ASIAIR v3.0 has been released!: Page 8

ASIAIR v3.0 has been released!

Luxo

The safe way to use CAA

plug it in with USB, so it has power;
connect the optional handset (buy one);
in ASIAir DO NOT connect it - leave it disconnected.

Do all rotations manually with the handset - never let ASIAir have control of CAA.

It helps if you manually apply some index marks you can see in the dark at 30, 45, 60 and 90 degree intervals. Nail polish works well (and easily removed).

Maybe one day I’ll print a scale to tape around mine.

Moontanner

Luxo
Tell us what you really think, Luxo.
When was the last time you actually used one? I figured you'd have used yours for target practice by now.

I've had my CAA running for ages now without any cable wrapping issues. The worst problems I've had lately are issues with guiding.
I used to be able to deliberately fool it into losing it's position between ASIAIR reboots. Not anymore.

Last night my CAA worked flawlessly on 3 targets, all with different angles. If I can repeat the setup routine a few more times with the same results I'll be golden.

elakrab

Luxo CAA is a great idea, probably good hardware, but so so executed in design (it hits the OAGs, and it has play) and terribly executed in software from ZWO side. I removed mine, it is shitting inside a box in my self, it is just easier and safer to use the manual rotator

crizzzly

There seems to be an issue with DSLR - I cannot take any images anymore

elakrab

crizzzly yes, they broke completely the gphoto interface in the last update. They don't really have that much manpower to test things properly, nor they seem to have unit tests or simulators... .

Corsair

crizzzly
Anything else changed in your setup?
Exposure failed can often be a power issue....

Moontanner

crizzzly
I just tried this with the Android app and it works ok for me with an old Canon DSLR.

Corsair

aDz38RjR
Can't you exit by tapping on PA on the right hand side and changing the mode to Preview (or any other mode)?

Luxo

Moontanner

I haven't put my CAA back on since removing it - I still use the manual rotator instead. If ZWO added an option for the CAA to be operated manually - only - without having to disable it, I might put it back on to save recalibrating the guider each time.

I'm also using a separate guidescope again, so I don't have much need for the CAA anyway.

Between clouds and other commitments I’m unlikely to have a night out before mid October.

crizzzly

Corsair nope - nothing's changed - but i'll test it without any other devices attached cause another one mentioned that his dslr is working fine. I had only my guidescope & heating for the main mirror connected - as I always do. Powered by 12V 3A power supply

Larry.Cable

Luxo not sure I understand the relationship/dependency between the CAA and a separate guidescope vs. duo or OAG + CAA... would you not still want CAA for proper (automated) framing?

not pejorative merely curious?

Moontanner

Luxo I haven't put my CAA back on since removing it - I still use the manual rotator instead.

I honestly don't blame you after your nightmare situation. Plus, having just set up another scope with a simple graduated manual rotator, I can't say I'll be bothering with a CAA on that one. It's a luxury that doubles the risk of damage due to rotating parts. More so if I use it as a travel rig that gets broken down after each use.

Luxo I'm also using a separate guidescope again, so I don't have much need for the CAA anyway.

LOL. I thought I'd left the lens cap on when I first did a test run on my 2500FL scope.

Clear skies. Hopefully you get some astro time before Oct.

SKG95T28

I ZWO, I have a SeeStar S50 and recently a big setup whit AM5N ans ASIAIR Plus. I am very surprise of the so little function in ASIAIR vs SeeStar! Do you plan to do a new software for the ASIAIR to have all function of SrrStar and many more?

Exemble: I do a ont shot video in timelapse of the eclipse this week whit the SeeStar because it not possible to do the same thing whit the ASIAIR (In one shot, one picture by second for 2 hours an generate a MP4 video).

I have many others things like that!

Larry.Cable

SKG95T28 personally, I would not like to see SeeStar app features migrate to ASIAir, I even question the value of the "telescope n/w" support in V3.0.

I think the SeeStar and ASIAir apps are targeted at different use cases and users and thus should remain for the most part distinct in their UI, capabilities, and workflows...

YMMV

Moontanner

SKG95T28 Exemble: I do a ont shot video in timelapse of the eclipse this week whit the SeeStar because it not possible to do the same thing whit the ASIAIR (In one shot, one picture by second for 2 hours an generate a MP4 video).

I would welcome an easier way to do my evening allsky timelapse with the 12.5mm lens on a spare ASI178MC and ASIAIR Mini.
The current video mode lacks any auto exposure/gain settings at the moment, along with a basic timelapse function. The background music slider is an odd addition, so maybe this is something on the horizon for video mode?

Luxo

Ok … I’m imaging small targets - mainly galaxies and planetary nebulae - that are rarely imaged, at 3000mm f/12. It’s not uncommon with galaxies to line u on the target only to find there isn’t a suitable guide star for the DUO, and there are three approaches to find one:

panning around a little, up/down/left/right, or
stay centred on the target and rotate, or
switch to the piggyback guide scope instead.

I recently bought an ASI676MM to use as the guide camera as this has pixels half the size of those in the ASI120 Mini, and on the first coupe of attempts it looks like it works fine, field is big enough to find guide stars always at f/7, the guidecanera image scale is around 0.8 arcsec/pixel while the main camera is 0.25.

So no more need for rotating.

Larry.Cable

Luxo makes perfect sense thanks!

crizzzly

Moontanner thanks for that info 🙂 That really helps!
another one mentioned power issues - so i'll look into this 🙂

BrineyEye

Had a difficult night last night with 3.0.0 14.39. It started with a WiFi problem and went rapidly downhill from there.
"Monsoon" season is finally here in New Mexico, and we had a lightning strike nearby a couple of days ago that apparently knocked out a transformer just a few hundred yards from us. Our power was back on in a few minutes, but a couple of neighbors had to have service. That may or may not have contributed to the subsequent outage on our Xfinity cable that it took a couple of days to resolve, and last night my ASIAIR+ could not make a WiFi connection until I cycled the power on the Xfinity modem/router. Everything else on the network was working, so I don't know what the issue was. Before anyone comments, my scope was not outside or turned on at the time of the strike, and I run it on a battery anyway.
The problem arose when the WiFi connection was finally made and the ASIAIR seemed to have developed amnesia and worse. I had my default EAF position set to 10k, and it ran the focuser to zero with no input from me. It was very disconcerting to see the focuser run all the way out. Then the CAA wrapped itself up tight (but didn't break anything, thank goodness). After that it was just one damn' thing after another, struggling to make the CAA behave, random glitches and hangs I've never seen before, culminating in the Plan losing its "End at Astronomical morning light" setting (I haven't touched that in months). At least it went Home and wasn't left staring at the horizon.
Anyhow, I'm just venting here because so many things went wrong that filing a bug report was pointless.

Luxo

When it starts to misbehave don’t “soldier on”, it just gets worse. Turn everything off (no power) and do an orderly restart, ASIAir last.

caracol_uk

I tested v3.0 on my portable rig this weekend and noticed that I got a different list of "Alpha features" to what I saw on my main rig. On the portable rig I was missing "AF Test" but had another option instead. I can't remember the exact name, but I think it was either Demo Mode or Audience Mode. It seems quite random as to whether you see the alpha features at all, and which ones are shown.

Moontanner

caracol_uk
It's a bit of a worry that you've got them showing at all IMO. Even more so if your getting different options showing up on random occasions.

Have you tried any out to see what they do yet?

caracol_uk

Moontanner This is on two separate units. Both units show me a slightly different set of alpha features, but the listed features haven’t changed on each unit since they appeared. I’ve not tried enabling any of them. Clear skies are precious here in the UK so I’ve been more focussed on working my way through my planned list of summer targets.

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