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Ah yes, it all started in 2019, up all night, coyotes keeping me company and my main job was troubleshooting ascom drivers. I was even using Sequence Generator PRO. I did this a few times a year and have nothing to show for it. I was going to sell all my equipment, it wasn’t cheap either. Fast forward to 2022 and the ASIAir + changed everything. Literally, I was in tears when my first sub of the North American Nebula came through and I could make out the Cygnus Wall in the app on my iPad. Fast forward to today and my setup is almost trivial. I still take time to listen to the coyotes yapping as I take in the wonder of it all, I soon snap to my senses realizing it is cold outside and I want go to bed, Knowingly it will all be waiting for me in the morning.
This is an interesting comparison. I let my APT licence lapse last year and temporarily moved to NINA just before the clouds rolled in for the winter. Like others, I was frustrated by aspects of the desktop environment offered by NINA and APT. Plate Solving and meridian flips were my biggest annoyance. I NEVER got the meridian flip working reliably, in spite watching dozens of YT videos. In March 2023 I got an ASIAir Plus. From the first use it has worked as advertised. The only specific challenge I’ve had is reliably connecting my Celestron mount. That issue has been resolved courtesy of Cody from Astroblender. The biggest advantage of the ASIAIR is that it’s cut the cords from the observatory to the laptop. Your point about APT limitations are relevant to the reasons I gave it up. Good video Sir. Cheers!
@@astrojourneyuk I’m confident that you’re hear other similar tales. The success I’m having with the ASIAir seems to run opposite to the many forum posts others are experiencing. The improved results in my guiding and simplicity of setting up plans makes it all worth it.
Thanks for sharing this! My experience was the same in that I was a Mac user running windows on my Mac. I have the latest Mac M1, so it ran windows just fine. Using the software and the drivers was a definite headache for me. Also having to connect everything via USB was another headache. I know that mini PCs can work like ASI air, but there’s still the issue of banging your head against the wall with windows type interfaces. ASIAir was a game changer for me for the reason you stated. The main thing was being able to run imaging sessions, control the rig, and focus on enjoying the hobby. My setup now includes running ASIAir iPad app on my Apple Silicon Mac, using the IPhone via USBC and using Remote PC to access that Mac from anywhere in the house. I know ASI air has station mode, but that’s a headache too
Station mode mostly works for me, but I have two networks of different names that I have to switch between but it still works well over all. Someone needs to work on a killer app setup for these mini PCs however, there’s probably not the market for people willing to pay for it.
In APT you have to set Flip Moment to 1m and Delay Flip Move to 10m and the auto meridian flip works all the time. I agree these values should be default. Instead I had to find out by asking for help at the forum.
Thanks Eric. I’m afraid it was off an old router I no longer needed so it was just going spare. There are a few people out there that have shared what they are using though. I’ll see if I can find out.
Windows updates were a killer if you didn’t remember to disable them or push them to the day time. They should create an Astro-mode where the updates don’t default to nighttime when we are using things. :)
Sounds like you’ve hit a lot of the things I have too. All of the software being Windows certainly for image capture is annoying but understanding. The market doesn’t really seem big enough to support the additional cost associated with multi platform development. I used to have a Mac with boot camp just for Astro but then Apple moved away from x86 processors and that sort of put a stop to that. I still use “Parallels” and Arm based windows from time to time.
Great video. Agree with everything you said. Had pretty much similar experience. Asiair just makes the evening set up seamless and quick. I've tried a mini pc or two with very little luck. However, I would love to try the Primaluce Eagle at some point in future 😅
Thanks for taking the time to comment. Lots of people have had similar issues. I thought about Mini PCs at one point too but then thought that the cost could be comparable with the ASIAIR. I guess it does still come down to whether the kit that people own already is compatible. The Primaluce Eagle does look nice but still pricey. Although what isn’t expensive in this hobby? 😂
The Eagle IS a Mini-PC. A quite powerfull. The ASIAir is a computer as well, a much weaker. But it is nut up to the computer; computer-controlled astrofotography was more than possible years ago with much weaker/slower machines. It's all about the software. And looking at software, there is nothing that can beat NINA. The ASIAir is nice for ASI, to capture people and hold them to the ASI-product-line. And it is nice for beginners, due to its simple steps, that dont allow much of the advanced techniques. It is a nice beginners too. But quite every user, who expects some more freedom and fruther more better images, does not une a tool like the ASIAir. Most of them switch to NINA, using a Laptop or PC or Mini-PC.
ASIAIR all sky polar alignment was a game changer for me as I cannot see polaris. It just worked out of the box for me, I still try and get Nina to work but it just isn’t as easy and has a complicated layout. I just want ASIAIR to have a remote vpn connection and a custom park position, will be perfect then
If I’m remote I run ASIAIR app on my Mac and then TeamViewer to remote onto the Mac. You can do the same with BlueStacks Android emulation on PC. That might help?
I remote onto laptop but a) its another piece of kit in the way b) the images arent not always accurate due to scaling and colour depth on the remote screen
APT has recently added a plate-solving-based polar alignment, but it is not as 'graphical' as ASIAIR or NINA are. I have had better luck just using drift alignment in PHD2, although with practice, I could probably learn to use APTs just fine. Another point, I tried NINA, but there are some things about it I just didn't get. So for the time being, I'm sticking to APT, although I'd be tempted to get an ASIAIR, if it weren't for the fact that I'd be limited to the ZWO hardware universe .
I had a brief look at NINA too, but then shortly after purchased an ASIAIR. It's frustrating from one perspective the lockdown to ZWO products but for the time being it does work really well for me.
I've had a very similar journey into astrophotography. After watching this video I'm going to buy an asiair. 😊 APT is okay but I only use some of the features. I've had trouble finding a driver for my old celestron advanced GoTo mount. Will I still need that driver with an asiair? if anyone can advise me please.
You won't need to install any drivers which is great about the ASIAIR, however, given you've had issues already, I would recommend you take a look at the ZWO site to check for compatibility with that mount before purchasing. The last thing I'd want is for you to buy something that doesn't work.
There’s definitely a bit of polarisation on ZWO and their kit. I am clearly a fan of it all, mainly because I rarely get clear skies and so I like stuff to work when I need it.
@@astrojourneyuk I think it is about price. If you could have Kepler4040 camera for 2-3K, you could care less about ZWO cameras and consequently ASAir. If you could have Moonlite focusers for 300-500, who could even think about ZWO.
For that price I’d hope the Kepler4040 beat all cameras. Maybe I should read up on why it’s so expensive. TBH if there was a camera that could see through our clouds then it would be worth that money. 😂😂😂
To try everything Brilliant has to offer-free-for a full 30 days, visit brilliant.org/astrojourneyuk/ . The first 200 of you will get 20% off Brilliant’s annual premium subscription
Ah yes, it all started in 2019, up all night, coyotes keeping me company and my main job was troubleshooting ascom drivers. I was even using Sequence Generator PRO. I did this a few times a year and have nothing to show for it. I was going to sell all my equipment, it wasn’t cheap either. Fast forward to 2022 and the ASIAir + changed everything. Literally, I was in tears when my first sub of the North American Nebula came through and I could make out the Cygnus Wall in the app on my iPad.
Fast forward to today and my setup is almost trivial. I still take time to listen to the coyotes yapping as I take in the wonder of it all, I soon snap to my senses realizing it is cold outside and I want go to bed, Knowingly it will all be waiting for me in the morning.
That was so beautifully put, I felt like I was there with you. I’m kind of glad I don’t need to worry about coyotes.
This is an interesting comparison. I let my APT licence lapse last year and temporarily moved to NINA just before the clouds rolled in for the winter. Like others, I was frustrated by aspects of the desktop environment offered by NINA and APT. Plate Solving and meridian flips were my biggest annoyance. I NEVER got the meridian flip working reliably, in spite watching dozens of YT videos.
In March 2023 I got an ASIAir Plus. From the first use it has worked as advertised. The only specific challenge I’ve had is reliably connecting my Celestron mount. That issue has been resolved courtesy of Cody from Astroblender. The biggest advantage of the ASIAIR is that it’s cut the cords from the observatory to the laptop.
Your point about APT limitations are relevant to the reasons I gave it up. Good video Sir. Cheers!
Thanks for watching and the feedback. It’s interesting that it’s not just me. 👍
@@astrojourneyuk I’m confident that you’re hear other similar tales. The success I’m having with the ASIAir seems to run opposite to the many forum posts others are experiencing. The improved results in my guiding and simplicity of setting up plans makes it all worth it.
At the end of the day the best tool is one that works.
Thanks for sharing this! My experience was the same in that I was a Mac user running windows on my Mac. I have the latest Mac M1, so it ran windows just fine.
Using the software and the drivers was a definite headache for me. Also having to connect everything via USB was another headache. I know that mini PCs can work like ASI air, but there’s still the issue of banging your head against the wall with windows type interfaces.
ASIAir was a game changer for me for the reason you stated. The main thing was being able to run imaging sessions, control the rig, and focus on enjoying the hobby. My setup now includes running ASIAir iPad app on my Apple Silicon Mac, using the IPhone via USBC and using Remote PC to access that Mac from anywhere in the house.
I know ASI air has station mode, but that’s a headache too
Station mode mostly works for me, but I have two networks of different names that I have to switch between but it still works well over all. Someone needs to work on a killer app setup for these mini PCs however, there’s probably not the market for people willing to pay for it.
In APT you have to set Flip Moment to 1m and Delay Flip Move to 10m and the auto meridian flip works all the time. I agree these values should be default. Instead I had to find out by asking for help at the forum.
Thank you for sharing this, much appreciated, if only I’d had this years ago. 😂
Thanks for the video, very useful. As an aside, do you have a link to the aftermarket aerial you use?
Thanks Eric. I’m afraid it was off an old router I no longer needed so it was just going spare. There are a few people out there that have shared what they are using though. I’ll see if I can find out.
ASI Air is a Game Changer !
Windows updates were a killer if you didn’t remember to disable them or push them to the day time. They should create an Astro-mode where the updates don’t default to nighttime when we are using things. :)
Sounds like you’ve hit a lot of the things I have too. All of the software being Windows certainly for image capture is annoying but understanding. The market doesn’t really seem big enough to support the additional cost associated with multi platform development. I used to have a Mac with boot camp just for Astro but then Apple moved away from x86 processors and that sort of put a stop to that. I still use “Parallels” and Arm based windows from time to time.
Great video. Agree with everything you said. Had pretty much similar experience. Asiair just makes the evening set up seamless and quick. I've tried a mini pc or two with very little luck. However, I would love to try the Primaluce Eagle at some point in future 😅
Thanks for taking the time to comment. Lots of people have had similar issues. I thought about Mini PCs at one point too but then thought that the cost could be comparable with the ASIAIR. I guess it does still come down to whether the kit that people own already is compatible. The Primaluce Eagle does look nice but still pricey. Although what isn’t expensive in this hobby? 😂
The Eagle IS a Mini-PC. A quite powerfull. The ASIAir is a computer as well, a much weaker.
But it is nut up to the computer; computer-controlled astrofotography was more than possible years ago with much weaker/slower machines.
It's all about the software. And looking at software, there is nothing that can beat NINA.
The ASIAir is nice for ASI, to capture people and hold them to the ASI-product-line. And it is nice for beginners, due to its simple steps, that dont allow much of the advanced techniques.
It is a nice beginners too.
But quite every user, who expects some more freedom and fruther more better images, does not une a tool like the ASIAir. Most of them switch to NINA, using a Laptop or PC or Mini-PC.
ASIAIR all sky polar alignment was a game changer for me as I cannot see polaris. It just worked out of the box for me, I still try and get Nina to work but it just isn’t as easy and has a complicated layout. I just want ASIAIR to have a remote vpn connection and a custom park position, will be perfect then
If I’m remote I run ASIAIR app on my Mac and then TeamViewer to remote onto the Mac. You can do the same with BlueStacks Android emulation on PC. That might help?
I remote onto laptop but a) its another piece of kit in the way b) the images arent not always accurate due to scaling and colour depth on the remote screen
Fair point. It does work in terms of some form of connectivity though. I like the idea of global connectivity though.
APT has recently added a plate-solving-based polar alignment, but it is not as 'graphical' as ASIAIR or NINA are. I have had better luck just using drift alignment in PHD2, although with practice, I could probably learn to use APTs just fine. Another point, I tried NINA, but there are some things about it I just didn't get. So for the time being, I'm sticking to APT, although I'd be tempted to get an ASIAIR, if it weren't for the fact that I'd be limited to the ZWO hardware universe .
I had a brief look at NINA too, but then shortly after purchased an ASIAIR. It's frustrating from one perspective the lockdown to ZWO products but for the time being it does work really well for me.
I've had a very similar journey into astrophotography. After watching this video I'm going to buy an asiair. 😊 APT is okay but I only use some of the features. I've had trouble finding a driver for my old celestron advanced GoTo mount. Will I still need that driver with an asiair? if anyone can advise me please.
You won't need to install any drivers which is great about the ASIAIR, however, given you've had issues already, I would recommend you take a look at the ZWO site to check for compatibility with that mount before purchasing. The last thing I'd want is for you to buy something that doesn't work.
@AstroJourneyUK Thank you! It will work on my other mount if not. 👍
There could be an answer. You don’t have allergies from ZWO equipment. Others do.
There’s definitely a bit of polarisation on ZWO and their kit. I am clearly a fan of it all, mainly because I rarely get clear skies and so I like stuff to work when I need it.
@@astrojourneyuk I think it is about price. If you could have Kepler4040 camera for 2-3K, you could care less about ZWO cameras and consequently ASAir. If you could have Moonlite focusers for 300-500, who could even think about ZWO.
I had to google the Kepler4040, definitely most cameras will beat that on price. 😂
@@astrojourneyuk What about quality? Will they beat as well?😉
For that price I’d hope the Kepler4040 beat all cameras. Maybe I should read up on why it’s so expensive. TBH if there was a camera that could see through our clouds then it would be worth that money. 😂😂😂
ZWO is like Apple, I use them because they work, end of story.
Same here. I think there’s definitely a gap in the market for a competing product.