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swsantos

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Everything posted by swsantos

  1. I had followed that thread for a while as it was evolving and at some point the one who tried the Blind Spot battery plate posted... >>>>I'm afraid the Blind Spot battery plate doesn't work well with it: it seems to be current-limited, because when I ask it to slew the scope, it will be fine for a few seconds, and then the motors start making a loud grinding noise, and they're basically twitching in place. I then plugged in my LiFePo battery from Bioenno, and it slews without a problem. I double checked that the belts weren't slipping. I also noticed that if I twist the slow motion controls quickly by hand, I'll feel a slight grinding feeling in maybe 4-6 places per revolution, but if I slowly turn them, them it's fine. It could be that the slewing speed is too high for the battery plate, and it gets stuck when it hits one of the grind spots. Anyway, I guess I'll have to do one of the other battery setups here if I don't want to keep checking that it doesn't disconnect itself when slewing from my battery which sits on the ground.<<<< At that point I lost interest in it but I was very interested in it for a while. Perhaps someone else out there has had some success, would certainly be a great physical fit for the AZ100 if it were electrically compatible. ...After further investigation it appears that that user used the Blind Spot's USB-C output port via a PD to barrel wire which according to Blind Spot's website outputs only 1.9A at 12V (so less than the 2A recommended by Rowan). The Blind Spot's barrel output however is specified as 2.5A/12V output so it might run fine. So interest renewed, but the highest output NPF battery that I can find is 7.4V/10400mAh so at 12V might not run for very long as my current Talentcell is 12V/11000mAh.
  2. So cut my suspenders and call me droopy drawers, my current firmware is indeed 1.2 build 5096! The update on the firmware site says that the latest firmware is 1.1.2 but when it's installed the AZ100 firmware identifies itself as 1.2 so there it is.
  3. At one point there was a bluetooth configuration within the firmware so that a controller could be paired directly to the mount but it appears that there were issues with it so it has been presumably temporarily removed until they can sort it out. A bluetooth controller can be paired with the device that is controlling the AZ100, meaning the phone or tablet accessing the AZ100, which results in bluetooth control of the AZ100 firmware but not from within the mount but rather from the accessing device. Regarding the firmware version, the latest firmware on the public access user page is 1.1.2 dated December 4, 2023 and the latest pre-release version on the beta page is 1.1.2 dated November 25, 2023 so if you are really running version 1.2.0 then that is an even newer version that those, than what is even on the pre-release beta page which is hard to believe. But maybe a newly purchased mount has a newer-than-otherwise-available firmware, but if so it was not put into the usual beta channels so any issues or new features would be unknown, at least to me.
  4. Release firmware V1.1.2 dated 12/04/2023 is up and public with a nice list of fixes and improvements! From the update site: Planetarium/Databases • Add button to Planetarium to turn tracking on and off • Added distance to target Alt/Az readout • Added feature to upload custom databases to planetarium. • Added magnitude and object type on search page • Added checkbox to use magnitude filter for search • Added option to enable magnitude filter when searching • Removed WDS duplicates Configuration • Added "Mount Function" configuration option to switch between Rowan GOTO and Rowan DSC Bug fixes • Fixed issue with mount sometimes moving slightly when syncing object • Fixed issues with bluetooth joystick not working on planetarium when connected to via iOS/Android • Planetarium red target circle and the onscreen joystick now scales better (especially for horizonal screens) and no longer covers important buttons • Add padding to bottom of page to clear device content such as iPads with home bar. • Update message now shows clearer instructions once update is completed for subsequent updates
  5. Yes that's correct, the new catalogs I presume, do not influence its AZ100 compatability. However they are easy to update so why not, and I updated them after installing the public release firmware. I have a Nexus DSC and keep it updated but never use it with my AZ100 unless I am just tiesting to see if it works. I prefer SkySafari with my AZ100 when I am observing not beta testing and use the Nexus DSC for my PortaMount and M2C with their encoders. My Nexus DSC worked fine with the AZ100 using the previous spring beta build and I am assuming that this latest public release touched up the remaining issues it had but I have also not yet tested it.
  6. That updated firmware from Rowanastronomy has to be installed to the mount, then the new Nexus DSC firmware and catalogs updates from Astrodevices have to be installed to get them working together. The instructions on how to then configure the Nexus DSC to play nice with the mount are contained in the latest manual which is accessible using that link at the top of the AZ100 update page.
  7. I have my panhandle attached to the top hole of the bracket that's attached to a saddle on the right side of the mount the telescope being on the left and there it only touched the azimuth clutch when pointing straight up in only one place so it is not an issue for me there. I had Rowan make be a shorter panhandle so if your problem if more that the panhandle is too long you can have a custom shorter one made. The Y axis balancer also has a threaded hole for the panhandle and inserted there it should not foul the mount at all. I am waiting for an altitude axis spacer so that it clears with my prototype Y axis balancer and I believe that once the YAB is available so will an altitude axis spacer so that the D style saddle can accept the YAB and clear the mount with it on the left hand side. I think that the dual saddle on the left with the YAB and panhandle will clear without the spacer, but I like having the D style saddle on the left side.
  8. when it reboots the wifi connection is lost to the mount as it power cycles so you have to reconnect your device to the AZ100 and re-log into it. Until I do that with mine it looks like it's stuck rebooting.
  9. The controller appears to only work when the AZ100 is displayed on my phone, once its minimized or there is something else on the screen like SkySafari it does not work, even if its still running in the background. With the firmware full screen it works fine. I am wondering whether once its paired from within the firmware (as opposed to the phone) that the AZ100 will move no matter what software is displayed because I am assuming that it would then be paired directly with the mount itself so therefore able to move it directly?
  10. AZ100 with gamepad joystick working well! I paired it with my Andorid phone and it works nicely, the changes to the joytstick operation like speed and direction reversal work fine. I does not yet pair directly with the AZ100 firmware as that is a work in progress but it works this way nontheless. Here is a link to this controller... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QJLV6JJ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details AZ100 joystick.mp4
  11. Apart from simply not wanting to loose functionality, out of principle, that is lost by not being able to access the AZ100 firmware I cannot think of a situation where that might matter. However Deadlake asking “Presume you can disengage the motors from the Nexus” to me says that that ability is expected at least by some and my subsequent post was a reaction to his presumption not necessarily me needing that feature for myself. Regarding native control on the AZ100 from within SkySafari, the align buttons in SkySafari issue a movement command to the mount instead of reorienting the stars to where the telescope is pointing so SkySafari cannot yet be used to perform initial alignment rather it has to be done with the AZ100 firmware before using SkySafari. Whether that’s lack of native compatibility or just a bug in the LX200 compatibility implementation I am not sure, however it would be nice to only need SkySafari for everything starting with initial alignment.
  12. I just went and looked for that now because I hadn't yet thought about that and cannot find any way to turn off the motors from within Nexus! Few things I have noticed about the Nexus DSC and AZ100.... If you turn on the AZ100 with the Nexus turned off and connected by serial cable the AZ100 firmware is accessible normally. The Nexus DSC has to actuallly be turned on to prevent AZ100 firmware access. If both are turned on the AZ100 firmware is inaccessible but if you turn off the Nexus DSC the AZ100 becomes usable again within a few seconds and operates normally and you can then turn the motors off. However, if you turn on the Nexus DSC again the motors also turn on again. Not sure if the Nexus DSC is doing it directly or if its accessing the AZ100 firmware behind the scenes and turning the motors on there. If the Nexus DSC is then turned off again the motors remain on and the AZ100 firmware shows the motors on as if the Nexus DSC had turned them on in the AZ100's firmware. So it appears the Nexus DSC has the power to turn the motors on by being able to access the firmware so I would assume it would also have the power to turn them off but I have not yet found that setting. Maybe someone else has found that setting, or perhaps someone from Rowan can tell us if the motors can be turned off from within Nexus DSC and if not yet if that feature is planned. Given that the AZ100 firmware is inaccessible while the Nexus DSC is running I would say that the Nexus DSC should have user access to the motors' operation. I am assuming that someone at Rowan is communicating with Serge about whatever tweaks might be necessary. Given that the AZ100 compatible Nexus DSC firmware came from Derek and not Astrodevices I am not sure if we should be reporting back to Serge ourselves.
  13. With the Nexus connected to the AZ100 by serial cable I then connected SkySafari to the Nexus DSC by wifi, so SkySafari is controlloing the mount through the Nexus DSC (like it did pre-motors). The commands issued by SkySafari are passing through the Nexus DSC and it is the Nexus DSC that's communicating with the AZ100. You are right, it does not appear possible to connect SkySafari to the AZ100 directly while it is connected to the Nexus DSC as not only the web interface disabled it pops up a message that in order to do that the serial connection must first be disconnected.
  14. When I had tried the shipping version 1.0.4 under the stars some of the go-tos were a little off which I attribute to either me not using a reticle eyepiece to align (never had to use one pre-motors) or some yet unfixed interaction between SkySafari and the AZ100 firmware. That was with the AZ100 alone with SkySafari. With the new firmware, which I have not yet used under the stars, has occasional several degrees of overshoots, but that is with the Nexus DSC connected to the AZ100 and using SkySafari to initiate the go-tos through the Nexus. That is likely some yet undiscovered bug needing to ironed out via this beta testing that might originate in the DSC or SkySafari. After a several degrees overshoot hitting go-to again usually brings the FOV cursor to the intended target but not always. Some of this stuff might be that SkySafari does not yet have native AZ100 protocol, or it might be me / user error. Maybe the lack of GPS signal in my basement, despite me having my coordinates entered into both SkySafari and the AZ100, does not play nice with alignment.
  15. I am using the pre-release 1.1.0 latest build however I have not yet been able to use it night because between the Canadian wildfires and bad weather the skies have been terrible. So this is simulated use, however even with that there should not be these occasional overshoots, but that's why there's beta testing.
  16. I hooked up my Nexus DSC to the AZ100 tonight via the serial cable then connected SkySafari to Nexus by wifi like in the pre-motor days and it seems to work well indeed. I was even able to two-star align with SkySafari and the Nexus DSC picked up on that alignment and accepted it as successful. Go-tos can be issued from either the Nexus or SkySafari. Some of the go tos do seem to overshoot and do sometimes correct when go-to is pressed again. Something hopefully to be fixed as both the AZ100 and Nexus firmwares are updated. With the Nexus connected by serial cable to the AZ100, the AZ100 firmware disappears, indeed its planetarium cannot be accessed so its under the Nexus primary control when its being used. I am hoping once there is native AZ100 compatibility in SkySafari that it too will be able to take primary control over the mount including alignment so that it operates the AZ100 on its own without its firmware like the Nexus DSC is able to do.
  17. I just prefer using SkySafari to the Nexus DSC. My preference will be to use the AZ100 primarily in push to then track mode and I like pushing the telescope while referencing my tablet for objects to look at. Until SkySafari has native AZ100 compatibility it might be easier to use it through the DSC instead of directly to the AZ100 using LX200 Classic protocol via wifi. Initial alignment before having the AZ100 motors, for me, using SkySafari through the Nexus DSC never required the use of a reticle eyepiece yet resulted in push-to dead on accuracy. Using SkySafari with the AZ100 motors for now need to be facilitated by the AZ100 firmware and I am not getting the dead on accuracy of go-to that I had gotten pre-motors with SkySafari through DSC with push-to. Perhaps a reticle eyepiece is now required for that kind of accuracy using SkySafari alone with the AZ100, or perhaps native AZ100 support will be required in SkySafari. I have been told that once the new firmware is finalized that native AZ100 might then be added to SkySafari. Either way the next thing I will try will be a reticle eyepiece for alignment using SkySafari alone. Then I will try reattaching my Nexus DSC to the AZ100 and use SkySafari through it like I did pre motor kit to see if either or both of those paths restore the dead-on accuracy I had before.
  18. Regarding SkySafari and use with the AZ100 through the Nexus DSC, prior to the motor kit I had been successfully using SkySafari through the DSC with wifi with the DSC attached to the encoders. Under that arrangement SkySafari was paired to the Nexus DSC with wifi using LX200 Classic protocol, IP 1.0.0.1, port 4060 as per the original AZ100 pre-motor mount instruction manual. Now the DSC will use its new firmware to attach via the serial port to the AZ100 using the AZ100 selection and setup as per the instruction given in the new AZ100 firmware manual. My question is, does SkySafari still use that original connection that it used to use when the DSC used to be connected to the encoders instead of the serial port? Do we use the same saved connection in SkySafari to the Nexus DSC that has worked pre-motor (LX200 Classic, IP 1.0.0.1, port 4060)?
  19. I saw this firmware at NEAF and was told that it does indeed support bluetooth joysticks, I think they even showed it to me in action with a small handheld joystick.
  20. An AZ100 with encoders and goto motors can still easily be used in push-to so you can have your cake and eat it too. The AZ100 with motors is ready for anything, even not using them if you don't want to. I had the AZ100 unmotorized for a while and got the motor kit when it became available and installled it myself which was easy. Regarding the slow motion controls, with the motors installed but not turned on they have a little more resistance than before the motors were installed but I like it that way the controls have a nice feel.
  21. No Y-axis is telescope up and down by moving the saddle up and down as opposed to X axis by moving the telescope forwards and backwards. Y axis balance results in the telescope being in balance while pointing straight up and is desirable because with a heavy eyepiece in the diagonal the telescope's center of gravity is above its pivot. The Y axis balancing adapter allows you to lower the telescope so that its center of gravity is coincident with its pivot axis.
  22. Here is my post from Cloudynights, was really late last night when I posted it and planned to post it here in a new thread today, but instead will add it here... Since getting my AZ100 I had been lobbying Dave and Derek to develop a Y axis balancing feature for it. This past weekend I had the great pleasure of meeting them at NEAF and they, to my great surprise, provided me with a prototype Y-axis balancing adapter based on our discussions to test. Y-axis balancing is a feature which allows the saddle to be raised and lowered so that balance can be achieved with the telescope pointing straight up. With an eyepiece in the diagonal and perhaps a heavy finder onboard as well, a telescope’s center of gravity is above its centerline sometimes significantly and as such when it is moved towards the zenith it wants to pitch up and over because of it. Working against that one must apply friction control to the altitude axis which has to be increased with altitude. Two axis balancing on both the X axis by moving the telescope back and forth and on the Y axis by lowering the saddle results in being able to let go of the telescope at any altitude position without any friction in use and having it not move at all. The telescope floats without friction at any altitude without the need to adjust axis tension for different altitudes. The late great Charles Riddel who engineered two axis balancing into his Half Hitch family of mounts, recommended setting the Y axis balance for one’s midweight eyepiece and that that would result in good balance throughout your whole eyepiece range that’s smoother and easier to manage with less azimuth friction than otherwise would be required. I found that to be the case and that is how I used it with my Nova Hitch. Rowan Astronomy’s excellent implementation of Y-axis balancing is via an interface between the mount and saddle and it, I am happy to say, works perfectly. The adapter attaches to the mount in place of the saddle and the saddle attaches to the adapter such that it can be moved downwards then securely tightened by four knobs into the balanced position. There are under-saddle knobs which also serve as stops with which the saddle height can adjusted and by using them you can make on the fly saddle elevation adjustments for different eyepieces or a binoviewer should you want to use it that way. I prefer to balance with my midweight eyepiece and then leave it alone which results in much less altitude axis friction fiddling using my other eyepieces than otherwise would be required without it. There are also threaded holes in the adapter itself into which the AZ100 panhandle can be attached because the panhandle’s stock saddle attachment cannot be used with the adapter in place. I also found that the same Y-axis balance point appears to work with different telescopes. I balanced my 8” Edge HD with a 17mm Ethos on the Y-axis then put my Televue NP127 on it with the same eyepiece and it balanced on the Y-axis without having to readjust the saddle. Two very different telescopes Y-axis balanced using the same eyepiece from the same saddle position so the Y-axis balancing point seems more dependent upon the eyepiece and not the telescope so the same position should work well across different telescopes. Newtonians probably notwithstanding. From my experience two axis balancing is a mount dynamics game changer. There is a much better experience managing balance with manual mounts like a non-motorized or motors-off AZ100 as well as I imagine using the AZ75 presuming there will be a compatible adapter made for it as well. Even a motorized AZ100 benefits because proper balancing and altitude axis tension adjustments are still needed to get the most out of it as anyone who uses their motorized AZ100 like I use mine as a hybrid manual / push-to / go-to knows. See two axis balancing in action ... here is a video of my 8" Edge HD with 17mm Ethos. Both the altitude lock and altitude clutch are completely disengaged and the telescope is free floating. https://youtu.be/tJGveULQZKc Pictures of the adapter installed
  23. Love the battery bag. I am assuming that the bolt holding its bracket is not tight and that it just dangles allowing it to continue to hang straight down as the altitude changes? Did you make the bracket or is it a readily available item? That bag is a generic bag velcroed to the bracket?
  24. The Sky Safari buttons seemingly did not work for me until I figured out that they are not press-and-hold-down buttons, rather they are press-once-and-it moves-a-small-increment type meaning you have to press a given Sky Safari joystick button several times in radid succession for it to move an appreciable amount, each time you press it it move a little.
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