Skywatcher AZGTi with SkySafari - 2 phones needed!

[Stu]

I'm not impressed with this development. I contacted SkySafari to see how to get these two to talk. They said to post it on their forum for comment. Basic result was that they said Synscan was developed in isolation from them so it was down to Skywatcher to fix it.

I contacted Skywatcher and received a curt email from OVL with an attachment which was an amended version of the previous instructions. There is now an additional section saying that you need TWO phones to make it work. One to run Synscan and the other to run Skysafari.

Not impressed by that. I suppose I could use my iPad and iPhone but it will get pretty cumbersome.

[Chris]

Doesn't sound ideal does it, Stu. I don't know much about it if I'm honest, but I gather the Synscan app for the mount isn't sufficient on it's own?

[GavStar]

Thanks for persevering with this Stu. Disappointing outcome. I will give it a go with my iPad and iPhone but as you say not very practical. Apart from this aspect I'm very impressed with the AZ GTi - hopefully in due course skywatcher will do an update to fix it.

[Alan White]

Not knowing or owning the mount I have watched the various postings on all the new sw mounts.

Is this a case of letting the market for the product testing?

[Stu]

2 minutes ago, Lockie said:

Doesn't sound ideal does it, Stu. I don't know much about it if I'm honest, but I gather the Synscan app for the mount isn't sufficient on it's own?

The app in itself is fine, but I find the database of objects quite limiting, especially for double stars etc. Maybe I'm not using it correctly, but say I want to go to Pi Aquilae, it is not available in the target lists as far as I can see. With SkySafari this would be very easy. Perhaps I am missing something in the Synscan app though so if anyone knows different please let me know

[Cjg]

That's a shame, especially given the popularity of Sky Safari.

Think Skywatcher in the USA have an active FB page, I'll ask on there and see if they have a different approach...I mean everyone has two mobile phones when they go out stargazing don't they! ;-(

Chris

[Stu]

27 minutes ago, Cjg said:

.I mean everyone has two mobile phones when they go out stargazing don't they! ;-(

Strangely this was the best that Google could offer.....  

[JonC]

Seems to be an apple issue, all plays well on my £50 android tablet, but no joy on my ipad mini 2. To be honest I tend to try and run stuff like this on a tablet rather than phone, bigger screen, battery, etc.

[Owmuchonomy]

Oh that isn't good news for what is a good concept.  I wonder if FLO have come across this yet for example?

[Stu]

48 minutes ago, JonC said:

Seems to be an apple issue, all plays well on my £50 android tablet, but no joy on my ipad mini 2. To be honest I tend to try and run stuff like this on a tablet rather than phone, bigger screen, battery, etc.

Should be fine on my iPhone 6 Plus. I guess can run Synscan on my iPad and then just use my phone. We will see.

[Scooot]

Even if you get it working Stu, it doesn't say much for the instructions. Or marketing come to that. They're claiming it works with Sky Safari but don't appear to have tested it properly. Thanks for the research. I was thinking I might get one sometime for my little tak but I won't if I can't use Sky Safari, I like it too much.  

[JonC]

I wasn't aware it had been marketed as working with skysafari. On Firstlights page for the mount it just mentions SW own app. 

Controlled wirelessly via Smartphone or Tablet using Sky-Watcher's free SynScan App for iOS or Android. 

 

 

[Scooot]

16 minutes ago, JonC said:

I wasn't aware it had been marketed as working with skysafari. On Firstlights page for the mount it just mentions SW own app. 

Controlled wirelessly via Smartphone or Tablet using Sky-Watcher's free SynScan App for iOS or Android. 

 

 

My mistake then, just assumed, shouldn't do that ...  

ah thought I'd seen something, on a few sites where it lists full specification or features it mentions it under connectivity.

Connectivity: ASCOM platform for Windows PC, Mobile planetarium App for iOS and Android ( SkySafari Plus/Pro, more are coming).

http://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/skywatcher-az-gti-wifi-mount-tripod.html

mayby I read too much into this.

[Stu]

30 minutes ago, JonC said:

I wasn't aware it had been marketed as working with skysafari. On Firstlights page for the mount it just mentions SW own app. 

Controlled wirelessly via Smartphone or Tablet using Sky-Watcher's free SynScan App for iOS or Android. 

 

 

Amazing the power of the internet to correct things once they change isn't it? I suspect FLO have just been pro-active in removing references to SkySafari once they heard there were difficulties, to avoid misleading people which is to be welcomed. Doesn't stop it being an issue for early purchasers who bought on misleading information.

The original marketing mentioned it was possible to use, and I recieved this instruction leaflet to show how to get it working, which implied SW thought it should..... These instructions made no mention of a requirement for two phones, subsequent instructions have been updated.

I really like the mount and will use it anyway, but would like it to work as originally advertised.

[Stu]

25 minutes ago, Scooot said:

My mistake then, just assumed, shouldn't do that ...  

No mistake Richard.

[Stu]

Well, I've just tried this with my phone running Synscan and iPad running SkySafari and it does actually work. 

I connected them both to the AZGTI wifi network and had to set the SkySafari settings to 192.168.4.3 and port number to 11882 and it actually worked!

I find this very cumbersome but at least it is can be made to work. I hope that at some point it can be amended upgraded to work on one device.

[Stu]

Just as an update to this, I have tried the AZGTI with a Synscan handset and it seems to work very well. The negative is that you have to input position and time manually, but the handset does allow selection of SAO doubles so at least gives a bit more flexibility. Can use it in conjunction with SkySafari to identify targets to input. Will give it a try out next time. I do also find it easier to locate the direction keys without having to look away from the eyepiece every time.

[AstroSylv1]

Beware, I could NOT getting it running on a second iOS device running SkySafari 6 Plus !!! Seems to be limited to SkySafari 5 only !!

[festoon]

Hello Sylvain @disciplus55

I did get mine working with my ipad running Skysafari 6 plus and my iphone running synscan app.

But to do it you need to make sure that your device running the synscan app (in my case the iphone) does not ever locker. When it the device running synscan locks the connection to the wifi module must get temporarily disconnected and I no longer can use the ipad to control the mount with skysafari.

If I do the following all is fine

1) Connect IPhone to synscan network and open synscan app and connect to mount

2) Run alignment routine

3) Connect Ipad to synscan network

4) Open skysafari and go to settings

5) Enter IP address that my iphone is using to talk to the wifi adaptor. This can be found by going into your iphone settings, then press wifi, then press the (i) button next to the connected synscan wifi

6) enter port number 11882 and press done

7) Return to skysafari home screen, press scope and then connect

Importantly, now this is what I found, it will only connect if your device running synscan (in my case my iphone) is still active. If the device has locked skysafari will not connect to the wifi. So to get over this I have had to on my iphone, go into settings, then general settings, and set auto lock to never. It now connects fine.

I presume what is happening is that when my iphone locks its is dropping its connection to the synscan wifi network or the synscan app does not run in the background.

Hope this fixes your problem  

 

[AstroSylv1]

I will try that ! Many thanks !

still, I hope one day, it will be as simple as with Android

[AstroSylv1]

Indeed, it works !! With SKySafari 6 plus ! The way you describe it !

[jam1e1]

i may have missed the point here - why would you want to run the Synscan app too -i.e. what benefit or feature does it give? asking as ive been using SS6 with synscan handset which works well so far..... thx Jamie

[Stu]

2 minutes ago, jam1e1 said:

i may have missed the point here - why would you want to run the Synscan app too -i.e. what benefit or feature does it give? asking as ive been using SS6 with synscan handset which works well so far..... thx Jamie

You need the Synscan app if you are not using the Synscan handset, it is what drives the mount.

What you are doing is exactly what I do to get around the problem with the AZGTi needing two devices on iOS.

[jam1e1]

thanks Stu got you....ah i see you need to buy the wifi adapter too....if didnt need two devices i'd have bought too! 

[kerrylewis]

 

On 25/03/2018 at 14:26, festoon said:

Hello Sylvain @disciplus55

I did get mine working with my ipad running Skysafari 6 plus and my iphone running synscan app.

But to do it you need to make sure that your device running the synscan app (in my case the iphone) does not ever locker. When it the device running synscan locks the connection to the wifi module must get temporarily disconnected and I no longer can use the ipad to control the mount with skysafari.

If I do the following all is fine

1) Connect IPhone to synscan network and open synscan app and connect to mount

2) Run alignment routine

3) Connect Ipad to synscan network

4) Open skysafari and go to settings

5) Enter IP address that my iphone is using to talk to the wifi adaptor. This can be found by going into your iphone settings, then press wifi, then press the (i) button next to the connected synscan wifi

6) enter port number 11882 and press done

7) Return to skysafari home screen, press scope and then connect

Importantly, now this is what I found, it will only connect if your device running synscan (in my case my iphone) is still active. If the device has locked skysafari will not connect to the wifi. So to get over this I have had to on my iphone, go into settings, then general settings, and set auto lock to never. It now connects fine.

I presume what is happening is that when my iphone locks its is dropping its connection to the synscan wifi network or the synscan app does not run in the background.

Hope this fixes your problem  

 

Hello Colin (and others) 

I decided to get one of the Synscan Wifi adapters which arrived this morning. The idea was to use an Iphone and an iPad as you describe. After trying for a few hours I simply cannot get Sky Safari to work with it on the iPad.

The phone connects easily and controls my AZEQ6GT mount but when i try to use the iPad it will not connect.

Firstly can you get the iPad to control the mount using the app? When I try this it says it is connected but comes up with 'Emulation AZ' and doesn't seem to be actually connected to the mount. Perhaps this is the basic problem? The iPad is not making the connection with or without Sky Safari.

Any ideas or suggestions grateful received before I tear out more hair!

Kerry