This can FULLY replace your ASIAIR (and more)! FULL REVIEW of the Stellarmate Pro
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- Опубліковано 31 лип 2024
- My Patreon: / cuivlazygeek
Use coupon LAZYGEEK (don't forget!) at the following link to get 10% off on the Stellarmate Pro (limited to the first 100 units ordered!):
stellarmate.com/lazygeek
Or if you prefer to buy from High Point Scientific: tinyurl.com/4fy4946h
I'm still using it after filming this video, the more I use it the more I love it despite its flaws! And I managed to get better autofocus requiring less exposure time since filming :)
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Seestar S50: tinyurl.com/3n62hpzx
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OGMA versions (use code CUIV on checkout for a small discount!): getogma.com/
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OCAL Collimator: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_Dmu... or s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_Dc6...
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AstroPC Pro: astro-gadget.net/gadgets/astr...
Cable management: www.etsy.com/shop/SmartCompon...
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00:00 Introduction
00:48 Device exterior
02:00 Connectivity
02:33 Compatibility
03:50 Mounting it to equipment
05:10 vs ASIAIR
07:05 Smartphone app
08:35 Setting up an imaging session
17:17 Taking flats
22:13 Imaging session in progress
25:45 Desktop interface
33:40 Other app features
36:27 Comparison with ASIAIR and PC
38:50 Issues and learning curve
42:09 Who is this for?
44:11 Seal of approval?
46:50 What you can do
48:12 Image sample and Thanks - Наука та технологія
Use coupon LAZYGEEK (don't forget!) at the following link to get 10% off on the Stellarmate Pro (limited to the first 100 units ordered!):
stellarmate.com/lazygeek
Or if you prefer to buy from High Point Scientific: tinyurl.com/4fy4946h
I'm still using it after filming this video, the more I use it the more I love it despite its flaws! And I managed to get better autofocus requiring less exposure time since filming :)
My Patreon: www.patreon.com/cuivlazygeek
Amazon affiliate: amzn.to/3hTB5Ne
Agena affiliate: bit.ly/3Om0hNG
High Point Scientific affiliate: bit.ly/3lReu8R
All-Star Telescope affiliate: bit.ly/3SCgVbV
Dwarf 2 Smart Telescope: bit.ly/3SyChXua
Seestar S50: tinyurl.com/3n62hpzx
I spent my 1st year of Astrophotography trying to get Stellarmate to work consistently before switching to NINA which I mastered in a week. So I find your conclusions bang on target, the concept is great but the road to getting it to work with your kit is challenging. Before retirement I was a software test manager so I feel qualified to make these remarks.
And I'm a software product manager, so I think we have the same way of thinking :) If only we could have NINA run on a lightweight LInux with a smartphone app..!
yeah, that is why I went with the ASI air, I already had almost all ZWO shit anyway, except peg astro focus cube, but I just said f it, and bought the EAF, and will also end up with their EFW as well. It's just easier, not worth the hassle of the other options. It's DEF good enough for A LOT of set ups. I can only think if you are using like 4 telescopes on one mount and 8 cams lmfao. or something SUPER bizarre, which those people are likely in an observatory with PC access anyway.
@@OnceShy_TwiceBitten I think that DeepSkyDad's flat panels now work with the ASIair, so if ZWO had got off their butts & offered a good rotator....or rebranded & authorized another manufacturer's rotator....then I may not have switched to NINA and the Eagle (which is awesome & manages power very well). BTW, I'm not sure if DeepSkyDad has got his rotator working with the ASIair..
Thank you so very much for reviewing this Product ! A lot of us out here have been waiting on the StellarMate Pro for a few years now and I'm glad Jasem sent a
review Sample to you . (I did suggest this to him a year ago !) I'm also glad you get to keep this and continue the Review with Updates on your findings . Jasem really needs someone to produce Video Tutorials on this Product to increase its saturation within the Astrophotography family . I think it is a great Product with a lot of potential ! Cheers /SRK
Thanks so much for putting this out there. Another great video. I use the ASIAIR, but I am now seriously considering using the Stellarmate Pro
Glad it was helpful! Just be aware of the caveats I mentioned in the video!
this looks more than interesting, and you got my attention since i am looking at asi air for some time. please make more indepth videos about it. clear skies!
Glad to see you have done a review of this!
I have been using stellarmate for years and it is extremely powerful but you do need to spend time fiddling with it.
I used to run stellarmate OS (raspberry pi version) on my ASI Air hardware and it ran fine and even was able to control the power ports
Last year i moved over to the Stellarmate-X which is running on a Mele-3q and found a significant boost in performance
Have not tried the stellarmate PRO yet, i would be interested to see how the performance compares with the stellarmate-X
Also have had nothing but great experiences reaching out to stellarmate support. Jasem is super helpful :D
I bought one last week and now I am setting it up. I did get the 10% off. Thank you 😁
Well done. Thanks so much for your Reviews and all other very valueable vids and Information !
Top
Much appreciated!
Great review Cuiv!!! Really interesting and educational. (and honest, like all your reviews)
I have a pretty solid setup with a mini-PC / NINA but I am tempted to buy this one, if nothing else to reward those who support multiple manufacturers.
It's a different philosophy than NINA for sure, but I'm glad it's there and available!
Great review again! Makes me want to test it!
Wow, thanks a lot for putting so much effort into the review of this piece of equipment! I think it is great that this product exists and that you made this video, because yes indeed, it will help more hobbyists without too much concern with money to get into astrophotography. That said, considering the very high price point and the fact that it isn't really a plug-and-play solution and that a lot of time will sink into configuration and troubleshooting, the DIY mini-PC solution that you discussed is definitely worth considering. In fact, a very similar (arguably better) setup can be built for less than $100 and a couple hours of hands-on time: an old raspberry pi (or other SBC) + an HDMI dummy dongle (for remote desktop) + a DC power distribution box + ubuntu desktop + ekos. I say arguably better because it will be a lot lighter, modular, use a lot less power, and be truly open. I believe that the only missing feature of significance will be the controller for the dew heater (add $90 or DIY in 2 hours).
I'm not sure about the lighter and less power part but I personally much prefer to have all that in a single box :)
I used to use indigo on Respberry PI. Very complicated to use. Now switched to a mini pc with N.I.N.A PHD2 ASTAP. Very happy and easy to use. Thanks to your clips for all the knowledge sharing.
Thanks for a super in depth review. Really useful. I'm happily using NINA right now on my MeLE quieter, but that scheduler alone peaks my interest and might well make a change worthwhile.
Glad it was helpful!
Great review Cuiv! I started my astrophotography journey with stellarmate on a rpi4 because I'm an open source and linux nut so the tinkering was part of the adventure. After about a year, the autofocus made my imaging nights all-consuming (I had to babysit all night). Eventually I put down the hobby until I saw your review of the AstroPC and decided to jump to NINA/windows. NINA has re-ignighted the hobby for me (thank you!) and at some point I may look to dual-boot the AstroPC between linux-stellarmate and windows/nina to keep up to date with the INDI project. Really glad you're branching out and doing these reviews. Well done!
Linux geek here too, but seen as I only had a pi3 astro berry was slow fore, but. Since Nina came out all those years ago I used that on a nuc. I was looking at this stellarmate box a few months ago when it was announced but so far I don't seem the need yet to change from nina
I spent so many hours overhauling the AF in NINA so it would work across a wide range of equipment :) So I know the pain of AF, NINA used to be pretty bad at that until my code contributions lol
@@CuivTheLazyGeek I think I only had the pleasure of using your code, I didn't have a focuser in the early days so it was all manual, oddly, in a way i still miss manual focus too 😊 I would love though to give one of these stellarmate boxes ago though. Do you think you'll carry on using it in future or will you be sticking to NINA?
Excellent review. Nothing hidden. Exactly like my experience with KStars/EKOS, the underlying software of StellarMate.
I am so frickin excited that Jasem et al have come through with this package, I have been dreaming of this for some time. Absolutely great work by the INDI developers!! I'm glad the fire under their ass is burning in this fashion and I can't wait to implement their tech in my setup!
Agree!
Thank you so much for this review! You were very through. I am a long time user of indi / ekos, and I have learned some things from your video that I did not know! I've used it on raspberry 2's intel atoms, and lately on a mele. It suits my use perfectly. I am a software developer and am comfortable fixing issues or adding features if needed so I normally just install indi / ekos on a computer running linux, and am quite happy to use vnc from my desktop or phone to access my telescope. I really do like stellarmate though, and hope that it only increases in popularity as the more people using it, the more polished it will get. I have personally purchased a licence for the stellarmate OS for my raspberry pi and do agree that it is very user friendly, but has some warts. I use my own home brew version as I like to modify the software to my needs.
Great review Cuiv 👍
You are correct that this is a challenging piece of hardware. Took me the better part of a week to figure out all the port issues I had. But I found the Stellarmate Tutorial regarding the Port Assistant. The port assistant made it easy to fix all the port problems. Just fixed my mount problem. The Port Assistant did it's job, but I had the speed all wrong. I had it at 19200 and it wanted to be at 115200. Once I changed to the faster speed it connected immediately, so now all my hardware, mount, two focusers and two cameras all connect first time every time. Took me a moment to figure out how to get KStars to work. I had failed to turn on the web server and as soon as I did, all the functionality I was missing showed up. So now all I have to do is set up my cameras, and get my auto focus routine in order. I found that Hocus Focus has similar issues with donut shaped stars. I had to change back to NINA as Hocus Focus on the larger stars would show the HFR as 0. And then the next image would be 6.5 and then down to 4.4 and then 3.6 etc . So I do understand how frustrating that can be. I have an 8" Edge HD with a 2.5" Moonlite Focuser. I also use Pegasus Astros SCOPS OAG because I'm lazy and don't want to have to go outside and adjust the focus on my OAG every time I do an autofocus routine. My mount is a NYX 101 and as long as I have a really good calibration with PHD2 and a really good Polar alignment, I can get sub 1 arc second subs at 1422mm all the time. The weather hasn't been co-operating at all lately, so I haven't had a chance to use the Stellarmate in an imaging session yet. But I'm hoping to this weekend.
Great features. Helps immensely in cable management and looks amazing. It's a hit.
Im am using the stellarmate package on a raspberry pi and have had a similar experience to what you describe. A lot of initial time/effort investment, but after that it just works. In particular I enjoy the vast range of features and customizability the system offers. After having watched you video I am now quite interested in investing in the stellarmate hardware. Thanky out Cuiv for all the work you have put into informing and educating within the astro photography scene! Truly invaluable.
Exact same experience here. I'm rolling with stellarmate on a rpi4 and am just past the time/effort part and am now in the getting images portion with kstars/ekos.
Me too, I love stellarmate, is not for beginners but it has it all and is very enjoyable to use, you feel like a true profesional observatory.
Thanks for the feedback mate!
Ah geez, I was going to roll with Stellermate on a pi4 8gb model. And a beginner.😢 but um ain't gonna let it stop me. Just gotta pick my scope and mount. See a real beginner.
@@mrbutchee1this is my first setup too. I'm highly technical and can troubleshoot almost all things computer related. For me it was a 4 or 5 out of 10 difficulty level, mostly due to the time constraints around multiple nights with only a few hours at a crack on disparate nights. The time in between did allow me to think about what I was doing a little more and come with fresh ideas the next go around.
Jasem does great work on the whole ecosystem (from Indi drivers, to KStars/Ekos, to StellarmateOS, to the mobile/tablet app and now the Stellarmate Pro). I sometimes use the mobile/iPad app on my Apple Silicon MBP but all in all, I usually just use VNC to connect to my RPi5. Thanks for the review, instructive as always, and all the features (dew heater control and all) make me drool and I just might be considering moving from my RPi5/StellarmateOS to the Stellarmate Pro :)
How do you like the RPi5?
@@CuivTheLazyGeek I like it a lot and it's perfect at what I use it for : Retro gaming; Backyard Astrophoto. It's really much faster than the RPi4 I used before.
Cuiv nailed it - either put in the work or be imaging with the ASIair.
Very interesting device. Obviously you put a lot of work into the review. Many thanks.
Thanks so much Rick!
Excellent review. I’m curious about how the artificial horizon, and I’m pretty excited about this little device! Please give us updates from time to time on this, if you can!
Will do Jeff! I've been using this thing night after night after night :)
Well, I went ahead and got it. My goal is to take my NYX-101 and my Edge HD 8" up into Rocky Mountain National Park and camp out around 10,000 ft in Bortle class 3 skies. Might even be class 2 at that altitude. I have a new F150 Lightning and I can run a single 110VAC extension cable from my truck over to my mount. And run everything from my truck and the Stellarmate Pro. I can't wait to be up imaging next to a small camp fire, drinking a beer and listening to music getting lost in all the stars. It's what I call paradise. ;0)
Sounds like an amazing plan, just make sure to have all the kinks worked out before your trip :D
@@CuivTheLazyGeek Still working out the kinks. But the Donut Buster is amazing. I had my step size at 10 as my tube length on my moonlite focuser is about 1/2" or 12-13 mm.
Maximum draw outward is 4375. So 0 is all the way in and 4375 is all the way out. Typically within NINA I would have a step size of around 50. But I had to keep the steps small to stay within the CFZ. And it did better but still had problems doing an Autofocus Run. But after checking the Donut Buster Check box and using the default setting, I set my step size to 25 and it worked amazingly well. It actually finished the focus run and said it was 0.90 confident in the focus. I about did a back flip. I'm going to push it to 50 and see if it works as well. As that will definitely get it into the "Donut Zone". Also..... I noticed the exposure length during the autofocus run would change. I set it to 20 seconds and it started with an 80 second exposure. And it varied over the exposures. 20 Seconds, then 60 seconds and then 48 seconds. Now I have an Optilong Ultimate filter and I'm assuming it's compensating for the lower amount of light due to the filter. I haven't set up a manual Filter wheel, but I think I will. I have to say, you have to enjoy challenge, but there have been times I've thought about selling this, as NINA was just so easy to work with. But I'm determined to get this to work and I'm positive I just need to spend some time with the Stellarmate Pro and I'll be happy I did. ;o)
@brod5352 hopefully you ont need to charge that Ford lol
Great thorough review
I am very happy to see this product. I used Stellarmate for a couple years then switched to NINA due to frustrations with the RPi - the need to coble together the hardware to operate from 12V, to provide more USB ports - and no satisfactory package for it. I am very happy with NINA but miss some of the features of Stellarmate. There are some good ideas in this product which should establish some feature targets for ASIAir and NINA & others.
Thanks for the very informative video. One significant benefit of this device would be when using long focal length telescopes. As you mentioned in your video, the ASIAIR plus can’t polar align for scopes in the 2400 mm fl region. It will give an error message with respect to the too small field of view. I end up using a reducer to get the scope into the 1500 mm fl region and ASIAIR will grudgingly allow for polar alignment and slewing to target. I contacted ASIAIR to see if they intended to expand database for longer focal length scopes, but that is not in their plans.
That's a shame on the ASIAir, but then I get they simply don't want to change what is essentially a money printing machine!
Great video Cuiv! I have tried to control my gear with Astroberry in the past on a RasPi. I was always thinking about to afford Stellarmate at that time. Finally I have ended up with two different setups. One is with the AsiAir and with NINA. Connecting a Notebook with NINA has been a real pain. But since I have my 9x9x4cm mini PC with NINA directly mounted on the scope it is a real joy to use.
Both the AsiAir and the mini PC I can control via tablet, smartphone or just via PC in case of the mini PC with NINA. Currently I like using my setup with NINA more than my AsiAir.
As you have mentioned KSTARs Plate Solving can be customized via the index files. Sure that is a big advantage over the AsiAir which does not offer such possibilities. But NINA can adapt to different focal lengths too via the Plate Solver that you decide to use.
Nevertheless I never had any issues with Plate Solving on my AsiAir, no matter if I used 420mm or 1625mm focal length.
Any further telescope I will also equip with mini PCs and NINA. It is the most cost effective method as those PCs usually cost way below 200 Euros/ Dollars.
KSTARs I find to complicated to use and to be lazy.
But great to see that you show further possibilities how to control the gear.👍
Having been a long time code contributor to NINA, I agree - I'm really positioning the SM Pro compared to the ASIAir though!
@CuivTheLazyGeek The SM Pro is definitely a strong competitor to the AA. The SM Pro offers more options but knowing KSTARs at least my perspective is that the AA is more intuitive.
I love NINA more and more using it on a mini PC. Instead of any of those systems like the AA, SM Pro, Eagle I will stick to a mini PC as I got one running very well. The only downside of a mini PC is that you have to install some software yourself like you have shown last year in your video how to set such device up. On the other hand you can save a lot of money. The AA starts as of ~300 €, SM Pro and Eagle around 600 €. A mini PC that has enough computing power starts somewhere at 150 € if not less in the meantime. I think money is still a strong argument.
I don't want to talk the SM Pro bad but I think it is too expensive. Even if a 12V distributor costs some Euros too which is a great plus to any mini PC.
I have to admit that an an iOptron user I have the luxury to supply the telescope mounted mini PC though the 12V connector on the Dec saddle that I just have to run one power line to my camera. Heat bands I do power up using two powerbanks.
On my 8" RC that I run with the AA I enjoy the 12V outputs because I don't want to run any loose power cables up to the camera and so. The SM Pro also offers that plus for heavy gear that is anyway difficult to balance on an old fashioned gears or belt driven system.
Please continue to contribute to that amazing piece of software. I would still have ideas for NINA. It is amazing but still a bit to go until perfect. 😄
This looks AMAZING.
It should be noted that Stellarmate X is more comparable to the ASI Air Plus. You may also purchase your own Raspberry Pi 4B and load Stellarmate OS which is identical to the pricier systems, but running on RPi hardware---albeit slower, but functionally complete. Excellent review, Cuiv! Got me all juiced up again about mine!
One of the things I like the most about Stellarmate and KStars/Ekos is that you can connect to your rig remotely directly from the desktop app (due to its Client/Server architecture), no need for Remote Desktop (which is limited in resolution and latency). The experience is way better than by using RDC or a tiny mobile app. I also had the problem you describe with the focus module, also with a Newtonian scope.
I ended up using "Gradient" as the star detection method, it works much better now
@@CuivTheLazyGeek Centroid also works ok for Newts. Also don't be afraid to change the algorithm or whatever, from Hypebolic to Quadratic as well as whether it's a single run or multi run focusing method (trying to get to the last FHD number the 2nd time). I just use the fastest one (after trial and error) and try not to focus too many times. The cool thing is, there is also filter offsets can be saved , which is a big relief for us mono camera imagers, I can't believe ZWO still hasn't implemented that in their Asiair.
I really want to give my astro berry another go, first I need to buy a better pi as my old 3b just isn't up to the job really, I think I just never went back to it as I was using my intel nucs with nina
Wow, a more reasonable price vs. the PrimaLuceLab Eagle computers along with the ability to image directly. Great post.
Hi Cuiv.Yes I built several INDI servers (SBC, dew control, motor control, USB hub). They are a bit sad compared to this though. The main problem with the DIY ones using a pi or similar SBC are the power control, USB bandwidth and the wifi signal. Also you won't have adroid/iphone interface. This looks like they ironed out all the hardware issues in a compact box. I am tempted.
Yes INDI supports every bit of hardware I have from not just ZWO. Of course it is more versatile and hence more complex. Looks like you are sold.
Wow - shipping was fast. Just received the Stellarmate pro yesterday afternoon (4 days after ordering - impressive). Connected it up in 15mins using a tablet as recommended and using the quick start guide and all seems fine. Noticed that the XT60 to DC is I think a 5525 female connector. Fortunately I had a XT60 female to cigarette plug laying around. Unfortunately I am not a Bortle 9 member and had cloudy rainy miserable skies. Astropheric says “maybe” on Saturday/Sunday night.
Hey Cuiv, Regarding the price I just added a Pegasus Power Box Micro to my grab and go alongside an asiair mini (about $200 each). The stellarmate more closely matches the higher end version of these products in a single enclosure. From that, I figure its great value. I gotta say the limited output power of the AM5 and the ASIair let the whole ZWO show down. They need to fix this to fight this kind of competition.
Originally used Ekos and KStars direct Linux KDE PC connection for must be 7-8 years now and moved to 2x StellarMates OS on RPIs a few years ago. Initially earning curve is well worth it. Jassem is a really nice guy and his support is exceptional. INDI is the equivalent to ASCOM but more dynamic.
Great review. many thanks
I'm currently setting up INDI on a TV box with Armbios (real cheap hardware), and it looks very usable. I really like it. Stiill dealing with auto AP when no WiFi available an other issues (the hard work of DIY 🙂), but it look very promising
I'm now using Kstars/Ekos desktop, but will check any of the tablet/mobile apps.
the use is quite similar to Stellarmate except no control over power supplies 😞
Thanks for your review, very useful
The touptek mini pc is also released today, which claims that it can support astro gears of all brands instread of just zwo. Looking forward to your review on this new mini PC!
Thanks for an amazing review.
My pleasure!
Great to see this hardware for Stellarmate and your review. I really enjoy Linux and really wanted to use Rpi and I have tried Astroberry, Indigo as well as Stellarmate OS but ended up in loosing imaging time due to issues. I never went to ASIAIR as I have other devices which are not ZWO so are not compatible with it. Since I went to a mini PC loaded with ASCOM, NINA, PHD2, SharpCap, Astrosurface, Firecap and ASTAP I have not looked back. I now have a Mele Quieter 3Q which has been great. The Stellarmate hardware is very expensive especially for the 128GB version, but I just hope that they have got the bugs out so that it is as reliable as other options. The Stellarmate Pro 128GB does come in around the same price as a Pegasus PPB Advance and Mini PC.
Yep, miniPC + NINA works great! Just windows updates can me painful
This review is a great review. It might get me back into a very disappointing astro hobby that was full of faulty equipment, at that time. I'll watch this space close. Thanks for the review Cuiv.
Hi Cuiv, love the channel. I have been using EKOS for some years now. Have done some of the driver development on iOptron / PEC for indi. My newt is a F3.7 and i use ZWO narrowband filters. So i know what you mean about focus issues. Just some thoughts for you to speed up focusing. Set you camera binning to max or 4x4, to get brightest stars ... with this i only expose for 2 seconds. In settings => increase your box size to max 256 px ... this allows for larger donuts to be detected. Go full field with Annulus 20% and 80% this give you a better detection surface and avg focus across your image. In Process => Sep Profile 2-allstars is pretty robust and algorithm Polynomial is quickest ... in mechanics => I use a ASI EAF which has a small step size ... Intail step of 100 / max travel 400 / max step 200 ... And lastly know the rough focus position and save it as a preset in your focus driver. then when you start up go to the default focus first before autofocus ... I know this is a pfaff , but these are narrow band filters on a fast newt ... Hope you come right mate.
I’ve used Stellarmate on a pi and Astroberry ;now use a Pegasus power box and an Intel nuc more flexible Nina or others . This one looks good combining both and without the Windows issues. Ekos takes a bit of learning and I too have had bugs but the author is easy to contact and usually sought things out .
Cliff
Really love your channel.
I’ve used stellarmateOS and astroberry on raspberry pi. It just reminds me the experience of ccd era 20 years ago i.e. lots of frustrations and setup time before actual imaging. Understand we are spoiled by ASIAir nowadays, i’m really skeptical of Stellatemate platform. Looking forward to your update and long term use of StellarmatePro before I’m convinced it is a product comparable to ASIAir and PC/NINA ecosystems.
I’ve been using StellarMate for years. When you use it on a Raspberry Pi you need to use a powered USB HUB in order to avoid issues. Using a USB wireless adapter helps as well since it extends the range of the wireless. The new StellarMate X and StellarMate Pro controllers however are much more powerful that a Raspberry Pi. BTW. The ASIAir is just a Raspberry Pi running a modified version of AstroBerry. ZWO is literally stealing others work to make a profit.
Sorry to know that!
I have been using Stellarmate OS on Raspberry Pi4 since more thatn 2 years now. Infact, I have 3 full systems running Stellarmate OS. Believe me... no hiccups, no issues, quick setup, just fun and photography. And I truly am fan of Stellarmate.
Completely understand! Long term is the most important
I've been playing around with the SM for years. I bought it when it first came out. Never, not once, did I ever capture one single photon with it. Every update release, I dusted it off and tried again. Still no joy. As you said, I lost a lot of rare clear nights because of this gizmo. I used SGP for a while before the ASI Air was released. I bought the Air and found out the hard way it didn't support my Pegasus, QHY and Primaluce Lab gear. Had to replace everything with ZWO gear. Not too happy about it, but the trade off was that the Air worked right out of the box. Every single time.
Now I'm updating my Sky Shed Pod to the new Pod S which is fully automated. Of course the Air won't control it. I bought a mini PC and loaded it with NINA, PHD2 and ASTAP. NINA is a very complex program if you want to take full advantage of all it's functionality. (The Air spoiled me). I was interested in the new SM hoping that all the bugs were worked out of it based on the new platform and integration of KStars and Ekos in one package. And the elimination of having to use VNC to interact with the SM. Looks like they still have a long way to go as far as the bugs are concerned. I really don't want to go down that road again.
I found a tutorial that shows how to augment the AIR OS with the Astroberry OS, and opens up the full INDI library. Which also keeps the simplicity of the Air. Thanks for your review on this and all others you've done. But for me, a $600 USD gamble on something that's questionable without some serious tinkering on my part is a hard pass. I've already lost more clear nights because of the SM, I'm in no rush to repeat that again. Clear Skies!
Great video, I will actually call it Eagle killer ! because ZWO is stil competitive by price, but Eagle seems clearly replaced with this amazing option
Open source is the main benefit for most to moving to something like this vs price.
Not if you want to use NINA though
Thank you for another great presentation. Based on your pros and cons, my best scenario is ZWO improve ASIAir, like dome control. As my age, most important thing is enjoying astroimaging itself not learning new technologies and how to operate. I also have limited but few unsatisfactory support from Stellarmate customer service team. Maybe you are getting special attention from Stellarmate. I have no complaint with ASIAir so far.
As long as you're in the ZWO ecosystem and are willing to stay in, the ASIAir is great! Although I wouldn't hold my breath for dome control...
Fantastic review Cuiv! i’ve been waiting for the new Stellarmate for a long time. It seems to be all that was promised, but complicated!Sounds like the trouble of persisting is worth the effort. But I was impressed that ZWO were very responsive to RFIs and queries, Are you saying that Stellarmate have similar support? All the Best, Brenton
Thank you very much for your reply 🙌 it seems like I’ll be able to use my Fuji cameras on this platform 👍 very promising 👍
Be aware that as I recall Fuji uses a very weird Bayer Pattern, that not all processing software will support!
Wow, what a great and super in depth review, how did it get to almost 50 mins?
Nice Review! I would like to point out you can control your dew heaters with the ASI Air, it requires the ZWO DC Y splitter cable, which has RCA female ends. You can then set up one of the 12v DC out to support the dew heater.
It is really nice to see a bit of competition coming at ZWO and the ASIAir.
Stellaramate has been around for years. ZWO stole from a bunch of open source projects to make the ASIAir and is in violation of the licenses for all that software. That is one reason that I do not buy their products. QHY makes better cameras anyway.
That's nice on the ASIAir! Can the power to those dew heaters be controlled using temperature and humidity??
@@CuivTheLazyGeek Sadly no the ASIAir doesn’t monitor outside temps / humidity. To power your dew heaters with the ASIAir and the Y cable you use one of the 12vdc ports in PWM, you choose dew heater in drop down, and can set it to a percentage power level. I usually just turn them on if I am worried about the dew point. I am powering everything through mains power. Temp and humidity sensor would greatly benefit some who uses just battery power.
Again I want to thank you for your dedication, I enjoy your videos very much.
@@dayjeremy the airs power is not great. I had to remove my Dew heaters from it and put them on their own controller as I could hear buzzing coming from the air which unsettled me slightly. It got worse over time so felt like I was trying to draw more power than could be supplied. As soon as I removed them the buzzing went away.
@@andrewweller5119 I have had no issues but I will keep an eye on it. Did you happen to note the current draw being reported by the ASIAir? I’ll have double check but in my case, I don’t believe the dew heaters together drew much over 1 amp @ 100%. I use Dew Not heaters.
Hi Cuiv! As a Linux Engineer, I will be looking a closer look at KStars and Ekos! I will give those a trial run and if I like it, I may perhaps purchase the Stellarmate Pro! I already like the fact that I can have a client installed on my PC or device to connect to my rig remotely as if I was there without needing a remote desktop utility! KStars and INDI have evolved quite a bit since I first tried using it but now it seems like a lot of more devices are now supported and more being added all the time! There's a lot ZWO consumers that either don't know or don't care to try anything different as ZWO has a pretty well established ecosystem and that will be a hard nut to crack for other vendors. I am glad you made this video as I share your enthusiasm for open source and open hardware without being locked down to a specific ecosystem! Cheers!
Spot on Dave! Thank you as always!!
I can see why people go for the zwo though, I'd say it's more consumer based, more plug N play then the astro berry and stellarmate versions, but, I'm a big fan of them
@@cjuk81 Yes this is true but the problem is if you want to use a different piece of equipment with theirs, cameras for example, they don't allow it. So non-ZWO camera users are forced to use Stellarmate or their own computer and software like NINA. The ASIAir only works with ZWO cameras and this is how they lock you in.
@@deep_space_dave yep, exactly why i dont use the asi air, ive mostly used windows and nina, but only becasue i decided my PI3 wasnt strong enough for Astroberry and never upgraded it because of covid and the shortages of the PIs, i do like Nina though, although i might buy a PI5 and see how i get on with either Astroberry or Stellarmate, and then i might look at getting a tellermate pro box, but we shall see
Awesome looking product. I very much enjoy my mele quieter3 and the wanderer astro powerbox ultimate, but this certainly looks promising
Yep! Although unless you're looking for a smartphone controlled solution, you already have something that can do everything you need :D
@@CuivTheLazyGeek Yeah. I usually run my rig through my android tablet, using remote desktop into the Mele Quieter 3, so I'm using a tablet to control the setup anyway... For me, a keyboard and trackpad for my tablet will fix my issues. NINA is difficult to use from a tablet without a keyboard + mouse/trackpad, but otherwise my setup is pretty well perfect. I have two cables from the ground to the rig. One to power the mount, one to put power to the powerbox. Everything else is run from the powerbox/mele quieter 3. It's a very clean setup! Largely in thanks to your videos.
I took a 9 year break from astrophotography from 2014 to 2023, and the only thing I still had was my mount... The game has changed SO much since 2014, and I've been incredibly thankful for your channel, making sense of so many of these changes... Luckily, I still remembered the basics of PA, Guiding and optics, so I knew what scope I wanted and how to get it set up, but I'd never used a CMOS camera, I used SBIG CCD's back then, old software like CCDSoft, all running from a laptop with cables everywhere...
It's so nice these days once you get your head around it...
Thanks for what you do Cuiv... Outstanding!
I started by building a RPi4 box and bought Stellarmate OS. Most of my difficulties were with getting the autofocus to work with my C8. I feel your pain. I eventually moved to N.I.N.A. mainly out of frustration with updates introducing bugs that would wreak havoc with what few clear nights were available to me. In retrospect moving from StellarMate to NINA has an amusing aspect: with the former I was dealing with bugs in the control software but never with the OS. Now I am often dealing with OS issues but rarely with any in the control software.
Hahaha that is such an apt summary! By the way I'm the reason the AF in NINA works so seamlessly on SCTs :) I spent hours building exactly the right code that would work for my Newt, my SCT, my refractor, and multiple camera sensors :)
@@CuivTheLazyGeek .. and because of you I own a Mele Quieter2.
.. and the reason I own a RisingCAM IMX571 OSC! Ha! Many, many thanks! :)
Here’s another suggestion for you to explore and that’s trying a Raspberry Pi 5 8GB with a metal enclosure (costs have come down now) and running Stellaware OS. I’m going to give a go, as although I have 3 Asiair’s, I use a Celestron dew controller on my HD11. So the Asiair mini on that scope isn’t controlling the dew ring. The Asi2600mc pro can be powered via the Celestron dew heater dc output. I totally agree with your conclusions as when I started, I bought a laptop etc but was totally overwhelmed with NINA and so when the Asiair came along it was a game changer for me. But I since then, I’ve only ever bought ZWO hardware. There are other camera brands that use the same sensors that are a lot cheaper but you just can’t use with the Asiair. I’m waiting for a ZWO field rotator to come out, yet there are others available now, if only there was another way, and perhaps now there is :)
looks really good and if i hadn't recently bought a mini PC and mounted it on the scope with NINA I might have considered it.
Also, I still think the ASIAIR does a great job for around half the price! i still use one of those on my Refractor on the EQ6-R Pro. it works great and just does what it's meant to do. Makes you wonder why all the other bit of software out are so complicated. The storage on the air has never been an issue either. i have it on Ethernet so file transfer and operation is a dream.
they need to stop releasing new and shiny things to tempt me.
I blame you for my change from ASIAIR to NINA but now that I understand its complexities I love it. so thank you.
Hahaha I'm so glad I could corrupt you into using NINA, maybe I can corrupt you into using this? :D But seriously, if you're comfortable with NINA, keep using it!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek I am loving Nina. The only thing about it that I am still having issues with is setting up the auto focus properly as I'm found the step size, in and out settings to be a little confusing. And the routine really doesn't like it when I swap from the.l-pro to the l-ulitmate. On the air i just set the number of steps for the focuser to move for the backlash and it just worked. I am getting there but it's been a journey shall we say.
Great to see an alternative to the ASIAir as I have a QSI camera and a non ZWO focus motor both of which I really like. I use the ASIAir with my ZWO gear and it works well but I really object to ZWO’s attitude. I’m not even sure their use of other people’s code is implemented legally! Hope the bugs are ironed out on this new product soon. Looks really promising.
Yeah I know the feeling about the ASIAir... It's such a good piece of kit but it does stand on the shoulders of giants!
now we just need to see what minipc touptek is about to release, zwo really needed some competition
Yes ZWO does need some competition and I am here for it. I am considering the Stellarmate Pro to replace my AA+ that I will be phasing out due to ZWO crap customer service.
There is also a product by iOptron known as the iMate. I know absolutely nothing about it thus far, but it might be another option to look into.
Great video I was looking at one of these or the eagle to get out of being in a closed platform.
Thank you!
Basically its a stellarmate rpi and a pegasus power box all in one. I have been using astroberry since 2014, but with a lot of frustrating problems. in the last two years I moved from the rpi 4b to a Leibre computer aml 903 based sbc (le potato) with ubuntu 24.02 and Ekos and INDI library installed. I use Ekos for windows in a remote mode from my home. Since this set up never a problem. So Im thinking the Rpi was my weak link. So I would think maybe Jasom is ditching the Rpi for a more robust sbc. Me thinking out loud. Thanks Quiv for all you do for our community.
Ahhhhh!!!!! Je le savais !!!!! Je reçois le mien mardi prochain!!!! Tu fais trop bien tes vidéos Mon Cher Ami!!!!
Genial!! Tu vas pouvoir t'amuser quand tu le recevras!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek Ah ça c'est certain!! On a eu in très beau ciel hier à Severac (Loire Atlantique) et j'en ai bien profité
On a finalement reçu le nôtre Mon Preciiiieux!!!!,😈😈😈
@@No_no83 woohoo, have fun!
Hello, thanks for the video, I enjoy your channel. One thing I don't think you highlighted (forgive me if I missed it) is that the company and developers behind the StellarMate Pro actively give back to the open source INDI project on which the software stack is based - as it should be. You are an open source fan so I know I'm preaching to the choir but I think this benefits everyone and is another "feature" to consider when evaluating the cost of the product. I hope you get to keep yours.
Excellent review, I do love Nina, but I will admit and jealous of the way the scheduler works in that software. I'd appreciate maybe an update in a month or two of the software, it might also be good to basically reset it to factory default and go back through the setup again to see if the setup has improved at all since you first reviewed it. Obviously that's a lot of work, so I can understand if you aren't privy to it. Having said that this looks really promising and I can't tell you how many times windows updates have screwed me over despite me hard disabling them in the system. I'm at a point now where I check for windows updates and process those updates prior to a nights session so I don't get hosed.
Yeah NINA is amazing (and I do love the advanced scheduler with Orbuculum plugin) but Windows updates.....
Hey Cuiv. I got the Stellarmate pro. You are right it is not as easy as 123. But I am encouraged and would like to explore using it a lot more. Is there any chance you could make more videos about this and how you setup different things in more details like you did for NINA? Most of the videos for Stellarmate are like 2-6 years old.
As usual....thank you Cuiv
Clear skys 🔭
Cheers and clear skies!
I've been looking forward to this review for a while since I spotted it on one of your videos Cuiv, shame there isn't a simpler to use version as there seems to be a lot of head scratching to get it to run. However it does look good & I hope they improve the autofocus when using a Newtonian as I do use one & a RASA which also has the central obstruction. I really hope improvements will be made & we do finally get a successor to the ASi air as it's been a long time coming, fingers crossed & clear skies.
Hmmm I wonder if future stellarmate pro's will get the Cuiv stamp of approval?
We shall see! I now have the AF figured out, and the SM Pro is still sitting atop my Newt, imaging night after night! Right now it's a workhorse!
Oh man.... You're giving me even more GAS! I just got the seestar complete with clouds at my house. Is this easier or harder to set up initialize than you recent review of the Astro Pro? I didn't buy any of those or the quieter products yet but I'll keep my eye on these new products. (excluding zwo products until they decide to open up their controllers to other brands of equipment.)
Too late for me as I’m heavily invested in ZWO but I’m pleased to see this as hopefully a bit of competition will encourage ZWO to improve features on the ASIair
not just features. i would wish, they open if for other brand cameras as well. this is one of the few things I really hate about the asiair. (btw. i own the + and a mini)
Thanks Cuiv! Will you be doing a video on the polar alignment routine? I’m curious how it compares to NINA’s. 🙏
Maybe as part of a review of a mount I'm working on!
"it doesnt care what brand it is" 😁are you listening zwo? Thanks Cuiv, this review is fantastic
i started usingbthe StellarMate OS on a Raspberry Pi and was frustrated with frequent disconnections over WiFi, but that might have been more an RPi problem… this certainly looks like a nice hardware package
This was a great video. I am invested in ZWO as well but I haven’t bought the asiair for the exact reason that it locks you into their ecosystem.
I’d much rather get a mini pc and continue to use APT, Cartes du Ciel, and PHD2. It works for me. However, I’d be lying ifI said total remote control from my iphone wasn’t a big deal for me so perhaps I will consider the Stellarmate.
Nice to know a more complex alternative. Competition is always good for everyone. Being new to astronomy, even as a geek (IT engineer). This hobby has a lot to learn besides tech. I spent my life (30 years) running and solving tech. I can only spend limited time learning about the stars in this new hobby. So, messing with the tech/driver issue will be the last thing I want to do. Less and KISS are my current principles in astronomy as long as I can observe the heaven.
If KISS is your philosophy, then ASIAir is good (IF you are willing to wall yourself into the ZWO garden), or Windows + NINA. My approach is long term laziness: suffer at first, the reap the rewards for a long, long time!
Thanks for the video Cuiv. A couple of questions, Polar alignment routine?, I would like to see how you set up the guiding as well What differences is there in the guiding compared to the asiair?
I'll probably show the PAA in an upcoming mount review - for guiding I remember just pressing the start button and it working
Thanks, a Great Review of the Product. Definitely interested.
Also need to ask, what Cameras, do you use on your Scope.
The Wedge I like is the AM5, would it come with Straps, to support the Rail, to the Scope.
I use a Meade LX200. 10"
Thanks bye..
🍎🍉🍔
Hi there Cuiv I had a question what light panel are you using to make flats do you have a link ? thank you very much sir awesome video...
Awesome review. I'm new to Stellarmate, but it is very powerful. It takes a little time to get use to, but that is what the cloudy nights are for. Jasem and the gang a doing a great job. For people concerned about the cost of the Pro, The support is outstanding. I have used it a number of times with Stellarmate X and they are quick to reply, communicate clearly. If I could afford the 599 USD i would get this device. But my R-PI4 will have to do at the moment.
If you want to be able to control all aspects of your equipment, then this is the device for you. If you want general settings, no ability to tweak, then perhaps something more simpler may be required.
I have an SCT and i was wondering if you can share your Auto-focus setting which worked well for you with the Newtonian ? Who would have thought donuts stars would have been such an issue :)
Thank you so much for this video. Cuiv! I am keen to get one. I am Fan of the Asiair and love it. But the StellarMate Pro could be the next step for me. I will think about it. In Germany the price is roundabout 800 EUR with the power adapter. The full automation I don't need, but the wifi should be better on StellarMate Pro and the power management is very cool. And of course the possibility to use different equipment beside ZWO. But I hate Bugs and technical problems. If Stellarmate runs reliable, I would change to it. Best regards! Olaf
The SM does have bugs so maybe not the best for you then? :p
@@CuivTheLazyGeek yes, you are right, I will wait til the Software has improved. ;) I am happy with my AsiAir.
What is the max. amount of current that the 12V outputs can serve? Is it possible to drive a mount via the 12V outputs? (with the 12V outputs of the ASIair I got trouble if I connect my mount, so I use a separate power supply for it) Does Stellarmate Pro display the actual current of each 12V output port?
Great video Cuiv, I have a question remember the smart telescope video you made a year or so ago using Stellarmate raspberry PI, will this new stellarmate device be used the same way on a AZ-GTI mount?
Take my money!!! Great video!
Thanks!
It looks cool as a portable solution but navigation thru these small screens on phone/tablet I feel too many nested options that can be easily missed. Hard to beat a mini PC + NINA with the real estate of a screen. Certainly good to have alternatives to ASI Air though. Nice first look Cuiv 👍
I long ago jumped into the ZWO rabbithole. The only thing that makes me interested in this product is the absence of filter offsets with the AAPlus.
If ZWO is reading my post (haha) PLEASE add filter offsets. 😮
I’ve just switched to a mini pc with NINA after trying ASIAir. ASIAir doesn’t work well with my AVX mount and C8 SCT. Will revisit when ZWO issues next ASIAir software release.
I did try Stellarmate on raspberry pi 4 but the experience was terrible back then so I moved to Asi Air. Also, what filter did you use? I see quite big halo. I remember your test of Altair Duo 4nm and you commented that you will do a test on a brighter star for the halo, which I haven't seen and I'm planning to get this filter (Ha + OIII).
Likewise wise my experience with stellarmate was some what disappointing , I bought the ASIAIR plus and never looked back such a great product.
Cuiv, I pulled the trigger and bought one. I am really enjoying it with the exception of one issue. I am having trouble with the Auto Guider, Polar Alignment and Focus window buttons "pushing". I have to tap them several times to get a push. I'm wondering if it is an issue with my tablet and I'm wondering what you are using.
I like this direction, but think we need a mini PC solution that will allow us to run N.I.N.A, PHD2, ect... but have all the power and usb support this product has.
Something like the AstroPC Pro I reviewed on the channel before? :)
If they could put a voice to the box and the app, like Guide star lost... Platesolving successful, Meridian flip successful... I just love it at Seestar
Other very important function SIM 4G/5G port for call in from anywhere in the world and to control the scope. You would set it anywhere near the cell tower and you are ready to go
I've finally bit the bullet and ordered the SM pro..
I love Kstars anyway, So should be great
Congrats! If you're already used to KStars, you're going to love it!
Hi
nice presentation
i'm using stellarmate on raspberry PI4 with same version Apps.
but i have some issues with my new mount AM5
could you share yours settings( in my case buttom "unpark" doesn't work correctly
I used a raspberry with ekos/kstars for about 1 year, then I switched to a mini pc with NINA and.....i will never go back :D I love nina and all its features :D
NINA is awesome :) Windows updates less awesome lol
Does anyone know if this works with Celestron mounts? More specifically the Evolution series fork arm mount.
that looks good, im using an old computer connected to my main computer in the house via remote view, the old computer is on its last legs only a matter of time cant cope with the weather i dont think ( home made obsy) cheers
Hope the old computer survives for a bit
As usual, a great review, congrats! But I have to say that ASIAIR still remains by far the best remote imaging solution; no matter what improvements Stellarmate did. I tested Stellarmate last year, and because I am shooting exclusively remote, I have to say I got only problems on the way. In general, due to the very frequent disconnection of the Ekos server, but also due to much more complicated settings than at ASIAIR. At first I was happy that I could find an alternative for my Omegon camera, but later I ended up being disappointed by the frequent problems. So Stellarmate is probably a pretty good candidate for NINA, and like NINA, it is, at least that's what I think, only a solution for shooting from home, from the garden, and not from remote places.
ASIAir remains the best solution...by far? I'm not sure how you could justify that statement. I think most if not all would agree that NINA is far more powerful, open to all hardware vendors and easily supports remote imaging.
Thanks! I disagree on many of your points (especially the NINA bit) but I see where you're coming from
@@timothymaurer6720 I said, "as remote solution".
I really appreciate that there is a reasonably priced alternative to the ASI air products. With that said, I'm going to have a REALLY hard time leaving N.I.N.A. I love the open architecture and the fact that it's always improving. I know that we can use mini, fanless, PCs and some power distribution solution but other than the primalucelab eagle, I don't know of a fully integrated hardware solution that is windows based. Can we dream of a solution that has the hardware form function of the ASI air or Stellarmate pro but is controlled directly with N.I.N.A.? I've heard of people hacking some older versions of the ASI Air but a truly custom solution that you could just buy (preferably for
Thanks for a very helpful overview of this interesting device. Is it based on a Raspberry Pi board? It seems similar to the Astroberry build for the Pi, but with much better hardware.
I think the processor is the same as RPi 4, but I heard the RPi4 has Wifi connectivity issues, so they're using something else afaik
Even though I am in the ZWO ecosystem, This is something I may buy to try out later on down the line. If I decide to go mono, I am looking at OGMA cameras, and this would be great to use with that camera. I will be keeping an eye on this. I may want to switch out my AAP and if I really like the Stellarmate, I can just pack my AAP away or sell it.
Sounds great! If you do buy OGMA, make sure to use coupon CUIV during checkout for a small rebate!
Hi, great review. Does it check and adjust (via plate solve) the camera rotation angle for each target to match the framing alignment of previous imaging sessions?
Yep, it will do that :)