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NEW Sky-Watcher AZ-GTi Wi-Fi Alt-Azimuth mount


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Given it can be used on a wedge and with the pro version giving eq mode if it can also talk to the android panorama app has the potential to be a capable all rounder. Had anyone tried the panorama app with it?

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21 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

Given it can be used on a wedge and with the pro version giving eq mode if it can also talk to the android panorama app has the potential to be a capable all rounder. Had anyone tried the panorama app with it?

Which panorama app?  I'm off to Rhodes in a couple of weeks and was looking at options for time lapse etc.  The ease of use of the Star Adventurer Mini app is very attractive but means buying (yet another!) mount.  If the GTI could be used to deliver the same functionality that would be just great! A bit heavier, but more versatile for viewing too!

Helen

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I was able to get it to talk to my virtuoso mount using a Bluetooth dongle. Oh heck just checked the app it is Bluetooth connection only. I'm sorry I forgot that and have a horrible thought I thought this before.

Maybe Skywatcher will have plans to update the pro version of the app to have that I wonder if anyone has asked for it.

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5 minutes ago, SpaceBass said:

Well now it's in stock for a bit, I'm wondering if the issue mentioned by @GavStar a few posts ago is anything to be concerned about?  :happy9:

If your using it for visual only then no issue since you won’t notice it. It’s only if you do longer exposure photos is there a potential  issue...

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27 minutes ago, GavStar said:

If your using it for visual only then no issue since you won’t notice it. It’s only if you do longer exposure photos is there a potential  issue...

Okay cool, thanks for speedy reply Gavstar!   

One other thought that comes to mind though is are you reliant on a good phone signal to use the app?  

Edited by SpaceBass
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25 minutes ago, SpaceBass said:

 

One other thought that comes to mind though is are you reliant on a good phone signal to use the app?  

No, the mount creates its own wifi so you just join that and so don't need phone signal :smile: 

Helen

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I've been closely following this thread since the mount was first announced at the end of last year and finally pressed the button on one yesterday.

FLO showed it in stock so hopefully it'll be here early this coming week.

Need to get rid of the old AZ Goto now as this one will be so much better as a travel mount.

Ade

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My new heritage 130p works well on this fab mount. Tried the M12 bar but the thread is too recessed for this bar to fit. I don't need the bar for my heritage but just thought I'd try it. Will have a stab too using rechargeable AA batteries just to see if they work as the voltage should be fine according to the SW instructions at 9.6v.

Loving it ?

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I’ve got this mount and, on the whole, using a mobile phone app is a great idea.  It is certainly a lot easier to set the mount up, and get it aligned, with the phone offering up it’s precise GPS data, and time etc. And all of the info about the night’s viewing is wonderfully laid out.  It’s a very easy, and intuitive app to use.  

However, for me, the biggest problem is when it comes to using the app to move the scope. On my iPhone, the virtual buttons are very small, and my thumb invariably wanders away from where it should be. Which then means that I have to look at my phone, and it’s bye-bye night vision. Although the SynScan app uses a black and red colour system, the iPhone always insists on showing an info bar  at the top of the app screen, which is very bright.  It wouldn’t be so bad if the app had a full-screen, buttons only page option that could be called up.  I find a handset far better for keeping my night vision intact.  Maybe I should just wrap an elastic band around the offending menu bar.

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Having thought about it, I think it would be a great idea if  the app was able to access the microphone, and you could issue simple voice commands, ie the slew rate and up, down, left or right.  And then align when it’s centred. Why am I thinking about Bob Monkhouse roundabout now?:wink:

Edited by Ande
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3 minutes ago, Ande said:

I’ve got this mount and, on the whole, using a mobile phone app is a great idea.  It is certainly a lot easier to set the mount up, and get it aligned, with the phone offering up it’s precise GPS data, and time etc. And all of the info about the night’s viewing is wonderfully laid out.  It’s a very easy, and intuitive app to use.  

However, for me, the biggest problem is when it comes to using the app to move the scope. On my iPhone, the virtual buttons are very small, and my thumb invariably wanders away from where it should be. Which then means that I have to look at my phone, and it’s bye-bye night vision. Although the SynScan app uses a black and red colour system, the iPhone always insists on showing an info bar  at the top of the app screen, which is very bright.  It wouldn’t be so bad if the app had a full-screen, buttons only page option that could be called up.  I find a handset far better for keeping my night vision intact.  Maybe I should just wrap an elastic band around the offending menu bar.

On Android you can choose not to display bars, & also change colour. Might be worth going into your Settings to see what can be done, or get a cheap larger screen phone. 

I would need to get a SW corded remote as fond of physical buttons. Maybe a Discovery would be cheaper as a package then. 

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There probably is something in settings on iOS, if I can find it. I’ll have a mooch.  Still don’t like having to keep looking at the phone just to find the buttons though. Maybe I could make a little cardboard template, with holes cutout for the buttons.

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2 minutes ago, Ande said:

There probably is something in settings on iOS, if I can find it. I’ll have a mooch.  Still don’t like having to keep looking at the phone just to find the buttons though. Maybe I could make a little cardboard template, with holes cutout for the buttons.

I like that. Low tech solution to high tech problem. You could make the template have physical buttons you can feel from a spongy material as well. 

Idea for Blue Peter on BBC :)

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On 08/05/2018 at 21:14, GavStar said:

I’ve had this scope since it was released last August and really like it (apart from the dovetail clamp and the issues re connecting it to sky safari ?).

However I had another slightly odd issue at the weekend. I was using it to take short exposure (10 second) exposures and if I just let the scope goto the target and didn’t touch it further, the 10 second photos gave very good round star shapes.

However if I then adjusted the position of the object to be in the centre of the fov and then took a 10 second photo then I got some star tails as if the tracking was not quite right. This happened even if I pressed ok on the centre object button on the synscan app.

Has anyone got any ideas how to sort this out?

Hi Gav,

I had a similar effect to this on my AZEQ5 in AZ mode using the wifi dongle a couple of weeks ago. I found once I moved the FOV the object it no longer tracked well. The problem showed when using the Synscan app, after using GOTO then moving the object to re-centre. However if I then clicked point and track the tracking changes from sidereal to point and track and the effect seemed to be fixed. If this works please let me know, as I'm considering buying an AZGTi for a portable EAA set up....I only need a few seconds integration time for near live images, but I was hoping the AZGTI would be good enough for the job.

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Is the problem just only with wifi/cordless then? GPS is good but I have found on other devices that use it, that it is not smooth continuously progressive. 

Therefore if GPS from a mobile phone, the pickup and thus transmissed co-ordinates might be affecting your mount's tracking etc. 

Edited by 25585
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My AZ Gti and pier extension was delivered this morning (thanks @FLO). Hoping the weather stays clear until it gets dark so I can have a play.

Should make a nice compact travel setup together with my WO ZS66SD.

Ade

Edited by AdeKing
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1 hour ago, AdeKing said:

My AZ Gti and pier extension was delivered this morning (thanks @FLO)

Mine too. Had a quick play around inside the house and it found the approximate positions of Jupiter and Saturn without me doing any alignment.  Look forward to venturing outside!  :icon_biggrin:

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We've been experimenting today...

There is an experimental firmware for the AZ-GTI mount which enables it to operate in EQ mode:

http://skywatcher.com/download/software/motor-control-firmware/

We couldn't resist testing to see if EQMOD would then work - you need to connect to the mount from the APP to put it in EQ mode first, but then it does indeed work with EQMOD. 

The EQDIR cables we currently sell don't fit the AZ-GTI so we are going to get a batch made that will - would anybody be interested?

It may be that the functionality of EQMOD can be replicated over the wireless interface using the Sky-Watcher drivers but for those of us who prefer a wired connection and like using EQMOD, this may be a good option.

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  • 2 weeks later...

It'll fit onto many photo tripods if you have one. The thread on the base of the mount is strictly a 3/8 unc 16 photo thread and NOT a metric M10 so may not fit all astro tripods unless you buy an adaptor too. I ordered a 3/8 bolt to fit it to my Vixen Porta 2 tripod which is a bit more solid than my photo tripod. This is highly subjective however. My photo tripod is all i need for visual work. It's an old solid Manfrotto under 2kg.

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