wifi-Aline upgraded chip

The Rigel Systems wifi-Aline, priced at $219.95, is a precision electronic collimation tool designed specifically for Newtonian and Dobsonian telescopes. It replaces traditional sight tubes and passive laser systems with a real-time, video-based workflow that allows users to align their optics from a phone, tablet, or computer using wireless connectivity. The March 2025 upgrade to the ESP32-CAM chip has doubled the imaging speed, reduced latency, and improved video quality, making the already capable wifi-Aline even faster and more responsive in field use.

wifi-Aline upgraded chip: Rigel Systems boosts speed with new ESP32-CAM chip

The wifi-Aline system includes the video unit, a 2-inch focuser extension tube, and adhesive center-spot markers for the primary mirror. Power is provided via an external USB power bank. Once inserted into the focuser, the unit broadcasts a Wi-Fi network (SSID: WifiAline), which can be accessed from any modern browser on a smartphone, tablet, or computer by entering the IP address 8.8.8.8.

No apps or drivers are needed. All device functions, including video streaming, still image capture, and configuration, are managed through the built-in web interface. The system’s Full Viewer provides access to image calibration, exposure controls, and collimation overlays, while a Simple Viewer supports streamlined interaction during actual mirror adjustments.

At the core of the wifi-Aline is a boresighted video sensor. The unit is aligned during factory calibration so that the center of its rotation matches the telescope’s intended optical axis. This boresight allows alignment overlays, three user-adjustable concentric rings in red, yellow, and blue, along with a crosshair, to provide meaningful, actionable collimation guidance. These overlays are not arbitrary; they are calculated relative to the boresight and can be precisely repositioned to match the optical footprints of the focuser (blue ring), secondary mirror (yellow ring), and primary mirror (red ring).

When beginning collimation, the user inserts the wifi-Aline into the focuser using the included extension tube. The extension ensures the camera’s field of view includes the secondary mirror without clipping. To improve visibility, a white sheet of paper is placed inside the telescope opposite the focuser, enhancing edge definition of the secondary mirror. After powering the device and connecting to its Wi-Fi network, the user activates the video stream via the web interface.

wifi-Aline wireless video collimation tool

The blue ring is first used to evaluate the mechanical alignment of the focuser. The ring is sized to match the extension tube’s diameter and rotated so its crosshairs align with the spider vanes. If the ring aligns properly, the focuser is orthogonal to the optical axis. Deviations indicate a tilt or offset in the drawtube or its mounting.

The yellow ring is then used to assess the position and shape of the secondary mirror. The ring is manually centered on the secondary and its radius adjusted so it matches the mirror’s outline. Once aligned, the “Center All Circles” command moves the ring to the boresight center, showing where the secondary must be repositioned. The central screw of the secondary spider is turned to move the mirror toward or away from the primary, while tilt is adjusted with three surrounding bolts. During this stage, the yellow ring should closely circumscribe the secondary mirror without gaps, and the mirror should appear as circular as possible, not elliptical.

Next, the red ring is used to match the inner edge of the primary mirror, just inside the support clips. Its position and size are tuned similarly, with offset and radius controls. Once centered, all three rings ideally share a common center, marking the telescope’s optical axis.

The user can now activate all three rings and proceed to tilt the secondary mirror using the three tilt screws. The goal is to move the reflected image of the wifi-Aline retroreflector and lens such that it aligns with the red ring’s crosshair. It is expected that at this stage, the primary reflection may not be fully centered, but the reference point is the visible mirror center spot or triangle.

Primary mirror adjustment is performed by loosening the locking screws and gently adjusting the collimation screws at the back of the telescope. These screws tilt the mirror until the reflection of the secondary mirror, retroreflector, and camera are centered inside the red ring crosshair. The wifi-Aline provides two adhesive mirror center markers (a solid 5/8" ring and a 5/8" triangle-ring) for this purpose. The triangle marker has rounded internal angles to avoid tearing during application and is designed for high contrast visibility through the video stream.

Collimation controls

The final phase of collimation uses the wifi-Aline like a Cheshire eyepiece. The reflection of the triangle or ring center marker is brought into alignment with the central black dot (the retroreflector pupil). With rings disabled, the live video view clearly shows concentric alignment of the marker and camera. This final tweak ensures the primary mirror is aligned with the full optical axis of the telescope.

The wifi-Aline introduces a two-second per frame transmission cadence and a two-frame delay. This intentional pacing gives users time to make mechanical adjustments and visually evaluate their effect, reducing the need for back-and-forth eyepiece checks. This is especially helpful when collimating large instruments where the focuser and primary cell are not in proximity.

The wifi-Aline’s powerful ESP32 processor wirelessly serves up webpages to Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Chrome

The ESP32-CAM upgrade doubled the video frame rate compared to earlier versions of the wifi-Aline, reducing latency and improving resolution stability. The chip integrates all camera, Wi-Fi, and image processing functions on a compact board. With this new chip, the device handles exposure compensation, gain, brightness, contrast, saturation, and lens correction more effectively than before. These settings are accessible through the Full Viewer interface and can be saved or recalled between sessions.

The wifi-Aline supports firmware upgrades over Wi-Fi. The upgrade system requires that users upload firmware files one at a time via the web interface. File types include .bin for firmware and .html, .js, .css, and .png for the web interface assets. Once updated, the system must be rebooted, and the boresight values (written on the device label) re-entered manually if lost.

A final quality control measure is a 180-degree rotation test. The wifi-Aline is rotated inside the focuser to identify any parallax or tilt introduced by the focuser clamp or misalignment. Any shift in the image suggests the device is not sitting perfectly in the drawtube. This is not a flaw of the wifi-Aline but a diagnostic capability revealing mechanical inconsistencies in the focuser or clamp mechanism.

The wifi-Aline also includes support for star testing verification. After collimation is complete, users are encouraged to validate their alignment by focusing on a star inside, at, and outside of focus. This test confirms symmetry in the diffraction pattern and highlights any residual collimation error introduced by optical or mechanical issues that are not detectable with axial alignment alone.

In summary, the Rigel Systems wifi-Aline is a fully integrated, precision-engineered digital collimation tool. It replaces analog guesswork with quantifiable optical feedback, offers a structured step-by-step alignment process, and provides robust diagnostic capability for both optical and mechanical alignment assessment. With its integrated overlays, firmware upgradeability, enhanced imaging from the ESP32-CAM, and flexible Wi-Fi interface, it stands out as a definitive solution for telescope collimation accuracy and efficiency.

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