ASIAR
The most popular WiFi Camera control series is without a doubt the ASIAIR from ZWO. Since its debut in 2018 this platform has continued to push the boundaries of what a small WiFi camera control system can do with its consistent improvements to software and hardware. An astronomy focused OS in an otherwise familiar DIY computer case no longer, this series has evolved significantly into a family of products designed to provide a simple but powerful control nexus for your mount, ZWO cameras, and other ZWO accessories!
As with most systems in this category, ZWO’s series of ASIAIR WiFi camera controllers are much more than just a convenient way to image without a laptop. On the hardware side of things the ASIAIR devices all have power management and equipment connections covered, featuring industry standard 12V DC outputs and common connection methods as well. Multiple USB ports and on-board storage also come standard on these systems, making these truly some of the easiest WiFi camera controllers to integrate into your imaging system!
So just what sets these systems apart? Well we’ve assembled a list of the key differences below, along with our use-case recommendations!
What all the ASIAIR systems share is their easy-to-use interface and powerful software features. While dedicated astronomy camera, filter wheel, electronic focuser, and other accessory support is limited to ZWO’s ecosystem, using equipment from that ecosystem is a smooth, turn-key, experience. As for mount control ZWO has excellent support for not just their AM series mounts, but also solid support for many 3rd party mounts as well. On top of this equipment control is a fully-featured image capture suite, bringing great camera control, autoguiding, a digital planetarium with plate solve and sync that ensure your framing is perfect, image planning, live stacking, and even some on-board image processing — all in one polished package! To learn how to harness the full potential of these little red powerhouses see our ZWO ASIAIR Ultimate Guide.