Update Your ZWO AM5 Mount Firmware With These Great Tips!
Vložit
- čas přidán 9. 07. 2024
- Updating ZWO AM5 firmware can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. In this video I give you my tips that have helped me get through updating the AM5 mount firmware and have given greater chances of success. The video is using an Apple iPhone so if you have experience with non Apple products I’d love it if you dropped any hot tips in the comments below.
Non sponsored affiliate Links for stuff in this video - costs you no extra but supports this channel if you make a purchase. I appreciate you :)
Agena Astro
• AM5 Mount and Tripod bit.ly/49Pmfj0
• AM5/AM3 Pier Extension bit.ly/3xKtLyu
Highpoint Scientific
• ZWO PE200 Pier Extension bit.ly/45zk7e4
• ZWO AM5 Mount with TC40 Tripod bit.ly/45wnX7R
Amazon
• Ecoflow Battery Store amzn.to/3Shtc5R
Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:25 Updating the AM5 firmware via an Apple iPhone
0:39 Preparation steps including wireless connection
1:48 Start the ZWO ASI Mount app
2:31 Connect app to home network
3:10 Update the firmware
4:16 Summary of the steps
5:02 Outro
Update #3: The ASI Mount app is now known as SkyAtlas
Update #2: if you're still struggling to connect your AM5 despite following this video you might want to check your IP settings. I had a comment on Facebook advise:
Callum W wrote, _I had a similar problem as the gateway address for my Amazon eero home wifi is 192.168.4.1 which is the same as the default address for the AM5 HC. They can't be the same. I turned off the eero and used the main router which uses 192.168.0.1. After that it worked fine for the update._
Update #1: in the video I state I am only aware of being able to update the firmware via the hand controller. I has since found on the ZWO forum that the three methods are:
* with HC
* with ASCOM Local update, you need to contact us (ZWO) to get the file
* with ASCOM online update, still has a bug that it's not the latest version. We (ZWO) will fix it and note it as soon as possible.
Firmware updates to your ZWO AM5 mount are important as they will typically bring functionality improvements to how the mount operates. In the case of this update taking my mount from the 1.1.x branch to 1.3.x ZWO state that there have been changes to the following (plus a little more). They sound like good improvements to me
1.adding meridian settings
2.adding altitude limits
3.adding a fixed park position
4.optimizing cable winding problem in the Alt/Az mode
5.memorizing custom guide rate
6.fixing DST/LST misunderstanding
7.fixing problem that track light off after GOTO
8.adding multi star alignment (differ from polynomical optimization )
9.fixing other bugs
Helpful video. Thanks for posting. Just FYI, when I did this update I also had to update the Hand Controller firm ware, and until I did this, it showed the AM5 mount firmware as "up to date". So, if any of you;r viewers try this,; and see that their firmware is "up to date", they likely need to first update the Hand Controller firmware. The firmware version shown is "old", but it still says "up to date".
Thanks for the info, John, that is super useful!
Awesome! Way better than the ZWO instructions on how to do this! Thanks so much!
Really glad you found it useful, thanks for letting me know!
Great! Thanks! Especially for pointing out the firmware and network buttons!! For Android the only thing reallly different is disabling the cell network at the start. I couldnt easily see how to do that, but since I dont have a SIM in my tablet that was never going to be a problem.
Thanks for the Android info!
Very helpful video for me as a brand new AM5 mount owner. The only bit where I was briefly confused was when I submitted the command to update the mount firmware. Rather than leaving me in a window showing progress, it threw me out back to the main app screen. I thought that meant the process had failed, but actually once I just waited long enough (not long), I heard the beep of the mount restarting, and voila! Firmware updated. Your video made this a simple process, so keep up the good work! Now on to checking backlash in my EAF….
Thanks for the feedback, Joe, I'm really glad it helped!
Worked like a charm updating my Am3. Thanks again for the video!
You're welcome, glad it helped!
Very well done and detailed video explaining all of the steps. Great job
Thanks, Marvin! Glad you liked it 😀
Just watched this video. I did not realize that the hc was a hotspot or that it's used to update the mount, etc. Thanks for that. Both of my AM5s are outside in the back yard right now. Got some excellent images of California nebula and M45 last night with my Askar FRA500/ZWO2600mcPro and Askar 65PHQ/ZWO533mcPro. Got some Jupiter video too and several exposures showing at least six moons.
Both setups use AM5s. And just got my AM3 that I ordered in April, delivered yesterday. (Still waiting on the 2600DUO). Started setting that up with my Redcat51 and prob the ZWO294mmPro with filters. Used the TC40 and PE160 for that after watching your video on AM5 with piers. Thanks for that too.
So will try this update tomorrow after I bring both setups back into the house. Will use my I-phone and home Wi-Fi for that.
Also did a sub here. Appears you have lots of good 'stuff' for us astrophotographers.
I just set up this YT channel and hope to be posting soon. Video editing is so much fun.....lol!
Thanks again and cs.
Really glad you’re finding the content useful. Thanks for the feedback ☺️
Just got my AM5 so will give this a go! Thanks 👍
Hope it goes smoothly for you!
@@GlennMartinPhotography Went like a charm Glenn! Exactly as you video, many thanks for posting it.
@@Si-fp2ijawesome, glad it worked out 😊
Dziękuję, bardzo mi pomogłeś mimo że mam system Android. Poszła ręka w górę.
Thanks for letting me know the video helped out for Android as well!
well done - thank you
I hope it’s useful 😊
most definitely@@GlennMartinPhotography
Thank you for this video. My AM5 has been unopened in the box for 4 months. I’ll be updating the firmware tonight as per your instructions. My new GT81 is arriving tomorrow so it will be cloudy for several weeks. 😂 Clear Skies!
Would love any feedback you have after doing the update!
@@GlennMartinPhotography here’s an update. After getting the AM5 set up, setting up the wifi and connecting my iPhone to the mount via the asi mount app, I could not get the mount to download the latest firmware. I tried connecting directly and connecting via my wifi to no avail. I was reading that verizon might be blocking China, so I emailed ZWO support and they sent me firmware 1.3.2, I asked for 1.3.7 though. I used that bin file with the ASCOM windows application to update the mount and it worked. I’m a little annoyed I had to jump through hoops to update it.
@@brianastrodoc2886 oh wow that’s sounds very very frustrating 😮
Hello! Did something change for updating these mounts? I no longer see ASI Mount on my phone and can't find it on the App store for Apple.
Ah yes there has been a change, the app is now "Sky Atlas". I'll update the pinned comment
@@GlennMartinPhotography Yeah I found that out shortly after I made my comment. I successfully updated both the HC and the mount. I love my AM3 mount! Last night I was consistently under 0.20 on each axis for 5 minute exposures! Incredible.
Nice video. When I open app on IPad mini, and select the mount icon, the provided list DOES NOT INCLUDE “AMH Management System”. It includes everything else noted on your video, but not this. I normally use an ASIAIR PLUS to control mount, but doesn’t appear to have a method of checking firmware in ASIAIR app either.
That's really interesting. I wonder if there is a difference in the app between an iPad mini and an iPhone..?
Do you have the latest version of the app? Looks like ASI Mount v1.4 dropped 10 days ago
Good question. And yes I do. I downloaded it yesterday after I saw your video.
I did try it again later and the “AMH…” appeared finally.
The process is as you mentioned: one which requires a bit of patience. The process could probably be improved a bit.
I successfully updated both the hand controller and the mount. The hand controller required updating first.
Thanks for your instructive video, and getting back to me on my issue.
@@JDarylRitter so strange for it not to be there originally, but you're right the process could be better as the whole reason I made the video was from reading reports of people having hassles. Glad you got it over the line in the end!
good video my friend. one clarification, and not necessarily with mount firmware upgrade.
how do i change the mode between Alt-Az and EQ? i have AAP+ and i did not see the options. thanks
Red light says it's in equatorial, green light it's in alt az. If you have connected via your AAP and the light on the mount is red you are good to go.
@@GlennMartinPhotographyyes it is red. how do i change it to green if needed?
Equatorial/Azimuth Mode Switching: When the power for mount is off, long press the cancel button and activate the mount again with the power switch. To enter Azimuth mode, do not loosen your finger from the cancel button until the light indicator turns green.
@@GlennMartinPhotography thank you for clarifying. which Cancel button are you referring to - where can I find it?
@@sreeshab4093 apologies I was copying from the manual. The cancel button is on the hand controller, the button at the bottom with a little 3/4 circle.
Hi, What improvements does the update provide?
You would need to check the ZWO change logs for your own system, but for me going from the 1.1 branch to 1.3 ZWO declare:
1.adding meridian settings
2.adding altitude limits
3.adding a fixed park position
4.optimizing cable winding problem in the Alt/Az mode
5.memorizing custom guide rate
6.fixing DST/LST misunderstanding
7.fixing problem that track light off after GOTO
8.adding multi star alignment (differ from polynomical optimization )
9.fixing other bugs
@@GlennMartinPhotography The meridian flip now works very well but only in Plan and AUto mode. The all sky polar alignment works really well and fast to align. Follow on screen prompts and you are good to go. You do have to turn on these new options to use though.... they are in the menu system.
@@RobertKarlBerta great info, thanks for the update!
My AM5 that I’ve owned for only about five months is now unusable. It has what I think is a faulty declination motor and it seems nobody else has ever had this happen to theirs so there is nobody to go to. ZWO themselves are very difficult to work with (they’re not responding now), and I have to convince them of their own 2 year warranty. If anyone is willing to help I would more than welcome it.
Really sorry to hear that 😞