Thank you for this video, but could you please do a follow up. Real weight capacity, ASIair plus functionality, tracking error, backlash issues, etc. Thank you!
You win the Astro Internet. First review of this device I have been able to find. And you answered the most pressing question regarding the WO base compatibility. It does not look it, but did they improve the functionality of the included base at all?
Thanks for the kind words! The included base looks pretty basic to be honest, probably on the same level as the included base with the SGP. Good enough for a rough alignment, but will require a bit of time to fine tune. Hopefully a third party can build a more refined option like what WO did - that could make polar alignement quicker and smoother.
I cant seem to find the way to properly connect this mount to the ASI AIR plus. The skyhunter as a handcontrol port but i cant find the right cable for it anywhere. Anyone has been able to confirm this works with ASI AIR Plus?
Thanks for the video, and it's great to see you actually have them in stock. One question: how noisy is it when it's slewing? The Skywatcher GTi sounds like a coffee grinder.
How do you polar align without the “optional” iPolar scope? And without having to carry a laptop around, since the idea is to be small and portable… does it have an app that would make the polar alignment somehow? ASIAir is not an option too as it is not compatible with my Sony cameras
iOptron has advised you can use the hole through the RA axis to roughly eyeball a polar alignment. Obviously a challenge in the Southern Hemisphere, with Polaris in the northern hemisphere it's an OK option for visual use or imaging at low focal lengths. You can always drift align. But any decent imaging at reasonable focal lengths will require the iPolar and that requires a usb connection to setup. An app would be amazing though. Hopefully iOptron can work towards this in the future. Still an incredibly portable GoTo mount!
@@proastroz5759 yes but the Sky Watcher AZ-GTI in EQ mode can polar align in the synScan app so it feels like a better option at the moment for me... it's a shame I got a star adventurer failing me in the first couple of weeks so I was kindda going towards the iOptron solution... looks like this will not put a good fight againt the new SA-GTI GoTo mount that includes a polar scope already built in.
Yeah I'm not seeing the "portability" benefit if there's no good polar alignment solution unless you have a laptop to use the ipolar scope. That means you need a laptop with you. If there was an app for the polar scope fine. Was excited, but that kills it for me.
Hi this looks like a nice mount. Can you confirm if the worm gear is spring (or magnet) loaded against the worm? Does it have belt drive or just gears from the motors? I would love to see inside it before purchasing one if that is possible. I recently bought the SkyWatcher Star Adventurer Gti and was disappointed that id does not have spring loaded gears like the Az-Gti series. Thanks for you videos.
In the tech specs it specifically says that "It might also be controlled by a MacOS computer or a Raspberry Pi device via third party" - Raspberry Pi device = ASI Air. So it looks like they will allow it. I am sure hoping ZWO adds compatibility. That is the whole reason I pre-ordered one of these.
Hi, well done getting the first video out! Are you sure about the WO wedge base? Or would it be only compatible under certain latitudes (the low latitude wedge would only work with at a latitude above 56 Deg and the high latitude wedge would still work around the same latitudes 31-58)?
I have tried removing the stop in the WO Wedge base that sets the high or low latitude mode. There may be an instance where the wedge could be used and that is a very high latitudes - perhaps 60 degrees and above. Even then, you can't use WO's scale to set the latitude up, as these are just oriented differently. Effectively, for most people, it's just not compatible. Perhaps by design? Hopefully WO makes a revised version for the SkyHunter!
I’ve two questions on this and the Williams Optics latitude base as well. Firstly, can this mount be used with an Asiair Plus? I find framing is trivial with it. Secondly, about the Williams Optics wedge. I can easily convert it from high to low latitude and back again as I travel about. But is there any real response to leave that limiting “tooth” in place at all? Removing it completely would eradicate the need for modifications altogether. Which begs the question as to why WO made two versions in the first place.
Thanks for the comment! We have been told by iOptron it should work with ASIAIR, but we have not had the chance to confirm this ourselves - just have not tested it. When it comes to the WO base, the tooth is where the fine adjustment screws come to rest against, so if you were to remove it, you would loose the ability to fine tune & precise lock the latitude.
I preordered one awhile back. Would love to see some actual reviews, but with supply chain delays, these are not available yet. This is the first video of one in the wild. If it tracks as well as my Skyguider Pro, it should be great. As for "goto," I use an ASIAir and plate-solving which is always dead on. So assuming ZWO adds compatibility for it, that combo will work well.
I have not been able to actually test it on the sky yet. The weather has been non stop rain. I would expect a tracking performance as good as the SGP though. But that would need to be tested on field. Some of our customers have some in their hands as we speak, so hopefully feedback emerges soon. GoTo accuracy will depend a lot on how well polar aligned it is. With a good polar alignment there is no reason the goto won't be good. It's designed for small scopes anyway, so it's not hard to get the object in the FOV with small focal lengths.
@@deeber35 You can use the iPolar version which does not require a view of Polaris. That being said you do not some clearance in at least some parts around the celestial pole region so the mount can plate solve and determine the position of the celestial pole.
Thank you for this video, but could you please do a follow up. Real weight capacity, ASIair plus functionality, tracking error, backlash issues, etc. Thank you!
You win the Astro Internet. First review of this device I have been able to find. And you answered the most pressing question regarding the WO base compatibility. It does not look it, but did they improve the functionality of the included base at all?
Thanks for the kind words! The included base looks pretty basic to be honest, probably on the same level as the included base with the SGP. Good enough for a rough alignment, but will require a bit of time to fine tune. Hopefully a third party can build a more refined option like what WO did - that could make polar alignement quicker and smoother.
ProAstroz is a shop, so this isn't a review. Just an overview (and I thank them for it!)
I cant seem to find the way to properly connect this mount to the ASI AIR plus. The skyhunter as a handcontrol port but i cant find the right cable for it anywhere.
Anyone has been able to confirm this works with ASI AIR Plus?
You can use the ioptron deluxe base mount
Thank you. This looks good. Does this work with the ASIAIR Plus?
Thanks for the video, and it's great to see you actually have them in stock. One question: how noisy is it when it's slewing? The Skywatcher GTi sounds like a coffee grinder.
Very nice presentation 👍🏼. You got a new sub today 😊.
How do you polar align without the “optional” iPolar scope? And without having to carry a laptop around, since the idea is to be small and portable… does it have an app that would make the polar alignment somehow? ASIAir is not an option too as it is not compatible with my Sony cameras
iOptron has advised you can use the hole through the RA axis to roughly eyeball a polar alignment. Obviously a challenge in the Southern Hemisphere, with Polaris in the northern hemisphere it's an OK option for visual use or imaging at low focal lengths. You can always drift align. But any decent imaging at reasonable focal lengths will require the iPolar and that requires a usb connection to setup. An app would be amazing though. Hopefully iOptron can work towards this in the future. Still an incredibly portable GoTo mount!
@@proastroz5759 yes but the Sky Watcher AZ-GTI in EQ mode can polar align in the synScan app so it feels like a better option at the moment for me... it's a shame I got a star adventurer failing me in the first couple of weeks so I was kindda going towards the iOptron solution... looks like this will not put a good fight againt the new SA-GTI GoTo mount that includes a polar scope already built in.
Yeah I'm not seeing the "portability" benefit if there's no good polar alignment solution unless you have a laptop to use the ipolar scope. That means you need a laptop with you. If there was an app for the polar scope fine. Was excited, but that kills it for me.
Hi this looks like a nice mount. Can you confirm if the worm gear is spring (or magnet) loaded against the worm? Does it have belt drive or just gears from the motors?
I would love to see inside it before purchasing one if that is possible.
I recently bought the SkyWatcher Star Adventurer Gti and was disappointed that id does not have spring loaded gears like the Az-Gti series.
Thanks for you videos.
what compatibility does it have with hubs. ie asiair, stellermate, nina?
We have been told it should work with ASIAIR - the plus version has been the more compatible version with other mounts, so would expect the same here.
Could it be mounted on a star adventurer eq base?
Very interesting! Is it Compatible with asiair? Thank you! I m waiting for some Pic! Nice!
In the tech specs it specifically says that "It might also be controlled by a MacOS computer or a Raspberry Pi device via third party" - Raspberry Pi device = ASI Air. So it looks like they will allow it. I am sure hoping ZWO adds compatibility. That is the whole reason I pre-ordered one of these.
We have been told it should work with ASIAIR - the plus version has been the more compatible version with other mounts, so would expect the same here.
Does it have an auto guiding port
Hi, well done getting the first video out! Are you sure about the WO wedge base? Or would it be only compatible under certain latitudes (the low latitude wedge would only work with at a latitude above 56 Deg and the high latitude wedge would still work around the same latitudes 31-58)?
I have tried removing the stop in the WO Wedge base that sets the high or low latitude mode. There may be an instance where the wedge could be used and that is a very high latitudes - perhaps 60 degrees and above. Even then, you can't use WO's scale to set the latitude up, as these are just oriented differently. Effectively, for most people, it's just not compatible. Perhaps by design? Hopefully WO makes a revised version for the SkyHunter!
I’ve two questions on this and the Williams Optics latitude base as well. Firstly, can this mount be used with an Asiair Plus? I find framing is trivial with it. Secondly, about the Williams Optics wedge. I can easily convert it from high to low latitude and back again as I travel about. But is there any real response to leave that limiting “tooth” in place at all? Removing it completely would eradicate the need for modifications altogether. Which begs the question as to why WO made two versions in the first place.
Thanks for the comment! We have been told by iOptron it should work with ASIAIR, but we have not had the chance to confirm this ourselves - just have not tested it. When it comes to the WO base, the tooth is where the fine adjustment screws come to rest against, so if you were to remove it, you would loose the ability to fine tune & precise lock the latitude.
@@proastroz5759 That seems fairly obvious in retrospect. Didn’t think that one through. Thanks for the answers.
hello
can't seem to find any reviews on this tracker.. is it any good ? how is the tracking and the goto ? thanks
I preordered one awhile back. Would love to see some actual reviews, but with supply chain delays, these are not available yet. This is the first video of one in the wild. If it tracks as well as my Skyguider Pro, it should be great. As for "goto," I use an ASIAir and plate-solving which is always dead on. So assuming ZWO adds compatibility for it, that combo will work well.
I have not been able to actually test it on the sky yet. The weather has been non stop rain. I would expect a tracking performance as good as the SGP though. But that would need to be tested on field. Some of our customers have some in their hands as we speak, so hopefully feedback emerges soon. GoTo accuracy will depend a lot on how well polar aligned it is. With a good polar alignment there is no reason the goto won't be good. It's designed for small scopes anyway, so it's not hard to get the object in the FOV with small focal lengths.
In this link the presenter shows how to use the iOptron SkyHunter with the the William Optics wedge.
ruclips.net/video/AA92pB7NQss/видео.html
Does this slew automatically upon command to any point in the sky?
Yes, that is called GoTo as in it will go to where you tell it
@@proastroz5759 How do u polar align with it if u can't see Polaris?
@@deeber35 You can use the iPolar version which does not require a view of Polaris. That being said you do not some clearance in at least some parts around the celestial pole region so the mount can plate solve and determine the position of the celestial pole.
@@proastroz5759 Thanks. Last question - can NINA and PHD2 communicate with this mount?
@@deeber35 I am not sure, that's something that would need to be checked with iOptron.