Asiair software update 2.0 10.46

[Elp]

Recently upgraded to the above (do I have a choice?), don't know about anyone else but do you find it's much worse since?

I've been using airs for around two years, since I got autoguiding working it's been a treat and generally had little to no issues. The latest update however makes me want to throw it some distance.

Setup today took 1.5 hours, don't know why, it normally takes 30-40 mins (complete physical setup from scratch, PA, focusing, plan etc). The polar alignment is utter nonsense now, it used to be so easy to do, usually done in under 5 minutes, now constant toing and froing, there's nothing wrong with the physical kit, it's the software.

Worst thing today, I am accustomed to using two airs at the same time and control them from the one phone. Since the update it gets confused as to which air it's connected to and shows UI of the "other" air, in zwo's infinite wisdom to make their software "better" (worse) I managed to delete an hour's worth of data thinking I was setting up the second air. And then the first setup didn't respond to any button presses.

Thanks zwo.

Edited January 21, 2023 by Elp

[jpoulette]

Well, as a new owner of an ZWO ASIAIR Plus (haven't even used it yet) this is a tad discouraging to hear.

I don't plan to use a smart phone per se, but I'm wondering if using a phone link app with a PC (for alignment anyway) would be any less cumbersome.

 

[david_taurus83]

I'm new to the whole ASIAir world and I'm pretty sure that's the version on my Mini. I've had no issues really and found it a breeze to use so sorry your having issues. You obviously have more experience with it and will know a lot more than myself. I seen an update announced on their Facebook page last weekend nut there were no end of negative comments so I haven't tried the latest update myself.

[Elp]

If you're using one setup it's generally hassle free. The new update doesn't like switching between two airs.

I don't know why they changed the PA routine. I easily used to get around 20-30 arc seconds within around 3 minutes of setting up, now it's very difficult to get below 1 arc minute within ten minutes. Maybe it wasn't too accurate to start off with?

And guiding also has issues now, prompts keep coming up with issues, calibration for some reason yesterday was done in 2-3 steps each direction when usually it used to take around 8-10 in each direction, then the software has the audacity to state guiding might not be accurate due to a short number of steps. Note I haven't changed anything with my setup routine, only the software has been updated. My second setup for some reason did a kamikaze nosedive after every 15 subs affecting the next 5 and the RA never recovered, and then it having to automatically recentre and continue, never had that before.

Also for some unknown dumb reason when I setup I am now at my physical stop on altitude with my WO wedge and have to lower the tripod back legs to accommodate, why this has suddenly become an issue is beyond me.

One good thing, I did recover the images I deleted, but due to frustration with it lost out on imaging for another four hours.

Edited January 21, 2023 by Elp

[Elp]

Just found something else, after spending 15 minutes taking darks the genius emmc memory on the mini decided not to write any of the files. Never had an issue with the external memory card on the pro.

[bosun21]

53 minutes ago, Elp said:

Just found something else, after spending 15 minutes taking darks the genius emmc memory on the mini decided not to write any of the files. Never had an issue with the external memory card on the pro.

Is there no way to reinstall the previous version of software? I never do updates after they are released, and wait a good while for feedback to roll in. I hope you find a solution that works for you.

[Elp]

Maybe, I think by using the asiair app though it will auto install.

[bosun21]

3 hours ago, Elp said:

Maybe, I think by using the asiair app though it will auto install.

Ah! yes it more than likely would. What about using a separate phone for each asiair?

[The Admiral]

Looking at my Android settings, I see that I am supposed to be on v2. 

19 hours ago, Elp said:

don't know why they changed the PA routine. I easily used to get around 20-30 arc seconds within around 3 minutes of setting up, now it's very difficult to get below 1 arc minute within ten minutes.

I concur with this. I never found PA to be very quick, and generally I use the all sky PA as I don't have a decent view of Polaris. But now, iterating to alignment seems erratic, and often it reports solving failed. I am wondering if the fact that tracking doesn't seem very sticky now is causing problems. I often give up nowhere near decent alignment, and just carry on, leaving the guiding to make up for it. Can't waste that much time. Strangely, when I am aligned to a target, tracking stays on. 

Ian

[Elp]

22 hours ago, bosun21 said:

Ah! yes it more than likely would. What about using a separate phone for each asiair?

Wanted to avoid this but guess it'll have to do.

[Elp]

Something very peculiar happening. I think with this update they've kind of nerfed the asiair pro. WiFi range has become woeful, keeps disconnecting causing issues with control. For some reason my telescope was on target on first goto, then second went completely somewhere else. I wouldn't discredit the cold affecting my azgti though, two nights on the trot it's happened, enough for me to break it down again.

[DSviewer]

Looking at the AsiAir myself as well little confused as to when u add the calibration frames I know you can create outside of the autorun sequence if there  website or tutorial somewhere as have no idea when u setup the whole night  sequence

[The Admiral]

39 minutes ago, DSviewer said:

have no idea when u setup the whole night  sequence

Personally, when imaging I just do the lights and sequence just for that. With a cooled set-point camera I do all the darks in a batch and just re-use them. I take flats and dark-flats in the house, after taking the scope off the mount, being careful not to change the focus or camera rotation. The sequencing is up to you, although because there isn't a dark-flats option I call them bias.

Ian

[Elp]

If you're using an Asiair gen 2 (pro) and later a nights session is normally done in the plan mode, it isn't available on the first gen model, neither is video mode. There you set your project name, target, the images you want to take (lights, darks etc, if you don't have a fully automated setup including auto flat and dark setup there's no point in adding it at this stage, either take the calibration before or after), set your exposure time and number of images to take. You can set it to auto meridian flip, turn off cooling, set to home position, turn off asiair if you want. Or set multiple targets so once one is done it'll automatically slew to the next and carry on. It's easy to use, don't really need to see a tutorial to figure it out.

[The Admiral]

Is there any advantage of plan mode if you only image one target a night and have no automated flats?

To me there's no point in doing darks each time when you can take them at any time? You can command meridian flip, re-focus, go to home, and shut down in auto mode. Seems to work for me (or at least, at the moment go to home is dodgy because I've had it not stop at the home position, so I would rather be there!). I don't leave the gear unattended.

Ian

[Elp]

Plan mode is useful if you have a specific framing/coordinates in mind which you can import into the plan so on multiple nights your framing will always be the same, or if you're doing mosaics the whole pane list can be added into the one plan, with the newer updates the in built stellarium kind of mitigates the framing issue if you're only doing one target. Generally yes, when doing calibration frames you're usually with the scope anyway, but when I do all the darks and biases and dark flats I set them all to run at the same time in plan mode and they save to their respective folders on the air.

I own a gen 1 so I know its usages and limitations.

Edited January 28, 2023 by Elp

[The Admiral]

When I want to image the same target another night, I open a sub from the previous imaging, plate solve, and goto. Seems to work. How do you effect that when using the plan mode?

Ian

[Elp]

The question was asked about how a whole night sequence is setup and I've described a way to do it. You can do it via autorun also. Plan mode will go to the coordinates set within it (or the coordinates of the target pre listed within the airs database) so you don't need to pre plate solve anything, as long as your PA is correct and your home position, it will return to the same position as per the plan and plate solve when it finishes doing the goto and recentre itself. If you're dithering your subs will mismatch at the edges anyway once stacked so some misalignment will occur throughout the project and cropping will be required, if it dithers too much it will auto recentre itself whilst running a plan, I don't know whether it does this during autorun mode.

This isn't why I started this thread, it is for describing and trying to resolve any of the latest software update issues so please stay on point.

[Elp]

On 21/01/2023 at 16:42, bosun21 said:

Is there no way to reinstall the previous version of software?

I've just tried this. Although the asiair will be running its up to date firmware as I haven't messed with this, I uninstalled the 2.0 android app, and luckily had a version 1.9 apk saved so installed that one. Upon opening it states it is an old version and to update, there's a "not now" small green text on the lower RHS you can click. Back into the asiair with the old UI with the full screen preview screen.

Waiting for a clear sky now to test it.

[bosun21]

1 hour ago, Elp said:

I've just tried this. Although the asiair will be running its up to date firmware as I haven't messed with this, I uninstalled the 2.0 android app, and luckily had a version 1.9 apk saved so installed that one. Upon opening it states it is an old version and to update, there's a "not now" small green text on the lower RHS you can click. Back into the asiair with the old UI with the full screen preview screen.

Waiting for a clear sky now to test it.

That’s great news. I missed that “Not now “ function as well.

[Elp]

On 01/02/2023 at 15:01, Elp said:

Waiting for a clear sky now to test it.

Version 1.9 beta of the app last night, no issues. The latest comet however wasnt listed in the database.

[Philip Terry]

I've been getting the same problems with PA and calibration, using a single rig.  Fine until January. These problems seem to be coming up on various discussion boards, I'm waiting in the hope that ZWO are going to address these issues in the next update soon. Meanwhile, I'm plugging on with PA supposedly no better than 90", and ignoring a lot of the error messages! I can generally still get decent 240 sec subs with the wackiness ignored. My biggest gripe has been failures to lock on to guide stars when there seems to be a screen full of them, but maybe that's coincidental and just me. Anyone had that?

Edited February 6, 2023 by Philip Terry

[Elp]

Had it recently when I was using my OAG, I've noticed it has a tendency to lose stars a lot too.

[Philip Terry]

Yep, my OAG is giving me grief, it seemed to be working fine until recently.

Edited February 6, 2023 by Philip Terry

[jfrijhoff]

Oh dear, me contemplating a Plus or Mini is thinking to start getting the hang of NINA instead for a while…