FIRST LIGHT & Tutorial - ASIAIR PLUS!

Cuiv looks at the ASIAIR Plus under the stars, and sees what works... and if there are stuff that don't work!
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00:00 Introduction
01:03 Settings overview
02:10 Polar Alignment
04:52 Choosing and slewing, and centering target
06:01 Focus and Auto Focus
07:45 Autoguiding
09:43 Sequence Planning
11:47 First exposure
13:08 Meridian Flip
16:48 Opinion and Impressions
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[@pacostiro]

Hi Cuiv! Try to decrease the exposure time (

[@jimgunn4498]

Amazing input. That will be loads of useful in the future. Thank you so much for posting this.

[@JeffHorne]

This….

[@mikelockwood2104]

Awesome advice dude !! thank you

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks for both tips! With the l-eXtreme on, I couldn't do the 1s exposures - but your second tip will be used in a video about framing :)

[@jPaulofe]

We are always learning! Many thanks for the framing tip, Costin!! 👏

[@christopherlloyd926]

Cuiv, I've just come across your posting and found it, and your previous one both stimulating and helpful. In fact, they've been so helpful that it has convinced me to resurrect my old enthusiasm for astrophotography and look into automation as much as possible. Many thanks for your enthusiasm and sharing with us your impressions of a wortwhile product. Clear skies, Paul.

[@-Jeremiah-]

Cuiv, I know you see comments on old vids sometimes and I hope you catch this one. Hehehe I just joked with you a night or two ago on a live stream about how I will need to join your patreon in order to get your help with getting my asi/auto guide set up as I’m just making the leap to auto guiding. Well…. You cut your own throat with these two videos brother. I’m shooting from the couch as I type this. Sincerely, thank you for all of the information and insight you share! You deserve the highest of fives my friend!

[@jeffreyvictor3678]

Great video and explanation! Hope to see you back online soon!

[@chettdavidson1812]

You are awesome Cuiv. Thank you for what you bring to this community!!!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks Chester!

[@woody5109]

Love your channel, your enthusiastic approach, your positive attitude, dry encouraging for a newbie

[@woody5109]

Should be “very” encouraging

[@dlg521]

Make sure you use your histogram sliders to preview the stretch as you're shooting. Really makes an impact on what your potential final image will be. I'm waiting for my PLUS to show up but have using the AAPro for a year. Love it

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks for the tip!

[@User1dentification]

And finaly the channel starts to grow now over 12k!, watching the numbers increasing day by day. U deserve it as ur Video output is phenominal. Stay healthy.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thank you! I'm working hard to make the channel grow, but I'm under no illusions - others who have grown have usually done so by dumbing down the content to some extent. But I don't want to do that...

[@ricklaird2218]

Thank you. I am trying to decide between AsiAir Plus and Stellarmate. This video is helpful.

[@Wheeljack678]

That was a great review. I think seeing your impressions and thoughts in "real time" gave a lot more to the review than if you'd made a separate video about it. This goes for both the good and the bad about the device.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thank you! Exactly - I wanted my raw impressions to be on camera.

[@mikelockwood2104]

I've been using the AAPro. I enjoyed your presentation...I always learn from my own and others mistakes. The enjoyment is how we find the answer. You provided multiple answers in your vid. Thank you

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thank you, and I am glad this helped!

[@jPaulofe]

Hi Cuiv, great video on the new AAPlus! As I mentioned before on another comment, I’m using the AAPro on all my setups (portable and fixed) and it has been a very good and easy experience! This together with a proper cable management it takes me about 5 minutes to complete a setup change. At a first glance I couldn’t see anything that the Pro doesn’t do when comparing to the Plus, with the exception of the Enhanced Wi-Fi, of course. Keep up the good work and many thanks for your passioned videos! Clear skies

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I think the other big change is the eMMC storage - your system files are on there, which lowers strain on SD card, and removes the need to make backups!

[@JeffHorne]

I love this video, Cuiv! Welcome to the club! 😊

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks Jeff! :D

[@AstroArcher]

I have the ASIAIR and I love it. Just makes everything super easy. Love the Live mode too. Just seeing the image stack live and if you mess with the histogram sliders you can really get an idea of the data you are getting. Amazing bit of kit.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yes! The live stack is super cool! I have an upcoming video on that!

[@kaylumsnelling]

I’ve recently got the ASIair plus and I’m having some trouble with it. I’ve activated it and I’ve put all my telescope fl and chosen my cameras, but when I go onto the next part of the app there is no live view it’s just an image saying as easy as 1, 2, 3. Also my guide camera (ASI120mm mini) keeps disconnecting from the app. I don’t know if you can help but it’s worth a try.

[@galengloetzel1441]

I also like the ZWO ASIAIR PLUS! Once one learns how to use it, it is amazing!

[@pierrechticumulus6241]

Super !!! J'ai commandé cet ASIAIR + il y a une semaine !!! Ta vidéo me rassure sur mon choix. Moi aussi je suis bluffé par ta démonstration ! Bon ciel à toi et bonjour de France ; )

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hello! Genial, je pense que tu vas vraiment aimer l'ASIAIR + !

[@jimgunn4498]

Great video. Glad to see that you were as impressed with it as I have been. I have been using it for about a month and I will never be able to use anything else. The days of carrying around a wad of cables and a 5 lb laptop are over. Not to mention, it is just easy. Boot up, focus, align, plate solve, point and shoot. Done and done. I actually learned a couple more things about it from your video that I hadn't come across yet, so thanks for that. It will do live stacking and it is awesome, even auto stretches the live stack. And, if you keep some of your most-used darks and bias frames on the device, take one flat frame when you start imaging, you can live stack with all of your calibration frames applied as well. I imaged Horsehead and Flame last night and it was awesome to see the image build up over a couple of hours. It takes me less time to complete setup and begin imaging with the ASI AIR on my telescope than it does just to try and find a target with my DSLR. It has kind of ruined DSLR imaging for me. I think from now on, the DSLR will be just for Milky Way photography. I was completely up and running in less than half an hour last night on the telescope and after over an hour of trying to locate the Heart Nebula on the DSLR with a 135mm lens, I gave up, slapped a 50mm lens on, and just pointed it in the general direction and hoped for the best.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks for that feedback Jim - it's such a different experience indeed. And I completely get and share your pain about finding targets with a DSLR, it's just too painful! Livestacking is on my todo list to feature as well.

[@markware5109]

The ‘wows’ say it all!!! I’m waiting for delivery on mine! Thank you so much for your true insight! Just found your channel and subscribed. I’m in Roanoke, Virginia USA

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks Mark! Welcome to the channel! Note that the ASIAIR is not perfect (I have another video where I list some features I wish it had), but overall it is quite impressive!

[@markware5109]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek yes, I watched it too. Everything is going to have limitations. And ZWO seems to be listening. I’ve seen numerous vids on this device and and the consensus is that overall it’s a great upgrade to the previous models. Thank you again. Your channel is awesome!!

[@steorra314]

this is really impressive i was gunna get the pro but might wait for the plus great video as always and good to see you have recovered

[@amp2amp800]

The most recent software update makes a lot (most? all?) of this available on the AApro too. There might be some features that are limited, but performance, power consumption, and wifi range seem to be the main plus points of the AAplus. You might be able to pickup the pro at a bargain price as they run down stocks and not miss out on much. Me... I bought a pro before I heard about the plus launch, so I'll stick with it for a wee while yet.

[@Kyle_Hubbard]

Buy the pro, unless you really need the WiFi. The Plus really doesn't offer anything extra of value other than the fact that that it has an antenna for WiFi. The pro version has an Ethernet port, so if you're leaving it in a permanent place just wire it up. You'll get better and quicker control and you can use it straight from a desktop if that's your thing. I can just set everything up from my desktop, see it out the window to make sure it's running and no issues, run it on my second monitor and play games with friends on the other monitor. Nice and warm while it's cold outside.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I think the one area besides the wifi that is better with the plus is the eMMC drive: the device OS resides there and besides imaging, all read write operations are there, which preserve the health of the microSD. There is also no need to backup the OS as I understand there is with the Pro. But yes, it seems to be more iterative than anything else!

[@manuelpiton8417]

Je suis bluffé aussi ! Justement j'attendais les retours sur ce nouveau modèle car je compte monter un deuxième setup et ça a l'air vraiment top. Merci pour ton analyse. Encore une super vidéo ;-)

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Merci Manuel! J'avoue que le manque de support pour non-ZWO (surtout le focuser) me chiffonne, mais autrement c'est vraiment génial

[@CaptRescue2]

Its really great for new imagers, easy of use and less potential headaches!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Absolutely - ZWO hopes to catch them young and keep them buying ZWO :p

[@alcosound]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek that's their strategy - ASIair is the "gateway drug"

[@nikivan]

Great video! I remember that feeling when I saw my first target (Rosetta nebula in Ha) on the tablet's screen. Hopefully, they'll add more advanced features, like dither every N frames (per filter, not global), capture until set time or target altitude, etc.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yes - they've been quite good at adding features apparently, so I'm looking forward to that!

[@rudibarani]

Thanks for your impressions. There are settings for dithering, too, in case you want to use that in the future, I was wondering why you use 0.9x guiding speed. Maybe you could explain in a future video what this does e.g. in comparison to 0.5x guiding speed and if it depends on the position of the target in the sky, ones mount etc. Enjoy your new toy!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Very good point - unless the mount driver restricts it, the guide pulse can be as short as necessary. The faster the guide speed, the shorter the pulses, but potentially the more approximate they become (but that would only be an issue with very long FL). At the same time, it can catch faster excursions from center, so less limited. I always set it to 0.9x or 1x because of that

[@jimblackwell3754]

This device deserves even more “wows”. Great presentation!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I can throw in a couple more in the next video :p

[@WindyCityAstrophotography]

"Yeah, lock me, man!" 😂 Great walkthrough! Your spontaneity is so honest and it is such a compelling thing to watch you just try stuff. Great as always 👍

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thank you!

[@marvinwhisman3333]

It was so fun watching you "geek" out on the AAP. Also, I watched your stream on TAIC. You just have such an amazing wealth of knowledge on Astrophotography. I guess watching so many of your videos is helping because for the first 15-20 seconds of your live stream tonight I actually knew what you were talking about. :)

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thank you so much Marvin, and thank you for being part of the Order! :D I hope the video was a bit more intelligible than that for you! I really wanted to make it accessible..

[@marvinwhisman3333]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek Your video was very well done and clearly displays you depth of understanding of the technology. I am just glad I have begun to understand some of the basic terms, all of which I learned from you. The further you go into the hobby the more you being to understand that there is so much you have yet to learn. I guess that is why the hobby is so addictive. You will not run out of things to do or learn in a lifetime.

[@brianwattenbarger6903]

Great video I just subscribed 😀 I haven't had a chance to try it yet but I read that once your target is centered, if you want to fine tune your framing, you can long press on a spot of the image you want centered and it will give you a new Goto to center/solve the spot you pressed on.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks Brian, and welcome to the channel! Yes, others have pointed that feature out to me, and I tried it. It's really cool! I actually have an upcoming video about all the ways you can do framing with the ASIAir Plus :)

[@XShadowAngel]

The AIR totally changed my experience of astrophotography. Made it WAY more enjoyable. Glad you enjoyed, Cuiv! Good vid!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks for the feedback Shadow!

[@GarnettLeary]

Thank you. I’m really interested in it and as expected you provided an excellent review

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

My pleasure - there will be more content with the ASIAir in the future as well.

[@cevoner]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek Excellent. It can only get better with upgrades. You may be Lazy but you are efficient.

[@jazzmatazz4211]

Fall in love with the asiair, its amazing how easy it works! IMO a real Gamechanger

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

It's a really neat package indeed

[@dijonpepperberry]

So cool! I hope you stay current on NINA stuff too because I learn so much NINAing from you... As a QHY camera user despite how cool the ASIAIR is I can never use it. It really looks like a slick front end though! It's very cool how integrated it is

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Oh yeah don't worry Tyler, NINA is still on my Newt setup :)

[@ShamrockBanksObservatory]

I've been dealing with a new Eagle for this purpose. After watching this video, I will be sending it back and getting an ASIAir. Very well done, this is the exact solution I'm looking for on my secondary telescope.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

In the end I reverted to a PC with NINA as I found it was simply easier and more powerful for me, and I ended up using non-ZWO cameras :-) the risk of going this way is to be locked into an ecosystem, until they open it up!

[@ShamrockBanksObservatory]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek really not an issue for me. I have to change focusers but all my cameras are ZWO. As is my filter wheel.

[@charlesmartin5565]

Man I acted the same way the first night I had the asiair out. It blew me away with how easy it was and how well it was made.

[@luboinchina3013]

Same here

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yep... Now if only it could be hacked to support other cameras.. :D

[@charlesmartin5565]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek primalucelab eagle now has a stand alone astro gear management application that runs in pretty much the same way as the asiair is and it's called play. The big difference is it allows u to run other camaras other then just one brand and I also auto focuser as well. Primaluce labs just put out a KZbin video showcasing it.

[@Saxonpod]

​@@CuivTheLazyGeek exactly what I was thinking

[@GrowingAnswers]

I have the pro version and it completely changed the hobby. It simply automates everything. I saw you used 8s for autofocus time. I use 1 sec autofocus for lrgb and 3 sec for 3nm narrowband. Never have anything out of focus after it finishes. It doesn’t care how noisy the image is when it does the focus routine. It goes quicker that way. Which is especially important with filter wheel set-ups.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I've switched to 5s since - it works beautifully, it's really quite impressive... Thanks for that feedback!

[@billblanshan3021]

Awesome, great video as always!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thank you!

[@georgepoz1789]

After your review I will definitely get one ! Thank you

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I hope you enjoy it!

[@whenpigsflyobservatory]

Hey Cuiv, interesting review. You’re right about getting locked into the ZWO ecosystem. Just got the ASIAIR Plus & ASI120MM guider for my setup. If I consider your pre-release review of the device through the filter of a years worth of improvements, then I’m thinking this will be a paradigm shift for my little observatory. Looking to free up the laptop from the kitchen table and the idea of just grabbing a micro SD to transfer data works great. Cheers Sir!

[@markbmc9712]

Yea! Lock me man😎 I’m so glad you got to try one👍 After Maxim DL, tied for years to a laptop, this is my forever device. All ZWO cameras from now on, so I can use this amazing device. I’ve got version1 & Pro.V1 Great video👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yep! But still... I wish we could hack it a bit to support other cameras...

[@kucrapoc51]

j'avais remarqué un accent français, j'avais un doute, mais le "je suis bluffé" m'a terminé XD je pense faire l'acquisition d'un tel boitier, ça à l'air vraiment puissant !

[@zborkz]

It's a great solution for a very portable setup, the biggest disadvantage I have found is no framing assistance as found in nina, as well as no native mosaic built in abilities. Then again I got it for a highly portable solution and for that it's very well suited.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yep, completely agree - I will be releasing a video in a week or so about the various framing and mosaic solutions available for the ASIAir

[@cbynum526]

Hi Cuiv. I always enjoy your videos. I watched your unboxing video and knew when you tried it, you'd like it. I've used the ASIAir Pro for the last 6 months and the new firmware added a lot of features like multi star guiding. I recently added an external antenna to mine to give me the Plus advantage of wifi range. There's a how video on how to or send it off to a third party that will do it for $50. Like you said the biggest downside is you're locked into ZWO cameras or Canon or Nikon DSLRs. But I really like mine.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Completely agree - thanks for the feedback Chris!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

As you can tell, I am quite impressed by the first light with the device. It is quite amazing! I intend to keep it on the setup for the future, as it will help me just grab the whole setup to dark sites when the weather clears and the moon hides. Also note that the computer that I had on my setup has made its way to my bigger setup with R200SS. So I am still using NINA! It is good to add the following caveats for reference: - Many users (and the manual!) recommend powering the mount separately, as the power delivery could be overwhelmed, especially with dew heaters (I am not having issues with my setup, but it is modest in terms of power consumption). However I've been told it could also affect guiding. So I may choose to power the mount separately, as recommended. - It only works with ZWO EAF for focusing and EFW for filters, and some Nikon and Canon cameras as well as ZWO cameras (e.g. no QHY, Altair, or other brands, you are locked in). It has a much wider compatibility for mounts. - Framing and mosaic setup is a bit painful (upcoming video for framing and mosaic), and I would like to have parameters for plate-solving and centering precision - I really didn't like having to activate the device online. It's something that just annoys me. - Polar Alignment requires view of Polaris (unlike NINA's three point polar alignment) - or at least a view of the sky within 30 degrees of Polaris - Meridian limits can't be set (at least at this stage), so it pauses imaging at Meridian - workaround it to set Meridian flip less long after Meridian - Focus seems to be single star rather than multi-star (but it worked very well in my first light, and others tell me it is actually multi-star) - No PHD2 guiding assistant or setup wizard to help set a correct value for the calibration step (it seems to me we should have a good pre-populated number based on connected equipment) E.g. great for ease of use, but there is loss of flexibility.

[@MegaFrenzyman]

Have you tried planning with Telescopius csv? I use it to do 9 frames HSO and 6 frames RGB of Cynus without problem

[@luboinchina3013]

I also was very impressed with the functionality. I have the same functions in my AsiAir V1, but If I can add to the complaints 1. I want to have an option to cancel the update when available. I lost half of the night at remote location because it wanted to update and failed to do so. 2. Platesolving doesn't work for planets and the moon. 3. Platesolving doesn't work for focal length over 5000mm - bad if you want to image Jupiter or Saturn and you use barlow 4. I had problem to do platesolving using 700mm guide scope and ASI290mm for unknown reason. 5. I wish it could be more planetary imaging friendly, using live view 5x of DSLR for capturing video 6. For some reason it has troubles with mirror lock up setup so it cannot do platesolving using DSLR when mirror lockup is set on and also cannot do image of the moon with the mirror lockup function. So my moon photos are shaky due to it.

[@jlecomte0719]

Agreed, this is perfect for a portable setup, but not necessarily optimal at home, or in any kind of permanent or semi-permanent setup.

[@michaelasbury5473]

I absolutely love my ASIAIR Pro. I have not tried a mosaic yet, so I’m looking forward to your future video on that. Also, not sure if you’re aware but for framing a target you can press on the screen where you want it centered and a green circle with the word “go” will appear there and it asks if you want to re-center your FOV there. If you have to image a target over several nights you can go to Preview mode, click on image management, then search for one of your previous images under Autorun. Once you find an image, there should be a “goto” button on the screen. It will plate solve and go back to that FOV. I find it VERY useful.

[@physmc1]

I think focus is multi-star according to posts on the zwo asi forum, but it only shows 1 star as preview.

[@skatter3112]

Another great video Cuiv. You are a wonderfull storyteller. I wish I had the money for going with two new cams, and go full monty on the ASIAir

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thank you! Yeah the hobby is hardly affordable!!

[@MrBengourben]

I've been seriously thinking about getting one of these for sometime. I use a raspberry pi with ekos and kstars. But I'm constantly tweaking, updating. Mostly it works great but sometimes for no reason things will go astray. I think the asiair offends our astrophotography egos! We like to figure out and work through the complications of Nina, ekos, and the other acquisition softwares. But it looks to me like this is the future... Seems to just work! Judging on your "wow" count alone, I'm getting one! Great review,thanks.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hahaha, your analysis is spot on! egos are bruised by simple solutions. I really would love to see the ASIAir Plus support other manufacturers...

[@technocore1591]

For the Polar Alignment, select the fastest exposure that will successfully plate solve (.5 or 1 second) then check the box for "auto refresh" makes it a MUCH smoother experience.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

With the l-eXtreme 1s was a bit too short - but I will try shorter next time!

[@louisrosner7902]

Love NINA which I use with my QHY 294 M pro and C8HD but this video convinced me to order the ASI AIR Plus for my smaller all ZWO setup refractor. Very exciting technology. Wish they would expand their camera and equipment choices. They would sell even more of them. Just a wish, kind of like for a bigger Cuiv coffee mug.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I completely agree with you! And yes, there would be a bigger coffee mug if Spreadshirt had them...

[@jbnitpou9942]

God ….. this is the very best tool for a descent lazy guy. 👍😀

[@TheNarrowbandChannel]

A lot of WOW in this video. ;) Really the ASIAIR is awesome. I had the very first generation and it was truly impressive then to. The Pro model was not so much as the wifi limitations was about 5ft for me. That was extremely frustrating. But I am loving my Plus now. Can control it from bed like I could the Air Vr1.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I still can't believe ZWO would release such a flawed product with the Pro - like a Faradet cage around antennas... But I'm glad they're replacing it with the Plus.

[@TheNarrowbandChannel]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek Ya the pro was a big disappointment to me too. The first version was so perfect though. Just did not have power management.

[@peterlaubscher3989]

Many thanks for this review. I watched it whilst outside shooting some frames of the Dragons of Ara. Who says guys can't multitask?! Lovely evening in Cape Town tonight - owls in the trees near me. I think they are enjoying the moon which is almost full, sparkling over False Bay. This looks like a great product.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Oh man that is such a great target! If I ever go down south again, that's on my todo list!

[@martinsastrophotography]

Great video! Can it plan the framing and then tell you how much to rotate the camera to match the planned framing? What about planning of mosaics?

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

No at this stage it can't, it relies on Telescopius - I have an upcoming video on that!

[@balacv02]

Awesome friend. What is the difference between Pro and Plus? Thanks a ton for this review

[@IMCDundee]

New game, drink along a Cuiv, take a drink for every WOW!!!!, seriously though, its great to see someone enjoying a new set up! Clear skies man!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I think we'd all get alcohol poisoning hehe :)

[@tomdaigon8707]

I love using ASIair Pro. But since my impending arrival of a 10 Micron mount I decided for my EdgeHD 11 / 10 Micron rig I would switch to NINA. Your wonderful tutorials revealed to me just how cool NINA is. And it can do dithering unguided, which ASIair doesn't. I dont mind that its PC based, because Model Creator 2 (for building models for the Microns unguided accuracy) is also PC based. I will continue using ASIair on my second rig which is a RASA 8 on an EQ6-R. So I will have the best of both worlds!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

That's the best compromise! My Newt is still on NINA for the moment! I am so jealous of your new mount!!

[@pm1035]

Cuiv, You put the bug in me to get the ASIAir Plus get it working...I hope? Can you point me to any EAA books for beginners to get me started? And of course, I will support you and your fantastic KZbin tutorials. Thanks!

[@AnakChan]

I used the ASIAir Pro last year before N.I.N.A. and enjoyed it. Since then it's feature list has just grown. Agreed that it's merely the Advanced Sequencer that's keeping me with N.I.N.A. but if I didn't care about the Advanced Sequencer, the ASIAir works well with me. One other thing about PC-based vs ASIAir is that with PC, I find myself wanting to update more regularly - PHD2 dev, ASTAP, N.I.N.A. Nightly, Stellarium, etc. and overall feels more maintenance that with the ASIAir whose updates are more packaged and infrequent. Yes I know it's a self-discipline thing with PC that I don't have to, but the fact that each component is separate and independent with their own release cycles, I feel with PCs it's overall greater management.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

That's a very good point - maintaining several disparate pieces of software can indeed add up on the workload

[@philleng480]

Thanks Cuiv, good video. For a user who already has a functioning rig it doesn't seem to make sense to pay out another £300 to get reduced functionality (on a tiny screen). Not leaving laptop outside, yes a small benefit if security is an issue. So a travel rig is where you will see the benefit with no laptop (you still need the same power supply to run the show). If I was travelling by plane then yes its going to be slightly easier, £300 easier.... I don't know. For a newbie then yes it simplifies things a little having one program. Let's see how zwo support their product.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Completely understand! I like not having a laptop at all overall, and just being able to grab and go the kit. Up to now I had a computer mounted on top - and controlled from another computer inside.

[@mistafrags6113]

It has an atlas for framing now i heard sooo cool cant wait for mine to come in

[@figzastro-photography]

Great Video. Thanks.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thank you!

[@milhouse8525]

A fewl tips from an happy asiair pro and plus user (and a fellow frenchy !) : -You can do a custom framing from your image : while in preview mode, tape and hold on the screen, you'll have a "goto" button that appears, click it and asiair will move your mount to center on that point. if you run a shooting session with autorun mode after that, it will keep those coordinates. -Plan mode allow you to shoot multiple targets, but you can use autorun mode if you want to shoot only one target that night. (Plan basically runs autoruns in sequence) -For polar align, you don't need to see polaris, PA will work if you're pointing your scope in a 30° circle around celestial pole. (the closer the better, but it will work)

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thank you so much for this, this is super useful! In particular I will be using your first two tips in an upcoming video!

[@milhouse8525]

I discover the first one "by accident", I don't understand why this is not in like the first page of the manual, as it is so useful !

[@newforestobservatory9322]

That was incredible!! If I got you correctly, this tiny little box effectively has Pinpoint built into it??

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

That's pretty much it! Amazing how the hobby is getting easier and easier...

[@NikhilShahi]

Thanks for the video Cuiv. Any chance you could create a video for auto-guiding a Star Adventurer with a DSLR/ lens combo? Would be a huge help to see how you set it up for auto-guiding that mount. I just placed an order for the ASI Air Plus for auto-guiding that mount (intention is to buy a go-to mount next year). Thanks.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Unfortunately I don't have a Star Adventurer, and have no plans on buying one... So I can't make such a video at this stage... Maybe when I'm bigger as a channel, SW will be sending me stuff to test :p

[@skalasz01]

Hi Cuiv, Does your AZ-EQ5 have new tripod and saddle? If yes, what company are? Super video like always. Thanks, Piotr

[@TheMje1963]

Glad you are enjoying the new toy. However there are a lot of us that can not use it. It only works with ZWO products. My camera is zwo buy my focuser's (all of them) are Moonlite. I had an EAF once and it was such a pain to even get going right and was way too much backlash and slop that I gave it away to a friend. Now if they start letting you use 3rd party equipment with it (ASCOM) I'll think about it. For now i'll stick with my Eagle 3 and 4

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yep. That's the main issue with this device. If only they opened it to other cameras, focusers, and filter wheels... They wouldn't ever be able to support ASCOM (you need Windows for that), but they would be able to support all of that via INDI...

[@KopLamp]

Hahahhah.... you had me laughing out loud... "Go to Home, piece of... " :P

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hehehe, glad you liked it!

[@waynerichardson1706]

Me too !

[@greggbell]

Once you center your target with plate solving use the Annotate in Tools to confirm your targets location. If image composition isn't exactly what you want you can touch and hold the screen to generate a goto button and fine tune the center by using the goto button displayed on the screen.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Excellent tip, thank you!

[@greggbell]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek I'm real happy with the ASIair Pro. Thanks for all the tips, it's been a big help as a learn to image!

[@AncalimeNL]

The amounts of 'WOOOOW' tell me this might be a good product

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hahaha yeah I went overboard there but I couldn't help it!

[@MaartenAnna]

Je suis bluffé -> I’m absolutely gobsmacked 😶 😉 Great video, I’ve been watching a few now, as I was looking into a budget way to set up a star tracker. But I’ve been really getting into your video. Question, what budget setup would you advice for someone just starting out? I have an old DSLR with a few lenses, I can use. More like a barndoor tracker, the rasberry pi route, or this route (eventhough the €€€ is soooo different?)

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

If you are into serious astrophotography, then maybe a SkyWatcher EQM35 would be a good starting mount. Or the AZ-GTi in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJ_EqaWvhbiZsMU

[@MaartenAnna]

Thanks for your reply, honored you took the time for me (you’re kinda like a guru in the astro photography world). I saw that video, & I’m inclined to go that route. Or perhaps even the other route & get a small telescope, cooled camera & with guide scope & camera (your other video with that mount). But I like the Raspberry Pi & SkyView mount. Does the Raspberry Pi also work with other mounts (should I run into a 2nd hand mount somewhere)?

[@BlackravenarmouryUk]

Hey Cuiv, hope you reply to comments unlike so many you tubers after 11 months and another superb video, but I’d really love to see you do one on the whole EAF setup working out the backlash. Seen a few out there but for someone on Mac and no access to Nina, it’s a bit confusing. Unless you can recommend a video out there ??

[@ReallyVirtual]

It looks seriously impressive. My only concern is battery power routing. I always image from a dark site and the thought of having everything running from just one battery doesn't sit too well with me. I guess the way around it is not to use it as a power distribution system? On the plus side, the thought of using a tablet from inside a tent during the winter is incredibly enticing!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Exactly right on the workaround - I just like the idea of having just one cable to the ground, single power connection.

[@murraylee5628]

Awesome video, How about trying it on the AZ GTi mount, I think it would be an awesome match (I say that because we own two AZ GTis, although we are using DSLRs and Synscan to keep it simple. (I have to polar align with Ipolar and a Windows surface as I am in the Southern Hemisphere). Keep well.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yep, I want to do that - but the AZEQ5 has proven to be such a reliable (and still very light) workhorse for me, it's become my grab and go mount as well...

[@michaeledmonds3027]

Great! I subscibed, liked and now commenting......Just ordered a ZWO 183 camera for my Celestron Evolution 6, and I'm curious about the Asiair unit. I won't have a guide scope or electronic focuser, and I'm not sure about mount control or power management (the mount has a built-in LIFE battery). Maybe tap into the mount's battery output and not use the scope hand control unit? Thoughts, Thanks, Michael 🪐

[@mikemcdonald2752]

Looks impressive. Wonder if the autofocus will work with my Canon's autofocus thru the lens? (APT does this.) Probably doesn't matter as the preorders are sold out and ZWO has no idea when they might have the next batch. Wouldn't surprise me if it was next summer the way all of the chip shortages are going.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I don't think that would work - only the EAF is supported for focus, not the internal lens focusing mechanism... that's also really a shame.

[@rafserrano2164]

So looks like its going to be a Ménage à trois with Nina and Asia eh? 😆 joking aside, omg that is powerful and indeed for the lazy and impatient! Need to get my grubby paws on those! (And an astro cam, and a focuser, and a guide cam) 🙂 great video (and intro) 🙌🔥

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks Raf - totally on a menage a trois now :D Hahaha you've got your roadmap all planned out! Don't fall too deep into the black hole :D

[@rafserrano2164]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek hi Cuiv, so I am starting to step inside the "black hole" 😄 planning to start with a planetary camera (asi462mc) and an Asiair, using my current mirrorless camera as my main camera. My plan is to use the planetary cam in a guidescope connected to Asiair and the asiair connected to my AZ-GTI. Do you think I can I polar align with platesolving using that setup or by moving the guide cam to polar align then return the camera to the guidescope?

[@eandres4772]

Wow,wow,wow....🤣 very good...lo probaré en diciembre

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Awesome! I hope you enjoy!

[@Fahrenheit353]

I want to point out something about the ASIAIR Pro and Plus that people know (and maybe Cuiv can play with). Once the ASIAR is up and running, you can connect it to you network. BUT once it’s on the network, it gives you the port number for the mount (and the camera), which then lets you use programs outside of the ZWO ecosystem to run the mount and camera. I have played around with this a bit, but at the moment the ZWO included features are all that I need.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Oh so like EKOS/Kstars could connect to the mount and camera?? That sounds pretty cool. But is the camera still limited to ZWO?

[@Fahrenheit353]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek idk about the cameras but I have a feeling that they may work too but I haven’t tried it. I managed to control my mount (ioptron) this way using an app on my iPad. Unfortunately idk enough about Nina and the others to really play around with it. Generally when I set it all up I don’t want to mess with it too much. I think I got PH2D to recognize it on a networked computer. Essentially the ASIAIR is just a Linux computer on the network and they allow access to it by its port. Just make sure to permanently tie an IP to it (router or on the ASIAIR but one that one conflict with anything). I don’t really have time at the moment tho. I pointed my camera at the sun, so I’m waiting for the replacement. I’m also in med school and free time a precious commodity. :) Edit: this was a rabbit hole I tried to go down when I wanted something to track the ISS. I unfortunately never found a program that would track in real-time. Which is a shame since a lot of the mounts now are fast enough to track it fairly well.

[@ysl109812]

Love the reaction. I was totally impressed when I first used ASI Air Pro as well. I do have a few things on a wish list about the software. And if you agree with me, I hope you could make these suggestions to ZWO to improve the software in a future update--I am sure it would be more effective coming from an influencer. 1. I wish the software provides better planning options: the current object list is limited and does not recognize many popular names of DSOs. And it is not consistent, either. For example, it recognizes some NGC numbers but not others. And you have to type very specific ways to search for an object. For example, if you type M 33, it would fail to find the Triangulum galaxy, you have to type M33. 2. The object list only has fixed pictures of the object and cannot scale according to your telescope/sensor size (unlike NINA). Some of the pictures are quite obscure, for example, the image of the soul nebula is the image shot by the Spitzer telescope in infrared, which is nothing like what we could see in our telescopes. Unless you have seen the picture before you wouldn't recognize it from that image (and it doesn't show its popular name either). 3. Framing can be difficult if you are shooting faint objects or with low SNR. I wish it could provide the frame/FOV in a larger image so we can frame it properly once it was platesolved. (like NINA). 4. I really wish we are given the liberty to change the file names. For example, I use the keyword "session-dateminus12" to name my files in NINA so that when stacking images from multiple nights in PixInsight, WBPP would recognize which flats and flat darks go with which light frames so I can calibrate them in one go. In AAP I cannot do that. 5. I wish it has the feature to shoot flat darks, or dark flats (like NINA). Now you will have to count the exposure time of flats and set the time manually for darks to do that. Sorry for the long rant. But I do think if AAP can add those features it would be near perfection.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks so much for all of this! I completely agree - I have my own laundry list of little enhancements I'd like to see, and I'm adding yours In the end, I use Telescopius for planning and framing, ahead of time (video upcoming). Having wider FOV pictures would likely require network connection (can't store everything), but if you're on a phone it would be really, really convenient. For the flat darks, I ended up using Bias as a substitute - and I didn't even match the exposure lengths of flats and flat darks, because at such low exposure times on a modern cooled camera, a 0.1s, 1s, and 2s darks are essentially the same thing... On WBPP how do you make it work across multiple nights? I'm not familiar with how this works (as I simply use the same flats across multiple nights for instance). Thanks for this!!

[@ysl109812]

@@CuivTheLazyGeekThanks for the reply. I tried to use long exposures for flats, such as 5-10 seconds, so I can count the flat exposure time to set up the darks. As for the WBPP setup, I learned this trick from Adam Block. In his WBPP 2.0 tutorial he mentioned he uses the keyword "session" to distinguish different batches of images in different nights but diddn't go into details. I played with it and this is what works for me. My NINA image file pattern is set as: $$CAMERA$$\$$TELESCOPE$$\$$IMAGETYPE$$\SESSION-$$DATEMINUS12$$_$$DATETIME$$_$$FILTER$$_$$SENSORTEMP$$_$$BINNING$$_$$GAIN$$_$$EXPOSURETIME$$s_$$FRAMENR$$_$$HFR$$. And actual example is: SESSION-2021-09-09_2021-09-10_00-57-37_C8_S II_9.80_180.00s_0008_bubble nebula_121__763_3.54.fits. Now in WBPP add the keyword "SESSION“ to the Grouping Keywords window. If all the lights, flats, and darks are named the same way, WBPP will group the images of the same session together so when calibrates them it will assign the right flats and darks. Works like a charm!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

@@ysl109812 WOW that is so cool! I had never heard of that! And you use minus 12 to make sure that even after midnight it's part of the same session. That is really cool! Thanks for letting me know!

[@ysl109812]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek Hey, after learning so much from you I am thrilled to be able to contribute a little as well. Feel free to share it with anyone interested.

[@geosobservations9496]

That's soooo cool... amazing 👏😃

[@geosobservations9496]

When a fellow like this says wow that much it has to be WOW 😁👍

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hahaha, it absolutely was!

[@TevisC]

How about a comparison of astroberry, stellar mate and the asiair?

[@michaelklemm-abraham7298]

Dear Cuiv, There was a setting showing stop tracking before the meridian, so I guess it stopped captures before the meridian and stopped tracking at the meridian. You may want to check this setting if you want to capture after the meridian (the setting was visible in the video at 13:45). Maybe negative values are possible.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yeah I checked it, no negative values possible that I could see. thank you!

[@darrenbrown1039]

Can I ask where you got the power lead from with the lockable collar to stop the lead from being pulled out of the mount please?

[@marklowry4431]

That's really polished. Also, have you tried kstars with a raspberry pi? I have a pi4, and it works great. It's a great budget option, and setting it up isn't too difficult.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I definitely want to try that - I would have so much fun buying a Pi4 and trying :D

Hi Cuiv, you should also consider reaching out to the stellarmate as they are building a new version of the stellarmate box, which sounds on par with the asiair plus, definitively the quality of those aids is going up, to our benefit ! and thanks for the quality of your channel

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

@ Thanks! I've sent them a message!

[@CaptRescue2]

You can touch the screen to center exactly where you would like as well.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thank you! Others mentioned it, and that's really cool as well!

[@Interstellardustband]

Hi Cuiv, great Video ✌🏻 also got an AAP and a zwo 533mc. Still waiting for the first light. Only clouds 😔 Question, is it possible to cool the 533 from one of the ports. Zwo recommends to power the Cam seperate. Kind regards, Danny

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

AAP can definitely power the camera... What's the point of those ports if they can't do that??

[@mikelockwood2104]

Love this video...watched it 5 times ( so far ). Why did you set the Guiding Rate in Telescope Settings to : 0.9x ?? I will close with this question as well - how do you determine the best Guiding Rate setting for one's own setup ? thank you in advance....

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks Mike! There's no rule... The guiding rate says how quickly you can react to changes in what you measure. So to correct the same measured error, a guide pulse on a guiding rate of 0.5x will have to be twice as long as a guide pulse on a guiding rate of 1.0x. Assuming you can get your guide pulse down to as low as you like (1ms), then there shouldn't be a difference, besides reacting more quickly. I guess that for some mounts reacting more quickly can be an issue - and I know EQMOD actually has a minimum guide pulse length (unlike GSS, which I prefer). In the end it's all about testing what works best in terms of guiding...

[@stephenboyd4831]

Thanks

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thank you Stephen!!

[@francoisblateyron]

Yeah, I understand your excitement. I've used the ASIair from v1, and I currently have the Pro. It is absolutely great and they keep improving it even between new models. I ordered the Plus and looking forward to receiving it in November. On my system it directly took the position from my iPhone and iPad. No problem... For the meridian flip, just do it right at the meridian and it'll restart right away after it. No time lost. Great videos! Thanks.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I'm a bit worried on the flip, it really relies on the mount and ASIAir agreeing exactly on when the meridian happens - if the timing after meridian flip is short, there could be times when the mount thinks the Meridian hasn't been crossed yet, and thus wouldn't flip when asked to.

[@paolobottari6672]

Grazie 👍🏻

[@SH_space]

Is there a setting to stop guiding during an autofocus? Because I'd imagine that this would be problematic if one has an OAG. Nice video by the way!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Good point - I don't think so at this stage...

[@SH_space]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek I just asked ZWO and they said it does by default. That's cool!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

@@SH_space very nice!

[@pamelawhitfield4570]

Interesting product for sure but as I use QHY cameras for DSO imaging it won't be bothering my bank balance. My setup is functionally equivalent in terms of setup time if bulkier (12V mini-pc and Pegasus UPB v1 mounted on the OTA). I struggle with touchscreens as my fingertips have very little sensation (I miss my old-school phone sometimes!) so I'll stick with a laptop. The remote desktop app on my iPad is there if I really feel the need though a less polished experience. I'll be interested to see if you have any connectivity issues with the AZEQ5. I had random, unexplained and extremely irritating disconnects with my UPB v1 (sometimes in the middle of the night) until I plugged the mount direct to its own port on the mini-pc, down to mixing baud rates perhaps? Also most Skywatcher mounts are known to track better with a slightly higher voltage so I power mine separately with 13.7V, but with with your very wide field that might not matter much. Never-the-less hope all goes well and have fun with it!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I completely understand that. I just wished they opened the ASIAir up... They have high margins on it, so it would make business sense... I didn't know that about skywatcher mounts! I think they accept up to 16V, and my battery can do that, so maybe I should try that!

[@mcsascsu]

Hi Cuiv, I am planing to by an AsiAir Mini or the Plus. Do you know maybe, would does it work with my Celestron Nextstar 4SE?

[@tedg3250]

Hey Geek, I get alot of light pollution in my yard, do u think it will affect greatly the asiair?? Thanks again..

[@davidaucoin4990]

what mount, camera, guide camera did you use with the ASIAir?

[@gewglesux]

What the heck is this? all the cool people live in Japan.. should've moved there when i had the chance. Thanks!! first time here! love the channel!!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks for stopping by and welcome to the channel! Japan is pretty cool, but it does have its drawbacks!

[@gewglesux]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek I know plenty people who live there and i agree. I stayed there but for never more than 3 months at a time.

[@TheFlyingScotsmanTV]

tips: for pro not plus, you can burn a card for each mount you use. that way, I save having to faff about changing guiding, etc settings between mounts. use safari eqmod. and then use safari for framing, mosaic setups, etc. once goto on safari, you can save as favourite that location 'ic1396 panel1' etc. and use those in a plan. issues it has: if it gets cloudy, and it does an autofocus, it will screw it up, and all your subs after that will be crap. also as it loses guiding during clouds, when clouds go away it will be off target possibly, and it should really re-platesolve and centre after guiding lost, but it doesnt (also lost me a ton of images). all fed back to zwo and hopefully solveable (i.e if can't autofocus, at least go back to what you had before, etc).

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Huh, so in a way that's a "regression" for the ASIAir Plus, that was a nice workaround you had!

[@TheFlyingScotsmanTV]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek yeh it's not a biggy, but I don't think moving it to mmc did much tbh. I have 2 asiairs, and 4 mounts. I have a card for each, so I just pop it in. also mmc is slooow. getting a quick usb3 usb stick makes a decent difference in how quick stuff gets saved and loads up. the good thing is, zwo seem very approachable to updates (at least other than 'make it work for non zwo stuff!), so moan enough, and stuff gets updated. the cloud stuff IS sortable. As is your image till flip issue which I also wholeheartedly agree with. sure - it might screw something else up, but give us the choice and we'll take the resposibily if it doesn't work.Also, the video mode is pretty pants tbh.. I don't think I'd ever use that instead of firecapture for moon/planetary.

[@projectnightshift6488]

I just got mine a few days ago and I will be saying goodbye to NINA for now, but I will miss a lot of features. The main one is being able to set filter offsets.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

You may find yourself going back to NINA haha. Still the ASIAir is great (as long as you stick with ZWO gear for astro camera and focuser)

[@projectnightshift6488]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek I don't think I'll ever fully depart from NINA. for me, the air is for remote imaging spots. I also realized there isn't a way to plate solve from previous sessions images on the air 🫤

[@terrymartin1243]

I love your enthusiasm. It's too bad that one must be tied to a total ZWO hardware setup, but it does look really impressive. Oh well, I quite like my PrimaLuceLab Eagle Pro so I can use NINA, and TheSkyX, and everything else that I can run on Windows, along with different hardware setups.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I was very tempted by the Eagle Pro for a long while, but the proprietary power connecters really annoyed me just thinking about them... But I'm looking forward to a solution like Stellar mate with power delivery!

[@terrymartin1243]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek The connectors aren’t proprietary and can be purchased from different vendors. It does mean that you need to make your own cables, but that’s not difficult.

[@orchidsseasonallyblooming.9909]

Question: Will ASIair do Live Stacking while Tracking (without guiding)? Note: I have the latest version of ASIair installed on my ASIair Pro. Thank you.

[@hael8680]

Can you manually frame or you get the framing zwo is giving you?

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

You can tap and hold within the preview image to go-to there, but it's still limited. You can also frame in Telescopius and import to the ASIAir plan, but it's clunky. There are no centering thresholds that I can see. A proper framing wizard is near the top of my wishlist for the device...

[@mrjeje]

Moi ça m'a mis sur le cul aussi lol , l'asiair est génial, tout est plus simple ! Toujours top tes vidéos

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Exactement, c'est vraiment impressionant. Merci!

[@Durkan34]

Does it live stack ? I’d be interested to see you repeat this vid with StellarMate/kstars and a mini pc/Nina.

[@GrowingAnswers]

It does. I personally don’t use that feature on mine though.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yes - I'm planning on testing that and doing a video about it