3696 replies to this topic

[nakiazaki]

I lost my trust in SkyWatcher. They are not able to fix the simpliest UI issue on SynScan app for iOS devices. The current iOS version is 2.5 years old while it is being countinuously developed on Android platform. I have an issue, most probably impacting iPhone 12 mini and 13 mini devices only, but still... I reported it exactly a year ago, they admitted it, promised the fix, but still nothing.

 

I attached two pictures, I made it with a different phone, just to make it more obvious, what is the problem. I am using an iPhone 12 Mini, and as you can see, the user interface of the SynScan app is messy. It has a white line on the top even if the app is in night mode, this is the most annoying thing, it ruins my eye's dark adaptation. The other thing is visible on the lower edge of the screen, the buttons reach the area of the swipe to home line, plus some elements are out of the visible area at the corners. It is so amateur they did not fix this tiny thing. I am truly disappointed...

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Edited by nakiazaki, 25 October 2022 - 01:12 PM.

[Koen Rutten]

In the synscan (pro) app you can adjust the footer padding in settings->user interface -> footer padding. So it doesn’t get in the way of the ios bottom drawer. 

[nakiazaki]

In the synscan (pro) app you can adjust the footer padding in settings->user interface -> footer padding. So it doesn’t get in the way of the ios bottom drawer. 

Ah, thanks! I did not know about it. SkyWatcher support did not let me know about it in their answer...

[akdwivedi]

I just had a very tormenting two days.. I hadnt upgraded the firmware for a long time (maybe over a year), so I decided to update to V3.40.. In the past I have always used wifi to load the firmware, but this time I could not get the firmware update progress to complete at all.. The firmware loader would connect to mount, load the software and then terminate in between.. The process would terminate between 2%, 7%, 11%, 17% and best case 32%.. counteless number of power downs, reconnects but the firmware could not update and the mount was bricked.

 

I decided to try the other firmloader (not the wifi version), connected the EQmod cable between PC and mount.. not only the mount connected (just use auto for port selection), it also successfully uploaded the new firmware. It was very slow, much slower than wifi uploader but it completed. I dont know if the wifi firmware uploader has some issues.

 

Now the mount is back in operational state.

[DazzaS83]

Hello all,

 

I hope you can help me, I was using my Goto mount two nights ago but when I was taking it down I accidently unscrewed it a bit too fast from my tripod and it fell off, thankfully no damage to the mount and it still works thankfully, although that is because the clutch knob on the side broke the fall and subsequently itself broke.

 

Does anyone know where I can get a replacement clutch knob please?

Edited by DazzaS83, 30 October 2022 - 01:45 PM.

[davidgmd]

Hello all,

 

I hope you can help me, I was using my Goto mount two nights ago but when I was taking it down I accidently unscrewed it a bit too fast from my tripod and it fell off, thankfully no damage to the mount and it still works thankfully, although that is because the clutch knob on the side broke the fall and subsequently itself broke.

 

Does anyone know where I can get a replacement clutch knob please?

  
Have you tried contacting Skywatcher customer support? Not sure where you’re located. Here’s contact info for their US support center: https://www.skywatch.../support-center

  
Edited to add I found this DIY solution: https://m.youtube.co...h?v=0mfC9zgFySs

Edited by davidgmd, 30 October 2022 - 02:31 PM.

[Jordanny]

Hi,

Maybe you can help me. After not using the mount for more the 1 year I tried to start by updating it. I initially did the right side version on first attempt, but then I realized that that is for EQ and I don't need it, so  tried the standard firmware. It stopped about 30% and said something about try to reset the motors...so I stopped the mount. Now it does not start any more, led stays off when I turn on the mount. Is it dead, anything I can do other then wait 4 hours and hope for a miracle? 

Upgrade was done plugged in, batteries are also ok inside. 

[cuba]

Hi,

Maybe you can help me. After not using the mount for more the 1 year I tried to start by updating it. I initially did the right side version on first attempt, but then I realized that that is for EQ and I don't need it, so  tried the standard firmware. It stopped about 30% and said something about try to reset the motors...so I stopped the mount. Now it does not start any more, led stays off when I turn on the mount. Is it dead, anything I can do other then wait 4 hours and hope for a miracle? 

Upgrade was done plugged in, batteries are also ok inside. 

If it would blink 3 times in a row than that would mean it is in upgrade mode. If it would be in upgrade mode you could connect via eqmod cable and upgrade wired. That's what I had when upgrade stopped at mine 30%. But your mount doesn't blink at all, I'd check if it consumes power with some tester

[Oxize]

Did a little mod today to my AZGTi.

 

Replaced all ugly knobs with the new Green color of Skywatcher. Even the little AZ Knobs.

 

 

 

 

 

[RobertJ]

Looks nice - where did you get them from?

--Robert

[Oxize]

Alie!

 

https://www.aliexpre....278e1802BbLMiN

[SpaceOddities]

Looks like our beloved mount has a successor! 

 

https://www.firstlig...nomy-mount.html

[Jaimo!]

Just happen to take a shot of my mount recently while imaging...  I dig this mount.

 

[Oxize]

In a good way or negative way Jaimo?

[Jaimo!]

In a good way or negative way Jaimo?

In a very good way.  I can get my rig outside in 2 trips:  1) Tripod, mount, scope, camera   2) Battery, tablet and beverage.  Then be imaging using an ASIair in about 20 minutes after PA, focusing and finding my target.

[nakiazaki]

A dual version is coming - and already available in a few European webshops: https://www.apm-tele...muth-mount-head

[cuba]

Guys, do you think 5.2kg without counterweight (I have about 3kg on a long shaft) is too much for this mount? How is max capacity calculated, with or without counterweight?

[speleo]

I'm very pleased with my AZ-GTi mount, which I use for high-detail panoramas (see attached photo for my current setup).  I've attained pictures with it that are better than the GigaPan Epic 100 which I've used for 7 or 8 years.

 

The SynScan Photo app is, however, very limited.   It 'does what it says on the can' -- but each panorama has to be set up from square one, so one cannot repeat with a different exposure setting, polarizer, etc.  Further, the static time is too short to allow use of bracketing, autofocus, etc.

Does anyone know of an alternative to the SynScan Photo app?  I did contact the company that make it, but got no reply.

 

Many thanks!

Mike Cowlishaw

 

 

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[dciobota]

Guys, do you think 5.2kg without counterweight (I have about 3kg on a long shaft) is too much for this mount? How is max capacity calculated, with or without counterweight?

Since this is originally an alt/az mount, the max stated payload is in alt/az mode.  In eq mode, things are a bit different.  I was able to carry about 8lb without a counterweight, but the motors strain, especially at the meridian.  If you use a counterweight you may be able to get close to the 11lb payload, but also take into account the increased momentum of the whole system.  The motors will definitely struggle at that point.

 

Fwiw, a bigger weight closer to the mount is actually better than a smaller weight on a long shaft.  Again, momentum.  So unless you are constrained in using a bigger weight, I would recommend that on a shorter shaft.

[dciobota]

I'm very pleased with my AZ-GTi mount, which I use for high-detail panoramas (see attached photo for my current setup).  I've attained pictures with it that are better than the GigaPan Epic 100 which I've used for 7 or 8 years.

 

The SynScan Photo app is, however, very limited.   It 'does what it says on the can' -- but each panorama has to be set up from square one, so one cannot repeat with a different exposure setting, polarizer, etc.  Further, the static time is too short to allow use of bracketing, autofocus, etc.

Does anyone know of an alternative to the SynScan Photo app?  I did contact the company that make it, but got no reply.

 

Many thanks!

Mike Cowlishaw

I don't know if this works in alt/az mode as you have pictured, but if your camera is compatible with the asiair (plus or mini), they have a mosaic mode that has the feature you're looking for.  You can run a complete mosaic (or panorama too I think), and you can then stop whenever, continue from where you left off, or rerun a particular set of frames.  Worth looking into, even though it's more of a hardware/software solution.  But no need for a laptop at that point, and you can control everything through your phone.

[speleo]

I don't know if this works in alt/az mode as you have pictured, but if your camera is compatible with the asiair (plus or mini), they have a mosaic mode that has the feature you're looking for.  You can run a complete mosaic (or panorama too I think), and you can then stop whenever, continue from where you left off, or rerun a particular set of frames.  Worth looking into, even though it's more of a hardware/software solution.  But no need for a laptop at that point, and you can control everything through your phone.

Thanks!  OK, I need some education here, specifically "asiar (plus or mini)" .. google didn't give me a good pointer on that.

 

My current camera is Panasonic G9 (as in photo); backup is ever-reliable GX7.

[dciobota]

Thanks! OK, I need some education here, specifically "asiar (plus or mini)" .. google didn't give me a good pointer on that.

My current camera is Panasonic G9 (as in photo); backup is ever-reliable GX7.

Sorry, it's asiair made by zwo.
https://astronomy-im...uct/asiair-plus

And here is a list of compatible dslr cameras:
https://www.facebook...0918789/?type=3

[cuba]

Since this is originally an alt/az mount, the max stated payload is in alt/az mode.  In eq mode, things are a bit different.  I was able to carry about 8lb without a counterweight, but the motors strain, especially at the meridian.  If you use a counterweight you may be able to get close to the 11lb payload, but also take into account the increased momentum of the whole system.  The motors will definitely struggle at that point.

 

Fwiw, a bigger weight closer to the mount is actually better than a smaller weight on a long shaft.  Again, momentum.  So unless you are constrained in using a bigger weight, I would recommend that on a shorter shaft.

So does 11lb count including counterweight or without?

[AaronH]

I don't know if this works in alt/az mode as you have pictured, but if your camera is compatible with the asiair (plus or mini), they have a mosaic mode that has the feature you're looking for.  You can run a complete mosaic (or panorama too I think), and you can then stop whenever, continue from where you left off, or rerun a particular set of frames.  Worth looking into, even though it's more of a hardware/software solution.  But no need for a laptop at that point, and you can control everything through your phone.

It would be interesting to know how well this works in practice with terrestrial panoramas.

 

It should, theoretically, be possible with tracking disabled, but it would possibly involve quite a bit of fiddling around with coordinates. I can't imagine it would be intuitive (unless the ASIAIR has terrestrial photographic features I'm unaware of).

 

Whereas, with the Synscan Photo app, it appears you just point the mount at the edges and centre of the panorama you want, give the details of overlap, etc, and it does the rest:

https://play.google....pro&gl=US&pli=1

 

I'm sure the ASIAR could be shoehorned into doing the same, but it's not really designed for terrestrial photography, so it may be a square-peg-round-hole situation.

[dciobota]

You're right, I don't think the asiair is designed for that. So maybe something else would be more appropriate.

As far as payload in eq mode with or without counterweight. Like I said, it's a bit more complicated, so I can't give a straight out answer. The best anyone can do here is search through the thread (I know, it's way long) and see a similar setup to yours that has worked. I believe David Parks has posted a setup he used that pushed the mount to the limit. His actual payload weight (without the counterweight part) was close to 11lb and he used a counterweight with that setup. But like I said, it depends a lot on how the payload was stacked on the scope as well as how the counterweight was attached and how much it weighed. If you're looking for a simple answer, there isn't one.