9 replies to this topic

[unimatrix0]

Is there any hope either of these units ever be in stock in USA in 2022? 

Opt, Agena, Highpoint or name any stores, they had it sold out and "coming soon" for the past 5 months. 

I just know it because I'm watching it. 

The last time I saw the Asiair Pro - which isn't even new, was to directly order from China with a serious markup (+$150 + shipping) , that was 3 months ago. 

 

What's going on here?

 

Is there still a COVID thing going on? 

 

Just saw it on ebay for $600 !  And the seller has more than 10 availabe. 

Please do not buy from these scalpers.  It's $299, and it's a customized blackberry pi which costs $99 in normal circumstances. 

We are at the graphics cards level of scarcity of these units. 

Edited by unimatrix0, 13 May 2022 - 07:13 PM.

[Ranger Bob]

Agena has had several shipments come in and go out. I backordered an AA+ at the beginning of March and got it about five weeks later. 

 

Bob

[Markovich]

COVID and lockdowns in China impacted availability of raw materials and manufacturing. I ordered a Plus a few days ago and ZWO informed me they were working on the backlog but still facing COVID related issues.

[Serial]

Just picked up a pro on Cloudy Nights for 250. I posted a wanted ad and had several responses.

[DeepSky Di]

Yes there is still a COVID thing going on. Factories are shut down in China. I never backorder but it may be time to change that. I have seen lead times for other equipment (EDGE HD) go from a few months in the future to more than a year in the future. I have the Pro and am considering a Plus among other alternatives for my second rig.

 

Yes it's just a Raspberry Pi - with a built in power sockets for dew heaters and cameras and a USB hub. To make an equivalent would take a Raspberry Pi + power box and powered USB hub - at least one other device perhaps 2. More cabling mess. Never mind the software which now features an integrated planetarium where you can touch on a map to go to a target.

 

Primaluce Eagle and Eagle Core do a similar job; I don't have any experience with these: https://www.primaluc...r-and-software/

 

And then there's the NUC approach - you are your own system integrator, for software and hardware. You can run it from an iPad. This is what I was considering before I discovered ASIAIR. I for sure did not want to be handling a laptop outside. 

 

That said, I did end up taking my laptop outside to run FireCapture last year, while my ASIAIR Pro did everything else. ASIAIR captures video to AVI rather than SER and has very basic video capture compared to FireCapture. Planetary imaging captures a few minutes of video at a time, so I didn't have to leave my laptop outside unattended.

[Jay6879]

Is there any hope either of these units ever be in stock in USA in 2022? 

Opt, Agena, Highpoint or name any stores, they had it sold out and "coming soon" for the past 5 months. 

I just know it because I'm watching it. 

The last time I saw the Asiair Pro - which isn't even new, was to directly order from China with a serious markup (+$150 + shipping) , that was 3 months ago. 

 

What's going on here?

 

Is there still a COVID thing going on? 

 

Just saw it on ebay for $600 !  And the seller has more than 10 availabe. 

Please do not buy from these scalpers.  It's $299, and it's a customized blackberry pi which costs $99 in normal circumstances. 

We are at the graphics cards level of scarcity of these units. 

 

 

Mid April I had a chat with my local telescope shop, he said they expect a shipment of asiair+ within a few weeks. By the end of the month latest. I sold my pro, and fully expect the + to arrive soon. That was over a month ago. The same shop says they're hoping to get more within a few weeks, and I know it's out of their hands, but I don't have my hopes up!

 

I've missed out on more clear skies the past month than the past six months combined. A few brave souls have helped me try and get everything set up on a laptop but it just isn't happening. I've finally got the multiple drivers, four programs and plate solve software talking to each other but I just can't manage to get nina to plate solve then auto center after plate solving.

 

Even if it all worked MEH. Lugging a laptop outside is so mind bogglingly archaic and clunky that I can't even be bothered. No, I don't want to pay $30 a year in sharpcap just to unlock the ability to use a half arsed version of the asiair's fantastic polar alignment routine. I really don't feel like dealing with windows and their fantastically inopportune times to update at a glacial pace. 

 

I just want my **** asiair plus so I can get on with it!

Edited by Jay6879, 14 May 2022 - 07:40 PM.

[c131frdave]

I spoke to ZWO yesterday and they said a "limited" number of products will begin shipping next week.  I found my ASI Air Plus from Telescopes Canada- they had five in stock around April 4th, but they were all gone two days later.  Agena said they are expecting a shipment from ZWO just after Memorial Day.  Not sure what is in the shipment, but something to look for.  

[Jay6879]

I spoke to ZWO yesterday and they said a "limited" number of products will begin shipping next week.  I found my ASI Air Plus from Telescopes Canada- they had five in stock around April 4th, but they were all gone two days later.  Agena said they are expecting a shipment from ZWO just after Memorial Day.  Not sure what is in the shipment, but something to look for.  

 

Yup, I JUST missed that last shipment from Telescopes Canada. I back ordered right away, paid and everything. Waiting for another shipment now!

[Jay6879]

Is there any hope either of these units ever be in stock in USA in 2022? 

Opt, Agena, Highpoint or name any stores, they had it sold out and "coming soon" for the past 5 months. 

I just know it because I'm watching it. 

The last time I saw the Asiair Pro - which isn't even new, was to directly order from China with a serious markup (+$150 + shipping) , that was 3 months ago. 

 

What's going on here?

 

Is there still a COVID thing going on? 

 

Just saw it on ebay for $600 !  And the seller has more than 10 availabe. 

Please do not buy from these scalpers.  It's $299, and it's a customized blackberry pi which costs $99 in normal circumstances. 

We are at the graphics cards level of scarcity of these units. 

 

 

COVID and lockdowns in China impacted availability of raw materials and manufacturing. I ordered a Plus a few days ago and ZWO informed me they were working on the backlog but still facing COVID related issues.

 

 

Heads up, I just talked to Steve at Telescopes Canada and he received an email from ZWO today saying they had stock. He's getting 36 units in. He figures by the time they make their way over it'll be around two weeks when they arrive.

 

Sign up for an alert! Or just pay for it and get yourself in the queue like I did ha. He said it'll be a bloodbath when they arrive haha

[Drothgeb]

I’ve had the AA+ for a while. Now, if the focuser would show up, I’d really be in business.