Connect to AZ GTi via Sky Safari or Stellarium (android)

[Elp]

20 minutes ago, Robthepiano said:

I respectfully think this may be a blind alley. I have never used anything but new or rechargeable AA batteries and not had a problem. 

OP has confirmed they are using a battery pack so no issue. There is however an issue using AA batteries, I've owned two azgtis and they were both the same, new batteries lasted a few minutes then the WiFi would drop and the app slew commands will go hit and miss then not work at all. A lot of us on the owners thread have experienced the same. Using a decent 12v battery or mains power and the problem goes away. Your issue may be in the minority, it can be very frustrating when it happens.

[Starfazed]

Hi, I'm also really struggling to get Sky Safari 7 Plus to connect to Synscan to drive my Skywatcher GOTO telescope. I bought SS7 specifically to allow me to point on the star map and go to it. This is on an Android 12 phone.

I can connect without difficulty between Synscan and the scope but I just get the "can't make a wireless connection to the telescope" error message in SS7 when trying to connect. 

I had a big SS7 crash which prompted the ominous warning "something went wrong with sky safari 7 plus - sky safari 7 plus closed because this app has a bug. Try updating this app afyer the developer provides a fix".

Next time I opened SS7 it connected to Synscan perfectly using IP 127.0.0.1 and port 11882. For a few precious minutes I could point at the SS7 sky map and the scope would go to what I clicked. Then it broke again and still won't connect.

I have disabled battery optimisation settings for SS7 and Synscan and tried running g them split screen. No joy.

Can anyone offer further suggestions short of seeking a refund from SS? The other program I was thinking of using to try controlling my scope was Stellarium, and in Synscan connection settings there is a built in option for Stellarium. Is that likely to work more reliably than SS7, or is there something inherent in Android phone apps that stops them talking to each other?

 

[happy-kat]

although I am later android this was the fix that worked in this comment

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/418954-connect-to-az-gti-via-sky-safari-or-stellarium-android/?do=findComment&comment=4459381

[Starfazed]

Thanks, despite running Amdroid 12 (which os supposed to have it), that option isn't listed in developer options on my phone so so way to test it.

Edited February 17 by Starfazed

[happy-kat]

the option is really low down on list you have to pick it

 

Edited February 17 by happy-kat

[Starfazed]

Definitely can't see it on my phone...

Anyway, been playing further and discovered that I can use SS7 to control the scope if I connect using Synscan (Im using 2.4.10) but not Synscan Pro (2.4.16). Neither is quite the latest version but the older version of basic Synscan allows it to be controlled by SS7 whereas the newer one doesn't. Guess I'll not be updating Synscan for a while then.

The main benefit to me of Synscan Pro is 3 star alignment, but as I can run Synscan and Synscan Pro together, if I launch both and let Synscan Pro do the alignment maybe I can then keep Synscan open (assuming it thinks the scope is aligned, if it's already aligned through Synscan Pro) and use SS7 to control Synscan?

All this is theoretical - testing indoors on a rainy day as don't want to be wasting time trying this out in the precious few minutes without clouds!

[happy-kat]

You can use one star alignment as many times as you like on stars you choose to build a 3 star alignment of your own. I'm using the latest synscan pro with SS7 plus. Check your preset connection settings as may be they didn't default to being the same when you tested the two versions.

[jjohnson3803]

<deleted>

Edited February 18 by jjohnson3803

[Orange Smartie]

My az gti is now refusing to connect to sky safari again. Man, this thing is frustrating.

 

[AstroNebulee]

3 minutes ago, Orange Smartie said:

My az gti is now refusing to connect to sky safari again. Man, this thing is frustrating.

 

What ip address are you using? I can't remember if you went back to using another instead of 127.0.0.1. 

Lee 

[Orange Smartie]

I can't connect with either the one you mention above or 192.168.4.2

[happy-kat]

When you go into synscan WiFi settings on your az-gti what does it list for you for software connections IP to use

[Orange Smartie]

Fixed IP is listed as 192.168.4.1

Communication protocol listed as 11882

 

Note that the settings which worked before now don't.

[Elp]

12 minutes ago, Orange Smartie said:

Fixed IP is listed as 192.168.4.1

Have you tried using this address within sky safari?

[Orange Smartie]

I've tried all combinations of 192.168.4.1 and 192.168.4.2 with 11881 and 11882. Previously, the mount worked with 192.168.4.2/11882 but now it doesn't.

[Elp]

And the WiFi connection to the azgti is solid and never dropping or switching to another network?

And you can control the mount fine via synscan?

[Orange Smartie]

Mostly. I have noticed that synscan has frozen a couple of times.

[Elp]

This is likely your issue. When I tried it recently as per my earlier post this was also happening to me.

If you really really want to use it this way best thing to do is buy an old phone or tablet with an old operating system on it, or ask around someone you know might have one lying around not being used. App support generally isn't that good for niche apps, I don't think they test them very well and many reviews after app updates usually follow on with negative user reviews.

Or see if you can find an older version of synscan pro to try and don't update it.

Edited February 26 by Elp

[Orange Smartie]

Yes, good idea. Turns out, I have an old Samsung galaxy that I can try.

Shame to have to do this, though. The concept is brilliant and when it works, it's very impressive.

[happy-kat]

I think it's more to do with the phone Android then synscan

[Elp]

Phone updates are annoying. Ive had excellent paid for versions of apps once the OSs were updated, they no longer worked. Perfectly excellent apps and money wasted, the updated apps were worse too. I still have old phones around for this reason, and for the purposes of troubleshooting.

[Orange Smartie]

Thanks all once again for the support and encouragement. Mrs Smartie remarked again what an amazing community this is.

Quick update - old Samsung Galaxy has been revivified after 18 months on the bookshelf and synscan pro and Sky Safari Pro installed. Connected to Sky Safari on the first attempt, so initial indications are that it will work. I can't find a menu option to turn off auto updates, but it does appear that the Galaxy expects me to manually select to download them so hopefully I should be ok with this now. 

Edited February 26 by Orange Smartie
Typo

[happy-kat]

That's great, what version of sky safari is that old Samsung 4,5,6 or 7 please?

[Orange Smartie]

Hi. It's 7 pro, I believe.