Rowan AZ100 - using Bluetooth to steer

[JTEC]

Could anyone advise on how best to do this, please?  Derek confirms that, pending the possible arrival of a handset for the AZ100, a simple Bluetooth controller can be used to steer the scope. The issue I have is that of how to nudge the scope accurately, for example, to centre an object while looking through the eyepiece. I’ve not had much success with the onscreen joystick or the buttons in Sky Safari. At high powers, despite the general excellence of the mount, physically shifting it with or without the pan handle isn’t delicate or precise enough. Has anyone a solution to this please? 

[Stu]

8 hours ago, JTEC said:

Could anyone advise on how best to do this, please?  Derek confirms that, pending the possible arrival of a handset for the AZ100, a simple Bluetooth controller can be used to steer the scope. The issue I have is that of how to nudge the scope accurately, for example, to centre an object while looking through the eyepiece. I’ve not had much success with the onscreen joystick or the buttons in Sky Safari. At high powers, despite the general excellence of the mount, physically shifting it with or without the pan handle isn’t delicate or precise enough. Has anyone a solution to this please? 

Pretty sure @Deadlake is doing this with a game controller. Would be interested to know how to do it too, should have. Goto kit on my AZ100 soon 👍

[JTEC]

I think you’ll enjoy it @Stu 🙂  The mount is so good in almost every respect but I miss being able to nudge easily and precisely to centre or reposition objects in the eyepiece.  Most ‘ordinary’ mounts just offer this routinely, of course, via a handset. With something as high quality as the AZ it feels odd not to have it to hand.  Sunday night was a case in point, observing Saturn with the TEC140, the Tak 4 mm and the 3.4 Vixen HR, giving around x245 and x290 in a small field of view, needed something more precise and responsive than tugging around on a pan handle. Am I missing something?

[Deadlake]

I have a beta version of the AZ100 mount software, the front end (web app) is running under iPadOS on a iPad mini 6. I find the screen size on the phone too small.

The gamepad controlller is a SteelSeries Nimbus however any MFI compatible controller will connect.

The controller works well for short movement of the mount and is great to keep nudging the  mount while observing the planets.

 
Due to the Rowan software being in a web app if the application is back grounded or the screen locks then the web app loses control. The gamepad is still connected to the iPad.

Ultimately the real workaround is the gamepad should connect directly to the mount, Xbox or PS gamepad will work best in this case, don’t rush out and buy a MFI device as might not be fully supported. How this works on Android no experience of.

I would also like to see the option for faster slewing assigned to the digital pad on the controller, but time will tell.

No ETA for next code drop.

Edited October 24, 2023 by Deadlake