video.

My hand controllers (one starsense and one nexstar) do not have a USB mini access .....I would assume I need to use a RS232 to serial/usb cable update my firmware. Is that correct?

Hi, Slymin, thx for the great video! I directly tried to upgrade my Starsense Handcontroller with attached Starsense Camera on th AVX. That didnt work, CFM newest version has been installed, there is a CFM.jar. When i start it the scope cannot be found What i saw is that when i connect my USB cabke from PC to controller it's being powered on and starts the initialization immediately. When i press MENU and the Celestron key at the same time i get to that Bootprom Loader, but CFM is still unable to detect the scope. Even manual steps to connect do not work. Do you have any hint for me? The current version on controller is 1.16 from 2016. :( Any help is much appreciated!! Thanks and best wishes, Thomas.

I know its an old video but if you have the starsense would it make sense to have an ASIAIR PLUS? Im kind of new to this setup so I want to ask before I commit to the starsense or the ASIAIR.,. thank you all

Hello AstroBlender...I have a question. I am trying to update software and firmware on my Starsence controller. My laptop doesn't recognize the usb cable connection. The Celestron Software is looking for Com3 port. When I go to device manager I see the connected cable but it has a yellow triangle. For some reason it's not communicating and seeing my equipment.

Is there a way to connect the StarSense to EQ6-R Pro? Very confused on where to connect the Skyporta wifi module. it's leds are not blinking when connecting it to the 6 pin RJ12 Auto Guid connector.

My camera is not being recognized. Do I need to use a certain USB mini connector or will the one from my Garmin GPS work? Thanks.

Any one know if this is possible using the WiFi connection on the Nexstar Evolution series, you can update the scope and controller with de WiFi, wonder if the Java connection seen StarSense tho.

what do you do if CFM doesn't detect the hand controller or star sense even after following the connection assistant?

Dear AstroBlender, I got a terrible problem with my new AVX mount the first time I launched it! I work with CPWI software and the first thing that happened was it couldn’t connect to CPWI through the usb port in the hand controller. I could connect with the Wi-Fi module though, and was apparently ok initially slewing to alignments stars, but when I put back the mount in the index position for a quick alignment, it didn’t stay there and was slowly moving in RA axis(clutches were not loose and mount balanced properly). After repeated attempts I thought to update with the FWM. The firmware manager recognized the mount and the hand controller and updated the hand controller successfully and said it failed to update the mount because the memory on the device is corrupt! Now the mount is not even recognized by the hand controller. I will be most grateful if you could tell me how to fix it. This is a new mount and the first time use. I have experience in using a CGX mount for the past 2 years.

Very good video, but my roblem is that when downloading ay version of the CFM, I unzip, and then another CFM.JAR is inside, and then when unzipped, theres no Exe file. What I may be doing wrong?

How do I know if I need to update the controller and or camera?

Hi slymin, do you what is mean of application init please wait message on my starsense autoalign or how can i solve the problem please?

hola, sabes como volver a una version anterior de firmware del control nextar +? en especifica a la 5.31.9200 para una montura avx? te agradeceria mucho.

Thank you so much for this video...it was BEYOND helpful....even on a Mac. FYI....Java has to be downloaded on a Mac before starting this process.

Send link to how to update motor focus firmware on CS please

Thanks for the video, but I gotta ask, is this the 90s? What is up with that website?

Great Video, but have a quick question. I downloaded the update folder and copied to my desktop without connecting to the StarSense yet, just to have it ready; however, the CFM file has an .jar extension (CFM.jar) and it's not executable. Is that because I'm not connected to StarSense controller?

Hi Slymin... I just purchased the SkyPortal module and have the app running on my phone... it's awesome. Question: Do I need my SkySinc GPS and StarSense hand controller still?

Doesnt detect my mount. But it did find my HC and the Starsense.

Thank you for your very clear video. We are trying to set up StarSenseAlign. It worked first time but has failed since with error messages. Decided we would update the software in case that helped. We followed all your steps including connection via mini usb to usb connection at the laptop. The message from the CFM window was “CFM detected serial ports on your PC but found no devices attached to them.” It then takes us through checking connections, but no change. I cannot see any way to tell CFM we are connected via usb not serial … This is an old thread but, if you pick this up, we would be grateful for your advice. Linda and Ron

What’s the point of dragging the file out? As long as it’s downloaded in your computer, it’ll sense where the file is right?

Slymin, Sorry I am a newbie. What do you mean when you said, "powercycle it?"

Hi Slymin, I have a Nexstar 8SE, Starsence, WIFI adapter, and Motorized Foucuser. how do I hook up these 3 accessories, since I only have 1 Aux port?

I noticed you did not open the StarSense Camera diagram in the zip folder. When I looked at that, it indicated that there are two USB cables necessary: one for HC and one for SSC. A CloudyNights.com posting from 2016 indicated that SSC USB connection is only necessary if there is an SSC update. I recently went through this process a week ago and found it to be confusing. Initially, I connected as the diagram indicated, using two USB cables, and connecting SSC to mount. First time starting CFM, it found 4 devices, which was the HC and 3 items with the CGX mount. It did not show the SSC. Then I started changing things: changed USB to SSC to shorter cable, did not use USB to SSC, left the SSC to mount cable off, started the mount, then plugged the USB cables into PC, and so forth. Honestly, I don't know what actually caused it to finally list 5 devices, which included the SSC. The updates loaded, and there were no error messages on either the HC or CFM. Did everything get updated? Beats me. I did do a one star calibrate; the results were error margins of around 30-40 degrees. Obviously, that needs to be done again with 2-3 calibration stars.

Hmmm... didn't work for me. Your description doesn't match the StarSense_Connection_Diagram.jpg supplied with the download. Seems I have to run out and buy a USB to Serial adapter and a Celestron programming cable.

This process did not work for me. I have the StarSense Autoalign with an Evolution mount. The firmware manager was unable to detect my connected devices which were the mount, the camera and the hand controller. For anyone else who experiences the same issue first disconnect your hand controller from the mini-USB to the USB of your PC and make sure that the mount is turned off. Now connect the camera and hand controller to the mount's aux ports and connect the mini-USB end of the cable into the hand controller. On the hand controller press the Numpad 7 and the Celestron button below it simultaneously and connect the USB to your PC. You should see a Boot Loader message on the hand controller now. While continuing to hold the numpad 7 and celestron buttons turn on the mount. Now open the jar file of the CFM and seek devices and it should be able to detect your connected devices now. Credit to @AstroShootingStars for his detailed video.

Hello Slymin, I am an "Apple" person (have been since about the time Apple began), but am not a stranger to PC. Can I perform these upgrades with my MAC, or do I need to borrow my neighbor's PC? Thanx.

Nno mention that Java needs to be installed first.

This does not work for the CGX.

Actually, it’s not called star census actually called CELESTRON nextar + system you might’ve accidentally named the wrong series of telescopes

That website doesn't exist anymore

Cool. I can totally open jar files.

I tried it with three different system. Not a single one of them is able to open the jar file. Why does Celestron use a such uncommon file type?!