Asiair software update 2.0 10.46

[Philip Terry]

But it is fantastic when it's running to specification. I've had zero issues until recently, and I think the ZWO team have been very responsive to user concerns in the past, I expect the same again. And I'm still using it, even with occasional glitches.

[Elp]

Yes, still the easiest solution around. I've got a feeling they rushed out an update to improve the am5 experience, but in doing so ruined something which worked so well for years. Touch wood I'll stick with v1.9 of the app for now.

Edited February 6, 2023 by Elp

[Elp]

Another fine evening, and more wasted hours.

The mini paired with the gem28, kept turning tracking off automatically after starting a plan (it also happened when I tried it in autorun mode), sometimes after 1 image captured, usually after 2-5. Constant all session, lost around 1.5 hours wasted time. I haven't adjusted my gem28 settings since having it, worked fine before. Checked for the issue, people have reported it for over a year, first time I've experienced it though.

Second rig with the pro, didn't even want to plate solve when polar aligning, using an S2 filter taking 10s captures stating there's 300 odd stars in the image, erm, not in such a narrowband image, sorry zwo you're wrong. Third time in a row setting up this rig, each time different problems, station mode to the WiFi extender is setup but doesn't want to connect to, so have to put my phone right on top of the pro to get any semblance of usable file transfer whereas it worked from 1-2 meters away before. Lost the chance to image for 4-5 hours.

This is ridiculous and not acceptable.

 

Edited February 7, 2023 by Elp

[Simon Pepper]

I feel your pain I have had nights like this worst being coming down to a mount strike and the mount still slewing against it for a couple hours. I went through a bad patch with them on the OS before the latest. Also both tHis happened it was in plan mode I don’t trust that mode anymore. I have to say though since the recent update I have only seen a few little oddities such as capture stopped unable to write to card but a reboot of the device has sorted that. Just out of interest how do you turn off the AAP do you use the app to shut down or the switch on it? It’s hard to understand these issues as everyone has different setups so what affects you won’t affect someone else I doubt. I do hope you have better luck or they push out bug fix version. If I had a permanent pier and obsy I would definitely transition to NINA.

Edited February 8, 2023 by Simon Pepper

[Elp]

I always return the scope to home then shutdown via the app, then power off/out physically before the airs without switches restart.

It's definitely a software issue as I have three different asiairs (gen1, 2 (pro) and mini) and two different mounts, all worked fine for 12-18 months, latest update and nothing but issues, usually random ones each time. I had to update back to v2.0 of the app as the 1.9 I reverted back to kept freezing, so it could be a case I need to find a way of rolling back the firmware on the units.

I'm really annoyed with the pro though, has been a workhorse and now seems like an expensive paperweight atm.

Edited February 8, 2023 by Elp

[Simon Pepper]

Interesting so are you saying you are running an older app with the latest software on the pro? Pretty sure you can’t go back with software on the pro. 

[Elp]

I had the latest app which subsequently updated the firmware on my pro and mini (haven't done it on the gen1 yet, and won't). But had the issues detailed herein.

Just to see if it made a difference I then used a previous older version of the app, but it didn't.

I'll have to research, the pro has a micro SD card with everything loaded onto it so I'd assume it can be rolled back. Even the newer plus and mini should be able to, it's only software.

[powerlord]

On 20/01/2023 at 23:58, Elp said:

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.

missed this thread. I've been using 2 asiairs for 2 years, and the showing the UI of one on the other has always been the case - it's just a bit rubbish when switching. you need to switch, close app, and reconnect really. or better still, just use a differnt device for each asiair - which is what I do now.

The PA is interesting - I had that behaviour with the AM5 I had - though I did eliminate the asiair and still had issues so there was an issue with the AM5 - which went back to FLO and was replaced with an EQ6 which works faultlessly

[Simon Pepper]

I spoke too soon. Last night whilst on autorun was working as expected but then its randomly stopped at 2330 ish. Gone to check the AAP log and there is no log created for the autorun on the 8th lol. I suspect its the issue I saw the other day and mentioned above where it cant write to the card so it stops but who knows. Software updates please ZWO

[powerlord]

Having read the thread now, I can't say I have your issues. Weird. Something to do with the mount maybe ? I certainly found with my new EQ6 (which replaced AM5 in dec), it didn't like the chipset for the USB serial and I had to buy a serial usb to RJ45 FTDI chipset one.

But though that worked, it seemed to be doing funny things - sometimes not flipping, sometimes going the wrong way or PA being weird.

In the end, I found that a ZWO issues image to reflash my asiair to which had the new driver for the EQ6 chipset. Once I'd flashed that on, reconnected the new app, and let it upgrade image to the latest, I could use the in buiilt USB port on the asiair and the issues I had all went away.

It doesn't sound like it's the same thing for you to be honest, though it does sort of sound mount related - it might be worth hunting the forums and seeing what your mount is using. And if you are using a serial lead, try another one with a different chip set - perhaps the update changed the linux driver under the covers for it and that's whats screwing it up.

stu

[powerlord]

3 minutes ago, Simon Pepper said:

I spoke too soon. Last night whilst on autorun was working as expected but then its randomly stopped at 2330 ish. Gone to check the AAP log and there is no log created for the autorun on the 8th lol. I suspect its the issue I saw the other day and mentioned above where it cant write to the card so it stops but who knows. Software updates please ZWO

was it random, or just after a meridian flip ? mine reguarily stops imaging after a meridian flip in autorun - it does the flip, plate solves, starts guiding, and then just sits there idle even though autorun is 'running'. stopping and starting autorun makes no difference. the only thing that does is either rebooting (Arg... have to goto, re calibrqate guiiding, etc again), or to go to plan and set up a plan that does the remaining subs youo wanted for the autorun.

I've raised that one as a bug with asiair.

I assume people ARE raising bugs ? If not, please do - you can do it in the app. It look about 1 week for mine to be assigned, and it is now being looked at.

stu

[Simon Pepper]

3 minutes ago, powerlord said:

was it random, or just after a meridian flip ? mine reguarily stops imaging after a meridian flip in autorun - it does the flip, plate solves, starts guiding, and then just sits there idle even though autorun is 'running'. stopping and starting autorun makes no difference. the only thing that does is either rebooting (Arg... have to goto, re calibrqate guiiding, etc again), or to go to plan and set up a plan that does the remaining subs youo wanted for the autorun.

I've raised that one as a bug with asiair.

I assume people ARE raising bugs ? If not, please do - you can do it in the app. It look about 1 week for mine to be assigned, and it is now being looked at.

stu

The flip was about 8pm and it stopped just after 11pm. I had gone to bed so it could have been anything, but when I woke up the camera was disconnected but the mount was still tracking. Could be anything to be honest even an issue with my camera or SD card I will keep an eye on it. I didnt realise you could report bugs from the app ill be sure to do that going forwards. Thanks 

[powerlord]

sounds like camera disconnect is reason then ? possibly pulled loose while moving ? happened to me quite a few times.

yeh bug wise, it even zips up all the logs and uploads them with your problem report so it's pretty painless.

[Elp]

I don't think the usb ports are built very well, a slight touch on them and the camera can disconnect, I stopped using the supplied cables straight away.

Camera/general equipment disconnect can also do with the total power draw, my 183 used to disconnect multiple times during a plan, found out the last item plugged in (WiFi extender) was drawing too much power, took it out and never had the issue again.

[Elp]

1 hour ago, powerlord said:

issues. Weird. Something to do with the mount maybe

I won't eliminate the mounts just yet as I suspect the strange gotos might be temperature related (it was when snow was around for a week or so), BUT, my azgti and gem28 had been working fine any time of the year for 18 months or so without having to adjust anything at all with them as everything was controlled by the airs, the only issue I had was with the poor WiFi range in the pro which I addressed with the WiFi extender and mentioned camera disconnect issue above.

After the update a multitude of random issues so that can only point to the update being the culprit. I have submitted on their forum a list of issues, and will likely start raising bug reports too, the issue is, looking at the logs they don't report the issues I'm having (eg mount stopped tracking isn't even mentioned, only when I've manually stopped the plan and restarted it).

[Elp]

A small bit of progress. I could revert my mini back to factory firmware from the latest 10.46 as there's the option within the air under "i" information tab. Using 2.0 of the app however you can't get into the air as it states to update the firmware and there's no button to decline. Reverted back to 1.9 of the app and could get back in, so I'll have to wait for another clear night.

From the outset, there's no such option to rollback the firmware on the pro. I've left my gen1 untouched as an absolute backup.

Edited February 9, 2023 by Elp

[Simon Pepper]

I have just seen V 2.1 is out for beta testing let’s hope for some improvements!

[Elp]

And the problems are already been listed, it is a beta though so expected.

Another bit of progress, I did manage to reset the pro to an earlier firmware, and via app v1.9 beta firmware was updated from 4.35 to 9.46.

Now for a clear night...

[Elp]

Update: running 1.9 beta app and firmware 10.40 on the MINI, other than the app freezing and reloading itself once, did a 4+ hour session, no issues, guiding was also decent at around 1.5-2 RMS at 1000mm FL. Hopefully it carries on no issue.

The ultimate test will be how the pro fares as that's the one which has given me most of the problems...

[powerlord]

just to say the bug I raised about autoruns not imaging sometimes after a meridian flip was acknowledged and is being fixed in 2.1 - doesn't say if was fixed already or added because of my report, but shows it is worth raising tickets. Apparently it was an APP only issue, not on air or mini.

stu

[Elp]

Update: App version still on 1.9 beta, pro on firmware 9.46, mini still on firmware 10.40, imaged for 4+ hours on both no issues, so likely my issues have been fixed by rolling back the firmwares and using an older app version.

I've seen the app version 2.1 official release is now out but I won't be updating yet. Just as a precautionary measure I also now download each app APK file directly from ZWO so I can control better which version I'm using.

[david_taurus83]

On 15/02/2023 at 14:23, powerlord said:

just to say the bug I raised about autoruns not imaging sometimes after a meridian flip was acknowledged and is being fixed in 2.1 - doesn't say if was fixed already or added because of my report, but shows it is worth raising tickets. Apparently it was an APP only issue, not on air or mini.

stu

My Mini does  this after a flip. It looks like it just stops imaging but it's just a glitch with the preview. If you exit back to the front menu and reconnect to the device you should find that it has continued imaging as planned. 

[powerlord]

nah not mine - it just does nothing. only reboot sorts it.

[900SL]

My AAP first started off thinking I was around 15 degrees out on polar alignment when I was clearly pointing at the north star. This ended up sitting in a drawer until I reflashed the OS with a code from ASI

More recently it has been randomly dropping the mount and guide scope connections (3 times the other night) which means I have to babysit every frame

The USB ports are junk, the cables can flop about. I changed the cables to better quality ones but the issue is the sockets, they are loose tolerance. This also doesn't explain why the mount connection is dropping too, as this is a LAN connection

The max power on the combined USB ports is pretty low, don't exceed the limit of a few watts or you will get random disconnects

ASI's habit of pushing out software updates with the users acting as beta testers is infuriating, as is not providing a means to roll back or stay on older more established versions

I'm done with their tied in ecosystem. It's convenient when it works, but is frequently doesn't, and the inability to roll back has done it for me. I've bought a mini PC and I am moving to Nina and PHD2

 

 

 

[Elp]

28 minutes ago, 900SL said:

I'm done with their tied in ecosystem. It's convenient when it works, but is frequently doesn't, and the inability to roll back has done it for me. I've bought a mini PC and I am moving to Nina and PHD2

Unfortunate. I persevered, and eventually did roll back my pro and mini as well as the mobile app (luckily had an older version) and all has been running well since. Zwo do make it difficult though for the consumer. The mini and plus firmware can easily be rolled back in the "i" information menu I think via the app, and there's a button to roll back to factory firmware. You do however need to connect to it again afterward with an older app version, otherwise you'll be forced to update the air firmware if one was bundled with the "newer" app version.