2328 replies to this topic

[Special Ed]

My Seestar automatically updated to the new firmware version 2.01 when I started it today to look at the Sun.  My question is: does it also automatically update the app to the new version 1.13.0 or do I have to download it?

 

BTW, the landscape mode works on my Samsung android tablet.

[project nightflight]

We made this as a proof-of-concept that the Seestar can be used to produce images with a larger field of view.

 

The picture of the Orion nebula is a mosaic of 4 individual Seestar images, each shot with 5 minutes (30x10sec) exposure time on December 19, 2023. We used the stacks that come out of the Seestar and performed only very basic processing steps: Photometric color correction, denoise and stretching in Siril, stitching was done automatically by Microsoft ICE and Photoshop was used for a final touch-up of the resulting mosaic.

 

(click to enlarge)

 

 

[Greenie]

Second week with the S50 and haven’t been out with it yet due to bad weather. Quick question. What does the Mark button do and how will I use it someday?

[Chilihead]

Second week with the S50 and haven’t been out with it yet due to bad weather. Quick question. What does the Mark button do and how will I use it someday?

The Mark button will circle all of the objects in the picture that are in the database of the Seestar. I think it adds the name too. 

[eyeoftexas]

The Mark button will circle all of the objects in the picture that are in the database of the Seestar. I think it adds the name too. 

Thanks.  I hadn’t try this yet.  Do you know if the circles become permanent to the image when you press it, or can you click it again and the circles disappear?

[firemachine69]

I see this is your first post here. 
What stops the company is having seasoned astrophotographers would immediately notice any scams. There are many people where who come from a background of all sorts of professions, including professional astro physicists,  optical designers, engineers, IT technicians and various software and hardware developers and experienced photographers of all kind. 
If you stick around long enough, you'll see and meet them or just browse around. 

As far as hobbies that are related to science, this might be one of the tougher crowds to try to trick them with such a cheap tactics. 
Have faith, ZWO has an established trustworthy, they wouldn't ruin their reputation something stupid like that,  to lose out on a multi billion dollar business. 

 

 

Let me counter all of that with exactly one name:

 

China

 

I used to wholesale from China, and deception is unfortunately common there, especially if smaller subcontractors are involved. 

[EdFromNH]

Thanks.  I hadn’t try this yet.  Do you know if the circles become permanent to the image when you press it, or can you click it again and the circles disappear?

It's a toggle, so you can turn it off.  If you have it on and hit the save button, it will be saved with the marks.

[houndsbourgh]

I figured out the joystick. On a tablet when moving from portrait to landscape the joystick orientation is locked. 

 

I figured out the joystick. On a tablet when moving from portrait to landscape the joystick orientation is locked to portrait.

Edited by houndsbourgh, 20 December 2023 - 07:05 PM.

[bazingaa]

Just got mine today, ordered on October 03rd from local shop here in Australia.

[Mojave Red]

I recently purchased a press in printed Bahtinov mask for my Seestar because I've noticed some "soft focus" issues with dim objects.  There don't seem to be a lot of other accessories yet , other than caps and filter holders. 

That got me to wondering:  back in the day, I could purchase an auxilliary magnifying lens for my Yashica Rangefinder camera.  It screwed into the filter threads on the fixed lens and gave me 1:4 magnification. 

Anybody heard of a press-in magnifier (or, for that matter, a focal reducer) for the Seestar?   Would it even be practical?

This issue was mulled over on Facebook -- "Seestar S50 (Official ZWO Group)."  The consensus was that it's not possible.  Someone actually tried a focal reducer and could not get the scope to focus.

[Digital Don]

This issue was mulled over on Facebook -- "Seestar S50 (Official ZWO Group)."  The consensus was that it's not possible.  Someone actually tried a focal reducer and could not get the scope to focus.

Here's a link to a YouTube video that addresses that question:  https://www.youtube....h?v=Vc5EYG6XNb0

 

At least for that particular lens, it did not work.

 

Don

[tbhausen]

My evolving plan is to use a stepladder to leave my Seestar up on my gently sloped roof while controlling it from my living room (mirrored to a 55" TV). I've given much thought to what a gust of wind might do (it's a two-story plunge onto concrete on the low side of the roof) so I've been looking and believe I may have found the ultimate solution. Yes, fairly expensive, but much less so than replacing a destroyed instrument. Here's the full description from the manufacturer's website:

 

https://www.triad-or...gb-3-grav-bags/

 

Here's a better price from a place I've done business with for several years:

 

https://www.sweetwat...ghted-grav-bags

 

I believe the three bags could just be draped over the fully-deployed tripod with their heavier "tails" between each leg. I've ordered a set, so I'll report how it works out. I think this should be a much better solution than rock bags (which are designed for much larger tripods) or trying to hang a weight below the tripod head (and rigid weights wouldn't travel nearly as well as these specialized shot bags).

[eyeoftexas]

Although not designed for tripods, you could maybe just use ankle weights and place them over the tripod legs:

 

https://www.amazon.c...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Cey42]

roelb, here is how I am currently 'running' SeeStar on my Windows computer: https://github.com/Genymobile/scrcpy

 

This application mirrors Android devices (video and audio) connected via USB or over TCP/IP, and allows to control the device with the keyboard and the mouse of the computer. It does not require any root access. It works on Linux, Windows and macOS.

 

You need to connect your phone to your computer and set your phone to enabled USB debugging. Not as good as using BlueStacks but it is the best solution I have found so far.

[Altered]

Has no one else encountered this bug? See message 900 on discussion page 36.

Edited by Altered, 21 December 2023 - 07:39 PM.

[bradhaak]

Has no one else encountered this bug? See message 900 on discussion page 36.

I didn't create an account. It isn't required or desired (for me).

 

Everything works fine without it.

[tbhausen]

Although not designed for tripods, you could maybe just use ankle weights and place them over the tripod legs:

 

https://www.amazon.c...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I looked at fitness weights, and other than having to buy four when you need three, I wasn’t certain that they would really go small enough to grip the legs. At first, I was exploring yoga and Pilates rings that I could just drop down over the three legs before installing the scope. then I came across the thing on the Sweetwater site and realized I could have it tomorrow, so I pulled the trigger. I’ll let everyone know how it works (maybe if the sun makes an appearance in Indiana tomorrow).

[roelb]

roelb, here is how I am currently 'running' SeeStar on my Windows computer: https://github.com/Genymobile/scrcpy

 

This application mirrors Android devices (video and audio) connected via USB or over TCP/IP, and allows to control the device with the keyboard and the mouse of the computer. It does not require any root access. It works on Linux, Windows and macOS.

 

You need to connect your phone to your computer and set your phone to enabled USB debugging. Not as good as using BlueStacks but it is the best solution I have found so far.

Thanks Cey. I can also use the Windows Phone Link app which displays the phone and I can use the mouse & keyboard.

The connection to the phone can be made using WiFi.

With the newest Seestar updates (app V.13 and latest firmware) I have experienced that it is now possible to use the app over the home WiFi.

As usual to start with the Seestar one must change the home WiFi to the S50 WiFi.

But once the S50 is ready, I can now set my phone back to the home WiFi and use the app as usual.

So full control of the S50 via home WiFi without using the S50 WiFi signal.

I will also check your proposal because I have plenty of time with the clouds rolling over since mid October

Edited by roelb, 21 December 2023 - 08:59 PM.

[Special Ed]

My Seestar automatically updated to the new firmware version 2.01 when I started it today to look at the Sun.  My question is: does it also automatically update the app to the new version 1.13.0 or do I have to download it?
 
BTW, the landscape mode works on my Samsung android tablet.

Bump

Can anyone answer my question?

[eyeoftexas]

Bump

Can anyone answer my question?

On Apple iPads and iPhones you can tell the system preferences to automatically update apps. You can do it manually if you do not choose that option.  I have my settings at manual for most apps. I find that the S50 tells me when there is a firmware update when I connect the app to the S50.  I have not noticed if the app says an update is available. 

[tbhausen]

This is absolute perfection. With the legs fully retracted, the tails of the bags just miss the surface the tripod is placed upon. I don’t think a hurricane could blow it off the roof.

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Edited by tbhausen, 22 December 2023 - 02:41 PM.

[Special Ed]

On Apple iPads and iPhones you can tell the system preferences to automatically update apps. You can do it manually if you do not choose that option.  I have my settings at manual for most apps. I find that the S50 tells me when there is a firmware update when I connect the app to the S50.  I have not noticed if the app says an update is available.

Thanks. My android tablet updated automatically--I just had the notifications turned off. The app told me when the firmware was updated.

[Jethro7]

Hello Cners,

I've used my Seestar S50 enough to know that this little gadget is really cool and is worth a few upgrades. The Astro Hobby is one of those hubby's that you can take a rather cheap gadget and upgrade it into an expensive gadget The tiny Seestar tripod just does not do it for me, so on the advice from on of my friend that is a photographer, I purchased a Benro 300 carbon fiber tripod and a Nodal Ninja EZ leveler. Also added recently a Bhatinov Mask, filter cells and a dew shield for my Seestar. Tonight was the first time that I had a chance to use the Seestar assessories. Unfortunatly there is a good bit of smoke in my skies but what the heck. The full size tripod is sooo much nicer to use than setting up a folding table. After set up and getting everything going I noticed a message on the screen that I have not seen before. It noted that the Seestar was correcting for leveling errors, so maybe this is something new that ZWO recently updated or my set up was already leveled close enough and the EZ leveler is no longer needed. ??? (Interesting)  No real sense  spending a lot of time when your transparancy is not very good but I what I did accomplish in such a short time is pretty cool. The tripod is definatly an improvement. Hopefully I will have good skies soon.

 

HAPPY SKIES AND KEEP LOOKING UP Jethro

 

 

 

 

Edited by Jethro7, 23 December 2023 - 06:57 PM.

[Moonjet]

The Eagle has landed

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[ReneF]

Hello Cners,

I've used my Seestar S50 enough to know that this little gadget is really cool and is worth a few upgrades. The Astro Hobby is one of those hubby's that you can take a rather cheap gadget and upgrade it into an expensive gadget The tiny Seestar tripod just does not do it for me so on the advice from on of my friend that is a photographer, I purchased a Benro 300 carbon fiber tripod and a Nodal Ninja EZ leveler.

I purchased and love the Skywatcher Star Adventurer Tripod for $95. Not carbon fiber but also not $400. It is light weight nonetheless and gets the job done. An EZ leveler gets the job done, or a couple of washers from the hardware store between the SeeStar and tripod to elevated it slightly.