10 replies to this topic

[mjanzou]

Instruction manual released.
Pg. 10 addresses speculation about modes of operation…

 

It appears the imate controller will also have mobile ios/android remote access with the front-end being handled by ‘NoMachine’ on all platforms.

It surely simplifies their internal development efforts only having to manage code for a single provider. The bummer is if it brakes on ioptrons side, its broken everywhere….. and are dependent on the NoMachine client performing equally across all platforms.

It will be interesting to see how this works out.

 

https://www.ioptron....E69B_Manual.pdf

Edited by mjanzou, 23 September 2023 - 01:58 PM.

[JimT]

Went along with out the mount trying to get a feel for all of this using the manual for the HAE69B.  KStars wants you to set up EKOS with the mount and other devices. Was trying to get a look and set up the mount in EKOS. OPS no iOptron HAE69 in the list and it will not allow me to pick local as the mode. It has a lot of mounts in the list from iOptron but the HAE69 isn't one of them. Dang it. My guess is I'm missing something already.

[mjanzou]

Went along with out the mount trying to get a feel for all of this using the manual for the HAE69B. KStars wants you to set up EKOS with the mount and other devices. Was trying to get a look and set up the mount in EKOS. OPS no iOptron HAE69 in the list and it will not allow me to pick local as the mode. It has a lot of mounts in the list from iOptron but the HAE69 isn't one of them. Dang it. My guess is I'm missing something already.

If you look in the hae69b manual pages about imate control you will see a screenshot of the drivers. I believe its only included with the custom imate version of ekos at this time.

[JimT]

If you look in the hae69b manual pages about imate control you will see a screenshot of the drivers. I believe its only included with the custom imate version of ekos at this time.

Thank you. 

[ispybadguys]

Well after 1 day I am pretty fed up with iMate. I cannot get it to connect to both my QHY3III guide and my QHY600 camera. After a day of screwing with it it just decided to connect to the QHY600. No rhyme or reason it just connected like nothing is wrong. At first I thought it was the Pegasus Advanced but it turns out not. I have a MeLE Fanless Mini PC Quieter3Q running StellarMate and if I move the USB cable to it everything connects. I can even connect to the HAE69B to StellarMate if I lie to it and say it is a HAE27. It takes iMate 15 seconds to download a frame from the QHY600 I don't know how they screwed that up. The also kind of basterdized the home page so you can't run a shell or anything else. I don't see a way to have the hotspot not come up when it can connect to the local network link Astroberry or StellarMate. 

 

I have a URANUS sensor and I was happy that it connected and set the time and location. The Indi GPS panel on the URANUS shows my correct location but the Indi main panel on the URANUS reports the my Longitude is 253 degrees not -106 for my timezone is stuck at +8 and not -6. I think this will prevent me from do any GOTOs.  

 

Also why did they leave out the $4 GPS module from the HAE69BEC. My CEM70EC has one.

 

So I say nice idea totally lousy implementation on low performance hardware. Why didn't they put a MeLE in there and have 4 USB-3 ports and an HDMI port. Why didn't they put StellarMate on it?

 

BTY Jasem says they never talked to him about using Kstars nor did they respond when he emailed them. This is the way it is going to be when China runs the world.

 

Kurt

[M27helps]

I just received the HAE29b and am new to iMate. I’m making progress learning it and it’s a nice mobile
Package. I can connect my dslr and guide cameras, focus, and
Polar align with iPolar. Anyone with settings for a
Strain wave mount in iMate guider? Most of the instability
I notice is me not configuring properly. Tks
All!

[M27helps]

Update after a lot of rain here in Maryland.  I mostly have everything working now.  A majority of the issues I'm solving relate to configuration mismatches or ignorance.  I have had a few random crashes and dropped connections -- i need more time to really know the impact of all that.  I polar align with iPolar which is very convenient seems adequate for my imaging train - 300 mm F4 Nikon lens and modded d5300. I do not have this working from within EKOS yet so I use my laptop.   I'm able to focus in EKOS using a 3D printed helical focuser of my design, which adapts an Ioptron EAF - still more work to automate that but I can get sharp focus. I then align in EKOS keeping my optical train pointed north.  I can then slew to target in KStars - works well when you get it setup.  I then slew to a target nearer the Zenith to calibrate guiding.  I tried guiding in EKOS and could not get that working.  Calibration goes out but never returns to the origin - tried many settings and could not get it there.  However, running PhD2 on the Orange Pi works well and I got acceptable guiding using RoRo's setup on his YouTube channel.  I use a ZWO 120mm/30mm guide scope, ZWO 120mm Mini camera.  I need to  reduce the guide time from 1 sec to 0.5 second.  Seeing was poor with high clouds but I was still guiding at 1.5 - 2 arcseconds.  Better seeing and darks for guiding will help.  i don't have images yet but getting closer.

 

I find the OrangePi to be acceptably responsive over WiFi.  Setup is really easy with less cables.

 

Here's RoRo's setup for PhD:

 

RA

Algorithm: Hysteresis

Aggression: 0.7

Minimum move: 0.098

 

DEC

Algorithm: Resist Switch

Minimum move: 0.5

Aggression: 100%

Fast Switch: enabled

 

BACKLASH: disabled

Guide Rate: 0.5

 

Here are Youtube URLs that I found helpful from RoRo and Jasem, with thanks. 

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=_YoXF8ukvhQ

https://www.youtube....xjHyIhrk&t=339s

 

Apologies if this is not quite clear - I'm a beginner and hope this is helpful to someone.

[calypsob]

can you bypass the imate and use an asi air instead? 

[Kzooprof]

Not sure if anyone is still reading this topic but thought I would add to the above comment. After struggling for over a year with an Explore Scientific EXOS-2 PMC8 mount I purchased the HAE29bec mount a few months ago. I was looking for a strain wave mount able to handle a small refractor (WO GT81) and maybe (in the future) up to a Celestron Edge HD8. The iOptron was not initially high on my list but after reading about precision encoders I decided to go for it! It has an encoder only on the RA axis but from what I read this solves 99% of the guidance issues. Indeed, with the WO scope I am doing 5 minute exposures with no guider and no star trailing. So basically the "b" part of the mount (iMate) was an extra feature that I really did not care so much about. I have been using a Mele Quieter 4C with NINA and that has worked perfectly with the iOptron mount. I also have a second drive with Stellarmate on the Mele and although I am happy with NINA I feel that Stellarmate has a lot to offer. To answer the above question, yes you can plug the Mele (or any computer) into the iOptron mount and bypass the iMate software. It would be nice, however, to eliminate the Mele and connect my equipment directly. Thus far I am having some of the difficulties mentioned in the comments above and I am still waiting for solutions from iOptron support. The problem is that both the mount and my Qfocuser try to use the same serial port so whichever one I start first connects but the second is out of luck! The iMate in the mount is an Orange Pi computer and I do not know the nomenclature to rename the serial port, so I am hopeful that iOptron support will come through. In the meantime, I am happy with the mount including precision tracking without a guider and smooth, quiet slewing.  I am still mostly using NINA but becoming more adept with Stellarmate each day. BTW, the iMate uses Stars/EKOS which is essentially the "guts" of Stellarmate. 

Edited by Kzooprof, 08 April 2025 - 03:40 PM.

[calypsob]

I got my HAE69bEC today. I will be looking at setting up the imate as a backup solution to asi air or PC / SGP and sharpcap pro.

 

I was told that you need to connect any external computers to the usb port located on the fixed position behind dec. 

[Kzooprof]

Wes,

Correct. Any computer with appropriate software connects to the mount through the USB-C port next to the 2.1 mm power port. Connection to the iMate is made using WiFi and NoMachine software on the remote computer. I am still waiting for iOptron support to get back to me about my serial port connection issue. I also will probably use iMate only as a backup to my main Mele mini computer.  I have a small teardrop (18’) trailer and when I travel off to a dark sky site would be nice to minimize baggage!

Joe