Asi air update broken?

[Simon Pepper]

Hi all

its clear I have set up I’m polar aligned but go to function is pointing scope in random places including the floor. Am I missing a step here or has this update I have just completed broken the asi air pro? All my setting are unchanged lat and long look good. Any help today would be appreciated don’t want to waste the one clear night a month!

 

thanks 

[Simon Pepper]

I turned off the mount and pro then started again which seem to get it going however when slewing and platesolving that didn’t work then manage to centre M31 but then choosing another object it slewed off in the wrong direction  again even when I then slewed the same object in went off elsewhere again it makes no sense it must be broken? Any help or ideas would be appreciated I am sure it’s the firmware update?

[Thorney]

I had to update my ASIair tonight, I’ve only used it a handful of times but it seemed to be working fine for me. Was able to slew to targets without a problem. 
 

Sorry I can’t be much help, I’m all new to this so I’m still learning. 

Edited February 10, 2021 by Thorney

[Simon Pepper]

Thanks Thorney me too which I am questioning if I did something wrong... what steps did you take after update? Did you polar align and then pick a target and it worked? Or did you do some other steps first? Perhaps set RA or DEC values or home position? I believe my issue could be something to do with the home position and the mount didn’t know it was in that position I am not sure how to set it exactly in the app? I checked out the Facebook group as well lots of people seeing issues with guiding but not so much random slewing like mine. I put the Pleidies in and the scope slewed and pointed to the ground!?!

 

thanks 

[Thorney]

I set my mount up (I’m using a heq5) and connected everything, done the balance, rough polar align then set my home position. Updated the ASI then done a polar align . I then  set it to go to Sirius to get focus. This was slightly out of frame and I couldn’t find it with plate solve but I put this down to the filter I was using and the exposure time. So I manually aligned, got the focus then I set the Goto to the Rosette and it found that without a problem. I then moved to M42 later on which was also ok. 
 

All my settings were the same as previous sessions so I didn’t have to change them. Do you think the balance or your coordinates could of had anything to do with it? 

[Simon Pepper]

I have the same I use the eqmod lynx cable but all settings looked good. I used my phone lat and long and synced that to the app so all was correct. My balance seemed ok, but may have been off a little either way pointing the scope at the floor is well off lol not just a degree so don’t think it was that. Just to confirm the home position  I take it this is the RA being aligned to the base and the DEC being right down the middle aligned with polar scope retinal? I did the manually by eye and loosening both clutches.

 

I have another clear night tomorrow so will try again but if it doesn’t work not sure what else to try

 

thanks 

[Thorney]

Yes that sounds right. I used this video to set up when I first got the mount and been doing that since. 
 

 

 
Your setup sounds fine so it much be with a software error of some sort?  The only other things I can think of is if you have it set to Southern Hemisphere by mistake or if your hand controller is connected it could be interfering with the app?  
 

As I say I’m new to all of this so I’m not the best person to give advice. Maybe if it’s cloudy tonight could you do a test run and see if the mount goes to your target area roughly (if you know where it would be) so the next clear night you hopefully have it sorted. 

[Simon Pepper]

11 minutes ago, Thorney said:

Yes that sounds right. I used this video to set up when I first got the mount and been doing that since. 
 

 

 
Your setup sounds fine so it much be with a software error of some sort?  The only other things I can think of is if you have it set to Southern Hemisphere by mistake or if your hand controller is connected it could be interfering with the app?  
 

As I say I’m new to all of this so I’m not the best person to give advice. Maybe if it’s cloudy tonight could you do a test run and see if the mount goes to your target area roughly (if you know where it would be) so the next clear night you hopefully have it sorted. 

I think this is a good shout. It must be update related whether it be the old app on phone but new firmware on asi or something along those lines.

[Simon Pepper]

Oh my gosh I think I can see the issue but not sure.... my dec axis is round the wrongly way. Last night my bolts to tighten the scope in place were on the left side when standing behind the scope pointing at Polaris, but checking when I bought it and the above video they should be on the right! Not sure if this has caused this but it’s quite possible!

Edited February 11, 2021 by Simon Pepper

[valleyman]

One thing you can try  if your problem is not solved, is In AirPro, open the mount Link then sync the mount to the ASI Pro

Edited February 11, 2021 by valleyman

[alacant]

Hi

Loosen the clutches and park the mount. Now set the home position and tighten the clutches. Any good?

HTH

[Simon Pepper]

Hi Alacant 

im not sure how to do that... loosen the clutches I follow but how do you park the mount bearing in mind I don’t have the hand controller? I assume the home position is both axis right down the middle?

 

Thanks

[alacant]

29 minutes ago, Simon Pepper said:

how do you park

Sorry, I'm thinking INDI. Park in asiair is called 'goto home position'.

Cheers

[Simon Pepper]

21 minutes ago, alacant said:

Sorry, I'm thinking INDI. Park in asiair is called 'goto home position'.

Cheers

Thanks I tried this yesterday after PA and it slewed it 45 degrees past the vertical or home so dont think the issue was that... It must be software related I will try again tomorrow to see if its randomly fixed itself. If not i will restore the old software and just not update it when it asks.

 

Thanks 

[alacant]

2 hours ago, Simon Pepper said:

it slewed it 45 degrees past the vertical or home

Exactly, so where you were starting from was NOT the home position: you've lost the correct mount home.

If you are starting from the home position and you request 'goto home position', the mount should not move. Set the home position as I described above and that should do it.

Home position: DEC 90°. Counterweights down and telescope aimed at the pole.

Edited February 11, 2021 by alacant

[Simon Pepper]

Hi Guys

I tried again last night and the goto worked just about... The Asiair pro still does not goto then plate solve though as it did prior to the software upgrade. I am not sure why they dropped this function as that's what made it great! Unless I am still doing something wrong but at least it managed to get the target in view which I was then able to centre manually. ill keep trawling the release notes and forums to see if others have the same issue, but at least I managed to get some data from last night!

Thanks all.

[StevieDvd]

I can think of a few reasons for the change.

Some owners have been asking if the AAP can be used as the goto and/or guiding but use a different camera (non ZWO) for imaging.

And if the new owners have been having issues with the platesolving it may prevent them from getting images captured.

If I were ZWO I would have made this optional so may be you can re-activate it.

 

[Andy Webster]

I had the same problem where I had done a two star alignment, imaged M31, then asked for M1. I was using the Synscan app on my computer. It told me M1 was out of range. I knew that was wrong, as it was directly overhead. I decided to ask for the Flame Nebula, which was clearly visible to my south. It then proceeded to point towards the ground. I just packed up at that point. Upon investigation I discovered I had south instead of north in the latitude coordinates. I have now finally discovered how to interface my ASIAIR with the mount after many times of trying unsuccessfully. The Synscan handbox is not even in the equation anymore. I hook the ASIAIR straight to my EQ6R pro with a type 2 USB(hp printer cable) and the ASIAIR is fully functional. It gets it’s lat/lon coordinates from my ipad as well as the time and date. Now my life is so much simpler. I’m still waiting for a break in the weather to try out the onboard PHD, but from all indications it looks like I’m finally on the right path.