The Mount With The Best Polar Alignment System Yet - MLAstro SAL-33
ML Astro SAL-33 review: a compact harmonic-drive (strainwave) equatorial mount running OnStepX, with “zero-shift” polar alignment and a physical RA brake. In this video I test the...
I’ve tested several of the main stream SWG mounts and known of them performed nearly as well as an EQ6-R or similar GEM when above 1000mm focal length. That said, this mount has me intrigued. But why make the cable connection on the side of the mount where it moves? The Wave 150i, the Pegasus Astro NYX-101 and a few others were smart enough to make all connections on the rear stationary part of the mount.
Do u know how the SAL and ASI Air works in summer time? App time is -1h (winter time) as local time ... its summer time.
Yes onstep also works during daylight savings time
@the_space_koalaYes ASI Air App or Android has a bug with automatik time zone / daylight saving ... set it manual ASI Air gets the correct time.
Just curious (I might have missed it) was your EdgeHD 8 at native focal length or reduced?
Thanks for making such a detailed review. I'm personally be more the type of visual "no software and if so, please let it be open source PC drivers" person, so if I had the money, a Takahashi EM11 with an open source version of their Temma 3 control box would be my perfect portable EQ mount, but I see the appeal of this for astrophotography where you're prettty software centric anyway. Still considering it for the combination of price, capacity and open source software, even if it means polar aligning it via laptop or phone.
Great detailed review, thank you! Very tempting price wise, I just wonder if it’ll work with a C11 + reducer, or would it be too heavy? I see folks using the AM5N with that set up but I was thinking of getting an AM7, but the price is eye watering.
Very informative. Thank you.
That backdrop is unspeakably beautiful
Terrific review as always. It's great to see other affordable options for us astrophotographers.
What tripod do you use? Is there a polar alignment routine? Is it better to balance everything perfectly or leave some slack?
as I mentioned in the video I was using the ZWO TC40 tripod. I do not worry about balancing at all (ofc I don't put it deliberately unbalanced either) and it works just fine! For polar alignment you'll need to use some sort of software like sharpcap nina or asiair, I used the latter
Hi, thank you very much for the presentation — it was really excellent!!! I have a 10" Sky-Watcher Quattro optical tube with a 1000 mm focal length. Do you think I should wait for the SAL 66, or would the SAL 33 be sufficient? According to the curves I received from MLAstro, I’m right at the limit. Thank you, Sergio
I would not put my 10" newt on it, but mine is heavier than your average 250/1000 (18kg + camera). If i'm not mistaken the SW is around 13kg, right? You should be fine, however a sturdy tripod will be a must, you cannot put a 10" on the TC40. I'll post a review on a very cool one maybe today or tomorrow ;)
What kind of dovetail plates are those on top and bottom of the OTA?
on my EdgeHD8 I have both a Vixen and the Losmandy dovetail. I bought it used like this so I just left them on for added stability :) they are the original Celestron ones
@the_space_koalaThsnks, I’m ordering MLAstro SAL33, which is why I asked, 🙏🏼
Thank you for the review! I have been thinking of buying a new mount for my "grab and go" observing and maybe some light astrophotography. I had been using an old Vixen Sphinx mount, mostly for visual.. and I've grown to hate using it. Vixen seems to be actively hostile against 3rd party telescope integrations for ASCOM and INDI and that sort of killed my interest in using it. Then I saw more and more about that SAL-33 and thought I'd give it a shot! Too bad my SAL-33 purchase from MLAstro won't also come with a trip to the Maldives, but you can't have everything :-) I managed to squeek into one of the last slots in batch 4, so looking forward for the new shiny toy! If perchance it arrives before NEAIC/NEAF, I can go shopping for accessories then..
awesome, I hope you will enjoy yours once you get it
Hi Luca one question actually I was thinking of getting a Edge HD 8 whether the AM3 will be good enough to handle edge HD 8 as weight wise seems in limit with counter weight .
actually it is in the weight limit even without the CW. I use it with my RASA8 which is heavier than the EdgeHD8 and I set it to "heavy payload mode" (slows down the slewing to 1/2) so that I avoid using the CW. The tricky thing with the C8 is the long focal length - you gotta make sure you mount it very stable
Luca, have you tried using this mount with the ZWO ASI Air? I have not seen any review with it as a controller.
watch the video and you will have seen one :)
I still can't decide whether to buy a mount like that. I'm considering a Pegasus, UMI, or also the Sal-33.
Based on that last comment, I bet Richard Wright would have lot to say...I will ask him again at NEAF if he comes by 😊
any issues with On Step X and ASIAir s/w - I believe other OnStep mounts (e.g Warp Astron) had some problems with meridian flip?
I addressed this in the video
@the_space_koala apologies I must have missed that! thx
Mine ships in a month I ordered the hand controller as well, thinking that money could have been spent on something else. I am currently waiting for my SHG-700 to arrive in 2 weeks.
Fairer Preis - wenn ich nicht schon ne AM5N hätte…. Hmmm! Wenn es den Strom und USB-C ebenfalls im Klemmkopf hätte, würde ich die ZWO vielleicht sogar verkaufen und mir diese hier holen…
I like open source unlocked equipment of any kind. I've always been reluctant to mess with anything that would lock me in to their own ecosystem even if that ecosystem is very refined like zwo's products. Good video, Luca! Thank you for the review of this mount! 👍👍