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INDI Library v2.0.6 is Released (02 Feb 2024)

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

ZWO Camera ASI 120MM Mini Mono with StellarMate?

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Have any of you ever used "ZWO Camera ASI 120MM Mini Mono" successfully with StellarMate?
I bought one but I have some issues making it work and it looks like there are no compatible firmware to that can be used to fix the issue.
Now I am thinking about returning it since I cannot make it work and I have found other topics on this forum regarding issues with compatibility.

But what should I get instead?
I have looked at these:
- ToupTek Camera G-1200-KMB Mono Guider
- Omegon Camera GUIDE 1200 M Mono

A quick search reveals that the ToupTek camera may have the same issues. But the compatibility list here on indilib.org claims that all ToupTek cameras are supported...
Omegon is not on the compatibility list here on indilib.org but the sales page of the camera claims that it is fully INDI compatible...
See this link. Can I trust that claim?
www.astroshop.eu/astronomical-cameras/om...-1200-m-mono/p,61035

I am really happy with my StellarMate and it works great with my CEM25P mount, but I have not had much luck with cameras yet.
So I hope you can help :-)
4 years 5 months ago #44294

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If I am not mistaken, the ASI120MM mini is using USB2.0, not USB3.0.

ZWO acknowledges that its cameras do not work well with USB2.0 under Linux. You can get them to work - sort of - by flashing a firmware update, but even so, it is really not reliable.

The ASI120MM-S, however, which connects via USB3.0, works flawlessly.

I would suggest, get away from USB2.0 and move to USB3.0.
4 years 5 months ago #44298

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Sorry Jo, you are mistaken. The ASI120MM mini works fine under Linux. The ASI120MM (USB2) camera has a firmware issue and the ASI120MM-S (USB3) camera works fine as well. But the firmware issue does not affect the mini camera.


Wouter
4 years 5 months ago #44321

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However, this thread reports issues aa well

indilib.org/forum/ccds-dslrs/5673-asi120...ini-not-working.html

and a suggestion is to use 8 bit mode and not 16 bit.
4 years 5 months ago #44323

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Hi Wouter,

Again, I can only speak for the ASI120MM (USB2) and the ASI120MM-S (USB3), not for the ASI120MM mini, but as the other thread also concludes, the USB2 versions are just trouble. I tried the ASI120MM using 8 bit instead of 16 bit (which is not required for guiding anyway), but as I wrote, even with the firmware flash (which then actually produced a picture, vs no picture before) it remained unreliable. Too many frames dropped and garbled to make it useful for guiding.

I would get rid of it and go for the ASI120MM-S, which for me works without any hitch at all on Linux.
4 years 5 months ago #44325

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Thank you for the replies.

I can make the ZWO ASI 120MM Mini Mono work some times but it is not very stable and I have to use 8-bit mode.
However, I often see this kind of error messages:

Warning: Spoiler!


So, I have decided to return the camera and get a ToupTek camera instead.
4 years 5 months ago #44347

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Good to see that you managed to replace the mini with a working camera, Stefan.

Jo, I share your experience with the ASI120MC USB 2 and 3 versions and I wasn’t able to flash the USB 2 version either. I was of the impression that the mini should work but it looks I was wrong.


Wouter
4 years 5 months ago #44355

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My ASI120 mini works just fine with Stellarmate on an RPi 3. I use it as a guidecam.
4 years 5 months ago #44356

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Same for me, my ZWO ASI120MM Mini just works on both Windows and INDI.

My Altair GPCAM MT9m034M Mono is a different story, it's never worked on INDI and while it used to work on Windows now, with the latest driver updates, it doesn't. This is a rebadged ToupTek camera and neither Altair not Toupteck have shown the slightest interest in sorting this. Rumour has it that it depends on the type of hardware, some work and some don't.
Altair and Touptek have been added to the list of companies I won't buy anything from that uses electricity.
4 years 5 months ago #44392

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I received my new ToupTek Camera model GP1200KMB today and I am very happy to let you know that it works very good with StellarMate out of the box.
I don't have the same stability issues that I did with the ZWO ASI 120MM Mini Mono camera.

So now I am very happy :woohoo:
The following user(s) said Thank You: Jasem Mutlaq
4 years 5 months ago #44499

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Hi
120mm stable and reliable on any usb port with this firmware:
drive.google.com/open?id=1eXBCN06Uz6pGdf-TDd_8ETVW5QRw9zSO
tested with ubuntu 18.04
Cheers and HTH
4 years 5 months ago #44507

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Where does this firmware come from? And is it for the 120mm or the mini?
My ASI 120MM and MC works like CR*P with messed up frames all over on RPI 3. Tried flashing the 'compatibility' firmware, and it does not work any better with or without...
4 years 5 months ago #44510

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