Chad, You are a very talented instructor. It seems to come natural to you to make a well thought out and organized presentation. We're lucky you're into our hobby.
I appreciate it, thank you! Make sure you watch the newer build video that I just put out though. It’s more up-to-date. :-) I might’ve put it out within the last two weeks.
Extremely well organized and detailed content. Not very iften we came across the AP setup related videos. Tips for Windows optimisation for AP are extremely useful.
Thanks for a great instructional video. I search for several days on a "How-To" on setup and control of a mini PC and then I came upon your video and TH-cam channel. Boy was I missing out. I keep hearing about how fantastic NINA is but have had problems just taking single shot. I will certainly study your videos on NINA since I am certain they will have the details I need to make it work. Excellent job!!!!
Thanks! I'll be publishing more soon. I have a bunch in process. Life got in the way and I had to get a couple kids off to college, THEN the clouds got in the way ... for over a month. :)
This is a fantastic video and an even better idea. Following Chad's videos, equipment recommendations and personal communication, I now have a completely remote astro rig that I can control the entire imaging process from inside making it that much more enjoyable. His information is accurate, to the point and well presented. I strongly suggest that everyone watching, like his videos and subscribe to his channel. Thanks Chad!
I love your channel, you deserve so much more subscribers and recognition. Your videos are organized, well explained, everyting is made for us to understand well. I was thinking about getting a lighter setup without having 1 entire laptop outside. Thank you so much for your work. Even if your videos have "small" view counts, they REALLY help the ones watching.
Man, I wish I had watched this about two weeks ago before I bought my mini pc and started getting it set up. Will be watching it again and again. Looks like you have some other (newer) ones as well that I will probably check out as well. Thanks for the info.
Thank you for your video!! I ended up doing exactly the same thing and it works perfectly🙏 Doing astrophotography at -28°C in Quebec sitting by the fire place is something else. I follow your N.I.N.A. serie as well. Great job!!!
I am a PC nerd, so this is not difficult for me. I like the idea very much and originally wanted to use a miniPC. This stick PC will make my imaging a breeze - not just for cold nights - I have hot Summer and even after sunset, the heat is still unbearble (plus the mosquitos) - before remote control I need to put on mosquito repellant and need a wet towel to wipe my sweat - now am remotely controlling my gears t, and I can set the gear up (check the focus, balance and the polar alighment) and run back into my air-conditioned room, with a cold drink and watch the sequence running on NINA where it is comfortable.
Yes! 100% yes! I always say that the number one thing you need to have, even before a telescope, is patience. :) When you can be inside and comfortable, my patience seems to last a lot longer. LOL
@@PatriotAstro I am starting to use NINA with the advanced sequences - after using NINA I can't go back to BackyardEOS. I have considered buying ZWO ASIPRO, but with this StickPC, it can control any brands of camera, I won't need ASIPRO.
@@yellowlynx Exactly. I like the freedom of being able to run any version of software and any type of hardware I want at any time. With that being said, there are a lot of people that benefit from other turn-key packages. But for you and me, this makes the most sense.
I recently bought a Nipogi stick pc with Celeron J4125 which is more suited for computing over Celeron N or Atom. It comes with Win10 Pro but I put ubuntu mate and indigo on it and it works great with my iexos-100 mount. For linux it needed to add the driver for the wifi chipset (realtek 8821cu).
This has become my go to astro channel for sure. Very well thought out instruction. I just got a NUC8i5BEK and this just made it a piece of cake to get it set up. Also, the video on NINA auto focus is a must see.
I have two Intel NUCs that are less than a year old. EQMOD does not recognize the COM port on either NUC. My seven-year old HP laptop connects to my HEQ5 PRO with no problem and I can control the mount via the Remote Desk Top from my living room with no problems at all. Did you have any issues with the the NUC not working with EQMOD? I am at a loss right now because I do not have a clue on what to do. All the drivers have been downloaded and installed everything seems to check out okay until I fire up EQMOD and that is when is freezes the entire system. COM port is not recognized. Any suggestions?
After a couple of frustrating nights out with Kstars/Ekos/StellarMate, I decided to repurpose a small PC to running NINA--between your videos and Cuiv's, I figured I could make it work. And while there's plenty yet to learn, it did work, from the first night out (and there have only been two nights out so far). Plate-solving worked (once I entered the pixel size for my DSLR). Polar alignment worked (which is good, since I have trees to the north, 60° up). Heck, even autofocus on my telephoto lens worked--kind of, anyway; I don't seem to be able to get HFR numbers better than 5.5. The custom horizon works (good, since I'm surrounded by tall trees). The remote copy plugin works, copying captured images to my NAS. It's sending me Telegram messages when an operation fails. It's switching targets when the next target comes up. It's recentering when it loses the target due to clouds (confirmed that plenty last night). Using and adapting your sequence templates, it's like magic. So thanks, for this and many of your other videos. I do miss the simplicity of installing StellarMateOS, though--download the image file, burn it, done. The installation process for NINA (and everything it depends on) is really a PITA by comparison. But it's manageable. I also miss the app-based control that StellarMate promised (though hasn't quite delivered on)--though Windows Remote Desktop works very well from another computer. Something I haven't yet figured out (if it's even possible) is how to limit the star atlas to showing only targets that are above your horizon, during darkness--if there's a way to do that, I'd appreciate hearing it.
Thank you so much for this video. It really explained why my cheaper setup wasn't working. I went through and followed your equipment recommendations (ordered the PC stick from your comments) and instructions to the letter. I now have nearly everything working (some issues with NINA connecting to my Nikon). One thing that continues to plague me is powering the PC stick. The instructions refer to using a 12V power supply but the system comes with a 5V 3amp power supply and the internet specs say 5V. I have a power distribution box I made that puts out either 12V or 5V power. The 5V power goes to the USB hub and I ran a usb charging cable from the 5V on the USB to the PC stick (the one you from the link in your comments) yet the device won't power up. I double checked the output and it is set to 5.0V and the voltmeter is reading 5.1V. Changing the setting on my voltage regulator so that the voltmeter reads 5.0V doesn't result in any difference. I was wondering what you were doing for power and if I should be adjusting my voltage regulator up or down accordingly. Still testing things in my garage so currently running the PC stick off of the AC adapter it came with but this will be challenging when I take it outside.
The USB hub will put out 5V but very likely not enough amps. What I recommend is to get a "Buck Converter". As an example, check Amazon for "5V 12V 3A Buck Converter". If you scroll, you will find one that has the right usb connector you need already built in (microUSB If I recall). I think they tend to advertise these for people with "Ring Alarms". You will need to put a connector on the red/black wire end. If not sure how to do that, you can watch my "Simplify your 12V..." video. I may have also shown a similar adapter in my All Sky camera battery box build.
I bought the MeLE PCG02 mini pc stick just for this as well but I found it to be ridiculously slow even though it was running the J4125 quad-core celeron processor with 8GB RAM. For example I wold get only 2.5fps running Stellarium. I suspected the EMMCc storage inside the unit was the culprit and I was correct. I added a SSD to the stick using one of the USB3 ports, installed Windows Pro on it (that was tricky), and the performance for Stellarium jumped to 17fps and RAM usage went down. If I had to do it over again I probably would go for the MeLE Quieter2 fanless pc because it has a wicked fast m.2 NVMe port inside. This would also eliminate the funky workaround to get Windows to boot off an external drive.
I agree completely. I actually have one of those sticks that performs pretty well, but another two that are really slow now and appeared to be EMMC drive related. I’m not sure if it was a faulty batch or just an issue with the ultra small flipprint, but there’s definitely something going on there.
Thank you very much, it worked well, I only had to assign a static IP address on the Mini PC because my Laptop kept loosing connection, the static IP address was set on the Mini PC and its fine now, could not set up my router since I could not remember my password, the Mini PC gets really hot with heavy processing like when Stellarium is open but it works and I can send commands from Stellairum to my AVX mount through CPWI with ctrl +1 instead of using CPWI object database to move mount, just need to keep an eye on it in the summer to make sure it does not overheat, have been remote connecting from inside home and my neighbor dog is happy now, it does not bark all night as he used to when I was out there and my regular Laptop is not all wet after each session :)
Hi, thanks for share all your knowledge, I love your channel. I try this setup 3 months ago, but have some issues with the camera or the mini PC, can you help me ? I try a lot of crazy solutions but I can't find a solution yet. Thanks.
Go to my youtube about page and locate my email. That will be the easiest way for me to help you with something like this. More room for you to describe the issue and even include images if needed.
Excellent video! Thanks for sharing it! Quick question: during the initial Windows setup, can I use my Microsoft account or I should create a separate account?? Thanks!
Hi. Thanks for another nice video. You said avoid atom or celeron N, but it is difficult for me to know which ones could do the job WITHOUT increasing the power consumption too much. THe problem looking for advice is that nobody cares about consumption, and I am looking for a miniPC precisely to increase the autonomy of the whole system. Also, processor models change so quickly that is difficult to know the best suited now. Could you tell us? Cheers
I am using the Celeron J4125 series processor (still shipping in stick and mini PC's now). It is low consumption but still powerful enough for automation.
Just found your channel and watched a couple hours. Thank you for the great content. If you have a ZWO imaging and guide camera, which option for camera do you pick in PHD2 and NINA? I randomly have issues with one program or the other trying to use the wrong camera. Thanks and clear skies!
Imaging camera goes in NINA and the guide-cam goes in PHD2. As long as the phd2 profile is set up right, and the camera is connected via usb before starting the apps, it should be ok. Are you using the ASCOM driver or the ZWO windows driver? That may be the issue, ... use the Windows driver from ZWO and it may be more clear as to what you are connecting since you will see model numbers.
@@PatriotAstro I am automating this as a remote setup. The Windows driver has not worked for me in the past so I have to use the ZWO ASCOM (1) and (2). If I use a different brand guide camera, NINA will start everything and work fine. I want to use the 174mm Mini in the ZWO OAG-L for a better fov than my 290mm mini but I am not buying the 174 until this is sorted out. I am trying again tonight because the forecast looks clear!
Hi, great Video !!I I'm' on my way to setup a mini PC as well to configure and use NINA. the mini PC I have bought has Windows10 OS, not Pro... but anyway I will use something like Nomachine to access to it from my Mac book (I'm full nomad to be far away from the light pollution). My question is : what is the process to follow to be able to start the mini PC and then be automatically connected to the mini router and also passing the Windows lock screen (without any password or pin code to provide) as I will not have a screen connected to the mini PC .... I'm lost and I'm not able to find a solution :(. and I'm not sure that a program as NoMachine is able to be launch automatically as well... if you have any idea for this RDP issue with Windowd10 I will be happy. Thanks a lot.
First, If you can update your OS to Win10 Pro, your life will be much easier. :) Windows RDP is going to be the easiest and likely best performing way to remote control your Win10 system (MS makes a free RDP client for Mac as well). Within Windows, just make sure you connect to the wifi network and set that SSID/Network to connect automatically. Then, from that point forward, it will autoconnect on bootup if the network is available or becomes available. With RDP, you dont need to bypass login, you simply make the RDP connection and login using that mechanism. So, you need a screen for this first part, but only 1 time. Connect to the system locally and update to Win10 Pro (can buy the key online and activate it), you should also connect to the SSID you want to use and set it to connect automatically. Ok, from this point forward, no screen is needed. The system will boot and detect the SSID/network and auto-connect to it. You will then RDP into that system and login that way. That is it! You now have a remote control session to the remote system. :)
@@PatriotAstro thanks a lot. Done with WinPro and RDP for Mac installed on the Mac book pro. Ok, now I see that my question was useless 😂😂. Thanks a lot for the advice everything looks fine now 👌. I will watch your other videos as well. 👍
@@PatriotAstro Thank you for the response Chad! I tried to download and install to try it myself but, it's not very user frindly... and i've seen this set up still has lots of incompatibiliies and performance issues... so I give up. Instead I decided to follow your recommendation and buy a mini Stick PC :)
Hello Chad. I bought one of those PC sticks. It is from a brand called Nipogi from Amazon. The model is the T6. I managed to instal everything. I run a ZWO mini asi 120, a Asi 294mc, a falcon rotator, a Pegasus pp advanced, a Pegasus DMFC with the motor. All connected perfectly with NINA, except for the asi 294 mc camera. It was not detected. I tried on Sharpcap and the camera wasn't detected. Finally I tried the ZWO camera studio and still same thing happened. I have also a ZWO asi 183 GT which I tried. This camera was not detected as well. So I tried connecting both in my laptop and both cooled cameras worked. I was thinking that perhaps the mini PC is incompatible with cooled cameras. Here is the model of the PC stick. It is a NIPOGO T6 and the specs are hereinunder. It has 6GB of RAM. NiPoGi) Mini PC Stick, Intel Celeron N4000 Compute Stick Windows 10 Pro, 4GB66DDR4 64GB eMMC Small PC Support 4K HDMI, Bluetooth,WiFi, Gigabit Ethernet, please help if you can. In advance, thank you
great video, very informative. does this set-up with the stickPC work at a dark sky with no wifi access? Is there a way to do screen sharing on a separate computer when out in the field away from a wifi router?
It can, but my preferred method, even in the field, is to use a small wifi router and tether my phone for access. There are alternative software packages you can load on windows 10 to do some amount of direct-connection/sharing, but I haven't used it that way. My video on setting up and using the inexpensive, and very low power, min-wifi device is here if you are interested. th-cam.com/video/v3rdaRtUib8/w-d-xo.html
@@PatriotAstro ah ok, thanks that makes sense, the phone acts the same way as the home wifi network when you're out in the field. Does it use your data plan if you're not pulling things from the internet and only viewing things from one device to another?
@@UVcatastrophe So, the mini AP (mango) I show in that other video is providing the Wifi just like at home. If you also want internet, then you tether the iPhone and it uses your data plan. 2 quick points: 1. You don't need to tether the iPhone for the WiFi part to work (remote control from another machine), that is just for internet access. And 2. I have found recentyl, after making the video on the mango, that actually naming the Wifi network something other than the home network SSID is a bit easier. Just make sure you have tested connectivity and have it all working before heading out!
Since this is a full windows 10 system, you have the flexibility to install any software or hardware needed. NINA (1.10 or 1.11), APT, SharpCap, development builds of PHD2, allsky camera software, etc - even solitaire or minesweeper if you are bored. :) It is a windows machine so you need to patch it and run it yourself so it may be a little more complex than ASIAIR but with a great deal more flexibility to run any software or hardware you choose to run. I still like what ASIAIR does in a simple and small form-factor, but I prefer the flexibility of this solution.
Subtle difference. I could assign a "Static IP" which is a hard-coded IP assigned directly to the adapter in Windows. In this case, I am instead using a "Static DHCP IP Reservation" in my WiFi AP that allows me to still ensure I get the IP I want to assign, but gives me the flexibility to change this in the AP at a later date should I ever choose to re-address my home network, etc. Otherwise, to change the IP of the device (if using a static IP), I would need to get into the PC directly to make the modification which may require a monitor, keyboard, etc. Either way, you can only connect to the device via RDP if your other computer 'knows' how to connect to it. So, you either need to know the IP that will be assigned (cannot be random) or ensure you can resolve the name of the computer on the network to its current IP address. You will never be prompted for a username/password if you can't reach it. :)
@UCseG-DoDDPoNgGSetelRQDw Mostly just form factor and maybe some extra USB if I recall. From a storage perspective, NVMe does have benefits like storage capacity and read/write speed when compared to eMMC. This comes at a cost of power consumption though. If power is a concern, like when running on battery in the field, the stick may be a better choice. If running on AC power for the most part, then the other form may be better. There are so many similar models clogging up this lower-end space and they are all quite similar, especially if you have no intention or need to upgrade any components.
@@PatriotAstro I think ill keep the quieter2, I like the no antenna and form factor and no HMDI sticking out. its a $20 difference with the same 8gb, 128gb. do you think its worth getting the nvme? WD blue for $50 if power consumption it not issue? will the NVMe improve the imaging session somehow? faster saving of the light frames? ASIAIR is emmc too but its not windows.
@@jrmariano02 I'd hold off on the NVMe and only add it later if you started having issues. I often write my session off to USB just to make it more portable and I've never had an issue with that. You might find you could use that $50 somewhere else in the rig. :)
@@PatriotAstro the Mele mini pc has a warning not to use a power adapter with PD control. I have a PPB advance V2. do you think its ok to power the mini PC with the PPB advance V2? I need a 12v usb c to 2.1mm x 5.5mm adapter though
Great video. It's definitely an attractive alternative to using my full size laptop at the mount. I'm going to give the remote setup a try as I'm currently setup and see how it goes before I drop another $350 (stickPC+Win10Pro upgrade). PS: You're going to bankrupt me. Battery Box, All-Sky camera, and now a MiniPC for portability at the mount!
Sorry! ;) Hey, the stick I purchased had windows 10 pro already. Double check on that part, you shouldn’t have an additional cost for that. See, now I’m saving money. It’s all perspective.
@@PatriotAstro The stick PC probably does have Win10 Pro but both my home laptops only have Win10 Home. I'd have to upgrade one of those for the RDP. I've been using Chrome Remote Desktop and it works very well but I'm 95% sure it requires a full internet connection. That works at home but might not work as well in the field with limited cell phone signal.
This is a great video and very informative. However, I am not sure how you turn on the RDP on the MiniPC/Stick PC. Once you power up the Stick PC you have to have a monitor and a keyboard to be able to start the Remote process and then start your remote on the main PC. Once this is done you can use the RDP. That means I would have to leave to Stick PC on all the time in order to connect to it. Once it is turned off one needs to start it up using the monitor and keyboard to get the connections again? Is this correct? Or is there another way of doing this? That would mean I have to work first with two monitors and keyboards before I can start remotely working??
Once you enable the RDP service, it automatically starts with the computer. It will be available in the system once booted and will automatically connect to Wi-Fi and be ready. You just have to wait for it to come up on the network.
Hi I have a MeLE Fanless Mini PC Quieter2 with built in Memory 8GB,128GB eMMC Storage, and I was wondering if the eMMC storage would be a problem? It is possible to upgrade to M.2 NVMe/ SATA 2280 SSD but I would prefer to use my money on other equipment.
I haven't had a problem with the built-in storage or using either mini-SD Card or mini-USB as well. I think you'll be fine but give it a shot first and see. I too prefer to save my money for other 'needed' gear over just more storage. :)
I definitevely think it's the most comprehensive tutorial, even it's a pity to reduce it in less thatn 30 minutes :-( Anyway, very complete stuff! Thank you.
Thank you! ...and, I can completely understand your point. My thought with videos like this is that because they include so many pieces of software, it can be easily considered outdated once a 1 or 2 components have upgraded versions available. I think there is so much value in the planning part, that I wanted planning and the overall process to be the primary focus. Thanks for watching!
Hi. I followed your instructions to the letter and all went well until I tried to control my equipment with NINA on the miniPC. The IOptron mount interface connected properly using Auto USB port detection. None of the other components coming out of the Pegasus Powerbox Advance V2 (camera, Pegasus Cube V2 focuser and guide scope) connect in NINA with error messages related to unrecognized USB ports. Advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
I'm not certain but I would think the next place to check would be in windows within Device Manager. In device manager, go to ports and look to see what COM ports are connected. It may be best to only connect 1 device at a time so it is easy to identify which device maps to each com port. Also, make sure you have all device drivers loaded. Most usb devices have windows drivers, possibly ASCOM drivers, and maybe even serial device drivers.
?, in this tutorial you are showing how install all software in a client (home) Pc (I just have), but how install the ascom alpaca server on mini pc o in raspberry? the concept is to have all software on home pc, and use one little server only for communication with ccd, mount etc. as I do with indi and ekos.
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Great video, congrats! I was wondering if Quieter 2 would be a better option than the pc-stick because the voltage allows a better performance of the processor (12V-2A = 24W). I suppose that it will have higher consumption than the pc-stick (i guess 5V-3A=15W but 12,8W real). Did you decide for this reason? What do you recommend? Thank you
I honestly don't think it matters as it relates to power input. The reality is that the voltage could fluctuate and the device with still function as intended especially if battery powered and not on a voltage regulator of some sort. So voltage may range from 11.2v to 14.1v based on the power source attached. From my personal monitoring of my miniPC's and StickPC's, they never get close to requiring full power. They are often sitting around 1W or a little above that. I am running my telescope and imaging only, and not processing... Heavy processing would almost certainly require more watts, but i couldn't recommend these devices for processing of astro. :) As long as it stays close to the specs I mention in the video, I say get the best price you can on something that is physically mountable where you need it. Clear Skies! and thank you for watching and the very nice comment!
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@@PatriotAstro Thank you! I got this opinion from the following review (th-cam.com/video/WoMYCIf6_u0/w-d-xo.html) in which they benchmarked the pc-stick. I get a clearer idea with your comment. I will continue to listen to your videos!
@ Makes sense. I am definitely NOT gaming or doing any heavy processing on my PC stick so I guess I just haven't hit any walls on processing and performance. The J series 4-thread capable sticks seem to do a great job without issue, ... for me anyway. :)
Thanks again Chad. Been using NINA with a SFF, Win 10 Pro PC connected to the Obsy with a USB 3.0 repeater. Just ordered a Beelink GK mini 8GB based on the Celeron Gemini Lake J4125 in order to combat, image download failures and random focuser disconnects. Do you find that your PC stick with Celeron Gemini Lake J4125 copes well with the load? Thanks in advance and keep the content coming, some of the best on you tube. Clear skies.
This device is a 5V powered device. It’s possible you could run it off one of the powerbox’s USB ports, or you would need a 12 to 5V converter. As far as prism, while most of the functionality would work, the on-the-fly Astro editing portions would be challenging with this type of Celeron J4125 processor. You likely would be better suited with an intel i5 or i7 processor.
I Velcro mount mine to the scope, but on the mount or anywhere. Look for my EDPHII video (SharpStar 61EDPH II Astrophotography Telescope Setup - Complete Customization Overview th-cam.com/video/xCde7YH3H7Y/w-d-xo.html) as an example.
I have one of those as well. But it’s for my portable mount and only occasionally. I have so much more control and capability with Nina that I just can’t see not using it. Recovering from passing clouds, syncing my data real time to the network, controlling other home automation, using safety monitors, doing EXOplanet imaging, getting in session push messages, the list goes on and on. But don’t get me wrong. I love that little ASIAir box too. Oh, and I don’t use the ‘stick’ anymore, MeLE Quieter3 lately.
I have a video on using a usb powered miniAP as a local hotspot. Or there is a way to directly connect to windows 10/11 as a hotspot as well. I do suggest looking at my much newer MiniPC videos though as this one is very old. :)
By the way, there are definitely a new series of videos with more powerful mini PCs so just go look at my recent stuff and you may find some more valid updated data. Hope it helps!
@@PatriotAstro hey sorry if I sounded like complaining, HUGE thanks to you compatriot astrowizes who producing great content for all of us!! And I really appreciate your content sir! Since I wrote this I now have my own mini PC with NINA, lots of growing pains in that but now I love it🔭🌌
@@PatriotAstro and oh btw, I think your right about guessing it’s a TH-cam issue: one thing I have noticed lately is that a number of Astro TH-cam videos on my iPhone in app ARE sometimes significantly limiting the streaming size, but not on bigger devices (laptop etc). For vids with screen recording with small print like these that makes it impossible
Chad,
You are a very talented instructor. It seems to come natural to you to make a well thought out and organized presentation. We're lucky you're into our hobby.
I appreciate it, thank you! Make sure you watch the newer build video that I just put out though. It’s more up-to-date. :-) I might’ve put it out within the last two weeks.
Extremely well organized and detailed content. Not very iften we came across the AP setup related videos. Tips for Windows optimisation for AP are extremely useful.
Thanks! Let me know if you have questions!
Thanks for a great instructional video. I search for several days on a "How-To" on setup and control of a mini PC and then I came upon your video and TH-cam channel. Boy was I missing out. I keep hearing about how fantastic NINA is but have had problems just taking single shot. I will certainly study your videos on NINA since I am certain they will have the details I need to make it work. Excellent job!!!!
Reach out if you end up with questions.
I’ve just discovered this channel recently. Has become my favorite astro channel quickly . Great content. Keep ‘me coming.
Thanks! I'll be publishing more soon. I have a bunch in process. Life got in the way and I had to get a couple kids off to college, THEN the clouds got in the way ... for over a month. :)
This is a fantastic video and an even better idea. Following Chad's videos, equipment recommendations and personal communication, I now have a completely remote astro rig that I can control the entire imaging process from inside making it that much more enjoyable. His information is accurate, to the point and well presented. I strongly suggest that everyone watching, like his videos and subscribe to his channel. Thanks Chad!
So happy you took the plunge! I can't wait to hear about your first remote imaging session!
I love your channel, you deserve so much more subscribers and recognition. Your videos are organized, well explained, everyting is made for us to understand well. I was thinking about getting a lighter setup without having 1 entire laptop outside. Thank you so much for your work. Even if your videos have "small" view counts, they REALLY help the ones watching.
Thank you for the kind words. Hope the videos continue to help you get where you want to be!
Just bought a new mini pc for my rig - thank you for this straight forward and easy to follow tutorial.
Glad to help!
Just set up a second mini pc. Once again this video was a valuable asset. Thanks again!
Glad to help!
Man, I wish I had watched this about two weeks ago before I bought my mini pc and started getting it set up. Will be watching it again and again. Looks like you have some other (newer) ones as well that I will probably check out as well. Thanks for the info.
Thanks for another great: clear, concise, detailed how to video.
Thanks!
Thank you for your video!! I ended up doing exactly the same thing and it works perfectly🙏 Doing astrophotography at -28°C in Quebec sitting by the fire place is something else. I follow your N.I.N.A. serie as well. Great job!!!
Yes! Being able to stay warm means more imaging nights and even more hours per night. Fireplace Astrophotography is the only way to go!
I am a PC nerd, so this is not difficult for me. I like the idea very much and originally wanted to use a miniPC. This stick PC will make my imaging a breeze - not just for cold nights - I have hot Summer and even after sunset, the heat is still unbearble (plus the mosquitos) - before remote control I need to put on mosquito repellant and need a wet towel to wipe my sweat - now am remotely controlling my gears t, and I can set the gear up (check the focus, balance and the polar alighment) and run back into my air-conditioned room, with a cold drink and watch the sequence running on NINA where it is comfortable.
Yes! 100% yes! I always say that the number one thing you need to have, even before a telescope, is patience. :) When you can be inside and comfortable, my patience seems to last a lot longer. LOL
@@PatriotAstro I am starting to use NINA with the advanced sequences - after using NINA I can't go back to BackyardEOS. I have considered buying ZWO ASIPRO, but with this StickPC, it can control any brands of camera, I won't need ASIPRO.
@@yellowlynx Exactly. I like the freedom of being able to run any version of software and any type of hardware I want at any time. With that being said, there are a lot of people that benefit from other turn-key packages. But for you and me, this makes the most sense.
I recently bought a Nipogi stick pc with Celeron J4125 which is more suited for computing over Celeron N or Atom. It comes with Win10 Pro but I put ubuntu mate and indigo on it and it works great with my iexos-100 mount. For linux it needed to add the driver for the wifi chipset (realtek 8821cu).
This has become my go to astro channel for sure. Very well thought out instruction. I just got a NUC8i5BEK and this just made it a piece of cake to get it set up. Also, the video on NINA auto focus is a must see.
Thanks so much for the nice words. I'm glad it is helping! Clear Skies!
I have two Intel NUCs that are less than a year old. EQMOD does not recognize the COM port on either NUC. My seven-year old HP laptop connects to my HEQ5 PRO with no problem and I can control the mount via the Remote Desk Top from my living room with no problems at all. Did you have any issues with the the NUC not working with EQMOD? I am at a loss right now because I do not have a clue on what to do. All the drivers have been downloaded and installed everything seems to check out okay until I fire up EQMOD and that is when is freezes the entire system. COM port is not recognized. Any suggestions?
After a couple of frustrating nights out with Kstars/Ekos/StellarMate, I decided to repurpose a small PC to running NINA--between your videos and Cuiv's, I figured I could make it work. And while there's plenty yet to learn, it did work, from the first night out (and there have only been two nights out so far). Plate-solving worked (once I entered the pixel size for my DSLR). Polar alignment worked (which is good, since I have trees to the north, 60° up). Heck, even autofocus on my telephoto lens worked--kind of, anyway; I don't seem to be able to get HFR numbers better than 5.5. The custom horizon works (good, since I'm surrounded by tall trees). The remote copy plugin works, copying captured images to my NAS. It's sending me Telegram messages when an operation fails. It's switching targets when the next target comes up. It's recentering when it loses the target due to clouds (confirmed that plenty last night). Using and adapting your sequence templates, it's like magic. So thanks, for this and many of your other videos.
I do miss the simplicity of installing StellarMateOS, though--download the image file, burn it, done. The installation process for NINA (and everything it depends on) is really a PITA by comparison. But it's manageable. I also miss the app-based control that StellarMate promised (though hasn't quite delivered on)--though Windows Remote Desktop works very well from another computer.
Something I haven't yet figured out (if it's even possible) is how to limit the star atlas to showing only targets that are above your horizon, during darkness--if there's a way to do that, I'd appreciate hearing it.
Thanks!
Thank you so much for this video. It really explained why my cheaper setup wasn't working. I went through and followed your equipment recommendations (ordered the PC stick from your comments) and instructions to the letter. I now have nearly everything working (some issues with NINA connecting to my Nikon). One thing that continues to plague me is powering the PC stick. The instructions refer to using a 12V power supply but the system comes with a 5V 3amp power supply and the internet specs say 5V. I have a power distribution box I made that puts out either 12V or 5V power. The 5V power goes to the USB hub and I ran a usb charging cable from the 5V on the USB to the PC stick (the one you from the link in your comments) yet the device won't power up. I double checked the output and it is set to 5.0V and the voltmeter is reading 5.1V. Changing the setting on my voltage regulator so that the voltmeter reads 5.0V doesn't result in any difference. I was wondering what you were doing for power and if I should be adjusting my voltage regulator up or down accordingly. Still testing things in my garage so currently running the PC stick off of the AC adapter it came with but this will be challenging when I take it outside.
The USB hub will put out 5V but very likely not enough amps. What I recommend is to get a "Buck Converter". As an example, check Amazon for "5V 12V 3A Buck Converter". If you scroll, you will find one that has the right usb connector you need already built in (microUSB If I recall). I think they tend to advertise these for people with "Ring Alarms". You will need to put a connector on the red/black wire end. If not sure how to do that, you can watch my "Simplify your 12V..." video. I may have also shown a similar adapter in my All Sky camera battery box build.
I bought the MeLE PCG02 mini pc stick just for this as well but I found it to be ridiculously slow even though it was running the J4125 quad-core celeron processor with 8GB RAM. For example I wold get only 2.5fps running Stellarium. I suspected the EMMCc storage inside the unit was the culprit and I was correct. I added a SSD to the stick using one of the USB3 ports, installed Windows Pro on it (that was tricky), and the performance for Stellarium jumped to 17fps and RAM usage went down. If I had to do it over again I probably would go for the MeLE Quieter2 fanless pc because it has a wicked fast m.2 NVMe port inside. This would also eliminate the funky workaround to get Windows to boot off an external drive.
I agree completely. I actually have one of those sticks that performs pretty well, but another two that are really slow now and appeared to be EMMC drive related. I’m not sure if it was a faulty batch or just an issue with the ultra small flipprint, but there’s definitely something going on there.
Thank you very much, it worked well, I only had to assign a static IP address on the Mini PC because my Laptop kept loosing connection, the static IP address was set on the Mini PC and its fine now, could not set up my router since I could not remember my password, the Mini PC gets really hot with heavy processing like when Stellarium is open but it works and I can send commands from Stellairum to my AVX mount through CPWI with ctrl +1 instead of using CPWI object database to move mount, just need to keep an eye on it in the summer to make sure it does not overheat, have been remote connecting from inside home and my neighbor dog is happy now, it does not bark all night as he used to when I was out there and my regular Laptop is not all wet after each session :)
LOL - I love a good success story! :)
Hi, thanks for share all your knowledge, I love your channel. I try this setup 3 months ago, but have some issues with the camera or the mini PC, can you help me ? I try a lot of crazy solutions but I can't find a solution yet. Thanks.
Go to my youtube about page and locate my email. That will be the easiest way for me to help you with something like this. More room for you to describe the issue and even include images if needed.
Excellent video! Thanks for sharing it! Quick question: during the initial Windows setup, can I use my Microsoft account or I should create a separate account??
Thanks!
You can definitely use any account you like at setup. That's not a problem at all. Let me know how your setup turns out!
Super helpful video, thanks for creating! Looking for ward to more from your channel.
Thanks for checking out the channel!
Hi. Thanks for another nice video. You said avoid atom or celeron N, but it is difficult for me to know which ones could do the job WITHOUT increasing the power consumption too much. THe problem looking for advice is that nobody cares about consumption, and I am looking for a miniPC precisely to increase the autonomy of the whole system. Also, processor models change so quickly that is difficult to know the best suited now. Could you tell us? Cheers
I am using the Celeron J4125 series processor (still shipping in stick and mini PC's now). It is low consumption but still powerful enough for automation.
Thanks a lot, @@PatriotAstro, that is just what I needed. Just found one of those in Amazon. I'll go for it
Just found your channel and watched a couple hours. Thank you for the great content. If you have a ZWO imaging and guide camera, which option for camera do you pick in PHD2 and NINA? I randomly have issues with one program or the other trying to use the wrong camera. Thanks and clear skies!
Imaging camera goes in NINA and the guide-cam goes in PHD2. As long as the phd2 profile is set up right, and the camera is connected via usb before starting the apps, it should be ok. Are you using the ASCOM driver or the ZWO windows driver? That may be the issue, ... use the Windows driver from ZWO and it may be more clear as to what you are connecting since you will see model numbers.
@@PatriotAstro I am automating this as a remote setup. The Windows driver has not worked for me in the past so I have to use the ZWO ASCOM (1) and (2). If I use a different brand guide camera, NINA will start everything and work fine. I want to use the 174mm Mini in the ZWO OAG-L for a better fov than my 290mm mini but I am not buying the 174 until this is sorted out. I am trying again tonight because the forecast looks clear!
Hi, great Video !!I I'm' on my way to setup a mini PC as well to configure and use NINA. the mini PC I have bought has Windows10 OS, not Pro... but anyway I will use something like Nomachine to access to it from my Mac book (I'm full nomad to be far away from the light pollution). My question is : what is the process to follow to be able to start the mini PC and then be automatically connected to the mini router and also passing the Windows lock screen (without any password or pin code to provide) as I will not have a screen connected to the mini PC .... I'm lost and I'm not able to find a solution :(. and I'm not sure that a program as NoMachine is able to be launch automatically as well... if you have any idea for this RDP issue with Windowd10 I will be happy. Thanks a lot.
First, If you can update your OS to Win10 Pro, your life will be much easier. :) Windows RDP is going to be the easiest and likely best performing way to remote control your Win10 system (MS makes a free RDP client for Mac as well). Within Windows, just make sure you connect to the wifi network and set that SSID/Network to connect automatically. Then, from that point forward, it will autoconnect on bootup if the network is available or becomes available. With RDP, you dont need to bypass login, you simply make the RDP connection and login using that mechanism. So, you need a screen for this first part, but only 1 time. Connect to the system locally and update to Win10 Pro (can buy the key online and activate it), you should also connect to the SSID you want to use and set it to connect automatically. Ok, from this point forward, no screen is needed. The system will boot and detect the SSID/network and auto-connect to it. You will then RDP into that system and login that way. That is it! You now have a remote control session to the remote system. :)
@@PatriotAstro thanks a lot. Done with WinPro and RDP for Mac installed on the Mac book pro. Ok, now I see that my question was useless 😂😂. Thanks a lot for the advice everything looks fine now 👌. I will watch your other videos as well. 👍
@@jeromefuss3548 glad to help!
Hi! Awesome video! How about installing Windows 10 on a Raspberry pi 4? Do you have any experience? Thanks!
I don't, but I know Tom's Hardware posted a couple blogs on running Win10/Win11 on the Pi4. I can't imagine it performs well though. :)
@@PatriotAstro Thank you for the response Chad! I tried to download and install to try it myself but, it's not very user frindly... and i've seen this set up still has lots of incompatibiliies and performance issues... so I give up. Instead I decided to follow your recommendation and buy a mini Stick PC :)
@@urtziodriozola7766 Agreed! This hobby has enough battles... don't go looking for additional ones. :)
Hello Chad. I bought one of those PC sticks. It is from a brand called Nipogi from Amazon. The model is the T6. I managed to instal everything. I run a ZWO mini asi 120, a Asi 294mc, a falcon rotator, a Pegasus pp advanced, a Pegasus DMFC with the motor. All connected perfectly with NINA, except for the asi 294 mc camera. It was not detected. I tried on Sharpcap and the camera wasn't detected. Finally I tried the ZWO camera studio and still same thing happened. I have also a ZWO asi 183 GT which I tried. This camera was not detected as well. So I tried connecting both in my laptop and both cooled cameras worked. I was thinking that perhaps the mini PC is incompatible with cooled cameras.
Here is the model of the PC stick. It is a NIPOGO T6 and the specs are hereinunder. It has 6GB of RAM.
NiPoGi)
Mini PC Stick, Intel Celeron N4000 Compute Stick Windows 10 Pro, 4GB66DDR4 64GB eMMC Small PC Support 4K HDMI, Bluetooth,WiFi, Gigabit Ethernet,
please help if you can. In advance, thank you
great video, very informative. does this set-up with the stickPC work at a dark sky with no wifi access? Is there a way to do screen sharing on a separate computer when out in the field away from a wifi router?
It can, but my preferred method, even in the field, is to use a small wifi router and tether my phone for access. There are alternative software packages you can load on windows 10 to do some amount of direct-connection/sharing, but I haven't used it that way. My video on setting up and using the inexpensive, and very low power, min-wifi device is here if you are interested. th-cam.com/video/v3rdaRtUib8/w-d-xo.html
@@PatriotAstro ah ok, thanks that makes sense, the phone acts the same way as the home wifi network when you're out in the field. Does it use your data plan if you're not pulling things from the internet and only viewing things from one device to another?
@@UVcatastrophe So, the mini AP (mango) I show in that other video is providing the Wifi just like at home. If you also want internet, then you tether the iPhone and it uses your data plan. 2 quick points: 1. You don't need to tether the iPhone for the WiFi part to work (remote control from another machine), that is just for internet access. And 2. I have found recentyl, after making the video on the mango, that actually naming the Wifi network something other than the home network SSID is a bit easier. Just make sure you have tested connectivity and have it all working before heading out!
ah i understand now, great thanks man much appreciate it
I'm not at this level of remote imaging yet, but I'd be interested in knowing how this compares to the ASIAIR. Thanks.
Since this is a full windows 10 system, you have the flexibility to install any software or hardware needed. NINA (1.10 or 1.11), APT, SharpCap, development builds of PHD2, allsky camera software, etc - even solitaire or minesweeper if you are bored. :) It is a windows machine so you need to patch it and run it yourself so it may be a little more complex than ASIAIR but with a great deal more flexibility to run any software or hardware you choose to run. I still like what ASIAIR does in a simple and small form-factor, but I prefer the flexibility of this solution.
perfect video.. i also will use it with wifi.. have 2 taks epsilons and to much cables.. thanks for your it.. best regards from austria
Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching.
yep. you rock!
:) Let me know how it all works out for you!
great video! if you can log in remotely with RDP using user name and password, do you really need to assign a static IP?
Subtle difference. I could assign a "Static IP" which is a hard-coded IP assigned directly to the adapter in Windows. In this case, I am instead using a "Static DHCP IP Reservation" in my WiFi AP that allows me to still ensure I get the IP I want to assign, but gives me the flexibility to change this in the AP at a later date should I ever choose to re-address my home network, etc. Otherwise, to change the IP of the device (if using a static IP), I would need to get into the PC directly to make the modification which may require a monitor, keyboard, etc. Either way, you can only connect to the device via RDP if your other computer 'knows' how to connect to it. So, you either need to know the IP that will be assigned (cannot be random) or ensure you can resolve the name of the computer on the network to its current IP address. You will never be prompted for a username/password if you can't reach it. :)
@UCseG-DoDDPoNgGSetelRQDw Mostly just form factor and maybe some extra USB if I recall. From a storage perspective, NVMe does have benefits like storage capacity and read/write speed when compared to eMMC. This comes at a cost of power consumption though. If power is a concern, like when running on battery in the field, the stick may be a better choice. If running on AC power for the most part, then the other form may be better. There are so many similar models clogging up this lower-end space and they are all quite similar, especially if you have no intention or need to upgrade any components.
@@PatriotAstro I think ill keep the quieter2, I like the no antenna and form factor and no HMDI sticking out. its a $20 difference with the same 8gb, 128gb. do you think its worth getting the nvme? WD blue for $50 if power consumption it not issue? will the NVMe improve the imaging session somehow? faster saving of the light frames? ASIAIR is emmc too but its not windows.
@@jrmariano02 I'd hold off on the NVMe and only add it later if you started having issues. I often write my session off to USB just to make it more portable and I've never had an issue with that. You might find you could use that $50 somewhere else in the rig. :)
@@PatriotAstro the Mele mini pc has a warning not to use a power adapter with PD control. I have a PPB advance V2. do you think its ok to power the mini PC with the PPB advance V2? I need a 12v usb c to 2.1mm x 5.5mm adapter though
Great video. It's definitely an attractive alternative to using my full size laptop at the mount. I'm going to give the remote setup a try as I'm currently setup and see how it goes before I drop another $350 (stickPC+Win10Pro upgrade).
PS: You're going to bankrupt me. Battery Box, All-Sky camera, and now a MiniPC for portability at the mount!
Sorry! ;) Hey, the stick I purchased had windows 10 pro already. Double check on that part, you shouldn’t have an additional cost for that. See, now I’m saving money. It’s all perspective.
@@PatriotAstro The stick PC probably does have Win10 Pro but both my home laptops only have Win10 Home. I'd have to upgrade one of those for the RDP. I've been using Chrome Remote Desktop and it works very well but I'm 95% sure it requires a full internet connection. That works at home but might not work as well in the field with limited cell phone signal.
@@psuaero100 ah, got it. ;)
This is a great video and very informative. However, I am not sure how you turn on the RDP on the MiniPC/Stick PC. Once you power up the Stick PC you have to have a monitor and a keyboard to be able to start the Remote process and then start your remote on the main PC. Once this is done you can use the RDP. That means I would have to leave to Stick PC on all the time in order to connect to it. Once it is turned off one needs to start it up using the monitor and keyboard to get the connections again? Is this correct? Or is there another way of doing this? That would mean I have to work first with two monitors and keyboards before I can start remotely working??
Once you enable the RDP service, it automatically starts with the computer. It will be available in the system once booted and will automatically connect to Wi-Fi and be ready. You just have to wait for it to come up on the network.
@@PatriotAstro Thanks for your reply. I didn’t know this and now it makes sense to use the RDP.
@@peterfassler9856 no problem, let me know if you end up with additional questions.
Hi I have a MeLE Fanless Mini PC Quieter2 with built in Memory 8GB,128GB eMMC Storage, and I was wondering if the eMMC storage would be a problem?
It is possible to upgrade to M.2 NVMe/ SATA 2280 SSD but I would prefer to use my money on other equipment.
I haven't had a problem with the built-in storage or using either mini-SD Card or mini-USB as well. I think you'll be fine but give it a shot first and see. I too prefer to save my money for other 'needed' gear over just more storage. :)
Thanks, great videos, keep them coming.
That’s the plan! ;)
did you get the quieter2 and upgraded to nvme?
@@jrmariano02 I used it as it was directly out of the box. Never upgraded.
I definitevely think it's the most comprehensive tutorial, even it's a pity to reduce it in less thatn 30 minutes :-( Anyway, very complete stuff! Thank you.
Thank you! ...and, I can completely understand your point. My thought with videos like this is that because they include so many pieces of software, it can be easily considered outdated once a 1 or 2 components have upgraded versions available. I think there is so much value in the planning part, that I wanted planning and the overall process to be the primary focus. Thanks for watching!
Hi. I followed your instructions to the letter and all went well until I tried to control my equipment with NINA on the miniPC. The IOptron mount interface connected properly using Auto USB port detection. None of the other components coming out of the Pegasus Powerbox Advance V2 (camera, Pegasus Cube V2 focuser and guide scope) connect in NINA with error messages related to unrecognized USB ports. Advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
I'm not certain but I would think the next place to check would be in windows within Device Manager. In device manager, go to ports and look to see what COM ports are connected. It may be best to only connect 1 device at a time so it is easy to identify which device maps to each com port. Also, make sure you have all device drivers loaded. Most usb devices have windows drivers, possibly ASCOM drivers, and maybe even serial device drivers.
?, in this tutorial you are showing how install all software in a client (home) Pc (I just have), but how install the ascom alpaca server on mini pc o in raspberry? the concept is to have all software on home pc, and use one little server only for communication with ccd, mount etc. as I do with indi and ekos.
Great video, congrats!
I was wondering if Quieter 2 would be a better option than the pc-stick because the voltage allows a better performance of the processor (12V-2A = 24W). I suppose that it will have higher consumption than the pc-stick (i guess 5V-3A=15W but 12,8W real). Did you decide for this reason? What do you recommend? Thank you
I honestly don't think it matters as it relates to power input. The reality is that the voltage could fluctuate and the device with still function as intended especially if battery powered and not on a voltage regulator of some sort. So voltage may range from 11.2v to 14.1v based on the power source attached. From my personal monitoring of my miniPC's and StickPC's, they never get close to requiring full power. They are often sitting around 1W or a little above that. I am running my telescope and imaging only, and not processing... Heavy processing would almost certainly require more watts, but i couldn't recommend these devices for processing of astro. :) As long as it stays close to the specs I mention in the video, I say get the best price you can on something that is physically mountable where you need it. Clear Skies! and thank you for watching and the very nice comment!
@@PatriotAstro Thank you! I got this opinion from the following review (th-cam.com/video/WoMYCIf6_u0/w-d-xo.html) in which they benchmarked the pc-stick. I get a clearer idea with your comment. I will continue to listen to your videos!
@ Makes sense. I am definitely NOT gaming or doing any heavy processing on my PC stick so I guess I just haven't hit any walls on processing and performance. The J series 4-thread capable sticks seem to do a great job without issue, ... for me anyway. :)
Thanks again Chad. Been using NINA with a SFF, Win 10 Pro PC connected to the Obsy with a USB 3.0 repeater. Just ordered a Beelink GK mini 8GB based on the Celeron Gemini Lake J4125 in order to combat, image download failures and random focuser disconnects. Do you find that your PC stick with Celeron Gemini Lake J4125 copes well with the load? Thanks in advance and keep the content coming, some of the best on you tube. Clear skies.
Yes, so far no issues.
@@PatriotAstro Many thanks that's great
hello at all, can you tell me if it's works with Ultimate Powerbox v2, with PRISM SOFTWARE, thanks in advance
This device is a 5V powered device. It’s possible you could run it off one of the powerbox’s USB ports, or you would need a 12 to 5V converter. As far as prism, while most of the functionality would work, the on-the-fly Astro editing portions would be challenging with this type of Celeron J4125 processor. You likely would be better suited with an intel i5 or i7 processor.
Where do you put the stick pc when being used?
I Velcro mount mine to the scope, but on the mount or anywhere. Look for my EDPHII video (SharpStar 61EDPH II Astrophotography Telescope Setup - Complete Customization Overview
th-cam.com/video/xCde7YH3H7Y/w-d-xo.html) as an example.
@@PatriotAstro Thank you. I am thinking of making a 3d printed mount to go on a 2" tripod and tripier. Velcro will work for now.
teh Mini ap you mention.. Does that mean there is a phone ap to control the mini pc?
Not really, although you can remote control the windows pc from your phone if you add an RDP capable application to your phone (Remote Desktop).
Is windows Lot ok or is windows 10 pro better
"Lot"? Was that supposed to be IoT? Maybe... I've never tried honestly. I know 10Pro works though. :)
Simplify your life. Use ASI Air Plus.
I have one of those as well. But it’s for my portable mount and only occasionally. I have so much more control and capability with Nina that I just can’t see not using it. Recovering from passing clouds, syncing my data real time to the network, controlling other home automation, using safety monitors, doing EXOplanet imaging, getting in session push messages, the list goes on and on. But don’t get me wrong. I love that little ASIAir box too. Oh, and I don’t use the ‘stick’ anymore, MeLE Quieter3 lately.
What if you are in remote place and no internet.
I have a video on using a usb powered miniAP as a local hotspot. Or there is a way to directly connect to windows 10/11 as a hotspot as well. I do suggest looking at my much newer MiniPC videos though as this one is very old. :)
@@PatriotAstro Great. I cannot find it. I see 4 parts. Is it? Where is it? What about method with router, but not hot spot?
What’s with the terrible 360p resolution on this??!! Barely legible is an understatement, sadly!
It is an older video, but should be available well above 360 P. Might’ve been a TH-cam issue at the time
By the way, there are definitely a new series of videos with more powerful mini PCs so just go look at my recent stuff and you may find some more valid updated data. Hope it helps!
@@PatriotAstro hey sorry if I sounded like complaining, HUGE thanks to you compatriot astrowizes who producing great content for all of us!! And I really appreciate your content sir! Since I wrote this I now have my own mini PC with NINA, lots of growing pains in that but now I love it🔭🌌
@@PatriotAstro and oh btw, I think your right about guessing it’s a TH-cam issue: one thing I have noticed lately is that a number of Astro TH-cam videos on my iPhone in app ARE sometimes significantly limiting the streaming size, but not on bigger devices (laptop etc). For vids with screen recording with small print like these that makes it impossible