Asiair not as simple as they say

[Davey-T]

Just tried to get Asiair working and phone reports no ASAIR detected and doesn't show up in WiFi list.

Tried to back up SD card and get this message, so all going really well ATM.

Don't know why it says G:\ should be E:\

Dave

Edited September 10, 2020 by Davey-T

[Stuart1971]

What are you using to try and back up SD card, as it’s Linux based....and with windows you should be using Windsk32..👍
You should have bought Stellarmate, none of these issues with that, has a back up too built in, and works with any camera not just ASI.... 😀😀👍

[Robindonne]

You should download and install a tool for this.  Cant remember the name anymore.   But when you google your question: “backup sd asiair”, you’ll find the software title.   

[catburglar]

I suspect the drive letter issue is because the ASI Linux OS is installed in a compressed or EXT4 (I think) partition which windows can’t read.

 

use win32dsk imager (a free download) to backup the sdcard and all will be Ok.

 

on the WiFi front....does the phone support 5GHz WiFi networks, most modern ones do, but older ones may not....I suspect you can switch the ASI air to use the 2.4GHz band for WiFi, but not sure on the details....

[Davey-T]

6 minutes ago, catburglar said:

on the WiFi front....does the phone support 5GHz WiFi networks, most modern ones do, but older ones may not....I suspect you can switch the ASI air to use the 2.4GHz band for WiFi, but not sure on the details....

Phone and ASIAIR have 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz.

Can't seem to make its mind up whether to connect to home network or ASIAIR hotspot according to the manual you just switch on the ASIAIR wait 15 seconds  then connect to ASIAIR WiFi using supplied password, that's the full extent of the instructions 😂

Got it working on phone but can't see what I'm doing without a magnifying glass so need to get an iPad.

Dave

[catburglar]

Don’t you just love detailed instructions like that...

I suspect the troubleshooting guide is equally helpful....If the green light isn’t on, check that the power is plugged in....if the problem persists contact technical support.....

[Stuart1971]

1 hour ago, catburglar said:

 

 

use win32dsk imager (a free download) to backup the sdcard and all will be Ok.

 

Is this not what I suggested above... 🤔

[catburglar]

26 minutes ago, Stuart1971 said:

Is this not what I suggested above... 🤔

No....you suggested windsk32... I suggested win32dsk.....
Yours would create a mirror of the SD card😁

[Davey-T]

iPad arrived today so loaded the ASIAIR app ( eventually )

Want to run it from the ASIAIR hotspot but it starts up searching for home network, says it can't find it, says no ASIAIR found, pops up a message saying use hotspot instead and then there appears to be no way of getting off that page to switch to hotspot.

Here's the manuals optimistic version.

Dave

😂

[SmokeyJoe]

Have you had a look at the Asiair forum 

https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/

This is a link to the zwo home page you will find a manual for the asiair Pro here as well. 

You should be connecting to the asiair in settings on your phone/tablet before running the app. 

I have had no problems at all with my Asiair, in fact I would say it is the best bit of kit I have purchased although I am not guiding yet (roll on Christmas) but I can go from me and my set up sitting in the lounge to taking lights in under half an hour.   On a bad day polar alignment takes 10 min.  I know there is a problem with wifi range as the aerial is inside a metal box (some people use a WiFi booster strapped to the mount legs) there are rumors of a dongle to solve this.  Don't give up on your Asiair when you get it working it will make life so much easier. 

[Davey-T]

7 minutes ago, SmokeyJoe said:

Don't give up on your Asiair when you get it working it will make life so much easier. 

Thanks Dom, got it all working now with help  from the Facebook folk, it could do with some better instructions than those above.

Got autoguiding working fine, hope they introduce autofocus sometime.

Dave

[SmokeyJoe]

1 hour ago, Davey-T said:

Thanks Dom, got it all working now with help  from the Facebook folk, it could do with some better instructions than those above.

Got autoguiding working fine, hope they introduce autofocus sometime.

Dave

Have you downloaded the manual? Not brilliant but better than what's in the box! As regards focusing I use a bahtinov in preview mode, works a treat as a cheap solution. 

[Davey-T]

4 minutes ago, SmokeyJoe said:

Have you downloaded the manual? Not brilliant but better than what's in the box! As regards focusing I use a bahtinov in preview mode, works a treat as a cheap solution. 

Yes downloaded the manual, tried the subframe focusing thing but just gets a square of coloured spots with colour camera so not much help.

Dave

[SmokeyJoe]

It seems the focusing does not work with dslr cameras. I'm using a 450D so instead of using the focusing function of the app I use the preview function, slew to my favorite star slap a focus mask on the front of the scope use the zoom function in preview to get a nice close up of the defraction spikes and Bob's your uncle

Edited September 23, 2020 by SmokeyJoe

[Davey-T]

44 minutes ago, SmokeyJoe said:

It seems the focusing does not work with dslr cameras.

Doesn't work with ZWO ASI2600MC either, just a sea of coloured spots, may be operator error 😂

Dave

[SmokeyJoe]

Sorry, didn't read your setup properly, saw the dslrs and jumped to conclusions. The only suggestion I have is to  try the zwo Asiair forum. At the above address.

Just a quick question of my own. How are you powering your Asiair.  Just looking into buying power supplies and extentions etc as everything is run off a SW powerbank at the moment, which gives me just under 2 hours before the mount stops tracking. 

[Davey-T]

1 minute ago, SmokeyJoe said:

How are you powering your Asiair.

Using a 24ah Tracer Lifpo battery powers everything all night, in fact will do two nights without charging.

It does seem to draw a fair bit of power, tried a smaller Orion 12ah Lithium battery and it didn't last the night out, bit annoying if that happens as using a Rainbow mount and if it looses power it just spins round in freefall until it hits something, aggravated by my totally unbalanced setup 😂

Dave

[SmokeyJoe]

Thanks Dave a little pricy for me at the mo given the current climate, looking to spend sub 100 quid so probably going to go with plug in psu, extension lead, weather proof box, and a rcd. Just wondering about plug in psu. 

Edited September 23, 2020 by SmokeyJoe

[Davey-T]

Hoping to cart mine off to a dark site somewhere when we get back to the old normal  so need battery power.

Dave

[stringB]

On 23/09/2020 at 05:18, Davey-T said:

Thanks Dom, got it all working now with help  from the Facebook folk, it could do with some better instructions than those above.

Got autoguiding working fine, hope they introduce autofocus sometime.

Dave

Glad you got it working... I had the same WiFi problems at first. Once you have logged into your home WiFi network you have to use that network connection to turn off Station Mode. Two issues seemed to be at play in making this a bit less than intuitive. iPadOS (iOS) parks apps in the state you left them so you're really just pausing the app. Even if you park the Asi Air app and swipe up to quit it completely, it keeps that home network/ station mode. You can't simply start the app and switch to hotspot mode.  I assume the Air Pro hardware WiFi reset button would do the trick but I never tried that because I stumbled into the fix.

[SEAz]

I am just start with ASIair. I am encounter the sea of colored dots.  What did you find as the problem? Thanks

 

[Davey-T]

3 hours ago, SEAz said:

I am just start with ASIair. I am encounter the sea of colored dots.  What did you find as the problem? Thanks

 

Hi and welcome to SGL, the coloured spots were to do with focusing, never really got it sorted as using the ZWO EAF focuser and auto focus in the latest update which works really well.

Dave