Great review, very professional, purposeful with no time wasting. I've seen a number of these cheaper harmonic drive mounts appearing on the likes of Ali Express and always wondered if they delivered. From your review I think you have answered that question. These represent a massive saving on the more familiar mounts from ZWO et al. Thanks for posting.
Thank you for watching and leaving your feedback! I agree, I think mine just had a rough trip to me from china which caused some loose connections. Once that was sorted out, I was very impressed with the mount
Great review. Be aware of ZWO mounts abysmal support. My AM5 started to act up after 1 year. After a few emails from Simon in NZ, I was ghosted. I cannot even get a replacement belt from ZWO. I am glad you got some support from that company. That means a lot!!
TY for this great review. Your honesty and concerns for your subscribers comes thru. I am saving for an AM5. Takes time as a retired old geezer. Risking $1000 on something new is difficult for me. I will be waiting to see how your experiences with it continue for a while. Keep up the good work.
Nice review and thanks for pointing out the original 'defect'. It was good the manufacturer got back to you with a solution. My defination of good company is how they handle problem if one does occur. Seems like a good mount, wonder if it was produced at the same place that the AM5 was made.
Thanks for sharing this. I had no idea this mount existed. Sounds like it performs extremely well. I know there was the initial problem with the declination but I've heard of issues like this from most of the well know brands as well. Will be interesting to see how well it's still performing after several months use. CS
@@LogansAstro Yep, I think something came loose during the shipping. Thankfully it wasn’t anything too serious. I’ve read other reports on the mount online and people are having great experiences with it!
Hi Ali, nice video. Indepentently off any RUclips testing videos of that mount, I ordered the same hat you are using. Since I use now the Onstep for the very beginning (more than 10 years) I am sure, there is no risk. The system is open and can be enhance if the controller of the Juwei will get broken one day. I like the guiding video you showed and a looking forward for the next tests. Wish you good look for your channel and and looking forward for nice future videos! Well done!
Great review Ali! 👍Initially I was also thinking about affording the Juwei17 but I then went a tiny bit more pricy with the UMi17 as I could find even less info about the Juwei17 on the net than for the UMi17. I think the Alt setting knob on the Juwei is much nicer than the EQ5 style knobs on the UMi17. Maybe the Juwei17 could make a great mount No. 4 for me. 😄
Awesome review - I've been looking at these for a cheap second rig I'm putting together. Its only going to be carrying a small refractor or possibly even a camera lens and CMOS camera, so I'd say its good enough. I certainly didn't want to pay for an AM5 for a second rig that won't get used all that often.... Great channel too by the way...
@@AlexN-Astro That’s precisely why I bought mine. I couldn’t believe that a mount half the price of the AM5 and even cheaper than the AM3 with comparable specs to the AM5 would deliver like it did. I was going to be happy with less than average performance that is good enough for wider setups but it exceeded my expectations! Thanks for the feedback on the channel!!
Juwei now have developing a use 14 motor version, you can think it. is same with am3 details , ah hey bro next time maybe you can ask the manufacturer, because I get it is eng version
Another great video ! It’s an outrage that you don’t have more followers :) BTW Have you had any updates on the Touptek Astrostation? I’m tempted (currently all my gear is ZWO but I’m fed up waiting for their camera rotator to go on sale) as it looks a lot more flexible in terms of equipment?? It might even control the DIY Cheapodc dew heaters shown on the Stellamate website :)
@@Lord_Whiteley Thank for the feedback and I’m glad you are enjoying the content! The Touptek team are iterating fast with a new update every week! It is still not a complete app nor is it as advanced as the ASIair yet but surely it must be close to an official release. It doesn’t have a rotator control module either, not yet at least.
Ali shows this mount again and again but no review found. Finally, here you are. Many thanks. Plus, can I ask how weight your equipment on the JUWEI mount on the video?
Really nice video. You are really getting good at this. Thanks for talking just a little slower :)f. Looking forward to more of them. Do you have any idea how to get service on the mount?
@@marvinwhisman3333 Thanks for the kind words of encouragement. You can always contact the seller if you need help on issues with the mount, unfortunately it being shipped from china may present logistical issues
@@StargazerFS128 It’s a great mount, you can tell where some of that price reductions went once you have the mount in hand. Thanks it’s not anywhere essential!
Can you show in a litle more detail what repair you made to the Dec axis? I am seriously considering this mount but it is still an expensive gamble if it doesn't pay off and how good are they at answering your questions?
@@beatsntoons Elite level complement! Thank you very much! Great idea for a video, I want to make a video on some power/usb hubs soon so maybe I can touch on it on that video 😄
Great video, I am in the market for a small portable mount at this price point, but with UK VAT and customs charges, is it then really that much cheaper…🤔🤔
You show it connected to the sky watcher heq5 tripod not the ZWO ? I have the sky watcher tripod could you link the correct adapter for this exact setup ? Subscribed 👍🏻
I have this same mount, but in Blue instead. For the price of a Strain Wave Gear (Harmonic) mount, it can't be beat. Cabling isn't a big deal, if you take the time to make a "harness" that fits everything, and is routed to not snag on anything. The other good thing, is it will help to drive down the costs of other mounts too. 😁
Thank you so much for the review. I got one from another vendor on AliExpress after watching your review. I was trying to do polar alignment with rhis, but the Azimuth knobs don't turn the mount when rotated. Can you please suggest a way around this?
Thanks for the insightful review Ali. I'm keen to buy it but wondering how to adapt it to the Skywatcher He5 pier. For now it seems it works with iOptron adapters or extensions.
I like it, i mean the review, it is kept short, yet still has all the information i want to know about a mount! Do you know the UMi mounts from Proxisky/Meow Astro? Those are in the similar price range, maybe slightly more expensive. I have their first mount, the UMi17, it is great, i got 0.4-0.5 guiding with the 250PDS (with counterweight), usually similar or batter with the 150 Quattro without counterweight.
@@harynjk Thanks for the positive feedback on the video, It means a great deal! Sure, I was debating getting one of those too!! The harmonic revolution is here to stay it seems and the more competitive the market becomes the better for us!! CS!
Interesting. Thanks for this video. I'm not in the market for a new mount, I have an Eq6r-pro which I'm happy with, but as someone who sets up and breaks down every night, I could use a lighter mount. I'm still in the "wait and see" phase, there are so many strain wave mounts currently, I want to see how they perform in the medium term. Are they durable? any parts that suffer wear and tear? The zwo am5 has been around for a couple of years and so far no horror stories that I have known of, people seem to love it. Hopefully it will be the same with this newer mounts? We'll see. Thanks so much for the info, clear skies!
@@sjpp71 You want my advice? Don’t sell your Eq6r-pro. I am all for the harmonic revolution out there but the EQ6 was and still is the best mount I’ve owned, I regret selling it. It is future proof! The am5’s stated payload may be the same with a CW but that’s only at 20cm from the axis of rotation. It would never handle a larger SCT like the eq6 would!
@@AstraPharmaq8 - Thanks for the reply! I was really wondering how you'd attach a polar camera. I don't see an obvious attachment point. I use an iPolar camera personally, but I think I should probably get used to doing polar alignment with my imaging camera, especially for those situations where I don't have a clear sight of Polaris.
Interesting option, but will still cost me €1700 with the TC40 tripod + EQ5 adapter plate, so getting pretty close to the Skywatcher Wave 100i with included tripod extension (another 100 euro).
The real question is 1) how does the new juwei price compared to a used AM5 and 2) Is the price savings worth the much lower resale value as this mount is unknown
Thank you for your review! I would like to use it with a TC40 Tripod. Wich adapter I need? What do you mean with the TC40 adapter plate? Thank you for your help!
Hi, first thank you for your test ! I'm very interrested by this mount because i need to upgrade my setup (eq3.2 + onstep for motorisation). I realy hesitate between an HEQ5 Pro v2 with Rowan kit and this harmonic mount. The prices for both are about the sames for me (in France... so sorry if my english is not good ;-) and I don't know what are the pro and cons for each mount. So can you give me your opinion please ?
@@AstraPharmaq8 Hi, I've a Skywatcher 150-750 telescope with a PlayerOne ARES-C Pro (imx533) and an SVBony SV105 with 120mm lens for guiding. Thank you
@@AstraPharmaq8Which seller did you buy it from? There are several listings by different vendors. Also this is considered inexpensive for a harmonic. What is considered inexpensive for a comparable performance non-harmonic mount (AFAICT the main advantage of harmonic mounts is less weight, which I'm willing to compromise on that if there's a substantial cost difference). Thank you for the review.
I can't get this thing to guide no matter what I throw at it. After few hours of trying I gave up and went to sleep. Will mostlikely go back to sw Eq6 pro. It's a shame because I wanted something lighter.
@@sharonsharonsharon1 I made a 60mm diameter "puck" and attached it to the bottom of the Juwei-17 mount. It (the puck) has a center threaded hole so the center rod of the AVX tripod threads into it, and holds the mount quite nicely. The "puck" to fit the Skywatcher tripod should be the same 60mm diameter. The AVX center rod is M10, not sure what the SW threads are on the rod. With the puck and center rod holding the mount on, the 2 outboard AZ bolts aren't really necessary.
The wedge is quite nice actually. It is more than adequate for the total payload capacity. The ALT adjusting mechanism is nicer than many other mounts having actual bearings. I had mine fully apart to properly measure for, and make adapters for mounting it to two different tripods without a pier extension. That was so the AZ "peg" would align properly with the AZ adjusting bolts I relocated. I had to drill and thread the holes and couldn't accurately do it without disassembling the wedge. Then I made 2 pier extensions, one short, and one long which will fit the AVX tripod. Plus I made an adapter for my Meade LX-80 tripod with "fine" leveling adjusters on the tripod legs. They are blue so I got the Juwei-17 in blue. 😁
Hey, in the video you show us some PHD2 logs. Mind if I ask if you're able to set guiding speed with this mount using ASIAIR, and ask to share your guiding logs from ASIAIR aswell? My experience with guiding using this mount was not so great and I'm trying to figure out why :(
So this has an in-built OnStep controller? I use OnStep for my EQ-5. Would I need my current controller alongside this or is it straight to PC via ASCOM?
The board is a complete OnStep controller board. It is a clone of the miniESP3 board, which is very similar to the maxESP3 pinmap. It uses a rtc module ds3231, it runs the web server and wifi through the esp8266, and onstep and Bluetooth on the esp32. All you need to do as AstraPharma says, is connect with either the USB, or with BT or WiFi. The ASCOM driver is available to download. The range of the wireless isn't very far though. Being enclosed by the aluminum mount body cuts down on the signal strength. There is a "passive" antenna on the inside of the black power panel though, but it only helps so much. Be aware mine came with tracking enabled upon power up. You need to reflash the firmware to turn it off, which is pretty easy. You want it off in case you aren't paying attention to the imaging equipment, and there is a power interruption. When power comes back on, the mount will keep on tracking until your scope hits something.
Great review, very professional, purposeful with no time wasting. I've seen a number of these cheaper harmonic drive mounts appearing on the likes of Ali Express and always wondered if they delivered. From your review I think you have answered that question. These represent a massive saving on the more familiar mounts from ZWO et al. Thanks for posting.
Thank you for watching and leaving your feedback!
I agree, I think mine just had a rough trip to me from china which caused some loose connections. Once that was sorted out, I was very impressed with the mount
Great review. Be aware of ZWO mounts abysmal support. My AM5 started to act up after 1 year. After a few emails from Simon in NZ, I was ghosted. I cannot even get a replacement belt from ZWO. I am glad you got some support from that company. That means a lot!!
TY for this great review. Your honesty and concerns for your subscribers comes thru. I am saving for an AM5. Takes time as a retired old geezer. Risking $1000 on something new is difficult for me. I will be waiting to see how your experiences with it continue for a while. Keep up the good work.
@@vidman9691 It is never wrong to go for the tested and proven option! Thank you for your comment and your encouragement. Truly appreciated!
I was waiting for someone to review this mount and now you did it, thanks...
Bravo! I enjoyed your articulate , intelligent review. :)
@@tomdaigon8707 Thank you Tom!! I appreciate the positive feedback!
Nice review and thanks for pointing out the original 'defect'. It was good the manufacturer got back to you with a solution. My defination of good company is how they handle problem if one does occur. Seems like a good mount, wonder if it was produced at the same place that the AM5 was made.
Thanks for sharing this. I had no idea this mount existed. Sounds like it performs extremely well. I know there was the initial problem with the declination but I've heard of issues like this from most of the well know brands as well. Will be interesting to see how well it's still performing after several months use. CS
@@LogansAstro Yep, I think something came loose during the shipping. Thankfully it wasn’t anything too serious. I’ve read other reports on the mount online and people are having great experiences with it!
Hi Ali, nice video. Indepentently off any RUclips testing videos of that mount, I ordered the same hat you are using. Since I use now the Onstep for the very beginning (more than 10 years) I am sure, there is no risk. The system is open and can be enhance if the controller of the Juwei will get broken one day. I like the guiding video you showed and a looking forward for the next tests. Wish you good look for your channel and and looking forward for nice future videos! Well done!
Nice review, nice book collection too!
@@Jcastleinfo Thanks for the feedback! Gotta do something while the imaging sequence runs 😉
Nice to see, prices are going down with strain wave mounts, thanks for reviewing and sharing!
@@AstroReyak Yep. More competition is always great for us!
Nice review i have seen on Aliexpress nice to see a positive review
Great review Ali! 👍Initially I was also thinking about affording the Juwei17 but I then went a tiny bit more pricy with the UMi17 as I could find even less info about the Juwei17 on the net than for the UMi17. I think the Alt setting knob on the Juwei is much nicer than the EQ5 style knobs on the UMi17.
Maybe the Juwei17 could make a great mount No. 4 for me. 😄
@@astrofromhome The UMi17 looks great and it was probably the safer option. Mount No.4 for me might be the WD-20, though not anytime soon 🤣💔
Awesome review - I've been looking at these for a cheap second rig I'm putting together. Its only going to be carrying a small refractor or possibly even a camera lens and CMOS camera, so I'd say its good enough. I certainly didn't want to pay for an AM5 for a second rig that won't get used all that often....
Great channel too by the way...
@@AlexN-Astro That’s precisely why I bought mine. I couldn’t believe that a mount half the price of the AM5 and even cheaper than the AM3 with comparable specs to the AM5 would deliver like it did. I was going to be happy with less than average performance that is good enough for wider setups but it exceeded my expectations!
Thanks for the feedback on the channel!!
Juwei now have developing a use 14 motor version, you can think it. is same with am3 details , ah hey bro next time maybe you can ask the manufacturer, because I get it is eng version
@@Azazel840 Maybe If he can send me the firmware I can flash it using Arduino??
hey thanks for doing a review !
@@GrundleStiltSkin Thanks for watching!!
Great content Ali 😊 Keep them coming 👏
@@ScottDavies Thank you Scott, I appreciate the support 🤝🏼
Another great video ! It’s an outrage that you don’t have more followers :) BTW Have you had any updates on the Touptek Astrostation? I’m tempted (currently all my gear is ZWO but I’m fed up waiting for their camera rotator to go on sale) as it looks a lot more flexible in terms of equipment?? It might even control the DIY Cheapodc dew heaters shown on the Stellamate website :)
@@Lord_Whiteley Thank for the feedback and I’m glad you are enjoying the content! The Touptek team are iterating fast with a new update every week! It is still not a complete app nor is it as advanced as the ASIair yet but surely it must be close to an official release. It doesn’t have a rotator control module either, not yet at least.
Ali shows this mount again and again but no review found. Finally, here you are. Many thanks.
Plus, can I ask how weight your equipment on the JUWEI mount on the video?
@@ulismoon Thanks for watching and for the positive feedback! I would say my equipment is around 9kg.
Keep it up, great video and an amazing setup!
Another great video Ali!
@@gerardford1116 Thanks for supporting the channel! Truly appreciated!
Great review, thanks Ali!
@@DomZ83 Thank you for watching!
Really nice video. You are really getting good at this. Thanks for talking just a little slower :)f. Looking forward to more of them. Do you have any idea how to get service on the mount?
@@marvinwhisman3333 Thanks for the kind words of encouragement. You can always contact the seller if you need help on issues with the mount, unfortunately it being shipped from china may present logistical issues
Read your post on SGL, nice to see it in the video, it looks just like the AM5.
@@StargazerFS128 It’s a great mount, you can tell where some of that price reductions went once you have the mount in hand. Thanks it’s not anywhere essential!
Can you show in a litle more detail what repair you made to the Dec axis? I am seriously considering this mount but it is still an expensive gamble if it doesn't pay off and how good are they at answering your questions?
On an unrelated (sort of) note, your cable management is outstanding! Do a video on that please! My rigs are a snakes nest
@@beatsntoons Elite level complement! Thank you very much! Great idea for a video, I want to make a video on some power/usb hubs soon so maybe I can touch on it on that video 😄
Great video, I am in the market for a small portable mount at this price point, but with UK VAT and customs charges, is it then really that much cheaper…🤔🤔
Great review!... on point.
Gonna ask again what repair did you make to the mount? please make a video on this if possible
good work my guy !!!!!!!
@@pippinjg Thank you!!
Glad I waited to pull the trigger on an AM5. This is the way.
You show it connected to the sky watcher heq5 tripod not the ZWO ? I have the sky watcher tripod could you link the correct adapter for this exact setup ? Subscribed 👍🏻
Hi! Now that you have had,this mount a while, does it still track and operate accurately? thanks -jim
I have this same mount, but in Blue instead. For the price of a Strain Wave Gear (Harmonic) mount, it can't be beat. Cabling isn't a big deal, if you take the time to make a "harness" that fits everything, and is routed to not snag on anything. The other good thing, is it will help to drive down the costs of other mounts too. 😁
@@JeffCounsil-rp4qv thanks for sharing your input!!
Thank you so much for the review. I got one from another vendor on AliExpress after watching your review. I was trying to do polar alignment with rhis, but the Azimuth knobs don't turn the mount when rotated. Can you please suggest a way around this?
Just received mine today! Question… the bolts that go into the top of the mount into the pier extension, do you just tighten them finger tight?
Thanks for the insightful review Ali. I'm keen to buy it but wondering how to adapt it to the Skywatcher He5 pier. For now it seems it works with iOptron adapters or extensions.
I like it, i mean the review, it is kept short, yet still has all the information i want to know about a mount! Do you know the UMi mounts from Proxisky/Meow Astro? Those are in the similar price range, maybe slightly more expensive. I have their first mount, the UMi17, it is great, i got 0.4-0.5 guiding with the 250PDS (with counterweight), usually similar or batter with the 150 Quattro without counterweight.
@@harynjk Thanks for the positive feedback on the video, It means a great deal!
Sure, I was debating getting one of those too!! The harmonic revolution is here to stay it seems and the more competitive the market becomes the better for us!!
CS!
Interesting. Thanks for this video. I'm not in the market for a new mount, I have an Eq6r-pro which I'm happy with, but as someone who sets up and breaks down every night, I could use a lighter mount. I'm still in the "wait and see" phase, there are so many strain wave mounts currently, I want to see how they perform in the medium term. Are they durable? any parts that suffer wear and tear? The zwo am5 has been around for a couple of years and so far no horror stories that I have known of, people seem to love it. Hopefully it will be the same with this newer mounts? We'll see. Thanks so much for the info, clear skies!
@@sjpp71 You want my advice? Don’t sell your Eq6r-pro. I am all for the harmonic revolution out there but the EQ6 was and still is the best mount I’ve owned, I regret selling it. It is future proof! The am5’s stated payload may be the same with a CW but that’s only at 20cm from the axis of rotation. It would never handle a larger SCT like the eq6 would!
How do you polar align a mount like this? There's clearly no polar scope or camera, so do you use a software routine with the main imaging camera?
@@BruceElliott Yes, that’s basically the only way to do it accurately. You can also opt for a polar camera like the Ipolar or something similar!
@@AstraPharmaq8 - Thanks for the reply! I was really wondering how you'd attach a polar camera. I don't see an obvious attachment point. I use an iPolar camera personally, but I think I should probably get used to doing polar alignment with my imaging camera, especially for those situations where I don't have a clear sight of Polaris.
can you make an update video on the mount?
Looks good for the price shame about the poor connection to the motor so QC seems to be a bit hit & miss but still an easy fix.
@@dumpydalekobservatory Indeed, to give them the benefit of the doubt, I attributed it to a rough journey from china to me.
Due to the high cost, there has been so much gatekeeping with astrophotography. Hopefully, this will begin to force companies to lower their prices.
@@JoseNavarroCo I very much hope so!
Interesting option, but will still cost me €1700 with the TC40 tripod + EQ5 adapter plate, so getting pretty close to the Skywatcher Wave 100i with included tripod extension (another 100 euro).
The real question is 1) how does the new juwei price compared to a used AM5 and 2) Is the price savings worth the much lower resale value as this mount is unknown
Any possibilty of sharing some PHD2 guidelogs? Preferably one where guiding assistant has been run also. That is,if you are a PHD2 user?
Thank you for your review! I would like to use it with a TC40 Tripod. Wich adapter I need? What do you mean with the TC40 adapter plate? Thank you for your help!
Great review Ali
موفق ❤️
@@haq4016 اجمعين ياخوي ما تقصر 🌹
Thk you for sharing
Is there a home postionning system on that mount?
Already have one, but how attach de mount to the am5 pier?. I saw you have a plate (silver) between mount and pier. Where can i buy it?, Thanks
Solved, i did no saw the pier adaptor.
Hi, first thank you for your test ! I'm very interrested by this mount because i need to upgrade my setup (eq3.2 + onstep for motorisation). I realy hesitate between an HEQ5 Pro v2 with Rowan kit and this harmonic mount. The prices for both are about the sames for me (in France... so sorry if my english is not good ;-) and I don't know what are the pro and cons for each mount. So can you give me your opinion please ?
@@LoïcTHIBAULT-n4q what is your imaging set up??
@@AstraPharmaq8 Newton 150 750 with Player One Ares C pro ( imx533)
@@AstraPharmaq8 Hi, I've a Skywatcher 150-750 telescope with a PlayerOne ARES-C Pro (imx533) and an SVBony SV105 with 120mm lens for guiding. Thank you
@@LoïcTHIBAULT-n4q I think you should go for a harmonic mount 👍🏻
@@AstraPharmaq8 Ok Thank you !
How is Support to repair if necessary ???
I had no issues, they were very responsive!
@@AstraPharmaq8Which seller did you buy it from? There are several listings by different vendors.
Also this is considered inexpensive for a harmonic. What is considered inexpensive for a comparable performance non-harmonic mount (AFAICT the main advantage of harmonic mounts is less weight, which I'm willing to compromise on that if there's a substantial cost difference).
Thank you for the review.
Did that have Onstep written on the side?
@@ianjeffery3762 It did indeed 👍🏻
Thx for the info. Does anyone know if it can do alt-azimuth mode for visual?
Good find and good review! Now I just need a grand.
I can't get this thing to guide no matter what I throw at it. After few hours of trying I gave up and went to sleep. Will mostlikely go back to sw Eq6 pro. It's a shame because I wanted something lighter.
Will it sit on a Heq5 Pro tripod?
@@sharonsharonsharon1 Yep, with the pier extension I mentioned in the video it would. There is also a simple adapter sold on AliExpress for it!
@@AstraPharmaq8 I prefer not to have the pier as it limits my view from the balcony. What adapter should I search for? Thanks a lot!
@@sharonsharonsharon1 I made a 60mm diameter "puck" and attached it to the bottom of the Juwei-17 mount. It (the puck) has a center threaded hole so the center rod of the AVX tripod threads into it, and holds the mount quite nicely. The "puck" to fit the Skywatcher tripod should be the same 60mm diameter. The AVX center rod is M10, not sure what the SW threads are on the rod. With the puck and center rod holding the mount on, the 2 outboard AZ bolts aren't really necessary.
👏🏻👏🏻
تحياتي للمحتوى الراقي
هلا بو جسوم 👋🏻🌹
U shouldnt have to fix it, send it back
The wedge looks sketchy. You can tell it’s not as nice overall as the mainstream options
@@rvoykin You can definitely tell where they chose to compromise to reduce the price.
The wedge is quite nice actually. It is more than adequate for the total payload capacity. The ALT adjusting mechanism is nicer than many other mounts having actual bearings. I had mine fully apart to properly measure for, and make adapters for mounting it to two different tripods without a pier extension. That was so the AZ "peg" would align properly with the AZ adjusting bolts I relocated. I had to drill and thread the holes and couldn't accurately do it without disassembling the wedge. Then I made 2 pier extensions, one short, and one long which will fit the AVX tripod. Plus I made an adapter for my Meade LX-80 tripod with "fine" leveling adjusters on the tripod legs. They are blue so I got the Juwei-17 in blue. 😁
Hey, in the video you show us some PHD2 logs. Mind if I ask if you're able to set guiding speed with this mount using ASIAIR, and ask to share your guiding logs from ASIAIR aswell? My experience with guiding using this mount was not so great and I'm trying to figure out why :(
So this has an in-built OnStep controller? I use OnStep for my EQ-5. Would I need my current controller alongside this or is it straight to PC via ASCOM?
The board is a complete OnStep controller board. It is a clone of the miniESP3 board, which is very similar to the maxESP3 pinmap. It uses a rtc module ds3231, it runs the web server and wifi through the esp8266, and onstep and Bluetooth on the esp32.
All you need to do as AstraPharma says, is connect with either the USB, or with BT or WiFi. The ASCOM driver is available to download. The range of the wireless isn't very far though. Being enclosed by the aluminum mount body cuts down on the signal strength. There is a "passive" antenna on the inside of the black power panel though, but it only helps so much. Be aware mine came with tracking enabled upon power up. You need to reflash the firmware to turn it off, which is pretty easy. You want it off in case you aren't paying attention to the imaging equipment, and there is a power interruption. When power comes back on, the mount will keep on tracking until your scope hits something.
@@JeffCounsil-rp4qv Perfect, thanks for the detailed reply.