Go Back   IceInSpace > Equipment > Equipment Discussions
Register FAQ Calendar Today's Posts Search

Reply
 
Thread Tools Rate Thread
  #1  
Old 07-05-2025, 10:46 PM
gregbradley's Avatar
gregbradley
Registered User

gregbradley is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 18,171
Using an ASI AIr to reduce cable tangle

I have an ASI AIR latest and want to use it as a power distribution system and a USB hub. I don't want to use it for a wifi connection and ASI AIR controlling software.

Has anyone here done that? I would use it to connect the various components to The Sky.

Greg.

Last edited by gregbradley; 09-05-2025 at 07:24 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 08-05-2025, 07:27 AM
Startrek (Martin)
Registered User

Startrek is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Sydney and South Coast NSW
Posts: 6,633
Greg,
I don’t use these little red boxes as it ties you into using ZWO and nothing else, but there’s quite a few posts on CN about using your ASIair as a power or network hub
From what I’ve read power is Ok to use but USB is not as obviously ZWO have designed it to use with their software and devices
Most folk recommend the Pegasus power box and the like ( very expensive though $$)
I use Startech 4 port industrial active USB hubs on both rigs and for power I made up my own cables with 12v centre positive connector and Powertech 12v power adaptor power supply ( total cost $250 )

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/9...le-management/

Maybe someone on IIS has found a workaround for the USB on the ASIair to convert it into a dumb network distribution hub ???

Cheers
Martin
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 08-05-2025, 08:01 AM
joshman's Avatar
joshman (Josh)
Registered User

joshman is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Coffs Harbour, Australia
Posts: 742
Depending on which version of the ASI air you're using, you might be able to just swap out the Compute board inside and roll your own solution. But that is doing things the hard way.


Depending on how much power/usb capacity you require, you'll probably be better served by a something like this:
https://www.testar.com.au/products/w...rerbox-lite-v3
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-05-2025, 08:27 AM
JohnA (John)
Registered User

JohnA is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2025
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 104
yea, you wont be able to use it as a usb hub, i looked into it too.
I wanted to be able to use my asiair for DSO and pc for planetary but figured you cant do it, would need a separate powered usb hub, which is what i also do now.

In saying that, i also just ordered the latest SVBONY powerbox. It is priced very well and will do exactly what you need. How reliable it is, unknown at this point as it just hit the market. I can report back once i get it and and test it out

https://www.svbony.com/sv241-astrono...LAbXHmx#W9193A
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-05-2025, 09:08 AM
Retrograde's Avatar
Retrograde (Pete)
a.k.a. @AstroscapePete

Retrograde is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Sydney
Posts: 1,707
Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnA View Post

In saying that, i also just ordered the latest SVBONY powerbox. It is priced very well and will do exactly what you need. How reliable it is, unknown at this point as it just hit the market. I can report back once i get it and and test it out

https://www.svbony.com/sv241-astrono...LAbXHmx#W9193A
I have also ordered the SVBONY sv241. I figured that for the price, it's worth a punt.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 08-05-2025, 09:54 AM
JohnA (John)
Registered User

JohnA is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2025
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 104
Quote:
Originally Posted by Retrograde View Post
I have also ordered the SVBONY sv241. I figured that for the price, it's worth a punt.
100% So far i have been impressed by the quality of their products. My SV555 is very good for the price and for me, the filter drawers are so much better then the zwo ones at half the price, so with any luck this power box is good
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 09-05-2025, 09:27 AM
Allan3026 (Allan)
Registered User

Allan3026 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Toronto NSW
Posts: 15
I also tried the asiair for usb but gave up. It does work for power distribution and I can set my dew heater output.The SV241 is almost exactly what I've been looking for.
You can get a power box OR a USB hub but if you wanted both you had to pay a premium. This appears to do both for a great price. No dew heater control though. For that I need the wanderer plus for an extra $400 ish.
I'm ordering the SV241 now.

Edit...There is also the wanderer lite version which seems to be very similar to the SV241. Price is around $180

Last edited by Allan3026; 09-05-2025 at 09:51 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 09-05-2025, 07:30 PM
gregbradley's Avatar
gregbradley
Registered User

gregbradley is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 18,171
Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnA View Post
yea, you wont be able to use it as a usb hub, i looked into it too.
I wanted to be able to use my asiair for DSO and pc for planetary but figured you cant do it, would need a separate powered usb hub, which is what i also do now.

In saying that, i also just ordered the latest SVBONY powerbox. It is priced very well and will do exactly what you need. How reliable it is, unknown at this point as it just hit the market. I can report back once i get it and and test it out

https://www.svbony.com/sv241-astrono...LAbXHmx#W9193A
That looks a lot like th eTerrans Powerbox but for 1/3rd the price!

That's a great deal.

Greg.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 09-05-2025, 08:05 PM
gregbradley's Avatar
gregbradley
Registered User

gregbradley is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 18,171
Quote:
Originally Posted by Allan3026 View Post
I also tried the asiair for usb but gave up. It does work for power distribution and I can set my dew heater output.The SV241 is almost exactly what I've been looking for.
You can get a power box OR a USB hub but if you wanted both you had to pay a premium. This appears to do both for a great price. No dew heater control though. For that I need the wanderer plus for an extra $400 ish.
I'm ordering the SV241 now.

Edit...There is also the wanderer lite version which seems to be very similar to the SV241. Price is around $180
I am unable to login to SVBony. It comes to shipping and says they are unable to ship to the US dues to regional restrictions. My address is clearly Auatralia.

Anyone else find this?
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 09-05-2025, 10:10 PM
Retrograde's Avatar
Retrograde (Pete)
a.k.a. @AstroscapePete

Retrograde is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Sydney
Posts: 1,707
Quote:
Originally Posted by gregbradley View Post
I am unable to login to SVBony. It comes to shipping and says they are unable to ship to the US dues to regional restrictions. My address is clearly Auatralia.

Anyone else find this?
I bought mine from ebay so didn't try their website. SVBony have their own ebay store.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 09-05-2025, 11:15 PM
pmrid's Avatar
pmrid (Peter)
Ageing badly.

pmrid is offline
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Cloudy, light-polluted Bribie Is.
Posts: 3,742
I have this setup on one of my rigs. It's a non-ASI setup.
It's solid and stable.
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (17467964914002423898042166342128.jpg)
177.7 KB27 views
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 10-05-2025, 09:17 AM
gregbradley's Avatar
gregbradley
Registered User

gregbradley is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 18,171
Quote:
Originally Posted by Retrograde View Post
I bought mine from ebay so didn't try their website. SVBony have their own ebay store.
Thanks Pete.

Greg
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 10-05-2025, 09:18 AM
gregbradley's Avatar
gregbradley
Registered User

gregbradley is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 18,171
Quote:
Originally Posted by Retrograde View Post
I bought mine from ebay so didn't try their website. SVBony have their own ebay store.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pmrid View Post
I have this setup on one of my rigs. It's a non-ASI setup.
It's solid and stable.
Thanks Peter. Making something myself is a possibility.

Greg.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 10-05-2025, 08:23 PM
pmrid's Avatar
pmrid (Peter)
Ageing badly.

pmrid is offline
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Cloudy, light-polluted Bribie Is.
Posts: 3,742
Quote:
Originally Posted by gregbradley View Post
Thanks Peter. Making something myself is a possibility.

Greg.
Greg, in case you are leaning that way, the updated ( i.e. USB 3.2 version) USB hub is https://www.coolgear.com/product/usb...rge-protection
And the power distribution board is a RigRunner 4000 (used mainly by ham radio types).

Cheers
Peter
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 13-05-2025, 10:32 AM
Allan3026 (Allan)
Registered User

Allan3026 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Toronto NSW
Posts: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by gregbradley View Post
I am unable to login to SVBony. It comes to shipping and says they are unable to ship to the US dues to regional restrictions. My address is clearly Auatralia.

Anyone else find this?
I've also ordered from Ebay. Has anyone received it yet? I haven't.
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 13-05-2025, 02:45 PM
Retrograde's Avatar
Retrograde (Pete)
a.k.a. @AstroscapePete

Retrograde is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Sydney
Posts: 1,707
Quote:
Originally Posted by Allan3026 View Post
I've also ordered from Ebay. Has anyone received it yet? I haven't.
Mine arrived just a few minutes ago!
It's smaller than I expected from seeing the photos online. It has come with a cigarette lighter socket to DC cable, two DC-DC cables (one slightly longer than the other) and a USB cable.
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 13-05-2025, 08:47 PM
JohnA (John)
Registered User

JohnA is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2025
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 104
Quote:
Originally Posted by Retrograde View Post
Mine arrived just a few minutes ago!
It's smaller than I expected from seeing the photos online. It has come with a cigarette lighter socket to DC cable, two DC-DC cables (one slightly longer than the other) and a USB cable.
Mine also arrived today, yes very small. I'll give it a test run next clear night
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +10. The time is now 11:34 AM.

Powered by vBulletin Version 3.8.7 | Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Advertisement
Bintel
Advertisement