AsiAir

[Pankaj]

Hi everyone. I was planning to purchase AsiAir. Before I do, thought I’ll check out if anyone knows whether Datyson T7 guide camera is supported by AsiAir. I have T7 and given the tight budget that I have, I wanted to avoid purchasing a new ZWO guide camera. 

[powerlord]

No non dslr cameras other than zwo ones are supported.

Stu

[Pankaj]

4 minutes ago, powerlord said:

No non dslr cameras other than zwo ones are supported.

Stu

Thanks Stu. This means there’s no choice for me but to buy a Zwo guide camera along with asi air.

[powerlord]

'fraid so. Other than dslrs and mounts it's a zwo only device. Luckily their stuff is good

[wimvb]

35 minutes ago, Pankaj said:

Thanks Stu. This means there’s no choice for me but to buy a Zwo guide camera along with asi air.

There is. Check out a Stellarmate instead.

[powerlord]

there are of course other choices. stellarmate, astroberry, nina, kstars, etc.

But I would generalise and say that all of those are comparible -they have a broad range of features in common, and most importantly a user interface which is reasonably common.

asiair does not. asiair is a device build for simplicity with a mobile ONLY interface. If that is your prime requirement there ARE no other choices.

If you prefer or are happy to use a full PC type interface, then yes, stellarmate and others are an option of course.

Cuiv's latest youtube video is quite spot on at the difference. He is a long term nina user, which is not a million miles away from what stellarmate offers:

 

[vineyard]

Stellarmate has an app functionality too.  I don't know how good the UX is on the app b/c I use it via a remote laptop.  But have to say I am a big fan of Stellarmate (I believe ASIAir uses INDI underneath just as EKOS on Stellarmate does).

The restrictiveness to ZWO products is a big deterrent.  If the OP ever wants to start using auto-focusers, he will also be stuck with a ZWO EAF & so will not be able to use other v good products like DeepSkyDad, Pegasus, SestoSenso etc.  I'd imagine it will be similar for filter wheels?

Cheers

Edited September 21, 2021 by vineyard

[powerlord]

the stellarmate mobile app is very basic.

yes - as you say, you are making a decision to work within the walled garden. either you are ok with that or not. In that regard it's very similar to apple ?

As with apple, you get benefits like reliability and easy of use because of the limited support required.

As with apple, you get the frustration of incompatibility with non apple gear. Macos/ios is berkley unix underneath. so what ? If you've ever used Berkely unix you'll know that it is about as similar to macos as a tree and a squirrel.

I'm definately not saying asiair is a panacea. I am saying, they are different beasts. depending on what is important to you, one may be head and shoulder above the other.

The op asked about asiair so I answered.

It's good to go in eyes open for sure.

imho, as a geek who published his first spectrum game aged 12, and as I very old geek who has spent the intermediate time writing, designing and architecting software, what zwo have achieved is very very good imho. stellarmate is 'just' some existing software put together (i know it's support, tesitng, etc and the minimum mobile app, but still..) . asiair is a solution to a problem. I have to respect them for that. And I can't fault them for making it a walled garden. Why on earth wouldn't they do that.  Astroberry as open source is of course welcome to do the same thing, but so far it's devs have not. Maybe that will change ? Or maybe it won't.

I do hope so, competition breeds innovation and we could do with some of that in astronomy where 'computer controlled' is still used in marketing like some sort of futuristic mantra in the 1980w, and gps addons are still sold for mounts as if they are flying cars. If nothing else. asiair might shake up the utter stagnation in the application of technology to astrophotography ?

 

 

[vineyard]

17 hours ago, powerlord said:

...as a geek who published his first spectrum game aged 12, and as I very old geek who has spent the intermediate time writing, designing and architecting software, what zwo have achieved is very very good imho...

...competition breeds innovation and we could do with some of that in astronomy ...If nothing else. asiair might shake up the utter stagnation in the application of technology to astrophotography ?

 

 

I remember ZXSpectrum - fun times playing games on that - which game was it?

Agreed re competition & innovation.  For me, I have non-ZWO auto-focusers so that's a walled garden I've avoided entering so far.  Am hopeful that the new Stellarmate Pro which is meant to launch later this year will be similarly disruptive for the walled garden approach too🤞🏾

Cheers!

[powerlord]

just an educational platform game - just sold to schools, local libraries.