mistuk

Welcome. What a beautiful part of the world! I’ve done some stargazing from NZ, but not as far south as you. Looking forward to hearing about your time with the new scope. 

1 minute ago, Freff said:

Go back a few posts, there is info regarding a spring event. 

Note to self.... read all the posts!!! 🙂 thanks

@Freff Just booking some annual leave from work - any thoughts if / when there might be a spring one? 🙂

13 hours ago, Elp said:

You can't switch the usb ports on an off with an air (not that I'm aware of). What is the OP trying to achieve?

Id assume you want the usb3 bandwidth but are suspecting you have a bad usb3 port?

Exactly this.... it seems to be intermittent....

13 hours ago, Elp said:

You can't switch the usb ports on an off with an air (not that I'm aware of). What is the OP trying to achieve?

Id assume you want the usb3 bandwidth but are suspecting you have a bad usb3 port?

Exactly this.... it seems to be intermittent....

I’ve got an ASIAIR and there’s some strange things happening…

I’ve connected an AM5 mount (to the usb 2 port) and an ASI224MC to one of the USB 3 ports. On connecting the camera it shows as USB3, but if I disconnect and reconnect it only shows as USB2. If I switch it to the other USB3 port it stays as USB3 even after a disconnection / reconnection 

I’ve tried it on full release firmware, beta firmware, I’ve tried it with being powered directly from a Nevada power supply, and powered via the AM5  I’ve tried different USB cables….

Anything else to try?

Consensus is that it is probably a different thread! so huge thanks to @Franklin for pointing that out.

Also, pleased to report that I have now separated the adapter from the finder! 🙂

Thanks all! 🙂

Just now, Franklin said:

I remember reading somewhere that the SW and Celestron finder threads are a different pitch and there are two different adaptors to cater for this. Your adaptor may have a different pitch thread to the finder body and that is why it could be getting stuck? 

Ooh thanks for this - I will check again with FLO…

Thanks Peter

I’ve spoken with FLO  - even with the focus at its innermost it’s not in focus (needs to go in further)  - the chap at FLO has the same set up and he’s sent me a photo - my adapter isn’t in far enough…

thanks for the tip with hair dryer and cold water  I’ll try that!

Ok. So this isn’t going well! I tried heating the end of the finder with a hairdryer to see if that would help. I’ve now threaded the adapter on - it went a little bit further, but nowhere near far enough…. And guess what - now it’s stuck!

Tips on how to loosen it (before it goes in the bin!)

looking at the two holes in the top of the thread I presume there’s some kind of tool to help - what would that be?

trying to screw adapter into my straight thru finder so I can attach my ZWO camera. Bought the adapter from FLO - it’s definitely the right one, but can’t screw it in far enough to reach focus. 
 

I know it’s “user error”. Tried some dry PTFE spray on the threads but that hasn’t worked. 
 

any other thoughts?

Kev
 

That’s perfect- thank you!

On 12/06/2023 at 10:03, M40 said:

I have an enclosure that is 150 x 600 x 800mm, this winter the Nevada was left on continuously to supply the dew heaters for getting on for three months with no challenges 🤞 

I have installed it in such a way though, that there is clear space all around. During the summer months it is left off unless I am using it so if you plan on using it for hours during the summer nights, you may want to think on ventilation for the enclosure or you could just leave the enclosure door open; just ensure that the door opens away from your telescope as the Nevada kicks out quite a bright light.

Do you happen to know which specific enclosure you bought? Would you have any pictures please? Sorry to jump on this thread but I’m seriously thinking about going this route. 

This has turned into a really interesting discussion - thank you for all your contributions

Just now, Elp said:

And I thought I was mad when getting three going at once...

Not even trying by the sounds of it!

2 hours ago, powerlord said:

Nothing is gonna 'just work' like the asiair - that's the important thing you need to bear in mind. So be prepared to compromise and spend a lot more time faffing around. I'm not saying don't do it. Just be aware of the trade off and be happy you can live with it. That is one of the main benefits of a closed system - mac vs windows/linux, package holiday vs roll yer own, nina vs asiair.

But the other major difference is the UX - mobile app vs one or multiple PC apps. There is no viable mobile app alternative to asiair, nor do I think there will ever be, as the venn diagram of asiair users and 'the others' don't seem to have much cross over in their valuation of mobile app/user friendliness as far as I can see, so efforts are either non existent or so basic and buggy as to be useless.

Lastly it might be worth mentioning if you want to shoot with multiple controller. I now regularly shoot with 4 asiairs on the same night, 4 different setups, 4 different mobile devices connected (not necessary though, I could just use one and swap between them). Though not impossible, I'd be impressed by anyone doing to same thing with a PC alternative.

However, If you do decide, I'd do it BEFORE you get a non asiair camera and get it all working and live with it for a while, then make the move - that way you know you'll be happy.

If you already have an asiair, no need for new HW - AND you can go back to asiair by just popping original sdcard back in. Just get a new sdcard, and have a look at stuff out there - you have options of running astroberry, stellarmate, openastro  on it, or you can think about something like VirtualHere, which exposes everything plugged into the pi to a PC in your house as usb - and you can then use nina or something on a PC in your home, BUT it will be connected to everything as if it was outside.

Joey Troy seems to be the guy hacking all this - so have a look at his site:

https://joeytroy.com/

As I say, the benefit is you can play with what you've got and see if it's a trade off you are prepared to make. I say trade off, because you have mentioned 'just works'. And though much of this other software is more powerful, more configurable and has more hardware support, it does not by any stretch of the imagination 'just work'

Personally, I decided (after trying most of them), that my time and sanity was more valuable to me that the couple of 100 quid I'd save buying non zwo gear. However, your mileage may vary as the saying goes - more power ta ya.

stu

 

Wow! Loads of interesting stuff there. Thank you

1 hour ago, Adam-R said:

I think jumping away from the convenience from an ASIair would boil down to the availability/price of the hardware, i.e. another brand is so much better that it makes the decision for you. 

I'm surprised that no-one has hacked the ASI and developed another app that could run other cameras? 

I too am surprised that no one has found a way of doing this too!

22 minutes ago, Elp said:

Whatever works for you really. I've used rpi and astroberry (really needs a computer to interface with it comfortably, doesn't work so well on a mobile phone screen via web browser), for me the UI is extremely good on the air and you don't need to think about having a computer or configuring all your equipment, drivers etc IT JUST WORKS out the box (when the firmware and app want to play ball). Stellarmate I'd assume fits in between the two. A mini PC with a good spec will be more powerful than all of them.

It's the "IT JUST WORKS" bit I'm afraid of breaking! 🙂

I currently have an ASIAIR which I find really easy to use, and very much like the "stand alone" nature - it also (in the main) just works.... However, Im wary about being tied into ZWO Products..... It's not that I don't like them - but I'm in the process of buying a dedicated astro camera and the ZWO offerings (particularly the 2600) is significantly more expensive than, say, the Altair version with this Sony chip.....

I have a ZWO AM5 mount which I've just purchased and am getting used to - but really like what I've seen so far - I don't have an EAF yet.

So if I was going to "jump ship" from the ASIAIR - what would I go to?

I don't have a laptop at the moment - and use a Mac desktop at home - I'm pretty computer literate....

Would it be a miniPC / NUC that I physically locate at the mount then use Remote Desktop to access using an iPad or my Mac - then use something like NINA?

What about something like Indigo and using IndigoSky on a Raspberry Pi physical located on the mount?

Or do I stick with the ASIAIR and spend extra on the camera....

Fantastic image. Whereabouts in Wiltshire are you? I’m in Amesbury 

27 minutes ago, stuy said:

Nice what set up ?

C8 Edge, AM5 mount, ASIAIR and asi224mc camera. Only had the mount for a couple of days and was delighted to get that image out of it!

Need to try with a Barlow and a smaller ROI next time it’s clear at home!

Had a great time. Thanks everyone! So nice to see everyone again, make some new friends and spend it under dark skies 

Was very pleased to get this image last night. First time using my new kit

Quite a nice one of the Milky Way handheld with my iphone last night

I've got a C8 Edge which currently has a vixen dovetail plate along the bottom. I've recently bought a ZWO AM5 mount, and I'm thinking about how I can mount accessories to the top of the C8.

I have an ASIAIR which I want to mount somewhere, and I'm thinking about getting a small refractor that I can mount on top of the C8 to use independently (bonus if it can be easily removed from the c8 and used completely on its own with the ASIAIR), but also to use as a guide scope for the C8. I have a x0.7 reducer for the C8, and I'm aware that an OAG is a better option for an SCT, but is there an option available?

I currently only have one camera a planetary / guide camera - a ZWO 224 MC - but will be looking at adding a DSO camera in the near future.

Im also keen to understand the mounting hardware I would need. Now I have the AM5 I'd be up for swapping the existing vixen dovetail for a losmandy style if there was good reason.

Many thanks

mistuk