iOptron iPolar 4+

Sometimes I have problems getting my mac to recognize the connection to it (it's an iPolar embedded in a CEM40, there's some janky stuff going on with the USB connection routed through the mount). But when it works, it works pretty well! When I do the proper image centering workflow alignment and get it spot on, the alignment returned usually gets me ~0.7" RMS errors at most.

I bought a new CEM26 mount with a built-in iPolar. I tried using the Windows version of the iPolar app but, although I have a clear view to Polaris, there is a tree in the cameras field of view and the app sees the tree as dozens of stars that appear and disapear. I tried to use the Mask feature but it is VERY erratic and won't let me mask anything in the lower half of the screen. I learned that there was a MAC version of the iPolar app and was hoping that it worked better. After shelling out the $9.99 to buy it I discovered that it doesn't even have the masking feature. What a waste of $9.99.

iPolar: 2-minute polar alignments with ~ 1 arcmin of PA error... every time. Amazing.

The software works well, but could use some convenience features.

First, it would be amazing if it would use your current location from your Mac to look up lat/long, temperature and pressure. I have three iPolar rigs that I move between home and my dark-sky site, and it's tedious to re-enter the same data 3 times. At the very least, allow us to set up Saved Sites so we can customize only the changes (like temp and pressure).

Second, we need support for using multiple iPolar cameras with a single Mac. With 3 rigs, I need to clear/re-take dark frames and re-determine the center of each camera sensor every time. Ideally iPolar could uniquely identity iPolar cameras, but if not then at least let us set up and manage them as separate devices. Either way, the darks and sensor center point would be stored with each discreet device.

These two changes would be amazing. I have a 4th iPolar rig on the way, and it would seriously help to be able to PA them more quickly.