3853 replies to this topic

[Acer]

Finally got my AZ Gti in today. It must be a law that when the astro equipment you order shows up, it will be overcast.

Yup, got mine yesterday.  Just in time for 4 days of overcast, snowy weather.

[Bagwell]

Mine just shipped today.  Finally. 

[jeffry7]

Tried mine last night/this morning. Thought I would ask some questions about the app.

 

So you have to connect your wi-fi to it manually. Not a problem, just wasn't immediately obvious. I had a problems where it kept not connecting until I turned off cellular data. Then the app was able to connect. Anyone else have this prob? Seems odd this would be necessary.

 

It seems like the alignment is unforgiving. I couldn't get it to accept my centering. I kept pressing buttons trying to figure out how to get it to accept my centering until it kicked me out of the alignment portion. So I had to start over. I figured out that when you are centering, the app will flash some of the arrows. If you don't press those at least once, it won't accept your centering. I guess this was to take into account how long it was taking to center? It was always the up and right arrows that would flash. Just a quick tap and the center accept button would light up.

 

So what do you do if you picked a bad star to align on? I did this. I picked Sirius as my second star without thinking about how I was tall enough to see, but the height of the mount was such that it was obstructed.

 

Pretty happy. I just know I need a lot more practice to get a smooth workflow for a nights work.

[NGC 2419]

So you have to connect your wi-fi to it manually. Not a problem, just wasn't immediately obvious. I had a problems where it kept not connecting until I turned off cellular data. Then the app was able to connect. Anyone else have this prob? Seems odd this would be necessary.

I have this problem also. I think it's because my WiFi network is not connected to the internet so my phone thinks it needs to use cellular to send data even thought it's a private network. It shouldn't do that, but it does. I'm curious to see what others have to say about it.

In the end, I bought a used Android tablet and didn't worry about it. My phone is a little small for nighttime use with the screen dimmed anyway.

I wasn't real crazy about using the tablet either. Having to look at the screen to find the buttons and then accidentally pressing the wrong one got old fast, so I bought a hand controller from Orion and ditched all of the wireless stuff.

I still need to see if you can use both at the same time so that I can use Skysafari to point the scope and the hand controller for adjustments.

As for the alignment thing, you have to finish your alignment with "up" and "right" commands to take up the backlash. It's in the manual somewhere.

Clear skies!

Edited by NGC 2419, 03 December 2018 - 01:13 AM.

[Acer]

Got my AZ-GTI out under the stars for the first time since I got it (it's been cloudy).

 

I am just using my A* 300mm F4 lens and Pentax K-1 right now.  It is running though an imaging session automatically using the Snap port and App controlling the camera.

 

I am only able to get 50 second exposures without trailing right now, but that was with just using a simple 2 star alignment.

 

Over all I am VERY happy with the mount so far. 

 

I'll be shooting about an hour of subs on M33 tonight.

[Bagwell]

Has anyone experienced any problems with the azimuth clutch? The threads of the clutch in my Az Gti are damaged and the clutch does not lock the mount any more.

 

IMG_4374.jpg

 

Timo

Did you ever find any resolve for this?  I received my mount today and messed with it some and that azimuth clutch knob doesnt really seem to tighten up all that much.   I wonder what others have experienced with it?  does the knob bottom out against the mount body or is it supposed to show some threads when the azimuth clutch is tight?  It just seems not as securely tight as it should be.  

 

Thanks, 
Vaughn

[grzybu]

Hi,

 

I have Celestron SLT mount now with my 80mm refractor and while it's great on balcony for solar system observing it's bit annoying that I can't rotate the telescope manually if I just want to take a look at something else. 

AZ-GTI seems to be perfect solution in theory, but how it looks like in real life?

How comfortable is using this mount in manual mode with clutches released? Is it very stiff? Will it loose alignment after moving it manually?

[Spikey131]

The AZ GTI is a great lightweight GoTo mount for an 80mm refractor.

 

It is not a great manual mount.  You can set it up so that you can release the clutches and move the scope without losing alignment.  But the manual movements are not smooth and precise like a good manual AZ mount.

[grzybu]

Thanks. So I won't benefit that much with switching the mounts, especially that it's not for free. 

[Don W]

Whew........just read most of this thread. Heading for Australia in late March and this looks like just the ticket. Couple of questions if you don't mind:

 

1. How do you guide if there's no guide port?

2. Has anyone gotten it to work with ASIAIR yet?

3. I see some have rigged up a Tablet holder to go on a counterweight shaft. Does the shaft rotate with the mount?

4. Does this mount work with the Orion SynScan Hand Controller?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Cometeer]

Whew........just read most of this thread. Heading for Australia in late March and this looks like just the ticket. Couple of questions if you don't mind:

 

1. How do you guide if there's no guide port?

2. Has anyone gotten it to work with ASIAIR yet?

3. I see some have rigged up a Tablet holder to go on a counterweight shaft. Does the shaft rotate with the mount?

4. Does this mount work with the Orion SynScan Hand Controller?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

3. Yes, the shaft rotates with the mount. I was able to get around this by drilling a large enough hole in a mounting block so that while the shaft rotates, it doesn't cause the block to rotate.

[NGC 2419]

4. Does this mount work with the Orion SynScan Hand Controller?

I know it works with the new Orion v5 handset. I suspect the v4 works also as there is a reference to V4 in the v5 owner's manual. I believe there's a post on that other forum stating the v3 works also.

Clear skies!

Edited by NGC 2419, 05 December 2018 - 10:45 PM.

[jeffry7]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a plate with a 1/4" screw for cameras that will fit in the Skywatcher AZ GTi?

 

Thanks!

[trurl]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a plate with a 1/4" screw for cameras that will fit in the Skywatcher AZ GTi?

 

Thanks!

This is not 1/4 but 3/8 that you can put a ball head or other camera mount on:

 

Star Adventurer Ball Head Adapter

[Bagwell]

I could be wrong, but it sounds like Jeffry7 is looking for a vixen dovetail to attack to a camera to mount the dovetail to the AZ-GTi mount.   

[trurl]

I could be wrong, but it sounds like Jeffry7 is looking for a vixen dovetail to attack to a camera to mount the dovetail to the AZ-GTi mount.   

The link I gave IS a Vixen dovetail

[Bagwell]

Yes, but it is a 3/8" mount and if he is trying to mount a DSLR to the mount they typically have 1/4 20.  If I am reading his post and understanding the question correctly. 

 

Im sorry, I do see now that you mention putting a ballhead or other 3/8 connected mount on it that has a 1/4.  

My bad.    

 

Vaughn

Edited by Bagwell, 05 December 2018 - 11:01 PM.

[jeffry7]

Hi Trurl and Bagwell,

You are both right.

I happen to have the ball adapter. I ordered it with the AZ GTi not realizing it had a 3/8 screw. I would prefer not to mount the camera on a ball head. It is a personal prejudice I have against ball heads. It also seems to make the thing more akward the necesarry.

I have been thinking about taking the adapter apart and replacing the screw with a 1/4 20 with a spacer of some kind to keep it centered in the 3/8 hole. But if there is an already put together solution that isn't $40, then I may just do that.

[eros312]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a plate with a 1/4" screw for cameras that will fit in the Skywatcher AZ GTi?

 

Thanks!

https://www.amazon.c...en 1/4 dovetail

https://www.telescop...c/38/p/7388.uts

[Bagwell]

Hi Trurl and Bagwell,

You are both right.

I happen to have the ball adapter. I ordered it with the AZ GTi not realizing it had a 3/8 screw. I would prefer not to mount the camera on a ball head. It is a personal prejudice I have against ball heads. It also seems to make the thing more akward the necesarry.

I have been thinking about taking the adapter apart and replacing the screw with a 1/4 20 with a spacer of some kind to keep it centered in the 3/8 hole. But if there is an already put together solution that isn't $40, then I may just do that.

Jeffry7, 

 

The one problem I find with the SkyWatcher vixen dovetail to 3/8 adapter is that you can not index it to the position you want unless it is something like a ball head which you could obviously rotate to position once it is tightened.  It is dependent on having another way to index the object you are connecting to it.  That wont change if you change it to 1/4 20 unless you somehow find a way to put one of those bolts that float in the hole so that it can be tightened seperately while indexed the way you want the dovetail.   If that makes any sense.

 

Someone also makes a small dovetail plate about the size of a camera quick release plate that probably has what you want on it.  Such a piece is on the Sky Watcher Mini Wedge often used with the Sky Watcher Star Adventurer although the retained floating securing screw is a 3/8" on that product but I would imagine you may be able to find the floating 1/4" that may work.    

 

Vaughn

Edited by Bagwell, 06 December 2018 - 07:42 AM.

[jeffry7]

Hi Vaughn,

I am confused why you need additional adjustment on the atz gti mount.

I tried it the other night. I rigged something for my camera by using a quick release plate that had both a threaded 3/8 hole and a 1/4 screw. No ball head. No other kind of adjustment.

After an alignment, the mount was able to point at and track anything in its library.

[davidparks]

1. How do you guide if there's no guide port?

2. Has anyone gotten it to work with ASIAIR yet?

3. I see some have rigged up a Tablet holder to go on a counterweight shaft. Does the shaft rotate with the mount?

4. Does this mount work with the Orion SynScan Hand Controller?

 

#1 The SynScan for PC application with ASCOM driver allows PHD2 (and other applications) to control the scope via the PC's wireless connection to the AZGTi mount. You can also control the mount from your PC through a SynScan Hand Controller which answers your question #4, yes the mount works with the SynScan Hand Controllers, and in fact, this is the only way to get to your question #2.  ASIAIR will work with the AZGTi if you connect to a SynScan Hand Controller.  WiFi connection to the AZGTi with ASIAIR is not currently available.

 

I have the ASIAIR, and you can get it working with the AZGTi, but it's ugly, and not very accommodating or versatile...   I don't have time right now to do a full write up on the AZGTi as it relates to ASIAIR, Stellarmate, SkySafari, PC/Windows/Linix/iOS/Android, and other related sub-topics  ( I hope to soon ), just be aware that the ASIAIR is a very young (pre-mature in my opinion) product, and you may have better experience with the much more robust and mature Stellarmate, which is very accommodating and versatile.  However, neither of these Raspberry Pi solutions can touch the PC/Windows experience when it comes to getting the most out of this mount and your imaging gear.

[Cometeer]

I haven't been doing much observing lately. School has kept me busy and the nights have been cloudy whenever I have free time. But as the semester comes to an end and finals approach, I'm in the calm right before the storm.

 

Earlier today, I took up a friend's offer to join him at a local club's dark site, so I brought out my mount for the first time in 2 months. I was a bit worried about the mount since observing conditions were 10*F, but I was more concerned about myself.  Subfreezing Illinois temps are not healthy for a California native.   

 

Alignment was successful on the first attempt and only took a couple of minutes. This takes the cake for the fastest to set up goto mount I've used to date. My goal for the night was to view 46P/Wirtanen. I headed over to Azha in the star database and then panned the mount a couple of arcminutes over to the comet. Soon after, unfortunately, my tablet (which I use to control the mount) died from the extreme cold. The mount and battery pack were chugging along just fine. On the other hand, my numb fingers and toes were done for the night, so I decided to pack up after a very brief observing session.

 

Lessons learned:

- the AZ-GTi performs fine in cold temperatures

- keep my tablet/smartphone controller in my pockets rather than mounted

- keep my winter observing restricted to California 

[Bagwell]

Hi Vaughn,

I am confused why you need additional adjustment on the atz gti mount.

I tried it the other night. I rigged something for my camera by using a quick release plate that had both a threaded 3/8 hole and a 1/4 screw. No ball head. No other kind of adjustment.

After an alignment, the mount was able to point at and track anything in its library.

Jeffry7, 

It has more to do with having the SW dovetail to 3/8" actually tighten to what you are putting it on in a squared off position rather than at an angle and more to do with using it on something that isnt as adjustable.  The screw in the green SW vixen dovetail to 3/8 adapter has a fixed 3/8 screw that doesnt have a tightening ability to it other than turning the whole dovetail to tighten the screw into whatever you are putting it on.

 

This is the piece I refer to.  https://www.amazon.c.../dp/B00YWPCNJU 

 

Thanks, 
Vaughn

Edited by Bagwell, 07 December 2018 - 08:17 AM.

[davidparks]

!!  UPDATE  !! for AZ-GTi and ASIAIR

 

You can now successfully connect the AZ-GTi to the ASIAIR wirelessly.  This allows the ASIAIR to track, guide, platesolve, control, and via a new GOTO database, select and slew to your target.

NOTE:  I could only get the AZGTI to connect in station mode to the ASIAIR by switching ASIAIR WiFi to 2.4GHz.  While this bandwidth increases the wireless range, it also has slower downloading of images.

I'd be curious if anyone else can connect the AZGTi station mode with the 5GHz band ASIAIR. 

 

This was made possible by updates to both the INDI drivers and the ASIAIR (app and firmware).  (sorry I couldn't include the link to ZWO's website detailing the new ASIAIR features, apparently the website is down for maintenance)

The new EQMOD driver wireless support for AZGTi was previously (and still) available for Stellarmate, and is just now available for ASIAIR.

 

You will still need to Polar Align (if in EQ mode), and Star Align for best results via Synscan/Mobile Device.   You can run Synscan on the same device as ASIAIR app.  So it is easy enough to use Synscan for PA/SA, and either ASIAR or Synscan for GoTo.  ASIAIR can then platesolve, guide, and image.   Theoretically you should be able to run SkySafari on the same device, connected through ASIAIR  (not through SynScan which would require a 2nd device).

 

ASIAIR leaves much to be desired (in my humble opinion), when compared to Stellarmate, primarily support for focusers.  However, ZWO continues to update and improve this product, so I look forward to even more progress.   Neither Raspberry Pi gadgets (ASIAIR/Stellarmate), hold a candle to a Windows PC based solution, but at least ASIAIR is now functional with the AZGTi, and both ASIAIR and Stellarmate offer a Gadget/Mobile solution that doesn't require a laptop in the field.   Of course the ASIAIR only supports ZWO cameras and filterwheels, so if your looking for a Gadget/Mobile solution for your AZGTi which uses non-ZWO cameras, then Stellarmate is your choice.

Edited by davidparks, 08 December 2018 - 02:47 PM.