ZWO Asiair General Questions

[Simon Dunsmore]

Hi People, 

I'm considering streamlining my set up, losing my QHY polemaster and laptop and treating myself to a ZWO Asiair pro. 

I just have a couple of questions that I would like to pose to the corporate astro brain that is Stargazers Lounge. 

1. Does the unit need wifi access to work, if so what do you do when out in the sticks? 

2. Just how easy is it to use? And how does the polar alignment compare to the Polemaster? 

3. I was considering the Eagle Core but this would still involve a laptop to control the mount + polemaster plus a mobile etc 

4. Any general feedback on the ZWO would be appreciated. 

Thanks for your help 

Simon 

 

 

[Scooot]

35 minutes ago, Simon Dunsmore said:

Hi People, 

I'm considering streamlining my set up, losing my QHY polemaster and laptop and treating myself to a ZWO Asiair pro. 

I just have a couple of questions that I would like to pose to the corporate astro brain that is Stargazers Lounge. 

1. Does the unit need wifi access to work, if so what do you do when out in the sticks? 

2. Just how easy is it to use? And how does the polar alignment compare to the Polemaster? 

3. I was considering the Eagle Core but this would still involve a laptop to control the mount + polemaster plus a mobile etc 

4. Any general feedback on the ZWO would be appreciated. 

Thanks for your help 

Simon 

 

 

Hi,

You just need a WiFi device such as a smart phone or tablet (IPad) to connect wirelessly to the Asiair itself. You don’t need a WiFi signal from anywhere else. So from a WiFi viewpoint, being “in the sticks” isn’t an issue. You would need portable power though.

However if you do have a local WiFi signal, you can connect to it, such as your home router. The WiFi range of the Asiair itself isn’t very good so if for example I set my scope up outside my lounge window, I can sit indoors and operate it. However if I move around the house I’d lose the connection. If you do lose the connection everything carries on working, and you can just reconnect when you get back in range. I believe some people have bought a WiFi extender to get around this.

Its very easy to use. Of course at first it’s a bit strange but after you’ve familiarised yourself it’s extremely intuitive.

I had an issue with the sockets on my unit not working. I didn’t discover it for 3/4 months after I’d purchased it. ZWO support helped and as soon as they realised it was an issue FLO replaced it. Although I think FLO did that off their own back.

oh I forgot to say, I haven’t used a polemaster but the Asiair is great, very straightforward. The plate solving is very quick and very helpful, especially when I was trying to find things. 

Edited January 28, 2021 by Scooot

[Snoani]

After my laptop died a few weeks ago, I decided to plump for an Asiair to replace it and streamline my rig, which it very much has done.  I now only have one power cable running to my scope, instead of four power cables and one USB.  I've only used it a few time but I can give you experience so far:

1.  It doesn't have to be within wifi range but will need to be in range of an ios or android device.  I use mine within range of my wifi and so I can control it from anywhere in my house.  However, it can be linked directly to your phone or tablet and programmed that way.  I believe, but can't be certain, that once you have programmed it and set it on an imaging run, your device doesn't need to stay next to it, but I can not be 100% certain of this. 

2. It is very easy to use.  I spend a few hours prior to my first image run, connecting the app to the device, getting used the the app, and where everything is in it.  I then had it imaging the next night within no time.   I think that it is just as easy to setup an image run that using a laptop.  The only downside is that you have to be connected to the Asiair to get into the app, so you have to factor this in when setting an image run in advance.  That being said, it doesn't take long.  

2a.  I've not used a Polemaster, only seen it on Youtube, but I think that it is a little bit less work.  It is very similar to using Sharpcap, if you have used that polar alignment routine.  

3.  I don't don't have any experience with Eagle Core. 

4.  So far I am loving the Asiair Pro.  My setup is more streamlined and because I have fixed the unit and wiring around the scope, my physical setup time is now as long as it takes me to level the tripod.  I've had good guiding returns and the dithering is working much better than I could ever get it working on my laptop.  I would say that I wish that I have bought one earlier, but I think the Asiair was missing a number of features last year, which have only just been added, such as autofocus between filters etc (requires the ZWO EAF).  I believe that the next update will be implementing plate solving from a previously taken image.  

Because it is ZWO, my understanding is that it will only work with other ZWO tech,, such as imaging camera, guide camera, EAF etc, so you will need to consider this if you have any technology from other brands.  

Jem

[Simon Dunsmore]

17 minutes ago, Snoani said:

After my laptop died a few weeks ago, I decided to plump for an Asiair to replace it and streamline my rig, which it very much has done.  I now only have one power cable running to my scope, instead of four power cables and one USB.  I've only used it a few time but I can give you experience so far:

1.  It doesn't have to be within wifi range but will need to be in range of an ios or android device.  I use mine within range of my wifi and so I can control it from anywhere in my house.  However, it can be linked directly to your phone or tablet and programmed that way.  I believe, but can't be certain, that once you have programmed it and set it on an imaging run, your device doesn't need to stay next to it, but I can not be 100% certain of this. 

2. It is very easy to use.  I spend a few hours prior to my first image run, connecting the app to the device, getting used the the app, and where everything is in it.  I then had it imaging the next night within no time.   I think that it is just as easy to setup an image run that using a laptop.  The only downside is that you have to be connected to the Asiair to get into the app, so you have to factor this in when setting an image run in advance.  That being said, it doesn't take long.  

2a.  I've not used a Polemaster, only seen it on Youtube, but I think that it is a little bit less work.  It is very similar to using Sharpcap, if you have used that polar alignment routine.  

3.  I don't don't have any experience with Eagle Core. 

4.  So far I am loving the Asiair Pro.  My setup is more streamlined and because I have fixed the unit and wiring around the scope, my physical setup time is now as long as it takes me to level the tripod.  I've had good guiding returns and the dithering is working much better than I could ever get it working on my laptop.  I would say that I wish that I have bought one earlier, but I think the Asiair was missing a number of features last year, which have only just been added, such as autofocus between filters etc (requires the ZWO EAF).  I believe that the next update will be implementing plate solving from a previously taken image.  

Because it is ZWO, my understanding is that it will only work with other ZWO tech,, such as imaging camera, guide camera, EAF etc, so you will need to consider this if you have any technology from other brands.  

Jem

Hi Jem, 

Thanks for your reply. Really appreciate your time in writing all that. 

Just one question, I was planning on using my Canon 60d dslr with this. I know that for the guide cam you need a ZWO camera. Have you used a dslr with it? 

Thanks again Simon 

[Simon Dunsmore]

28 minutes ago, Scooot said:

Hi,

You just need a WiFi device such as a smart phone or tablet (IPad) to connect wirelessly to the Asiair itself. You don’t need a WiFi signal from anywhere else. So from a WiFi viewpoint, being “in the sticks” isn’t an issue. You would need portable power though.

However if you do have a local WiFi signal, you can connect to it, such as your home router. The WiFi range of the Asiair itself isn’t very good so if for example I set my scope up outside my lounge window, I can sit indoors and operate it. However if I move around the house I’d lose the connection. If you do lose the connection everything carries on working, and you can just reconnect when you get back in range. I believe some people have bought a WiFi extender to get around this.

Its very easy to use. Of course at first it’s a bit strange but after you’ve familiarised yourself it’s extremely intuitive.

I had an issue with the sockets on my unit not working. I didn’t discover it for 3/4 months after I’d purchased it. ZWO support helped and as soon as they realised it was an issue FLO replaced it. Although I think FLO did that off their own back.

oh I forgot to say, I haven’t used a polemaster but the Asiair is great, very straightforward. The plate solving is very quick and very helpful, especially when I was trying to find things. 

Hi, Thanks so much for reply. Really helpful! Never plate solved so that element is New to me. 

I have a Skywatcher 130pds.  Finder scope shoe is taken up with my guidescope, so would need to attach it to the tube rings. Can I ask how you attached it to your rig? 

[Snoani]

18 minutes ago, Simon Dunsmore said:

Just one question, I was planning on using my Canon 60d dslr with this. I know that for the guide cam you need a ZWO camera. Have you used a dslr with it? 

Sorry, that was my error.  Yes, it can be used with DSLR but I haven't myself.   I expect that it would function the same, just without the cooling option and ISO instead of gain.  

14 minutes ago, Simon Dunsmore said:

I have a Skywatcher 130pds.  Finder scope shoe is taken up with my guidescope, so would need to attach it to the tube rings. Can I ask how you attached it to your rig? 

I'll take the liberty to answer this as well 😀

I removed the adapter that fits into the finderscope shoe and bolted it to a small dovetail that I connected to the top of my tube rings.  This way, most of the cables, which are connected to devices attached to the scope itself, move with he scope and only three cables go to my mount or elsewhere.   

 

[Scooot]

12 minutes ago, Simon Dunsmore said:

Hi, Thanks so much for reply. Really helpful! Never plate solved so that element is New to me. 

I have a Skywatcher 130pds.  Finder scope shoe is taken up with my guidescope, so would need to attach it to the tube rings. Can I ask how you attached it to your rig? 

Up to now I’ve been using a Star Adventurer and I’ve mounted it on a mini clamp on the dovetail which I happened to have. However I’ve just bought an EQ35-M which I haven’t used yet, but I’ll probably attach the mini guide-scope to the top of the Asiair and that to the top of the tube ring. It’s very light, could just rest it on an accessory tray as well.

Have a look here there’s various ways of configuring it for attachment. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/zwo-accessories/zwo_finder_shoe.html
 

[Scooot]

47 minutes ago, Simon Dunsmore said:

Hi Jem, 

Thanks for your reply. Really appreciate your time in writing all that. 

Just one question, I was planning on using my Canon 60d dslr with this. I know that for the guide cam you need a ZWO camera. Have you used a dslr with it? 

Thanks again Simon 

I’ve been using it with my Canon 450D. It works ok but I couldn’t use the focus mode easily because the camera wouldn’t take images quickly enough and the image wobbles when you touch the camera or scope. So I left it in preview mode, took an image, changed focus, then repeated. I used a bahtinov mask but got it pretty much focussed the old way by looking at the back of the camera first. Once focussed you can use the Asiair for the imaging run as normal. You’ll have to check your camera is in the list of supported DSLRs, from memory I think most canons are.

Edited January 28, 2021 by Scooot