13 replies to this topic

[brooklynlou]

Hi all.

In doing my due diligence on the ASIAIR, I hear that the 32GB model is not recommended for planetary imaging.

1. Why?
2. Is the 256GB model better at this or is the ASI AIR a bad choice for planetary?

[hyiger]

Hi all.

In doing my due diligence on the ASIAIR, I hear that the 32GB model is not recommended for planetary imaging.

1. Why?
2. Is the 256GB model better at this or is the ASI AIR a bad choice for planetary?

None of the models are ideal for planetary imaging. They'll do in a pinch but you won't get the same frame rates you can get with a laptop and FireCapture or SharpCap. If you are just starting out, they will work OK it's just you won't be getting as good of a final product after stacking. Both FireCapture and SharpCap (especially the 4.1 version) have a lot more features. 

 

That said, you will need a lot of storage. I will often take many 2-3 minute videos that can be 7-8 GB or more. With 32GB you'll soon run out of space. Also, the ASIAir only takes videos in AVI (or compressed MP4) which is not ideal (for me). I prefer a more "standard" SER format. 

[Jay6879]

None of the models are ideal for planetary imaging. They'll do in a pinch but you won't get the same frame rates you can get with a laptop and FireCapture or SharpCap. If you are just starting out, they will work OK it's just you won't be getting as good of a final product after stacking. Both FireCapture and SharpCap (especially the 4.1 version) have a lot more features. 

 

That said, you will need a lot of storage. I will often take many 2-3 minute videos that can be 7-8 GB or more. With 32GB you'll soon run out of space. Also, the ASIAir only takes videos in AVI (or compressed MP4) which is not ideal (for me). I prefer a more "standard" SER format. 

 

To be honest, the framerates aren't even an issue anymore with the new plus models, I've messed around with it before and had no issue getting 100+fps depending on roi and other settings. The bigger issue holding you back is it's limited to 1080p, and more importantly is capped at 2gb files (iirc, could be 3gb). As you most definitely know, 2gb files are nothing in the world of planetary imaging but like you said, it'll do in a pinch and the stacking feature actually works remarkably well all things considered.

Edited by Jay6879, 21 May 2024 - 12:49 PM.

[RonaldNC]

I've used it for planetary imaging and it works okay.  I do have the 256 GB model, but I don't see how that would make much of a difference.  I use a 512 GB SSD thumb drive to store the images, which also makes it easier to transfer them to my computer for processing.  The biggest factor for me is the capabilities of the camera.  My 224MC Pro is much faster than my 533MC Pro, which is much faster than my 2600MC Pro.  With the 224MC Pro, I can go about as fast as I want.  The 533MC Pro is a slower, but I can do 50 fps.  I have to "dumb down" the 2600MC Pro to make it workable.

 

Having said all that, I still use SharpCap if I'm sitting out with the scope.  I do like the features.  However, when it's cold outside, I'll use the ASIAir Plus so I can image remotely.

 

Good luck!

Ron

[CTerry]

Just buy a cheap 1tb 3.0usb thumb drive and use that for storage on the asiair. the emmc storage sucks anyway.  i use my asiair and a 533mc for planetary imaging all the time. its weird tho. the displayed fps on the screen isnt the actual fps it records.  sometimes it will say like 30 40 50 etc fps but when i look at the videos on my pc it will actually be around 110 fps or so. example... ill record a 2min video of jupiter and it will say 30fps on my tablet screen, but when i open the video on my pc it will have 13200 frames.  thats more like 110 fps.  im not sure if its an un-fixed glitch or whatnot but from my experience its more fps that it shows. i will say thos sometimes when i do a really small ROI ill get up around 100fps on screen. not every time tho.  ive compared videos from sharpcap, firecapture and my asiair and they all are pretty much the same. its just a matter of what software you prefer to use.

[hyiger]

To be honest, the framerates aren't even an issue anymore with the new plus models, I've messed around with it before and had no issue getting 100+fps depending on roi and other settings. The bigger issue holding you back is it's limited to 1080p, and more importantly is capped at 2gb files (iirc, could be 3gb). As you most definitely know, 2gb files are nothing in the world of planetary imaging but like you said, it'll do in a pinch and the stacking feature actually works remarkably well all things considered.

On the same token though, with custom ROI in FireCapture and it's ability to guide the mount to keep the planet in frame I can set very small ROIs and get 200+ fps on my ASI585. 

Edited by hyiger, 21 May 2024 - 05:11 PM.

[unimatrix0]

.. ill record a 2min video of jupiter and it will say 30fps on my tablet screen, but when i open the video on my pc it will have 13200 frames.  thats more like 110 fps.  im not sure if its an un-fixed glitch or whatnot but from my experience its more fps that it shows.

What you see on your tablet is capped at 30fps.   Remember, the picture you see is coming through a wi-fi network which has limitations. 

 

Even the people with the laptop directly connected, what they see is limited to the laptop's screen refresh rate, which is usually 60fps, unless it's a newer/gaming laptop for which some of them are 240fps. 

 

Again, if they would remote desktop into a mini pc for example, they will never see more than a certain amount of FPS displayed. My 120fps capture of Saturn via mini pc looked like a bowl of hot cereal on my remote desktop screen. 

 

That's why it wise to do planetary with direct connection.  It's only a few minutes anyway. 

[Jay6879]

On the same token though, with custom ROI in FireCapture and it's ability to guide the mount to keep the planet in frame I can set very small ROIs and get 200+ fps on my ASI585. 

 

Oh dude don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's a replacement! As much as I love using the asiair I still lug outthe laptop for planetary imaging.

[hyiger]

Oh dude don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's a replacement! As much as I love using the asiair I still lug outthe laptop for planetary imaging.

I've got 3 airs and after my last outing where my entire evening was ruined I'm switching back to NINA for DSO (the Mele Quieter 4C is on sale for $200). I mistakenly installed a beta version on the primary and the "emergency backup." Guiding didn't work at all, lots of crashes and no Internet service so I couldn't back out the firmware in the field. But then Windows has it's own set of headaches. 

[dcaponeii]

One simple answer...DON'T.  

[dcaponeii]

I've used it for planetary imaging and it works okay.  I do have the 256 GB model, but I don't see how that would make much of a difference.  I use a 512 GB SSD thumb drive to store the images, which also makes it easier to transfer them to my computer for processing.  The biggest factor for me is the capabilities of the camera.  My 224MC Pro is much faster than my 533MC Pro, which is much faster than my 2600MC Pro.  With the 224MC Pro, I can go about as fast as I want.  The 533MC Pro is a slower, but I can do 50 fps.  I have to "dumb down" the 2600MC Pro to make it workable.

 

Having said all that, I still use SharpCap if I'm sitting out with the scope.  I do like the features.  However, when it's cold outside, I'll use the ASIAir Plus so I can image remotely.

 

Good luck!

Ron

That's why the correct answer is...DON'T.  Every planetary imager's dream is to work hard to produce less than average images of the planets!!!!  It's those people that get ticked off when their told their images aren't very good, the refuse to read the FAQ, and refuse to learn how to collimate their scope properly....and on...and on...and on.  On the plus side at least the OP is asking the question at the beginning of planetary season and not three days before opposition!!!  Read some of the Aussie posts from the past week and see how many of them are getting first class images sitting inside using their ASIAir so they don't have to do REAL imaging outside in the cold as God intended. (That last bit is a joke, but several commented on how cold it was during their imaging session.)
 

[RedLionNJ]

The bigger issue holding you back is it's limited to 1080p

Ummm.... why would that hold anyone back? Even with a C14, Jupiter shouldn't cover more than 400 pixels.

[Jay6879]

Ummm.... why would that hold anyone back? Even with a C14, Jupiter shouldn't cover more than 400 pixels.

 

There's been times when the 585 has come in handy at higher resolutions to capture stuff like Jupiter and the galilean moons spread out, or more often doing high res imaging of the moon.

[RedLionNJ]

There's been times when the 585 has come in handy at higher resolutions to capture stuff like Jupiter and the galilean moons spread out, or more often doing high res imaging of the moon.

I hear you on the wide-field, but lunar imaging and discussion thereof has no place in this forum.