The BEST mount you've NEVER heard of! The Polar Alignment is 💯! Emcan Astro EM31Pro

My Patreon: / cuivlazygeek
My Merch Store: cuiv.myspreadshop.com/
Mount website here: emcanastro.com/
Buy here: startrip.aliexpress.com/
The WarpAstron WD20 is still my favorite mount (but much higher price and payload)! bit.ly/3wxNbGI
And the ZWO AM5 is also great:) bit.ly/3Qb5xVf or bit.ly/3JeVUkn
Amazon affiliate: amzn.to/49XTx01
Agena affiliate: bit.ly/3Om0hNG
High Point Scientific affiliate: bit.ly/3lReu8R
First Light Optics affiliate: tinyurl.com/yxd2jkr2
All-Star Telescope affiliate: bit.ly/3SCgVbV
Astroshop.eu Affiliate: tinyurl.com/2vafkax8
WarpAstron WD20 Review: • Small weight, HUGE pay...
Daytime testing: • Daytime Testing of a n...
Japanese tripod: • The BEST CARBON TRIPOD...
Live Stream with the Mount: kzbin.infoI-9uDtH8GnU
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My equipment
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Dwarf 2 Smart Telescope: bit.ly/3SyChXua
Seestar S50: tinyurl.com/3n62hpzx
ZWO ASI2600MC Duo: bit.ly/3M8IkPS (Agena) or bit.ly/3Jti7KQ (HPS)
ZWO ASI585 MC Pro Camera: bit.ly/3Iwo6y8 (Agena) or bit.ly/4cp1Ofn (High Point Scientific)
TOUPTEK IMX571 APS-C Cooled camera: tinyurl.com/mr2yhvcw
TOUPTEK IMX585 Cooled camera: tinyurl.com/4y9dz774
OGMA versions (use code CUIV on checkout for a small discount!): getogma.com/
CarbonStar 6" Newtonian: bit.ly/3W7ZFiA
Mirror Mask for CarbonStar (designed by me :) ): www.thingiverse.com/thing:661...
SW Quattro 150P Budget Newt: bit.ly/3BABCxl
Backyard Universe upgrade kit: tinyurl.com/3juwm5sz
OCAL Collimator: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_Dmu... or s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_Dc6...
Askar V Modular Telescope: bit.ly/3Imoq2M
or bit.ly/3GLuyR8 or tinyurl.com/2h758bvt
RedCat51: bit.ly/48hyuVx (Agena) or bit.ly/48pTWXW (HPS)
Cable Organizers: www.etsy.com/shop/SmartCompon...
WarpAstron WD-20 Mount: bit.ly/3wxNbGI
ZWO AM5 Mount: bit.ly/3Qb5xVf or bit.ly/3JeVUkn
ZWO EAF Focuser: bit.ly/45agP0Z (Agena) or bit.ly/4avCIcE (HPS)
Antlia ALP-T highspeed filter: bit.ly/42RBR2e
SVBony Filters: amzn.to/3yBuQZX
Mini Computer (newer version): amzn.to/49XTx01
Flocking paper/Felt paper: amzn.to/3zASgvu or amzn.to/3m94zwa
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[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

My Patreon: www.patreon.com/cuivlazygeek My Merch Store: cuiv.myspreadshop.com/ Mount website here: emcanastro.com/ Buy here: tinyurl.com/y83zxd3t The WarpAstron WD20 is still my favorite mount (but much higher price and payload)! bit.ly/3wxNbGI And the ZWO AM5 is also great:) bit.ly/3Qb5xVf or bit.ly/3JeVUkn Amazon affiliate: amzn.to/49XTx01 Agena affiliate: bit.ly/3Om0hNG High Point Scientific affiliate: bit.ly/3lReu8R First Light Optics affiliate: tinyurl.com/yxd2jkr2 All-Star Telescope affiliate: bit.ly/3SCgVbV Astroshop.eu Affiliate: tinyurl.com/2vafkax8 WarpAstron WD20 Review: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iaTFkq2Hmtd7bsk Daytime testing: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJ6oaZadrJ2Dr80 Japanese tripod: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKbYq3Rjg7enjJY Live Stream with the Mount: kzbin.infoI-9uDtH8GnU

[@tmwilkin]

That buy this mount link is not working.

[@mrgrimm2319]

Gotta fix that buy link. Isn’t working for me either.

[@chamithathukorala1985]

What about new astro mounds (this and wd20) reliability 🙃

[@marbasfpv4639]

I think it's time for someone to bring electronic polar alignment to the market.

[@imode1969]

Avalon mounts have this as an optional feature

[@neilhankey2514]

Why? You do it once and your done.

[@neilhankey2514]

@@imode1969 1500 Euros for something I don't have a problem with, no thank you.

[@imode1969]

@@neilhankey2514 I agree. Just pointing out that they do exist.

[@neilhankey2514]

@@imode1969 And I'm only asking why? I can only think that if you give engineers total freedom they will make all sorts of things nobody actually needs?

[@IronMan-2024]

It’s great to see different designs even if it’s making the choice harder. Eventually the best features will survive. I love the tripod especially.

[@Bukuzoid]

For people who does religiously level their tripods: In Euclidean geometry, only one straight line parallel to a given one can pass through one point. Therefore, if you have adjusted the polar axis, you have adjusted it. The only required adjustment for equatorial mount is polar axis. Does not not matter whether the tripod is aligned horizontally or it's legs welded to vertical wall. Its pure waste of time for EQ mounts.

[@ozzoid]

Are you saying the Earth is flat?

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Correct! Although having the mount level will make the initial polar alignment easier with techniques like NINA TPPA and ASIAir PA!

[@ekalbkr]

My opinion: The first souls to review this unit, and especially the first ones to own it, are the canaries in the coal mine, the Guinea pigs, beta testers, whatever. They will be the ones I would listen to before I would make my purchase. Note: do as I say, not as I do. I was an early purchaser of the AM5, and while I'm very happy with it - as in 3.9 to 6.5" guiding with moderate loads - waiting a bit may have revealed even better units by other companies with better customer support than ZWO. Then again, I have had 8 months of very good guiding that I would have missed with my old school iOptron CEM 25 EC mount. I guess there are no perfect solutions...😊

[@scottrk4930]

Looks like the hardware is getting very close to motorizing the polar alignment. Can’t wait for that first review . Cheers .

[@XShadowAngel]

That'll be the next mount I buy. I've done polar alignment a thousand times and it's quick and easy, but it's still an annoyance and a point of failure if you rush. Show me a mount that can polar align perfectly by itself quickly and automatically, and i;'ll show you the money.

[@BBROPHOTO]

​@@XShadowAngel It already exists. Avalon Universal Polar Alignment System, they also have it built into their mounts... it's just no one talks about them, but praise ZWO for being 'innovative' with their AM5

[@XShadowAngel]

@@BBROPHOTO Eh. Avalon doesn't sell in the USA, and their alignment base uses proprietary software. It's also $700 by itself and has 3d printed parts on it, which is....odd. It's a good start, but it's not great or ideal. Far as the AM5 goes, it pretty much kickstarted the remotely accessible strain wave mount revolution we have now. Only one before it was Rainbow, and they wanted a ridiculous amount for it. ZWO made a strain wave mount with better performance and additional features, for like half the price. Now every company is rushing to try to follow, so...

[@BBROPHOTO]

@@XShadowAngel The point is the option exists and you said you wanted it. If your dislike for it is proprietary software, then ZWO aren't exactly any better with some of their products. Other companies chased ZWO releasing strain wave mounts was purely because they wanted a piece of that market share pie, it's just basic business. ZWO just undercuts everyone in price for the mounts because they can. I agree though that the main issue is cost throughout the astronomy industry, very few companies actually price their stuff sensibly. It's why I personally don't care for the excessive endless refractors coming out. Also, I'm going to disagree on the ZWO mounts releasing with better performance and addition features. They're all essentially locked into ASCOM / INDI and strain wave mounts all have a large periodic error - so it's the same across the board regardless. Apart from weight classes and maybe a USB A port or 3, it's all the same. Avalon DO actually offer something no one else does, it's why I don't clap ZWO for repackaging existing things and claiming it's innovation, because it isn't.

[@EMCAN-EM31P]

​@@XShadowAngel In fact, AM5 is a follower of EM31! EM31 was officially released as early as October 2021, when it was the first generation. ZWO recognized the design strength of EM31, completely scrapping their previously planned version, and then came out with AM5...

[@uschi414]

Thanks for another great video, Cuiv. As for the mount's dovetail saddle being hard to release when you loosen the knobs, my guess is that is because you're running the frankenscope with a dual scope crossbar and the mount's saddle is oriented left to right instead of top to bottom. Your frankenscope is putting pressure on the lower part of the mount's dovetail saddle which is what has to move when you unscrew the knobs. If you were to rotate the Dec 180 degrees so that the knobs for the mount's saddle was at the top instead of the bottom I suspect the dovetail saddle would release much easier. And, of course, if it was in a typical orientation with the mount's dovetail saddle knobs being on either the left or the right I also expect it wouldn't be a problem.

[@w.jeffreywilson3681]

I was about to make a similar point. I'm pretty sure that the frankenscope mounted "horizontally" in the saddle is adding pressure that was not anticipated.

[@desmcmorrow2978]

Always good to see more competition in the mount market. Thanks for the thoughtful review. However polar alignment works great on the am5 too. Takes 5-10mins from scratch and is rock solid when locked down - the locking mechanism does not affect the alignment on either of my copies of the am5. Trick is to slightly pre tension the locking levers. Personally I don’t think motorised polar alignment will ever be cost effective - adds weight, complexity and cost. It’s also unnecessary. Cheers, Des

[@realmcerono]

Its like a piece of jewlery, so beautiful! Wow!

[@m1thumb]

I got an ioptron mount last year, I wasn't completely sold on the strainwaves. This is a nice innovation. My next, larger capcity mount will be strainwave. Good review!

[@darkskygeek]

I am really glad to see this kind of innovation! The polar alignment system is extremely clever, and overall, this looks like a great grab’n’go mount. Thanks for the review. CS!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hello Julien, thanks for dropping by! I agree - and I can't wait to see more of your incredibly detailed mount reviews!

[@ldipenti]

Love to see competition is increasing in this space!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yes! And hopefully it will lead to lower prices (at least inflation adjusted)

[@NevadaDesertSkies]

Another great review, Cuiv. One mistake though. True, the base tripod is $400 but with the levelers and extension legs as you demoed, the price is $660.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Daaaang, I didn't realize that! Thanks for the correction! That's a shame...

[@woody5109]

Brilliant mount, great review, big transition for those of us committed to the ZWO family.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Absolutely agree - I mean if it's ZWO and it works for you, no need to change!

[@larryfine4719]

I remember seeing somewhere about the AM5 was the spec with a counterweight was the true upper limit, and the counterweight was just for balancing on a tripod so it didn't fall over. I'm driving an AM5 overspec on a fixed pier without issue.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

That's great to hear! It's amazing what payload those SWG mounts can carry as long as the base is solid!

[@Alan-vk6bk]

Looks great and attractively priced.

[@slmdaddy1]

nice looking tripod and mount - great to see all these new options in mounts

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Fully agree!

[@elbass0]

Looks like a very interesting mount.

[@IgnazioPillitteri]

it is good to talk in terms of torque. Yes the tubes are maybe more distant than 20 cm but the cameras on the opposite side balance a bit the torque of the tubes

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Good point! Very hard to estimate the moment on this setup in geenral though

[@derekbaker3279]

Bonjour Cuiv! Thank you for doing yet another review of a harmonic mount! You have rightfully earned the reputation for fair, insightful & well-communicated evaluations of astro-imaging gear, so I have a hunch that you will be hearing from even more relatively new manufacturers of equipment in the near future! lol.😁 Here are my 3 main reactions: 1. IMHO, there is a LOT to like about this mount, especially compared to the AM5. (..unless one is addicted to the colour red..lol) For starters, IMHO, the upgrade in 'cable management', the superior PA mechanics & the stock tripod are absolute winning features. They, alone, justify the increase in cost over the AM5.👍 2. Interestingly, for me the most significant negative also references the tripod, specifically the unique manner with which the base of the mount connects to the tripod. The problem is that it pretty well eliminates the option of purchasing just the mount head & then using an even more robust tripod. For example, I splurged for a "Supermount" tripod which has a central column that can be raised & lowered....awesome for visual astronomy & 'sidewalk astronomy', and preferable for adding equipment without over-stressing one's back back.. In this case, one would have to have a rather thick adapter to interface with most other brands of tripod.🤔 3. Last, I really wish the inputs & outputs for the power cables used a more secure locking system, rather than the ubitiquous plug which can be pulled out by accident. They did it for the hand controller, so why not for the power input & output? 🤔 Otherwise, this Emcan mount has a ton of potential ! If only we could combine the best of the Warp Astron mounts with the mechanics & 'cable management' of this Emcan mount! 🙏

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I do agree with 2 in particular, I feel like you HAVE to buy their tripod to take full advantage of the mount, or somehow create your own adapter or something... On 3 I kind of like not having locks... when you have a cable snag I MUCH prefer the cable to be sacrificed rather than the plug on the mount itsefl!

[@sdevine49]

These are super helpful. Thanks

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Happy to help!

[@peterlaubscher3989]

This looks like a lovely piece of equipment

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

It is... I wish it were a bit cheaper

[@keithhanssen7413]

This is the type of alignment design I’ve been hoping for.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Clear skies Julien! Glad to see you stop buy and I hope to see more of your incredibly detailed mount reviews :)

[@danmar94]

Once I’d seen you smile I knew this is going to be expensive! I’ve not even gotten to the end of the video 😂

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Mwahaha it had to be!

[@danmar94]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek quite an impressive looking mount

[@danmar94]

@@CuivTheLazyGeekhad a bit more of a dive into this mount. It’s so frustrating that you’re tied into their tripod. Most of my shooting is away from home where the ground is rough so use a high end photography tripod for ease of adjustment.

[@sianikolaou5440]

This looks really good, and I like the tripod!

[@testboga5991]

Got a UMI 17 SE recently. It's perfect!

[@miguelmorales9667]

As mentioned by hael8680, doing a "torture test" on the mount really doesn't tell us how well it may work if used as most of us would use it. So for me, the results themselves are to be questioned. Otherwise, the video is a good source of information that doesn't seem to be available anywhere else but here. I like your "longish" videos, they give us more in depth information. 👍

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Good point, although it is hard to test everything :)

[@jayhull4096]

Thanks, Cuiv. Great review, very detailed, meticulous, and honest. Just what I've come to expect. The question I have is - at what point and using what criteria does one consider replacing an existing mount? A video with a direct mount-to-mount comparison would be very interesting. If this is a quantum above, say, the AM5, does that translate into better guiding? Fewer rejected subframes using subframe selector? (BTW a video on such rejection criteria would also be useful - values of FWHM and eccentricity that should be tossed). Anyway - I always thoroughly enjoy your videos. Keep up the great work!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Good idea, I'll have to think on that!

[@Wombatzone31]

Love the review mate! Time for me to start selling my body on a street corner so I can afford all these really game changing innovations coming to the industry!!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hahahaha! Or you know, just make the best of the equipment you have!

[@deep_space_dave]

Hi Cuiv! Another excellent review! One thing I would suggest is if you are going to use this mount without a counterweight, you really need to do a brake test. All you have to do is park the scope and turn off the power. If you see the brake slipping power it back on to energize the RA motor and this means you need a counterweight so that the brake functions. No slip then you may be good. If it does slip well you need a counterweight so your rig doesnt get damaged in a power outage. Hope that helps! CS!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Good to know! Thanks Dave! Incidentally the mount DID have a power outage during one night as I had forgotten to get it off battery into mains and it was just waiting for me on the side, so I tested that.... unintentionally haha

[@christo666yt]

Finally, the review of this mount! Thanks for that. It has everything I would ask except for homing sensors. That's a bummer.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yeah I agree, I would love homing sensors like the WD20...

[@damiengalanaud3817]

Seems a really great mount Cuiv. The equatorial wedge seems especially impressive, and I am jealous ;-). There are still 2 annoying details for me however: - The tripod seems to be proprietary and since it is a niche product outside China, you will have difficulties finding a compatible one, which will become a problem if you want a pier or a sturdier one (it is still a small carbon fiber tripod !) - The fact that you have to unscrew adapters to switch from Vixen to Losmandy is a serious issue for people like me who have multiple scopes but only a limited number of mounts.

[@RyanParle81]

Without measuring I can't be certain but it looks like the circular socket in the top of the tripod is the industry standard 100mm bowl fitting

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I completely understand! To be honest I think the AM5 is in a similar situation wrt tripod, since their TC40 isn't exactly the best tripod ever made... And I understand on the adapters - I like that it keeps the (usually) heavier rigs with Losmandy dovetail close to the RA axis though...

[@icyxxxxx]

Hello! Cool!

[@amp2amp800]

Yet another interesting video Cuiv, thanks! Taking your invitation to comment (at 13:50). As a "one handed astronomer the tripod looks great and the PA adjustment looks, well, interesting. The alt PA adjustment looks well thought out. I wonder if it will drift during a session. Q: Can the horizontal knobs be used one handed? That is a) first loosen one to give room, and then b) fine forward the other until its good, then c) lock up on the first knob? I find that this approach overshoots and misaligns on the AM5 with just as much impact/rework, as tightening the alt lock screws. Q: The fine threads will mean its a 'forever job' if you discover during PA that the tripod was degrees off true north to start with, wont they? You can't really unscrew the three securing bolts with a 15kg payload up, and turn it safely for coarse E/W correction. Or can you?? PS: I needed to spend 500 for a Pegasus Astro Power saddle & AM5 puck, to get the cable ergonomics here provided for free. I LOVE soft luggage!

[@JohnMcGFrance]

I already have an AM5 so was a bit worried this would be radically better. Luckily it isn’t as I don’t use a tripod. The other improvements whilst welcom don’t offer me much as mine is permanently on a pier and I only polar align again if I switch scopes. My issue with all these mounts is the lack of clearence they have for both tripod legs and piers. I can see why they want to keep things close but I have to be very careful in how I mount my QSI660 or I risk the cables or the built in OAGs guide cam hitting my pier. An extra couple of cm on the saddle height would be much better. Still, you can’t have everything and the AM5 is a bit improvement on my old AZEQ6GT.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Oh yes the AM5 is a great mount in its own right!

[@chrislee8886]

Great review- very balanced. My issue with these strain wave mounts is the jitter in autoguiding if you use OAG since 0.5-1 sec dwell time is often not long enough to capture guide stars- at least that was my experience with 8”SCT and AM5. Does your set up allow you to test this on the new mount? Thx

[@daveh6057]

Finally . . Someone using fine threads for the adjustment axes . .

[@dereksmith4517]

If I was in the markit for a mount, this wood be on the list just for the poler aligmmemt system.

[@RyanParle81]

Looks like a Lemo connector for the handset, I've used them in several motorsport wiring projects, they are great in terms of quality but be careful not to drop them they can distort ( probably not as much of an issue with the smaller ones but the 25mm or larger have enough weight to take damage)

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Oooh good to know, thanks Ryan! This one is small so I think it's fine but that's a good point!

[@comeraczy2483]

thanks a lot for the review. Looks great. The USB 2.0 is really a bummer for a premium mount in 2024 though.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks! The USB not being a hub, there is no advantage to USB3 at all - unless the mount has an integrated USB hub or relay, USB2 (or even 1 for that matter) is all you need :)

[@KingLoopie1]

Nice mount! If look into it more seriously but I just bought an am5. I think I'll stop there as far as weight ratings go for quite a while and if someday I find I need something bigger, I'll build it myself. These things just get to expensive at higher weight and accuracy ratings... Good review! 👍

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

AM5 is great and will serve you well as well :)

[@guyyanez6949]

The mount looks pretty nice. I am still looking forward to a fully electronic base mount polar alignment routine. Once someone comes up with integration to the NINA three star polar alignment or similar for fully automatic PA , I will put my name on the waiting list

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

That would be awesome! And costly haha

[@brod5352]

Temptation. Nothing but pure temptation. I really like what I see. And I'm really impressed with the polar alignment knobs. Price is competitive too. What's not to like? ;0)

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hahaha! Don't forget to only buy if you know you really need it, and you are taking a gamble with support too, so keep that in mind!

[@nikaxstrophotography]

So much for competition......... Seriously the more these come out the more EXPENSIVE they become. So over this, where the heck is all the competition they have been promising?

[@Alucard400]

Supposedly, this company released their harmonic drive first, which is the non pro, and ZWO took that idea to release their AM5. This company then released their new EM31 Pro which is a much higher end and more capable mount. This is just from reading in a Cloudy nights forum and it looks like the company just didn't market their mount internationally and they're just starting to do that. With that said, i'm waiting to see this mount's reception once it reaches a wider audience worldwide and how it holds up in reliability. I'm still pretty happy with the traditional mounts like my HEQ5 and EQ6-R so I'm willing to wait and see which brand comes out on top or most popular.

[@julianm12345]

There are some around, if you're willing to take a punt. I've just bought a Juwei 17, which worked out about £900 delivered to the UK. Apart from making sure it works/moves, I haven't had the opportunity to try it for anything astro related yet. There are a couple of images on Astrobin, and user reports seem quite favourable.

[@808musicman808]

Maybe more competition keeps coming out will eventually lead to lower prices

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yeah I understand the frustration... at least we've come a long way since the only SWG mounts you could buy were something like the RST-135 for something like $4000-5000! The Juwei17 apparently flirts with $1000...

[@808musicman808]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek true, and yes although expensive, I still believe it’s worth it for all the hard work put into the design and craftsmanship! And honestly I would love to own this beautiful mount and tripod! Love all the harmonic drive mounts coming out!

[@blayzer8871]

All these HD mounts look great. I own a AM5 and love it and also had an UMi 17 Lite. But I think its the time for more bigger mounts like the WD20, HAE69/43 oder NYX101. Hope Proxisky or and other manufecturer will do something like that for a really good price. When ZWo would release an AM7 or something like that I would instant buy it

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Will be good to see, I think WarpAstron has been asked to make a WD30+ or something :)

[@blayzer8871]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek I would buy it instandly.!!

[@patolucas3146]

Nice to see that there are more and more offers on this kind off mount ...hope prices go down !!! About your "Japanese tripod" it is impossible to get one out of japan ...they do not sell it abroad and there is no equivalent of this size in carbon :(

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yeah that's a shame that this tripod isn't available abroad, it's amazing

[@derekbaker3279]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek Perhaps the company would be willing to appoint you to be their official international reseller? 🙏

[@MikeTettenborn]

AM5 dovetail clamps also stick. After adding some lubricant the sticking went away and it opens up beautifully.

[@imode1969]

I have the same issue. Before I added some SuperLube I had to release the spring tension with a screw driver

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Interesting! I hadn't run into that problem!

[@AsKyOdA]

Cuiv what type of innovation are you looking for in the future of amateur astrophotography ? Mine are- 1) smart Auto focuser integration within optical tube, with ability to allow for on off or hybrid control 2) all astro cams come with integrated guiding cam (i knew this has started..) as well as narrowbandfilters 3) wireless power to eliminate cable management 4) auto collimated tech on optical tube 5) auto polar alignment at startup

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I don't think I really want any of those :) Too much can go wrong, and if I want to change my scope, I have to pay for the Autofocuser and Auto collimator again... Duo cameras will be interesting to see, although NB filters do make that difficult

[@The_Vinceable]

We want a compilation of Cuiv saying bubble level.

[@sylvaincombes5468]

Hy Cuiv thank's for this video ! Just one question, will this mount be recognised by the ASIAIR?

[@saifulmazli]

Hi there. Did you ever looked at the Rainbow Astro RST-135? Very similar in PA method to this.

[@iang7393]

Very interesting review! Question: for your "Frankenstein rig" have you tried to attach a counterweight? Would probably make a significant difference. I tried 5KG weight with my AM5 and performance was smoother overall.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

No counterweight :)

[@andrewweller5119]

All hail the the level tripod!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hahaha yes! It's a good tripod!

[@andrewweller5119]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek i am OCD on my leveling and aligning to the point of unhealthy probably haha

[@Bukuzoid]

Thanks for cool review, Cuiv! By the way, there must be is a mistake, NEMA42 should have no chance to fit inside, it's size is 110x110x200mm and one motor weight is about 10 kg ;-)

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

We're speaking metric these days :) NEMA42 (metric) is NEMA17! (1.7 inch - 42mm, some rounding errors involved)

[@beatsntoons]

You know what, I actually want a really small strain wave mount.. even smaller than the Umi17 Lite. Smaller, lighter, cheaper. Something for a camera lens setup. I know strain waves are overkill for that sort of thing, but I'd still buy it anyway.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I'd love that too! I wish UMi can make a Type 14 SWG for $1000 or less, that would be a real competitor to the SA GTI!

[@dumpydalekobservatory]

It's great more & more of these mounts coming onto the market & this one does look well designed, however like you say whats the customer support going to be like? But then some more common brands don't have a good reputation either should a problem arise. As soon as you showed the handset I knew instantly it was going to be Onstep, not that I have a problem with it & the handset I have with my mount doesn't get used as I just have ASCOM control the mount.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Exactly! I mean I'm sure they WANT to be successful in the international market but if they aren't... what about support? It is a risk!

[@BDJones055]

Looks compelling. Still too pricey over $2000.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Agree - hope we see more price drops (although when adjusting for inflation, who knows...)

[@davidwillis5396]

Hi Cuiv great vidio as usual & very comprehensive. Just a question. Is it compatible with Asi air Plus.😊

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yes it is!

[@Jcastleinfo]

OK now you really need to get a hold of a Pegasus for a complete lineup of harmonic mounts. I don't think they've received enough love from reviewers despite the 101 being out for quite awhile now. I was set on getting a NYX101 or an 88 if it's out when I go back to the US this summer but for a slight bump in price this one has me thinking now...

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I've heard so much of those, I do want to try one!

[@Prometey77777]

I don't think payload capacity is over the limit. Both cameras located around the RA axis. So they are not adding to payload, but maybe even "removing" a bit of "weight" like counterweight does.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Good point, I hadn't thought of that! Let's say it's close to capacity :)

[@jesusalbertoponcedeleon7124]

would it make sense to compare the UNI with this new em31pro? two nice and highly technological apparatuses showed up in the market in a short period of time.

[@TalGivoly]

Thanks! I was wondering whether because it is OnStep based, would it work with ASIAIR? Also, would it work with TC40 as tripod easily? Do they have a model that is smaller and cheaper?

[@Jason_82]

I've always wondered why mount makers don't put the USB port to control the mount from the miniPC on the saddle side like they do with the power pass through.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yep, glad to see it there!

[@JVRost]

Everything goes according to the law of the market. The first stage is the proposal of innovative technology, which has no analogues. Result - we can afford the price we want, aggressive promotion, the first users are at the mercy of Placebo, they never admit their wrong choice, if the product is not entirely good, they lay the second mass wave of consumption... The second stage is a wave of exposure or general psychosis . it all depends on the justified expectations of the consumer. Here there is an explosion of consumption or a scandal of exposure, but as long as the market monopoly is respected, there is carte blanche. The third stage - we reap the fruits of our deeds - there are no competitors, so we can sprinkle ashes on our heads or puff out our chests and raise the price). This always gives rise to the Fourth stage - the emergence of a competitive market, but the Second will never be the First, even if the First shits his pants, it doesn’t matter, he did it first))) Therefore, the law of the consumer is DO NOT HURRY. The former may receive fame or shame, the latter quality and results.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Very good point! DO NOT HURRY (unless you need something right now) is always sound advice!

[@deltacx1059]

1:02 all of these mounts are premium. The lineup is basically, high/mid range, high end and premium.

[@chamithathukorala1985]

What about new astro mounds (this and wd20) reliability 🙃

[@drdentin3215]

Is this mountcompatable with the ASIAir? Since they have their own mounts too you feel they continue to support other mounts?

[@efx245precor3]

Party in the front, business in the back

[@Astrotver]

Could you provide the link for the PDF (1:30) with simulation?

[@RaduChelariu]

I don't get mounts with astrophotography as their primary goal when they implement a polar scope connection. That area of the mount would be so much more useful if we could install a guide scope with a tangent mount. You could not only guide through it, but it would be a more uniform distribution of weight on the mount, while also being able to polar align with it in anything from N.I.N.A. to the ASIAir. And you could install whatever guide scope size works for your setup.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I'm not sure actually.. personally since I can already do the PA in NINA with the main optics (more precise than with a guide scope), I find these attachments (or polar scopes in general) pointless these days... I'm a bit worried about flexure of a guide scope attached to the mount and not to the main scope, but that's probably psychological, and worried about cable entanglement too (the AM5 has that finder shoe on its side that ends up not being very useable). Overall I think it's debatable!

[@efx245precor3]

What, something is better than the am5? No locking, that would be so nice. Do we need the HC for Wi-Fi?

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Wifi is in-body!

[@IgnazioPillitteri]

All these harmonic drive mounts speak a dialect / extension of LX200 protocol which is the one on which onstep driver is based on

[@BDJones055]

Yeah it's $200 in hardware marked up to $2200.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Not sure about that, I see standalone type 17 Strain Wave Gears on Aliexpress (just the gear) for several hundred dollars....

[@BDJones055]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek Thats fair. I just feel like theres a huge market for a $1200 mount. I suppose its not possible in this economy...yet. I've been loving the Dwarf 2 and the Seestar S50. I use both of them every night I can. I scratch built several different go-to mounts using on step gear before I had children. Now I dont have the 100 hours required to print, assemble and troubleshoot the integration. The moment I see a more reasonably priced go-to for intermediate level enthusiast, i'm buying.

[@CDigata]

early days eh. we dont use Alei ex in the uk as we get stung with tons of extra customs tax :(

[@RyanParle81]

I must have been lucky as I've never had to pay import duty on anything from Ali Express, I don't use it loads but I've spent several thousand over the last few years.

[@CDigata]

@@RyanParle81 from uk?

[@RyanParle81]

@@CDigata yeah

[@user-lt9py2pu6u]

Harmonic mounts look great for people who have to move there set up every time they use it or regularly travel to to dark sites etc. But, are they worth the extra expense of buying a good GEM if you are going to install it permanently in an observatory? Genuine question I'm not against SWG mounts in fact I'm planning to buy one shortly.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

It's a good question! I think they have their advantages in terms of backlash (or lack thereof) and wind resistance, especially (it seems to me) the Servo/Direct Drive ones... But in an obsy... if you can get a great EQ mount for the same price, then maybe it's better? No clue really, I think both techs are really coming toe to toe now!

[@RobertKarlBerta]

I have a permanent home observatory with an Astro Physics 1100 mount. I also have an AM5 with complete ZWO setup handling either my 8" SCT Hyperstar or a couple of apo refractors and also Lunt Ha solar scope. The AM5 is on a heavier nice tripod that is far superior to the carbon fiber ZWO tripod. That setup is my travel and fast setup arrangement. I leave the scope completely attached with the ASI AIR Plus on top of the scope with a 60mm autoguide scope. All wiring is attached and not removed. It goes in my car in a secure padded case. The tripod and mount is also always together. I can remove the tripod/AM5 set it on the ground, attache the entire scope camera setup on the mount, tighten two thumb knobs and ready to go. From car to ready to image is about 5 minutes. PA using the ASI AIR PLus takes about another 5 minutes. This compares to hauling one of those big AP mounts and tripod or pier, computer, scope, etc.That is time consuming and lots of builky equipment. Plus I use multiple software to operate everything from a PC. But the advantage of that big AP setup is incredible precision and ability to handle heavy pay loads and long focal lengths. In short the big AP setup is the most versatile and capable setup, but it is hard to beat the simplicity and fast setup of the AM5 setup. As long as I keep within the weight and focal length capability of the AM5 mount I get extremely good guiding.... .3 - . normally.. As long as I keep it around 1400mm max focal length on the AM5 I get nice tight round stars.

[@derekbaker3279]

@@RobertKarlBerta Excellent points!👍👍

[@MazzifLOL]

Geeze, Sky-Watcher is really late to the party with their Wave series. I see no benifit right now to wait for their offerings.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yeah I'm a bit dubious about those Wave mounts tbh... I mean I'm sure they'll work great but not sure they'll find their niche

[@AstroReyak]

If you are getting tired of reviewing mounts, just hold the little energy you have for the Skywatcher Wave 150i I will really like to see your impressions on it, as you already tested a few

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I typically can't review SW stuff without buying it outright so it's unlikely, sorry :(

[@AstroReyak]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek 🤔 believe in the power of community 😉

[@AmatureAstronomer]

Okay.

[@robj144]

frequency = 1/period, so they're just inverses. Is that what you were talking about? Also, frequency is measured in Hertz. Period is measured in seconds.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

What part of the video are you referring to? Obviously P = 1/F and Hz is just s^-1 but I don't see how that was relevant in the video?

[@robj144]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek 23:06 You say seconds for frequency, I believe although I can't see the units. And then you said you don't know what period "220 seconds" is so I was just commenting about that because you said to leave a comment. Great video, by the way!

[@SteveHookEm]

will this work with the ASI Air Plus?

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yes!

[@terreldodd794]

Why have two knob adjustment for azimuth when one would do the same job?

[@Jonnik123]

Push / pull system the way I see it

[@terreldodd794]

@@Jonnik123 How does it "pull"

[@RyanParle81]

​​@@terreldodd794 the pins that the bolts effect are on opposite sides of the centre of the aziumuth axis so this will have the same action as push / pull

[@terreldodd794]

@@RyanParle81 Then it's a push/push

[@derekbaker3279]

@@Jonnik123 ..effectively...yes.

[@anata5127]

I am still surprised that we still need guiding on a bulk majority of mounts. Even some mounts (IOptron) with encoders need guiding.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I personally think guiding is far easier than to have to create sky models, taking into account atmospheric refraction, etc. But I see where you're coming from!

[@anata5127]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek Sorry, guiding is not easier, and has many many many other minuses, which will take tons of space to elaborate. As an example, 10 star model will give you 3-4 min of unguided subs. This model takes 5 min to build. Refractions, etc are taken care automatically by MBox.

[@luboinchina3013]

A harmonic drive conversion kit for EQ6? Anyone dares?😊

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Not sure how practical that would be but would be fun to see!

[@dragbug100]

When are prices for these going to finally come down? The tech has been out for a min and there are new manufacturers coming out all the time.

[@RaduChelariu]

I wouldn't expect to see further reductions as the market moves even more towards SWG mounts. A few years back, the only real options were coming from Rainbow Astro and comparing the price of an RST-135 to an AM5, for example, it kind of puts things into perspective. I rather see the market moving into expanding future mount offerings into the tiny-portable and big-heavyweight categories; this is of course dependent on motor manufacturers and their releases, but I'm hopeful we might see a

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

4 years ago only stuff like the RST-135 was available for something like $4000 (or more? I don't remember). Now we have SWG mounts with fairly similar payloads flirting with $1000 (JUWEI17), and I hope UMi can come up with a small portable AM3 clone around $1000 mark as well. There has been a lot of progress in terms of price (especially if you adjust for inflation)!

[@gregb5149]

I don't like the saddle. I have an EQ6-R Pro with vixen/losmandy saddle without having to play with hardware. It's great as I use the mount with both a small refractor and 8" RC depending on the target.

[@AzimuthAviation]

Keep in mind that your cameras and focusers are acting as counterwweights.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Good point! I think 30% of the camera body acts as a counterweight (below the RA rotation axis!)

[@AsKyOdA]

When can we have harmonic mounts for >30kg rigs 😢

[@luboinchina3013]

There are, but too expensive

[@TareqAstroPhoton]

@@luboinchina3013 So the question should be: When can we have harmonic mounts for >30kg rigs and cheap inexpensive price

[@AsKyOdA]

@@luboinchina3013 i’ve not found any commercial ones, can you share few make model.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I think the HAE69 is that? Dark Sky Geek has a review on it!

[@deltacx1059]

Kinda hard not to be almost the beat at that price. Even if i had that type of money to burn i still wouldn't buy their pier extension though, the mount yes but not the extension.

[@ricardoabh3242]

USB-A only for mount control? No power or data?

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

What data would you expect from the mount?

[@ricardoabh3242]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek from the mountain per say nothing, but usb are like hubs I imaging like tracker+ camera plugged on the base…. And the from the body to the pc… controlling the mount and redirecting the info at the same time. 3 cable total… no entanglement possible

[@911Polini]

its not there on Ali

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I've amended the link!

[@davidletz9123]

No thanks, I rarely get to use the gear I already have. 😁

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

We need more clear skies....

[@808musicman808]

Can this mount be controlled with ASIAIR?

[@SuperibyP]

Yeah, all Onstep mounts can be. Just select Onstep or Onstep Electronics from the list of mounts in the ASI AIR mount interface

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yep

[@actudoran]

First? 😅

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Looks like it, well done ;)

[@ricardoabh3242]

For a low low price 😅

[@derekbaker3279]

Yes, 'serious' astro-imaging can be an expensive pursuit, although wide-field imaging need not be terribly expensive. The good news is that a quality mount can be a lifetime 'investment', and if the mount is maintained properly, most of the cost can be recovered if it has to be sold. The same applies to good quality telescopes & cmos cameras. Where the hobby can get out of control is if the astrophotographer is very competitive and/or believes that he/she must keep up with the 'latest & greatest' equipment. That requires constantly purchasing new products & selling perfectly good equipment.

[@hael8680]

Those peaks in the frequency analysis at 6 and 18 seconds are a show stopper!! Thanks but no thanks. Your tests would be more valuable if you stayed within the weight limit of the mounts you test. Those "torture tests" are not useful to the vast majority of users.

[@derekbaker3279]

Those short-period oscillations in the tracking may show up in the final image if they create 'ripples' that have a significant magnitude, and/or they somehow confuse the guide camera & guiding software. For example, it is possible that those short-period oscillations will cause deviations of 0.1 arc sec., which will be non-issues, because those deviations will be lost in the 'noise' caused by atmospheric seeing, random mechanical errors, rounding errors in the software, etc.

[@imode1969]

I love how people "waste" time leveling their tripods. It's pointless on a EQ mount.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yep, although it does help for PA with NINA TPPA or ASIAir, so I don't begrudge them that :)

[@imode1969]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek Agree it makes the alt/az adjustments a little more intuitive when doing PA. Me? I just plop my tripod down where ever and as long as one leg isn't visibly shorter than the other two then I'm done. I'm usually polar aligned in about 5 minutes.

[@super1vega]

Another knock-off mount too many moving parts😂

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Knock off of what mount though? The AM5 isn't the OG either :)

[@RIZLAWOUTLAW]

Shit controller😊

[@markmalasics3413]

Is this guy putting on an act, or does he really behave like this? Over-animated, over acting, over the top, arms flailing around, flinging his head all around. I have NEVER seen a normal human being act like this before.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

*flailing arms around while drooling * yes!