iOS TestFlight ASIAIR v1.6

w7ay

By the way, ASIAIR Betas do not include update logs. The only information is in the TestFlight page that describes what a beta tester is supposed to focus on:

The "soft restart" is in the popup menu when you click on the red power icon at the top right corner of the ASIAIR Settings window. There is now a "Restart" button in that popup (similar to MacOS "Restart/Shutdown").

This can actually be useful for me because right now, my telescope's eero mesh router is in the same waterproof box as my ASIAIR, and powered from a common 12V supply that is indoors. When I reboot the ASIAIR by toggling the power supply, that also reboots the router (takes forever to boot and properly join the mesh). With this new function, I should be able to reboot the ASIAIR without affecting the router.

Chen

w7ay

jrrjrr

No idea. I just saw an iOS notification from TestFlight when I got up this morning.

That said, a little birdy told me by email a night ago that a public beta is coming out this week. So I was watching out for it. I think this is the public beta. Keep in mind that Apple staggers their app updates for different parts of the country and world; but usually completes within 24 hours -- the same might be true with TestFlight (I retired more than 15 years ago, so I have no idea how Apple operates today).

Chen

w7ay

Oh, this might make some people happy; the new iOS app now uses a dark background for the startup screens.

Chen

w7ay

Aha! Found the Multi-star switch. It is in the "About" screen (the icon that looks like a big ellipsis). In Experimental Feature. The extra information in there says this:

So, the way to go back to single star is to pick your own guide star or turn the switch off. Wonder what it does after an auto meridian flip :-)

Chen

Skylab1

w7ay what is a plan mode?

Skylab1

I am in SoCal but I haven't see update yet, I guess I have to wait some more, dame.,

w7ay

Skylab1 I am in SoCal but I haven't see update yet

At least you have dry skies. I am in the "Pacific Northwest Rain Forest." It is even predicted to dip just below freezing tonight at my elevation (900 ft).

Chen

w7ay

Skylab1 what is a plan mode?

No clue. The "hamburger" menu icon (same one that is seen when you choose AutoRun) seems to be disabled.

The hamburger icon is so nicknamed on the web for an icon with three horizontal parallel lines. In the ASIAIR, the horizontal lines are accompanied by a dot (like Morse code for "A" with an extra long dash.)

Chen

Kring

I am gonna guess plan mode is multi-target sequences. They hinted at it coming this release

Skylab1

Kring did you get the update yet?

Kring

Skylab1 not yet! Guessing I will tomorrow

w7ay

In the Experimental Feature window, there is also a switch for a "New Plate Solving Algorithm," described as "More accurate star detection under a faint environment."

I didn't see this in my All Sky Camera (constructed from an old unused original ASIAIR (Raspberry Pi 3), an unused ASI178MC camera and a Cs mount lens), but it popped up after I downloaded the v1.6 Beta to my regular version 2 (Raspberry Pi 4) ASIAIR.

Chen

Skylab1

do you need to have 1.5.3 beta installed in order to get 1.6 beta? I switched to the regular 1.5.3 after it was released, so I don't have beta install anymore.

w7ay

Skylab1 do you need to have 1.5.3 beta installed in order to get 1.6 beta?

Don't think so; TestFlight does not know what version of the regular ASIAIR app you are running.

Who knows, perhaps I am on a not-quite-public-beta list (I didn't sign up for it, but who knows).

I was told just two nights ago that the public beta is coming this week (from all the way to the top of the company). So even if I am on a non-public list, a real public beta should appear soon for everybody.

Chen

Skylab1

w7ay on 1.5.3 during calibration after the north step, south step does not return to the guide star, once and while a nuge south will come on but is still does not return to the guide stars. When I run the full version of phd2 on the laptop I don’t have this problem, why is that?

w7ay

Skylab1 on 1.5.3 during calibration after the north step, south step does not return to the guide star, once and while a nuge south will come on but is still does not return to the guide stars. When I run the full version of phd2 on the laptop I don’t have this problem, why is that?

Works fine for both my RST-135 (virtually no backlash from the strain wave gears) and my mount simulator (no backlash). If it is only in North-South, check for excessive backlash of your Declination axis.

Chen

Skylab1

w7ay thanks for the info, I can wait to give this a try

Skylab1

w7ay you must be on a very special list because no update as yet on test flight for everyone else. 😄

Skylab1

w7ay I am not the only one has this problem I have the AVX mount. Other users also had the same issue, so far we just stop the loop after the calibration is finished and start the guiding again. I remember when the AAP was on 1.4 it didn’t have this problem, it only started doing this when I updated to 1.5.

Skylab1

Kring me too

astrosatch

Wow! Great, new version and with multistar guiding. Haven't expected this feature to be included so soon. What about android version release?
I can't wait to try it. Hope this release won't introduce more problems. I have pretty stable and solid 1.5.3.

P.s. Maybe after three years of development they can rename it from ' Asiair easy as 1,2,3' to 'Asiair as it should be'😀
After all Asiair pro is maturing nicely and there are people using it with AP, 10micron and other premium mounts. I really can't imagine them to be complete beginners. I would also like guiding assistant and min/max motion features included.

Great work ZWO.

Andrej