Sky-Watcher SynLink Universal Astroimaging Controller

Product Overview

The Sky-Watcher SynLink Universal Astroimaging Controller is a single box that sits on your telescope and takes over the jobs normally split between a mini PC, a powered USB hub and a bundle of power leads. It runs the camera, mount, focuser, filter wheel and dew heaters, stores the data, and is operated from the free SynLink app on Android, iOS, Windows or Mac over its own dual-band Wi-Fi.

On the hardware side it carries six full-size USB ports (four USB 3.0, two USB 2.0) plus a USB-C port, four 12 V DC power outputs with a combined 10 A, two adjustable dew heater outlets, two parallel 12 V power inputs, and a dedicated serial port with cable for Sky-Watcher mounts. Inside is a Rockchip RK3566 processor with 4 GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 64 GB of eMMC storage. The power supply is sold separately.

Who It's For

This is a good match if you image with a dedicated astronomy camera and want the laptop out of the field. Capture, guiding, focusing, plate solving and sequencing all run on the controller, and the phone or tablet in your hand is only the screen - put it down and the sequence carries on.

It also suits you if your rig has grown a cable problem. One USB lead per device to the controller, one 12 V supply into it, and the power and data runs that used to hang off the mount are reduced to short jumpers on the tube.

Because SynLink is not locked to Sky-Watcher hardware, it fits mixed rigs too: a ZWO or QHY camera on an iOptron or Celestron mount with a Pegasus focuser is the kind of combination it is built to drive. Portable imagers working from a car or a dark-site field, and backyard imagers running unattended nights, get the most from it.

Key Features & Design

• All-in-one imaging computer: RK3566 processor, 4 GB LPDDR4 RAM and 64 GB of internal eMMC storage, so capture and control run on the rig rather than on a laptop.
• Six full-size USB ports plus USB-C: four USB 3.0 Type-A ports for cameras and external storage, two USB 2.0 Type-A ports for focusers, filter wheels and other low-bandwidth devices, and one USB 2.0 Type-C port for a host PC or low-speed devices.
• Four 12 V DC power outputs: 5 A per port and 10 A combined per Sky-Watcher's product page - enough to run a cooled camera and a mount from the same box.
• Two dew heater outlets: independently controlled, with output power set from the app.
• Two parallel 12 V power inputs: 5.5 × 2.1 mm DC barrel, centre positive.
• Direct-connect serial port and cable for Sky-Watcher mounts: an RJ-type serial port and the Sky-Watcher mount serial cable are included.
• Dual-band 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz Wi-Fi: with an external antenna. The controller can broadcast its own hotspot or join your home router or a mobile hotspot.
• Free SynLink app: Android, iOS, Mac and Windows. Guided polar alignment, autofocus, multi-star guiding, plate-solved GoTo, a sequencer with Easy and Pro modes, dithering, cloud recovery, meridian flip control, and remote access over the internet.
• Dovetail mounting kit included: fits the controller's back or side mounting holes and slides into a finder shoe or a matching dovetail saddle on your telescope.
• Cables in the box: five DC power cables of different lengths, the Sky-Watcher mount serial cable and the Wi-Fi antenna.

Recommended Uses

• Deep-sky imaging with a cooled camera: camera on USB 3.0 and 12 V, guide camera and focuser on the remaining ports, all frames written to the internal 64 GB.
• Unattended sequences: build the night in the sequencer with autofocus triggers, dithering, cloud recovery and meridian flip, then let the controller park the mount and shut itself down when it finishes.
• Indoor or remote monitoring: start the session at the scope and check on it from the house or over the internet.
• Field and dark-site imaging: one 12 V source powers the controller and the rig, and a phone or tablet replaces the laptop.
• DSLR and mirrorless imaging: Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon and Sony bodies are on Sky-Watcher's supported-camera list.
• Polar alignment and GoTo on any supported mount: plate-solved alignment and target centring through the same app.

Compatibility and Accessory Notes

Cameras. Sky-Watcher's manual lists support for Altair, Meade, DSI, FLI, Mallincam, MI, OGMA, Omegon Pro, Player One, QHY, ZWO and ToupTek cameras (including ToupTek-based OEM models such as Bresser, Levenhuk, Rising, StarShootG and SVBONY), plus Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon and Sony DSLR and mirrorless bodies.

Mounts. Sky-Watcher SynScan and legacy Sky-Watcher mounts, Celestron AUX and hand-controller mounts, ES/Losmandy with PMCB, iOptron, RainBow, Takahashi, Vixen, ZWO, and LX200-protocol mounts such as 10Micron, Astro-Physics and Avalon. Sky-Watcher equatorial mounts connect directly through the serial port with the supplied cable.

Focusers, filter wheels, rotators and flat panels. Supported brands include Astroasis, Baader Planetarium, Celestron, Deep Sky Dad, FLI, Lacerta, Lakeside, MoonLite, Optec, Pegasus Astro, QHY, Shoestring and ZWO focusers, and Atik, Player One, SX, Trutek, ZWO, Artesky, Geoptik, WandererAstro and others for filter wheels, rotators and flat panels. Most devices are recognised automatically when plugged in.

Power. The controller takes 12 V DC through a 5.5 × 2.1 mm centre-positive barrel. Sky-Watcher's manual calls for a 12 V supply rated between 3 A and 7 A, with up to 7 A per input jack; the two inputs are wired in parallel. Size the supply to everything the controller will feed - a cooled camera, a mount and two dew heaters add up quickly. If you send us your equipment list, we will help you pick a supply that covers it.

USB current. The two USB 2.0 Type-A ports and the USB-C port share a 3 A budget, and the four USB 3.0 ports share a separate 3 A budget. Cameras and mounts with their own 12 V input draw from the DC outputs instead, so this rarely comes into play.

Mounting. The supplied dovetail foot bolts to the controller's back or side mounting holes (1/4-inch and 3/8-inch) and slides into a finder shoe or a dovetail saddle on your tube or mount.

Good to Know Before You Order

• Power supply is sold separately. The controller needs a 12 V DC supply with a 5.5 × 2.1 mm centre-positive plug, rated 3 A to 7 A per Sky-Watcher. Send us your equipment list and we will recommend a supply that covers it.
• Combined DC output is 10 A. Four ports at up to 5 A each, 10 A total per Sky-Watcher's product page, shared across everything plugged into the DC outputs.
• Operating temperature is rated -10°C to 40°C (14°F to 104°F). That covers most of an Ontario imaging year; on the coldest January nights the rating sits above ambient.
• The USB-C port is USB 2.0. It is intended for connecting a host PC or low-speed devices; high-speed cameras belong on the USB 3.0 Type-A ports.
• A phone, tablet or computer is needed to run it. The SynLink app is a free download for Android, iOS, Mac and Windows.
• Free shipping applies to this item per Sky-Watcher's listing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it difficult to set up?

Setup is mostly plugging things in. Bolt the dovetail foot to the controller and slide it into your finder shoe or a saddle, run USB from each device, run 12 V jumpers to the camera and mount, and connect the power supply. On your phone, join the SynLink_XXXX Wi-Fi network the controller broadcasts and open the app - most devices are recognised automatically. Guided polar alignment then walks you through slewing, plate solving and correction step by step.

Does it only work with Sky-Watcher equipment?

No. It supports cameras, mounts, focusers, filter wheels, rotators and flat panels from a wide range of brands, including ZWO, QHY, Player One, Celestron, iOptron, Pegasus Astro and the major DSLR and mirrorless makers. Sky-Watcher mounts have the added option of the direct serial connection.

Do I still need a laptop?

Not for imaging. Capture, guiding, focusing, plate solving and sequencing all run on the controller, and the app on a phone, tablet or computer is the control screen.

Where are my images stored?

On the controller's 64 GB internal storage. The USB 3.0 ports also take external storage if you want more room.

Can I control it from inside the house?

Yes. In station mode the controller joins your home router, so you can run the session from anywhere on your network, and built-in remote access lets you check in over the internet.

What power supply do I need?

A 12 V DC supply with a 5.5 × 2.1 mm centre-positive plug, rated 3 A to 7 A per Sky-Watcher's manual. The right size depends on what you power from it - tell us your camera, mount and dew heaters and we will recommend one.

Bottom Line

A rig-mounted imaging computer, USB hub and power distributor in one box: seven USB ports, four 12 V outputs with a combined 10 A, two dew heater outlets, a direct serial link for Sky-Watcher mounts, 64 GB of storage and dual-band Wi-Fi, run from a free app on Android, iOS, Mac or Windows. Add a 12 V power supply and it drives a multi-brand imaging train from polar alignment through to an unattended sequence.