Computer

This page will handle the computer that is the beating heart of the system.

Basically you have sort of 2 options, either connect all equipment to your home computer or use a dedicated server-ish computer system that holds all hard and software needed. The first option needs you to select software (quite a bit of it) and not all of it is suitable for cross platform usage so you are in some cases bound to your Windows, Mac or Linux. On top of that you need a powerbox/USB hub
The second option is a small piece of hardware that you mount on your scope setup and that you connect all your equipment to. That hardware houses a system that lets you do all needed.

And here things may get tricky...
On your computer with all the separate software you are able to define whatever equipment you want to use. On those server-ish thingies you may run into limitations as there are lists of supported equipment that are more limited than to what you may find in the separate software on your computer: you miss something or just don't like it then move over to something else. Once you use a server-ish thing you get stuck.
A serious issue I ran into was with the process of autofocusing.

The four more known types of server-ish types are the Ikarus Stellarmate and the ZWO ASI Air and the Prima Luci lab Eagle and the Touptec StellaVita.
Watch this video of Nico Carver for a good introduction on the first three.
Watch this video of Cosmic Curiosity for a good comparison between the ASI Air Plus and the StellaVita.

ZWO ASI Air

You tell it what your current configuration is and you go. That's it.
One little thing: this is a closed system only for ZWO equipment. It does except a wide range of mounts though BUT(T)... the same story as with the Stellarmate: if the manufacturer doesn't grasp the quirks of a piece of equipment it will fail you! This is the case with my first choice mount the WarpAstron WD17 that runs on OnStep and Onstep just isn't correctly integrated in both the Stellarmate and the ASI Air which really is an OnStep issue.
I chose the ASI Air Plus 256GB as I have an all ZWO setup and I want it to just do its thing and not bother (to much) with all kinds of quirks.

The ASI Air is basically a stripped Stellarmate dedicated to the ZWO ecosystem. I love well thought through ecosystems like the Mac for which I dumped Windows long ago. Like Steve Jobs said: "It has to work like an appliance" it has to support what you do. So does the ZWO ecosystem. The ASI Air cannot be used from a computer. There is an app interface for iOS and Android and that's it. Data can be transferred via USB-C to a computer though it is able to perform LiveStacking.
The data transfer is slow, shockingly slow if you are used to speeds offered by the Apple Silicon chip but there are two good reasons for that. First of all and most important: the eMMC memory chips are very energy efficient which is paramount when you are out capturing on a battery pack. Second: they are way cheaper than an SSD let alone a fast one. So... two very good reasons to review my first reaction to the transfer speed.

So if ease of use is what you are looking for why not buy a smartscope? A smartscope is one complete assembly that houses everything and has no versatility. Yes that is right but a smartscope has some limitations that I'm not happy with. For one: you can't do visual observations, it can only produce photos via your phone app.

The ZWO ASIAIR Ultimate Guide

ASIair full workflow from setup to result by Dark Rangers Inc.

ZWO software page

ASI Air Plus at Dutch store of Ganymedes

ASI Air Pro versus ASI Air Plus

ASI Air/Pro/Plus by Peter Zelenka

Full basic tutorial ASI Air by Peter Zelenka

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHEg89yIjkE target="_blank"> Full basic tutorial ASI Air Plus (former 32 GB model with Micro SD) by Peter Zelenka

The Stellarmate Pro.

There are some other variants but the Pro is the most extensive/expensive one.
I started with it but read on why I replaced it with an ASI Air Plus.

Short
Leading to online reference
FULL MANUAL

The Stellarmate Pro is a full blown computer dedicated to astrophotography. The beating heart is a Raspberry Pi and there my knowledge ends immediately. It offers Kstars and INDI and Ekos, offers manymanymany ports so you can connect whatever you want and it can be managed from a web interface on any browser via your home wifi or via its own hotspot or directly hardwired with a monitor, keyboard and mouse. It is versatile as can be. There is an app for Apple and Android so you can manage your sessions from your phone or tablet as well.
This computer can store up to 256GB of images and video and that is a nice thing as it is capable of live stacking and that can deliver quite some files.

That sounds terrific. It is. At least... the concept is.

It has issues. Many issues. Very irritating issues. BUT it has a designer/manufacturer that is absolutely passionately dedicated to it. Issue a problem ticket and within hours he fixes what went wrong via a Rustdesk connection. As all my stuff except for my mount is from ZWO I keep an eye open to the ASI Air which essentially is a Stellarmate that only excepts ZWO electronics except for mounts. If the Stellarmate Pro keeps generating issues the ASI Air is definitely in my sights. For now it still gets the benefit of the doubt.

MANY MANY MANY PROBLEMS with the Stellarmate Pro:
Discord Problem Page

Maybe if you want to get to learn a Raspberry Pi's ins and outs and all and only the software on it, this is for you. But to me it proved unstable despite all support. And it supports equipment that is not yet fully understood by manufacturer Ikarus resulting in even more instability.