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ASIAIR vs Stellarmate

astrophotography accessories CMOS equipment
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#1 Dovakun

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Posted 04 April 2019 - 11:57 AM

I'm looking at two options for a portable astrophotography rig so I don't have to drag my 17" Alienware around all the time. My first pick was going to be the ASIAIR. I saw Astrobackyard's demo and loved the ability to autostretch the preview for framing and being able to do live viewing with just a tablet. The downside is that my guide camera is an Orion SSAG. Does anyone know if the Stellarmate can autostretch images like the ASIAIR? I'd like to avoid having to buy a new guide camera if I can.


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#2 MDWingsFan

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Posted 04 April 2019 - 12:17 PM

I use a stick PC, and TIghtVNC.  About the size of the cigar tube +/- 15%, runs off of USB3 supply. With a small USB 3 hub I was to attach it to a mount leg, and run Windows.  I've done Ekos/Indi on a Pi as well, but struggled a bit.  This was before ASIAir and StellarMate hit the market.  Hopefully the ASCOM Alpaca work makes all of this a more platform agnostic future.  



#3 reddog1972

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Posted 04 April 2019 - 12:46 PM

Sell the Orion SSAG, get an ASI120-MM s (make sure it's the s version and not the asi120mm), and get the ASI Air....


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#4 Dovakun

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Posted 04 April 2019 - 02:18 PM

Sell the Orion SSAG, get an ASI120-MM s (make sure it's the s version and not the asi120mm), and get the ASI Air....


I ended up getting the air with the 120mm mini bundle since it was on sale at Highpoint Scientific. Thanks for the response
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#5 zigee

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Posted 23 January 2020 - 01:15 PM

I ended up getting the air with the 120mm mini bundle since it was on sale at Highpoint Scientific. Thanks for the response

 

Hello! I'm thinking of getting the same bundle. What are your thoughts on it?



#6 Dovakun

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 04:05 PM

Hello! I'm thinking of getting the same bundle. What are your thoughts on it?


It's a stellar bundle. Makes EAA really fun and the new features they keep adding makes it a complete replacement of my old laptop
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#7 DrGomer

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Posted 20 February 2020 - 04:58 PM

Both ASIAIR and Stellarmate are raspberry pi devices with very similar core software running INDI etc.   ASI is more user friendly with a custom GUI. SM has more options.  At least at the time I was looking ASI only worked with ASI (ZWO) cameras and canon/nikon DSLRs.  Got a QHY, ATIK etc camera? Wound't work on ASI.  I have a SM. yes, it can do autostretch, kstars, PHD2 etc etc.   



#8 Astro_Brucitor

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Posted 09 March 2020 - 01:23 PM

Am I correct to assume Stellarmate and the ASI Air Pro have the same functionalities? As far as plate solve, image capturing and guiding goes, also how complicated is the polar alignment feature on Stellarmate?

Thanks!

#9 Kevin Ross

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Posted 09 March 2020 - 01:40 PM

I haven't used the ASIAir, but StellarMate is very full featured. It will do all of the things you mentioned. The polar alignment feature is pretty easy to use.



#10 Astro_Brucitor

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Posted 09 March 2020 - 02:09 PM

Great thanks you for the info!

#11 Seven007

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Posted 09 March 2020 - 03:37 PM

Hi,
does any of the functions need acces to the Internet?
I am thinking of beeing at a dark side without internet.

#12 Kevin Ross

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Posted 09 March 2020 - 03:44 PM

No, internet access is not required. StellarMate creates its own WiFi hotspot, that you can connect to from a phone or tablet, and use VNC on the tablet to control the program.



#13 Seven007

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Posted 09 March 2020 - 03:54 PM

Great, Thanks!

#14 JPKellysr

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Posted 21 March 2020 - 07:31 PM

Stellarmate does not help with power management. Both the Atik Base & Asi Air Pro have dc power outlets



#15 JPKellysr

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Posted 21 March 2020 - 07:32 PM

I assume that none of these are really designed for live viewing like Sharpcap & the Infinity software are.

 

JPK



#16 mpaul73

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Posted 21 March 2020 - 07:38 PM

I run the Stellarmate OS on raspberry pi4 device and I find it very easy to run and it is very stable.



#17 JPKellysr

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Posted 21 March 2020 - 07:55 PM

One further thought. Why would one consider buying a Stellarmate? The Atik Base is a Stellarmate but with 3 DC outlets added in. Someone described it as a “mashup” between a Stellarmate & a Pegasus Powermate. It seems like the best deal.

 The ASI Air seems a little more user friendly but will only handle ASI cameras.

 

JPK



#18 chinard

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Posted 21 March 2020 - 07:57 PM

I use stellarmate on raspberry pi4 exclusively now. It really is great low power portable solution.

I connect a portable monitor and keyboard/mouse to it, there are plenty that work just fine.   You can also run kstars on your laptop and connect to it through its wifi hotspot.

Unlike ASIAir it will work with a wide range of non ZWO accessories.   I do like the ZWO stuff but i also have other stuff like the SSAG, and a modified DSLR that i like to use.

Stellarmate's basically everything you need.  It has planetarium with kstars, which also does a great job handling capture sequences (SG pro style), polar alignment, autoguiding, filter wheel, etc.

Having everything integrated is amazing especially during meridian flip.   It will pause the current sequence, pause the guiding, perform the meridian flip, run plate solve to get it aligned, then resume up the guiding and camera sequence.

Oh yeah it also does polar alignment routine, which is what i should go out back and start now that its dark. :)



#19 JPKellysr

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Posted 21 March 2020 - 11:55 PM

Sputnik,

As the Atik Base is a Stellarmate derivative, it does all of that the Stellermate does plus it has the 3 DC power outlets. I see no reason to buy the Stellarmate. The Atik seems to be an improved version. If you already have a Pegasus Powermate then the Stellermate makes sense.

 

JPK



#20 moxican

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Posted 23 March 2020 - 11:45 AM

Can either of these units be controlled over internet, remotely? 



#21 Kevin Ross

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Posted 23 March 2020 - 12:46 PM

I don't know anything about ASIAir, but StellarMate can be controlled over the Internet, either via RealVNC (a cloud-based VNC that works over the Internet, through firewalls, like TeamViewer), or with their Ekos Live app.



#22 JPKellysr

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Posted 23 March 2020 - 03:28 PM

I guess both can be. I decided to buy the Atik version of Stellermate for the power management options that is has.

 

Here is what they say about it.

Control cameras and other hardware from your portable devices.

The software is a collaboration with Ikarus Technologies to create a custom version of their highly regarded StellaMate system which gives the following abilities:

 

Manage everything from one interface.

Powerful image acquisition capability.

Autofocusing.

Support for internal and 3rd party guiding software.

Plate solving and high accuracy GoTo telescope control.

Imaging target suggestions.

Workflow automation.

Offline EKOS Live mode - To allow the StellaMate web interface running on mobile devices to control the imaging system without requiring access to the internet or VNC.

Runs directly from 12V - further to that, the device can distribute 12V power to other hardware including cameras and mount.

Includes a focus motor driver compatible with Robo focus, Moonlite or Lakeside motors to offer further integration.

An ST4 port is on board to enable guiding if the mount can not be connected to the USB ports.

.



#23 TareqPhoto

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Posted 25 March 2020 - 12:56 PM

I don't have any kind of portable wifi or mini PC to be used for astrophotography, so this thread is opening the idea in my mind, i don't know what i should get because my gear is kind of mixed, i have QHY camera for DSO and guiding and ZWO cameras for planetary [and guiding if necessary], and only 1 mount, so i don't know if i have to think about something or not, i see many getting those devices/machines year after year and i am still did not.



#24 JPKellysr

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Posted 25 March 2020 - 05:58 PM

I have a couple of QHY's & an Atik. They will work with either the Stellermate or the Atikbase (now on back order everywhere I checked.) As mentioned, the Atikbase has 3 DC power outlets. It uses EKOS & K-Stars like Stellermate. It says it will work with anything that Stellermate works with. You can get the Stellermate & Pegasus Powerbox & have the samething. The ASIAir only works with ASI cameras. On watching Youtube videos it is exceptionally well designed & easy to use, but the others aren't too hard either, best as I can tell.

 

KStars seems to be better than Stellarium. It has better planning tools, but it is not as good for planning as Skytools. But Skytools is not free & is not a planetarium program.

 

JPK



#25 TareqPhoto

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Posted 25 March 2020 - 06:15 PM

I have a couple of QHY's & an Atik. They will work with either the Stellermate or the Atikbase (now on back order everywhere I checked.) As mentioned, the Atikbase has 3 DC power outlets. It uses EKOS & K-Stars like Stellermate. It says it will work with anything that Stellermate works with. You can get the Stellermate & Pegasus Powerbox & have the samething. The ASIAir only works with ASI cameras. On watching Youtube videos it is exceptionally well designed & easy to use, but the others aren't too hard either, best as I can tell.

 

KStars seems to be better than Stellarium. It has better planning tools, but it is not as good for planning as Skytools. But Skytools is not free & is not a planetarium program.

 

JPK

The bottom line is, none is completely perfect then, each has pros and cons.




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