Man... From reading the description and just a few secs into the vid, I have to say that you sound like someone I'd get along with that's for sure. Why spend money on objects that can be made with your own two hands. I Love it, thanks 4 the very helpful vid!!!
OMG you're amazing. Downloading and printing the 3D parts ASAP... The Raspberry PI setup would be awesome, I'm actually looking for a full remote setup since I don't want to leave my laptop outside and keep running out in the winter to check on it. I use a green laser to polar align, but it's a pain to hold it there by hand and hope that it's centered properly and then adjust the alignment with my other hand... You've literally solved all my issues with this mount with this project, man! THANK YOU!!! Clear Skies!
Hi Sir, First, thank you to have shared this with the community ;) I printed the az adjuster and I saw you use M5 nuts and bolts for the adjustment but I can't find any info about the bolt to fix it to the mount. Thank you for your help Cheers and clear skies Sir.
Great setup, congrats! Can you give more details on how the az adapter works and how it acts on the mount? The "official" version sold by ES is a sort of collar to put between mount and tripod, and it needs some drilling to fit in the stock tripod that comes with the iexos-100. And it is currently out of stock in Europe.
Hello, at 9:45 of the video i discuss the azimuth adjuster. It simply attaches to the tripod using a single 8mm bolt into an existing hole on the tripod. The two side bolts with wing nuts on them are rotated to turn the mount head left or right, it works very precisely, in a manner similar to other azimuth adjusters on other mounts. No disassembly or modification of the mount is required, and it can be removed at any time. Frankly it just works. I also have created several other modifications for this mount that you can find on thingiverse if you search for IEXOS. They include Ipolar/Polemaster mounts to make polar alignment a breeze, A counterweight mount to use inexpensive readily available barbell plates from walmart, and a USB Support to help keep the USB cable from flexing the port. I no longer use the laser components shown in the video, just the azimuth adjuster, the Ipolar mount, counterweight mount and the USB cable support. Clear skies.
Nice video, i was not able to find a way to write you directly, how did you connect the iEXOS100 to the astroberry? did you use a special usb cable of some sort? you have a video on that? Sitting here trying to get it to talk to stellarmate with my amazon basics mini usb cable, and nothing goes
Hello, in the case of the IEXOS-100 mount an 'FTDI' USB-Serial chip is built in, so all that is physically needed is a standard quality USB A male to USB mini male cable. Which it sounds like you have. Depending on when you bought your mount, you may be encountering the 'Bit Flip' problem. If you read my notes for this video, i mention the need to 'flip the DTR' to make it work. I wrote: 'you must install and run FT_Prog and then change/invert the DTR of the FTDI chipset.' so you download FT_Prog (google it)...plug in the mount via the cable to your PC. connect it through the FT_Prog program and search for the DTR (it's in there in the menus), then invert it. Save and the mount should then be viewable by other applications. Anyway, it's been a while, but that is what i did. This link has much more detail: espmc-eight.groups.io/g/MOUNTS/topic/getting_stellarmate_to_wok_on/32572483 good luck to you.
Heyo, are you using KSTARS and Ekos to control the mount? I found problem that when i press slew my mount stars screaming like if iam killing goat.. SO maybe thats because of rates? Whats your settings for pmc8 if you are using it?.. Thanks :)
Thanks Alex for this informative video. I have a similar setup for my telescope and imaging train (ES ED80 CF, ASI294MC Cooled, 60MM guidescope and ASI290MM Mini). How much counterweight do you have on it? I see the two 1-kg weights. What is the sandwiched weight? How has this mount held up to the payload? I tested my iEXOS 100 using a friend's older Orion 100mm Astroview telescope with the finder scope and the 7.5 pound counterweight off its manual mount. I attached his Canon T7. It seemed like that configuration was just at top of the mounts design spec as far as weight. I think if I remove the mounting rings and just attach a dovetail and change out the old visual only finder scope with a 30mm guidescope, I think I could shave some weight. I might be able to get away with a third 1Kg counterweight instead.
Hello, the sandwiched weight is a 2.5lb weight. so not much additional weight was needed. I have used the IEXOS-100 in many different configs at this point, and i find it handles the weight of larger refractors pretty well, up to about 110mm or so. Plus guiding accessories and other things. It's been a great little mount. This mount will work very well as long as you take the time to balance everything. and leave a slight telescope side heavy bias to help with the dec backlash.
@@NMagturo I actually do use the stock tripod. I love how light and portable it is. Really good balance means i don't feel plagued by the small mount's bit of flexure. I upgraded to a polemaster to make polar aligning even easier, and designed a polemaster mount for this scope as well. Find it here: ruclips.net/video/2Jrp-Kv7I1M/видео.html Between that and the azimuth adjuster, as well as printing my own bahtinov masks, and other do dads, i have a good time with this rig. However, i have a bunch of other mounts and scopes and rigs, so they also get a lot of my attention, I regularly design and print stuff for them as well.
Man... From reading the description and just a few secs into the vid, I have to say that you sound like someone I'd get along with that's for sure. Why spend money on objects that can be made with your own two hands. I Love it, thanks 4 the very helpful vid!!!
OMG you're amazing. Downloading and printing the 3D parts ASAP... The Raspberry PI setup would be awesome, I'm actually looking for a full remote setup since I don't want to leave my laptop outside and keep running out in the winter to check on it. I use a green laser to polar align, but it's a pain to hold it there by hand and hope that it's centered properly and then adjust the alignment with my other hand... You've literally solved all my issues with this mount with this project, man! THANK YOU!!! Clear Skies!
That's great to hear. I hope it helps to get the most out of this cool little mount. Thanks!
Hi Sir,
First, thank you to have shared this with the community ;)
I printed the az adjuster and I saw you use M5 nuts and bolts for the adjustment but I can't find any info about the bolt to fix it to the mount.
Thank you for your help
Cheers and clear skies Sir.
Hello, it is an M8 bolt. Thanks.
Great setup, congrats! Can you give more details on how the az adapter works and how it acts on the mount? The "official" version sold by ES is a sort of collar to put between mount and tripod, and it needs some drilling to fit in the stock tripod that comes with the iexos-100. And it is currently out of stock in Europe.
Hello, at 9:45 of the video i discuss the azimuth adjuster. It simply attaches to the tripod using a single 8mm bolt into an existing hole on the tripod. The two side bolts with wing nuts on them are rotated to turn the mount head left or right, it works very precisely, in a manner similar to other azimuth adjusters on other mounts. No disassembly or modification of the mount is required, and it can be removed at any time. Frankly it just works. I also have created several other modifications for this mount that you can find on thingiverse if you search for IEXOS. They include Ipolar/Polemaster mounts to make polar alignment a breeze, A counterweight mount to use inexpensive readily available barbell plates from walmart, and a USB Support to help keep the USB cable from flexing the port. I no longer use the laser components shown in the video, just the azimuth adjuster, the Ipolar mount, counterweight mount and the USB cable support. Clear skies.
Nice video, i was not able to find a way to write you directly, how did you connect the iEXOS100 to the astroberry? did you use a special usb cable of some sort? you have a video on that? Sitting here trying to get it to talk to stellarmate with my amazon basics mini usb cable, and nothing goes
Hello, in the case of the IEXOS-100 mount an 'FTDI' USB-Serial chip is built in, so all that is physically needed is a standard quality USB A male to USB mini male cable. Which it sounds like you have. Depending on when you bought your mount, you may be encountering the 'Bit Flip' problem. If you read my notes for this video, i mention the need to 'flip the DTR' to make it work. I wrote: 'you must install and run FT_Prog and then change/invert the DTR of the FTDI chipset.' so you download FT_Prog (google it)...plug in the mount via the cable to your PC. connect it through the FT_Prog program and search for the DTR (it's in there in the menus), then invert it. Save and the mount should then be viewable by other applications. Anyway, it's been a while, but that is what i did. This link has much more detail: espmc-eight.groups.io/g/MOUNTS/topic/getting_stellarmate_to_wok_on/32572483 good luck to you.
@@alexzarvis6949 thx a lot, it worked!! needed to patch the firmware first, then use FT_prog and then it all finaly made click and just worked
@@FredMF Great news, glad to hear that, cheers!
Heyo, are you using KSTARS and Ekos to control the mount? I found problem that when i press slew my mount stars screaming like if iam killing goat.. SO maybe thats because of rates? Whats your settings for pmc8 if you are using it?.. Thanks :)
good morning. I just purchased this mount. where can I get the polar adapter for the front? thank you.
ruclips.net/video/2Jrp-Kv7I1M/видео.html
Thanks Alex for this informative video. I have a similar setup for my telescope and imaging train (ES ED80 CF, ASI294MC Cooled, 60MM guidescope and ASI290MM Mini). How much counterweight do you have on it? I see the two 1-kg weights. What is the sandwiched weight? How has this mount held up to the payload? I tested my iEXOS 100 using a friend's older Orion 100mm Astroview telescope with the finder scope and the 7.5 pound counterweight off its manual mount. I attached his Canon T7. It seemed like that configuration was just at top of the mounts design spec as far as weight. I think if I remove the mounting rings and just attach a dovetail and change out the old visual only finder scope with a 30mm guidescope, I think I could shave some weight. I might be able to get away with a third 1Kg counterweight instead.
Hello, the sandwiched weight is a 2.5lb weight. so not much additional weight was needed. I have used the IEXOS-100 in many different configs at this point, and i find it handles the weight of larger refractors pretty well, up to about 110mm or so. Plus guiding accessories and other things. It's been a great little mount. This mount will work very well as long as you take the time to balance everything. and leave a slight telescope side heavy bias to help with the dec backlash.
@@alexzarvis6949 besides your 3D parts, are you using the stock iExos 100? Did you upgrade the tripod?
@@NMagturo I actually do use the stock tripod. I love how light and portable it is. Really good balance means i don't feel plagued by the small mount's bit of flexure. I upgraded to a polemaster to make polar aligning even easier, and designed a polemaster mount for this scope as well. Find it here: ruclips.net/video/2Jrp-Kv7I1M/видео.html Between that and the azimuth adjuster, as well as printing my own bahtinov masks, and other do dads, i have a good time with this rig. However, i have a bunch of other mounts and scopes and rigs, so they also get a lot of my attention, I regularly design and print stuff for them as well.