Good review; thanks for sharing. Unfortunately, I see Celestron as stuck in the 90s. They have great OTA's, but they are basically all from an era of innovation that has carried them forward to today. Now, Celestron manages its bottom line, which is not customer satisfaction. If you wanted to see ways Celestron could innovate, look no further than the origin. They could have built a mount, portable computer, and sensor lineup, which could have competed well in the market. Still, instead of doing the material, software, and hardware engineering, they slapped a few things they had lying around that no one was going to buy and made what amounts to a package deal which they marketed as an intelligent telescope. I like that you broke out all of the issues and documented all of your steps. Well done!
Thank you! That sounds all very plausible. Especially when considered that they could have known about the issues and I fear it seemed not important enough to make this thing really as easy and customer friednly as promised. What a good way it would be to bind people to Celestron if you really could put this thing on it would work like promised and you would have sold a mount and this thing together. This way it's just: next time I'll propably bet on another horse
@@WitscherLast summer I bet on another horse: ZWO AM5 and ASI Air Plus. The $899 device from Celestron had been announced but who knew when it would actually be available. So I went with what I described above and am glad I did. It works superbly with my Redcat 61, and I’ve found it works very well with my Celestron C6. Seeing the issues you’ve found really reinforces my decision.
@@ABCMO-bl5pi absolutely! That was indeed a good decision. Yes, ASI AIR was always tempting to buy. I would have bought it if there were'nt the regular public observation nights. Just for those the SSAG seemed like the perfect helper. Sadly it isn't as it looks right now.
my friend you are right on point with this review. i bought it did all the firmware update and have only used it twice....NOT as easy as they sold it to be.
I recently bought the star sense to go with my CGX mount. To be honest I haven't had a chance to put it to full use. Now I can't speak for other telescope mounts but I did not encounter the same issues as discussed in the video when I used the Celestron CGX mount. Ok covering the points mentioned in the video: 1: I did have concerns when I first read the instructions about changing the bracket. Thankfully I didn't do any harm when I switched around the bracket. When I later tested the SSAG after sun down it was able to successfully polar align without any problem. Note: as it states in the instructions if it goes out of focus you will receive the "No Stars!" error message. 2: Prior to testing the Star sense/CGX combo I made sure I did the necessary firmware updates as was suggested in the documentation so this was not an issue. After connecting everything, the CGX mount recognized the Star Sense without issue. 3: I agree about the USB cable that one should be included. Fortunately I had one stashed away in a draw with all my other thousands of cables I have collected over the years but this should come standard with the either the CGX mount or the Star Sense. 4: The CFM software link is listed in the documentation or as suggested in the video a Google search for Celestron CFM will be the first hit. So this wasn't an issue for me. As for the Java runtime environment (JRE), I guess I am still stuck in the 2010's as my PC has it installed. Even so Celestron should mention that you need JRE in the documentation although looking at the _ReadMe.txt file of the CFM software it does state this. 5: Doing the actual firmware update using CFM was a little confusing but it seemed to handle the detection easily enough, and yes you do need to press the Update button. It doesn't automatically do it unfortunately, maybe this is to give you one last chance to check what you are doing before you do the update? Not sure. As I mentioned earlier I can't speak for any other mount but I had no issue polar aligning with the CGX mount. Following the step by step prompts with the hand controller made the task very easy and was able to align within a few minutes. 6: For fun part no 6. since I did not have any issue with the star sense focus I can't comment on this part. For me the biggest concern was the potential focusing issue that could have occurred when I swapped the mounting bracket. I think it would be better to have a mounting bracket that can be swapped easily without having to unscrew the SSAG housing. This would eliminate the potential problem with focusing and having to use CPWI software to refocus the SSAG.
@@blackrain1708 I'm happy to hear that your ssag does it's job properly. I made no progress sadly. The mount only works perfectly without the auto align function I bought the ssag for. At least the guiding works well. Yes, absolutely, the kind of bracket youre describing would be so much better and it should be managebale to deliver one that doesnt need the detachement. I'll try the alignment process soon with another avx but I don't want to reset everything in the observatory bc that one aligns so good rn with 3 star alignment. It saves the position of the objects in the sky and finds them directly - even without slewing much.
I agree completely. It is good to see a review like this. I thought I was the only one who was having trouble. I also agree on the software. USB to Serial drivers, Java, comm port issues... seriously? I'm surprised I don't need Prodigy and ICQ as well.
I have a SSAG and love it. You dont mention doing the autoguider Callibration which may be the source of some of your problems. Trying to learn the Celestron firmware update process and CPWI at the same time as the SSAG is a lot to absorb but it does all work together.
The truth is, this isn't actually a Celestron product. It's another version of the "StarAid Revolution." Celestron purchased the rights, made some minor adjustments, and rebranded it under their name. So, it’s no surprise if the issues with this product are fixed very slowly.
the autoguider has been the most frustrating purchase. I find myself using my dob with astrohopper more than my 9.25 evo, even when it does work the tracking is horrible. I was told to not update the firmware via CFM, that you have to plug into the camera via USB-C, download the windows driver, then use the url to download the firmware. It works better after that but the tracking is still not good enough.
I said no to any Celestron electronics after owning the CGX mount. I'm not at all surprised by the issues with the SSAG, and I haven't seen anyone happy with this product. Many topics have been created, and there are no answers. Celestron has abandoned it to create a new pile of junk called Origin
Wow! I thought I was the only one not able to make the damn thing work properly. I have a CGX and a CPC. The CPC needed a Beta file to work, and Celestron provided it, but I had no idea how to get it to load into the handcontrol so I didn't try the SSAG on the CPC again until a few months later when Celestron had the correct software on the CPM site. OK, good, should work. Not so fast. It seemed to load, the SSAG was recognized, but would not guide properly. Enough of that. Then I used it on my CGX (which I seem to have a periodic glitch where one of the motors seems to "run away" momentarily.) But the SSAG worked well and guided....for a while. Now when I take it out to the desert, it does not automatically align, and requires me to align the CGX first, then I go to the SSAG and try a Polar Alignment. Seems to work and off and on will take me to my object the next time I go to Precise Go To. But if it does not, I need to use the Center Calibration to pull the object into the center of my view. That guides well then. But may or may not get me precisely to the next object. And this is "easier?"
@@tomc8608 that sounds very similar to my experiences. I tried it again, it looks for stars under the horizon and says alignment successful then. It's not the focus, i could check this in the meantime. So It's overall a system not holding what it promises. I'll send it back. Btw, I can't ue it just for guiding. After an alignment of my mount I tried to activate it for guiding but then it wants a new alignment - wgich will not work. Even if itvwould, I will not pay 900€ for guiding only which costs me 300€ with a good scope and zwo cam.
Great review. Sorry, same sad experiences here on AVX and Star Sense I, binned after power switch burn-out. Now I use the Tripod on an AM5 mount. Celestron should go the same way as Mead... bankrupt!
I have to admit I still have some love for Celestron products but this was the first time I rly got angry. Problems are'nt solved yet. What you've experienced is a very good reason to switch completely.
Good review; thanks for sharing. Unfortunately, I see Celestron as stuck in the 90s. They have great OTA's, but they are basically all from an era of innovation that has carried them forward to today. Now, Celestron manages its bottom line, which is not customer satisfaction. If you wanted to see ways Celestron could innovate, look no further than the origin. They could have built a mount, portable computer, and sensor lineup, which could have competed well in the market. Still, instead of doing the material, software, and hardware engineering, they slapped a few things they had lying around that no one was going to buy and made what amounts to a package deal which they marketed as an intelligent telescope. I like that you broke out all of the issues and documented all of your steps. Well done!
Thank you! That sounds all very plausible. Especially when considered that they could have known about the issues and I fear it seemed not important enough to make this thing really as easy and customer friednly as promised. What a good way it would be to bind people to Celestron if you really could put this thing on it would work like promised and you would have sold a mount and this thing together. This way it's just: next time I'll propably bet on another horse
@@WitscherLast summer I bet on another horse: ZWO AM5 and ASI Air Plus. The $899 device from Celestron had been announced but who knew when it would actually be available. So I went with what I described above and am glad I did. It works superbly with my Redcat 61, and I’ve found it works very well with my Celestron C6. Seeing the issues you’ve found really reinforces my decision.
@@ABCMO-bl5pi absolutely! That was indeed a good decision. Yes, ASI AIR was always tempting to buy. I would have bought it if there were'nt the regular public observation nights. Just for those the SSAG seemed like the perfect helper. Sadly it isn't as it looks right now.
my friend you are right on point with this review. i bought it did all the firmware update and have only used it twice....NOT as easy as they sold it to be.
I recently bought the star sense to go with my CGX mount. To be honest I haven't had a chance to put it to full use. Now I can't speak for other telescope mounts but I did not encounter the same issues as discussed in the video when I used the Celestron CGX mount.
Ok covering the points mentioned in the video:
1: I did have concerns when I first read the instructions about changing the bracket. Thankfully I didn't do any harm when I switched around the bracket. When I later tested the SSAG after sun down it was able to successfully polar align without any problem. Note: as it states in the instructions if it goes out of focus you will receive the "No Stars!" error message.
2: Prior to testing the Star sense/CGX combo I made sure I did the necessary firmware updates as was suggested in the documentation so this was not an issue. After connecting everything, the CGX mount recognized the Star Sense without issue.
3: I agree about the USB cable that one should be included. Fortunately I had one stashed away in a draw with all my other thousands of cables I have collected over the years but this should come standard with the either the CGX mount or the Star Sense.
4: The CFM software link is listed in the documentation or as suggested in the video a Google search for Celestron CFM will be the first hit. So this wasn't an issue for me.
As for the Java runtime environment (JRE), I guess I am still stuck in the 2010's as my PC has it installed. Even so Celestron should mention that you need JRE in the documentation although looking at the _ReadMe.txt file of the CFM software it does state this.
5: Doing the actual firmware update using CFM was a little confusing but it seemed to handle the detection easily enough, and yes you do need to press the Update button. It doesn't automatically do it unfortunately, maybe this is to give you one last chance to check what you are doing before you do the update? Not sure.
As I mentioned earlier I can't speak for any other mount but I had no issue polar aligning with the CGX mount. Following the step by step prompts with the hand controller made the task very easy and was able to align within a few minutes.
6: For fun part no 6. since I did not have any issue with the star sense focus I can't comment on this part.
For me the biggest concern was the potential focusing issue that could have occurred when I swapped the mounting bracket. I think it would be better to have a mounting bracket that can be swapped easily without having to unscrew the SSAG housing. This would eliminate the potential problem with focusing and having to use CPWI software to refocus the SSAG.
@@blackrain1708 I'm happy to hear that your ssag does it's job properly. I made no progress sadly. The mount only works perfectly without the auto align function I bought the ssag for. At least the guiding works well. Yes, absolutely, the kind of bracket youre describing would be so much better and it should be managebale to deliver one that doesnt need the detachement.
I'll try the alignment process soon with another avx but I don't want to reset everything in the observatory bc that one aligns so good rn with 3 star alignment. It saves the position of the objects in the sky and finds them directly - even without slewing much.
I agree completely. It is good to see a review like this. I thought I was the only one who was having trouble. I also agree on the software. USB to Serial drivers, Java, comm port issues... seriously? I'm surprised I don't need Prodigy and ICQ as well.
@@briangleeson1528 haha exactly 😄
I have a SSAG and love it. You dont mention doing the autoguider Callibration which may be the source of some of your problems. Trying to learn the Celestron firmware update process and CPWI at the same time as the SSAG is a lot to absorb but it does all work together.
The truth is, this isn't actually a Celestron product. It's another version of the "StarAid Revolution." Celestron purchased the rights, made some minor adjustments, and rebranded it under their name. So, it’s no surprise if the issues with this product are fixed very slowly.
Oh ok, I didn't know that. Interesting!
the autoguider has been the most frustrating purchase. I find myself using my dob with astrohopper more than my 9.25 evo, even when it does work the tracking is horrible. I was told to not update the firmware via CFM, that you have to plug into the camera via USB-C, download the windows driver, then use the url to download the firmware. It works better after that but the tracking is still not good enough.
@@jonathon9739 thanks for sharing your experience with the ssag. Seems like I'm not the only unsatisfied user.
I said no to any Celestron electronics after owning the CGX mount. I'm not at all surprised by the issues with the SSAG, and I haven't seen anyone happy with this product. Many topics have been created, and there are no answers. Celestron has abandoned it to create a new pile of junk called Origin
Wow! I thought I was the only one not able to make the damn thing work properly. I have a CGX and a CPC. The CPC needed a Beta file to work, and Celestron provided it, but I had no idea how to get it to load into the handcontrol so I didn't try the SSAG on the CPC again until a few months later when Celestron had the correct software on the CPM site. OK, good, should work. Not so fast. It seemed to load, the SSAG was recognized, but would not guide properly. Enough of that. Then I used it on my CGX (which I seem to have a periodic glitch where one of the motors seems to "run away" momentarily.) But the SSAG worked well and guided....for a while. Now when I take it out to the desert, it does not automatically align, and requires me to align the CGX first, then I go to the SSAG and try a Polar Alignment. Seems to work and off and on will take me to my object the next time I go to Precise Go To. But if it does not, I need to use the Center Calibration to pull the object into the center of my view. That guides well then. But may or may not get me precisely to the next object. And this is "easier?"
@@tomc8608 that sounds very similar to my experiences. I tried it again, it looks for stars under the horizon and says alignment successful then. It's not the focus, i could check this in the meantime. So It's overall a system not holding what it promises. I'll send it back. Btw, I can't ue it just for guiding. After an alignment of my mount I tried to activate it for guiding but then it wants a new alignment - wgich will not work. Even if itvwould, I will not pay 900€ for guiding only which costs me 300€ with a good scope and zwo cam.
Great review. Sorry, same sad experiences here on AVX and Star Sense I, binned after power switch burn-out. Now I use the Tripod on an AM5 mount. Celestron should go the same way as Mead... bankrupt!
I have to admit I still have some love for Celestron products but this was the first time I rly got angry. Problems are'nt solved yet. What you've experienced is a very good reason to switch completely.