CAA Questions

Brannonq

Just received and install the CAA but I won't be a be able to use it for a few nights. I am using a ASI 2600MC Air with AM5n, EAF, and EFW. When I power on the 2600 Air all devices automatically connect and are available in the App. The CAA remains greyed out until I manually turn on the toggle and then it connects. Is this by design or should it automatically connect when the camera is powered on with the other devices? This next question may be more of a feature request. Is there a way to limit the rotation of the CAA based on user defined specifications? For example I only want to rotate it + or - 90 degrees from the home position since any further rotation might twist my connections too much. I already had to adjust some slack because the rotation popped out the 12v plug from the AM5n saddle.

Tech@ZWO

Brannonq 1 We will test this.
2 for the requirement, it has a limit position, won't keep going in the same direction, not sure if it could solve the problem you have.

3mb2H9v9

I also just received and installed the CAA and in the process of doing the checkout in the basement waiting for decent weather. My config includes the AM5 mount, ASIAir Plus, a guide scope and the ASI2400MC Pro camera. Once configured and powered up, the CAA icon in the app remains grayed out while all other components appear as they should. I configured the USB-A connection on the back of the camera for power/data to the CAA through the USB-C port.

When I moved the USB-A connection directly to the ASIAir (needing to unplug the connection to the mount or guide camera or EAF), then the CAA icon will show up in the app as expected and functions as described in the manual.

Thinking I might have an issue with the camera connection, I changed out the ASI2400 with another camera, an ASI6200MC Pro and repeated all of the above actions. Again the CAA would only show up when plugged directly into the ASIAir. Also, both cameras have operated a ZWO Filter Wheel in the past through the USB-A connection. My conclusion is that the camera is not the issue.

Next I thought it might be a power supply (voltage/amperage) issue. I then configured the rig such that the mount, the ASIAir and the camera all had separate 12v/5amp power supplies. I did not have anything plugged into the power outputs of the ASIAir (i.e. no dew heater). Still no change in the results. I am unable to get the CAA icon to show up in the app without plugging it directly into the ASIAir. My conclusion is that power is not the issue.

Whether or not the CAA is live in the app, the manual control (EAF manual controller) will rotate the unit. This tells me that there is power to the CAA when plugged into the back of the camera but apparently no data transfer.

I would like to be up and running with this soon. What am I missing?

Tech@ZWO

3mb2H9v9 Thank you, we will look into this after the holiday

3mb2H9v9

Tech@ZWO
Has anyone looked at this issue yet? First posted January 24, 2025.

rimcrazy

So I hooked up my new CAA to my Redcat 51 setup which is all ZWO. First, I found that the CAA only appears to want to work in an absolute angle mode as opposed to both absolute and/or relative. All of my previous experiences with rotators is with Pegasus rotators using NINA. In NINA, rotators will work with absolute angles if you calibrate them that way but other wise you go into a plan, center the frame on your object the way you want with what ever rotation is required to give you your desired results, put it in the sequence and go image. In this mode with rotators inside NINA, you can connect to the rotator but it will only function if/when you commend it either with a sequence instruction or rotate the optical train while using the framing module. To my surprise last night, I made a "Plan" in my ASI Air + to image IC434 and then image M51. To my surprise, at about 9:15PM last night, right after my mount did a meridian flip imaging IC434, the CAA took off and tried to do a 180 degree rotation. I had never planned on this as I'd never seen this before. I read the CAA manual cover to cover. No where, is there ANY mention that on a meridian flip it's going to rotate your camera 180 degrees. This is really never required these days as almost ALL post processing applications deal with flipped subs such that I never even think about it. Since I am using my AM5 in EQ mode all I really need and want a rotator to do is just set my framing to my liking and then run the program. I see now that with the CAA this is possible but not in an intuitive way at least for me. For folks like myself that are just looking to frame, I see now that I have to connect, set my framing the way I want it and rotate the camera to what I "think" I want. Open up the Star Atlas and see how that frames to my desired object. Play around with this a little until it is what I like. Then I need to disconnect from the CAA and ONLY then, make a plan with the planner and go forward. I assume with the CAA NOT connected I can work with it in the same manner as I do with a rotator in NINA. Because I did not understand how the CAA works vs a rotator in NINA, I only made my cables long enough to support about a 120 degree rotation in only one direction. Which in my past is more than sufficient for my needs. A 180 degree rotation locked up everything in cable snags. Thankfully nothing snapped but it could have. In 20/20 hindsight and knowing how an AA+ works I can now see why it works the way it does but it would be nice to have a few more features for the rest of us that don't want to work in an absolute angle mode. Like:

1) Select between relative and absolute angles.
2) The ability to turn OFF meridian flip rotations if the CAA is connected. It's not needed for many of us.
3) The ability to manually set a "zero" which for relative angles is perfect. I don't care what the absolute angle is.

Sonixx

Thanks for letting us know! I am also using Pegasus Rotator with SGPro and the rotate on meridian flip option is off per default.
For ASIAIR this should be the same, avoiding risk and having less issues with flats.

Please change asap.

Stephan

WillemW

Sonixx let’s hope they change this soon. The 180 degree turn after a meridian flip is a real bad thing.

DvsZIO2F

The limit switch functions just fine, but it does not affect or change the camera axial rotational play which is present always, in any position

Tech@ZWO

Noted, I conveyed to our team.