{"product_id":"sky-watcher-synlink-universal-astroimaging-controller","title":"Sky-Watcher SynLink Universal Astroimaging Controller","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct Overview\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey Features \u0026amp; Design\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAll-in-one imaging computer:\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSix full-size USB ports plus USB-C:\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFour 12 V DC power outputs:\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTwo dew heater outlets:\u003c\/strong\u003e independently controlled, with output power set from the app.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTwo parallel 12 V power inputs:\u003c\/strong\u003e 5.5 × 2.1 mm DC barrel, centre positive.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDirect-connect serial port and cable for Sky-Watcher mounts:\u003c\/strong\u003e an RJ-type serial port and the Sky-Watcher mount serial cable are included.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDual-band 2.4 GHz \/ 5 GHz Wi-Fi:\u003c\/strong\u003e with an external antenna. The controller can broadcast its own hotspot or join your home router or a mobile hotspot.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFree SynLink app:\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDovetail mounting kit included:\u003c\/strong\u003e fits the controller's back or side mounting holes and slides into a finder shoe or a matching dovetail saddle on your telescope.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCables in the box:\u003c\/strong\u003e five DC power cables of different lengths, the Sky-Watcher mount serial cable and the Wi-Fi antenna.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRecommended Uses\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDeep-sky imaging with a cooled camera:\u003c\/strong\u003e camera on USB 3.0 and 12 V, guide camera and focuser on the remaining ports, all frames written to the internal 64 GB.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUnattended sequences:\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIndoor or remote monitoring:\u003c\/strong\u003e start the session at the scope and check on it from the house or over the internet.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eField and dark-site imaging:\u003c\/strong\u003e one 12 V source powers the controller and the rig, and a phone or tablet replaces the laptop.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDSLR and mirrorless imaging:\u003c\/strong\u003e Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon and Sony bodies are on Sky-Watcher's supported-camera list.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePolar alignment and GoTo on any supported mount:\u003c\/strong\u003e plate-solved alignment and target centring through the same app.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompatibility and Accessory Notes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCameras.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMounts.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFocusers, filter wheels, rotators and flat panels.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePower.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUSB current.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMounting.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGood to Know Before You Order\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePower supply is sold separately.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCombined DC output is 10 A.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOperating temperature is rated -10°C to 40°C (14°F to 104°F).\u003c\/strong\u003e That covers most of an Ontario imaging year; on the coldest January nights the rating sits above ambient.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe USB-C port is USB 2.0.\u003c\/strong\u003e It is intended for connecting a host PC or low-speed devices; high-speed cameras belong on the USB 3.0 Type-A ports.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA phone, tablet or computer is needed to run it.\u003c\/strong\u003e The SynLink app is a free download for Android, iOS, Mac and Windows.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFree shipping applies to this item\u003c\/strong\u003e per Sky-Watcher's listing.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it difficult to set up?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSetup 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it only work with Sky-Watcher equipment?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo I still need a laptop?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere are my images stored?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the controller's 64 GB internal storage. The USB 3.0 ports also take external storage if you want more room.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan I control it from inside the house?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat power supply do I need?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBottom Line\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA 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.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sky-Watcher","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67627491098735,"sku":"S30125","price":830.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0686\/0049\/6239\/files\/S30125_SynLinkUAC_Vignette_Front1.jpg?v=1790886891","url":"https:\/\/ontariotelescope.com\/products\/sky-watcher-synlink-universal-astroimaging-controller","provider":"Ontario Telescope and Accessories","version":"1.0","type":"link"}