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ASIAir and Software Bisque mounts

Started by rharris on 9/15/2024 1:57:29 PM CST

rharris

Joined 2/23/2015
Loc: Mo, USA
Posted 9/15/2024 1:57:29 PM CST

I have read several posts on Software Bisque's website, along with others on cloudy nights, about how to get the ASIAir to work with a Software Bisque mount.

I have the SB MX+ and I've got good news - sort of...

It will work. You can connect to the mount from the ASIAir, but there are a few oddities you need to be aware of.

 

How to connect the ASIAir to a Software Bisque mount

First - yes, you must have The Sky X running and connected to your mount, and the mount needs to be homed. The ASIAir has no idea what that means.

Second - you need to have the TCP server of The Sky X running. 

Thirdly - you will need to connect the ASIAir to Software Bisque + TCP Server

 

ASIAir and MX+ Software Bisque mount connection oddities

What doesn't work

It will only goto if you disconnect the mount and reconnect the mount each time you slew inside of the ASIAir. Oddly enough, sometimes it will accept two slews.

Example: Connect mount, slew to M13. There is no small adjustments to correct the frame. Now slew to Andromeda (M31), it will time out. Disconnect the mount, count to 3, reconnect the mount, you can go to the next object.

You have to turn off the center on slew option inside the Air - it won't work.

There are no mount adjustments you can do and since auto-centering won't work, WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get)! (use The Sky X tools)

Polar Alignment will not work. It connects and does resolve that first shot - but when rotating the mount 60 degrees, it slews it just a hair faster than the satellite tracking rate. I have waited 20 minutes before to let it finish and it never does. (use drift method or manually align / use internal tools from TSX)

Guiding does not work either. (must use The Sky X guiding)

What does work?

GOTO when you disconnect and reconnect.

The main camera for acquisition works of course (providing you are using a ZWO camera) lol.

Filter wheel (ZWO of course)

Autorun for image acquisition

Focuser (ZWO)

Summary

The Sky X is much more capable software, but the one thing that keeps me from jumping all in is the fact that there is no mobile interface to it, and it's incredibly clunky.

If anyone else out there has any ASIAir and Software mount connection tips, I'm all ears. I'm to the point where I'm considering changing mounts.


Ozark Hills Observatory

https://ozarkhillsobservatory.com


I love gear, don't judge me. Telescope.gif


(SCOPES) 14" f/8 ACF Optics - 2845mm focal length, TEC 180FL f/7 1260 mm focal length with Astro-Physics QUAD TCC Reducer (f/5), Takahashi TOA-130-NFB, 12" f/10 ACF - 3048mm (f/10) focal length, 12.5 AG Optical Truss,Takahashi FSQ-106EDX4,. Orion 180mm Maksutov-Cassegrain (7.1") 2700mm focal length (f/15), RedCat 51 II APO 250mm f/4.9, Meade 70 mm Series 6000 Astrograph Quadruplet APO Refractor, RedCat 71, Sharpstar 150mm f/2.8 HNT Hyperbolic Newtonian Astrograph, (MOUNTS) RST-300, Paramount MX Series 6, Losmandy G11 / Gemini II, ZWO AM5, LXD75, (CAMERAS) ZWO ASI6200MM Pro, ASI2600MM Pro, QHY 268C EB, QHY5-III Guider / Planetary, ASI120MM Guide, Canon 6D Full Frame, ZWO filters, Chroma 3nm SHO/RGB


 



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