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| Is there any real advantages of using a paid software like Voyager, instead of the free NINA? |
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No. I have both for my remote telescope. There may be some edge cases where Voyager may be better suited but NINA 3.0 is capable of pretty much every function Voyager is and then some. Not so long ago Voyagers main selling point for me was it's safety monitor capabilities but NINA has matched that as well. Voyager is a fine program but it is imo quite dated and full of small annoyances. NINA does things you just can't do in Voyager unless you pay for the Advanced version which last time I checked is $500+ USD. |
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Hey! I'm using Voyager (not advanced) + Viking for 2 years now and I'm happy with it. The biggest plus is the DragScript as I have fully automated schedule of my Roll-Off remote observatory. The WebUI is also a nive thing to have as I usually have tablet opened and I can see what's going on during imaging session. I've never used NINA but as far as I know it has some sort of automation scripting. Feel free to ask any questions regarding Voyager so I can help  |
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Voyager Array works better for me for two scopes. Voyager advanced is awesome for scheduling if you have a fixed setup - NiNA has a comparable plugin but that pales in comparison. Personally, I find support via Discord a mess, but that‘s a matter of taste more than of functionality. When I had any problem, support by Leonardo Orrazi has always been extremely quick. He also implemented quite a few functions that I asked for. |
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| If you are remote and trying to automate things night after night, Voyager is exceptional : it just always works, never crashes. Dragscript is superb in my view. I tried NiNA and didn’t like it |
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If you are remote and trying to automate things night after night, Voyager is exceptional : it just always works, never crashes. Dragscript is superb in my view. I tried NiNA and didn’t like it Thanks Fredd! May I ask you why didn´t you like NiNA? |
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This is my production sequence on the remote rig. Full automation complete with error handling, notifications, and perpetual mode all in a compact and easy to edit format. There used to be a huge gap in functionality favoring Voyager but those days are over. NINA has come a very long way especially in the last 6 months or so. If you do go the NINA route and need help I'd be happy to. If you go the Voyager route I could also share my DragScript with you. |
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I started the automation dance a long time ago when Meridian Flip was a huge thing to perform. I started with SGP and I was successful but focusing was not reliable so I switched to CCDAutopilot to use FocusMax, I was successful but CCDAP had some limitations, hard to add new targets, framing was painful, dated interface, etc. Then I started using NINA, at that time NINA was not a mature piece of software and at that time it had fewer features than SGP, so I rapidly dropped and switched to Voyager. For 2 years I ran a remote rig with Voyager completely unattended, I had a perpetual script that took care of everything, imaging, computer housekeeping, quality assessments, uploading captured files, etc. The last year with that rig, I tried the newly released scheduler and the whole thing became something very close to a service. I hadn't tried enough the recent versions of NINA to be able to pinpoint real limitations, but it looks like NINA one way or another is capable of doing everything that Voyager is capable of. One thing that is very nice about Voyager is reliability, it never, and I mean never crashes. Another nice thing about Voyager is DragScript, with this tool, you can tailor your Image capture to your very specific needs or workflow, no need to adjust your workflow to some templates. One important difference is that Voyager is designed to automate a working system, so, if you try to use Voyager for a casual imaging night or use it to debug a system (collimation, polar alignment, etc) the software might get in the way. Cheers, José |
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Reg Pratt: |
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The standard NINA AF would be comparable to Voyager's LocalField routine. There is a plugin that gives more advanced AF options called Hocus Focus but I have never used it because the standard method has been bullet proof for me. I originally switched from NINA to Voyager Array back in 2021 when NINA briefly lost the ability to synchronize dither. I returned to NINA when that functionality came back. The second time I switched back to Voyager was when set up at a remote observatory because at the time its safety monitor functionality was vastly superior. Then the Sequencer Powerups plugin came out and put NINA right back on par with Voyager. NINA also has a plugin that gives the same functionality as RoboTarget scheduling. If you're planning on running a tandem setup Voyager Array has the edge IMO but for standard automation Voyager Standard and NINA 3 are quite even in functionality and reliability. |
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Jose Mtanous: This is a really good point Jose. I used Voyager for a couple of years without a fixed setup and it was still excellent, but it took a while to get some sort of improvised casual workflow for those shorter nights or ad-hoc stuff. It can seem quite intimidating at first as well but once you've got lots of templates etc it becomes really easy to mange longer multi target sessions (and this was before the newer features). It was always extremely robust, mosaic planning & capture were great, dragscript was awesome too. After a typical UK summer away I found it hard to get back into for a casual session and eventually gravitated towards NINA for a while. Since then the feature set has improved massively with NINA so can understand how they can start to be compared these days. Torben van Hees: I find it exactly the same. I've been put off even asking a question due to the way it works there. I'm surprised some sort of premium paid-for support hasn't been added that generates some revenue to help support the project further. |
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Rafael Sampaio: NINA is excellent, and the fact that it's free is a major plus. It undergoes continuous improvement month by month, and the community is open and welcoming. However, there is room for enhancement in its logging capabilities, and the API interface for communication with other tools could and should be improved Voyager is stable and thoroughly tested, but it suffers from a clunky and outdated user interface. Additionally, its basic version doesn't provide any significant advantages over NINA. Despite having a free forum that is excellent for positive feedback, regrettably, users often experience a patronizing attitude, feeling consistently treated as unintelligent newcomers. |
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Reg Pratt: Is there something in NINA equivalent to Robofocus or FocusMax? Cheers, |
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Jose Mtanous:Reg Pratt: I don't think so. Hocus Focus may be able to but I've never used it so couldn't say. |
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| I stopped using V. when I mentioned in a forum that a particular piece of gear didn't seem to work with the software - it was a request for assistance - and I was thrown off the support forum for spreading misinformation. |
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Jimmy P. J.: This reputation is exactly why, after I downloaded Voyager and NINA, I stuck with NINA. I felt like, if I am paying for software, I am also paying for courteous service; I don't want to feel like using something I am paying for is a privilege. The Voyager interface was off putting too. Plus, while NINA does have advanced sequencing capabilities, the basic sequencer was a perfect transition from SGP and great for casual imaging, which is what I do. I don't have a fixed set up, so don't need a whole lot of complexity. Plus, the add ons in NINA like 3 point alignment and Hocus Focus for tilt and back focus are great. The few times I have needed help, I just posted either here or on CN and people answered by questions. I did not join Discord - I really don't want to join a platform I am not a member of already if I don't need to. |
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I just wish that either of these programs would support auto-focus and guiding through SkyGuard. I'm committed to ONAG and without support, I can't even consider either of these options. John |
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I do ageee with above comments about V. "support" forum; however, Leo is quite responsive when directly emailed to. I stick to Voyager because I got used to it and never ever failed on me, contrary to SGP or Nina. |
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Rodolphe Goldsztejn: So, do you mind sharing what kind of failure did you have with NINA? |
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| Voyager is better suited for remote unattended stations, and its autofocus feature is excellent; NINA 3 has more features (through plugins); both Voyager and NINA can meet the needs of astrophotography well, but it depends on individual usage habits and experience. I use Voyager Advanced for remote shooting and NINA for equipment adjustments. These two pieces of software are already excellent, the key is whether we can proficiently use either of them. |
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Another key difference is support. IME Voyager support is excellent, albeit you have to use the proper channel. An active license includes a couple of scheduled calls with the main developer, and unlimited email messaging. Cheers, |
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Re above question, it is NINA’ s interface that doesn’t work for me. On voyager, I have more than 2000 hours of imaging where night after night, I capture multiple targets, including complex mosaics, have excellent focus and perfect management of roof opening and closing depending on weather events. It just works in a really stable way. I also used advanced which selects targets based on criteria you set. That also worked very well but you lose a little more control. |
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I have Maxim, NINA, Voyager, and Prism v.11. They all have strengths and weaknesses, but I settled on Prism because it's all in one package, basically you need Ascom and Prism to run an obsy. It boils down to your specific needs. |
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I have just gone through this question myself (here) and decided for Voyager. Both products are probably equally great solutions for most situations and differences are in the details. For me the use-case is a remote observatory that I want to be able to run 'robotic': Feed it with a list of targets and the system turns itself on/off each night when conditions are right. For me the deciding factors were: - Client/server architecture with the Web-interface, which makes it very easy to quickly check on your phone/tablet what's going on, without having to boot up Remote Desktop style applications. - Target manager. I've seen videos on both the Voyager and NINA solutions for this and liked the Voyager solution more. - Focus on reliability with many years of field-testing/polishing and almost exclusively happy users - Focus on automated execution of everything Drawbacks are price (the real goodies are in the advanced version) and not ideal for the occasional testing/exploring. Service so far has been excellent, with very responsive developer and an extensive user community/forum. |
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Jose Mtanous:Reg Pratt: Hocus Focus is really outstanding once customized for your set up. I do think it produces results similar to FocusMax and Robofocus though I've done no direct comparisons. Regarding the broader question, I think the capability differences between the two programs are rapidly dwindling. My friend who uses Voyager and NINA says the use cases for staying Voyager are declining as the plug-ins mature. Personally, I've tried to use them both and have found that NINA is just simpler and more intuitive for me. When I have an issue I can generally find a YouTube video that addresses it or jump into the Discord craziness and find an answer. I use it with multiple set ups and haven't had anything that it can't adapt to yet. Additionally, the new Target Scheduler plug-in is really nice and easy to use. This is something that Voyager has as well, but I don't think the implementation is quite as straight forward. Both are wonderful programs. You can't go wrong with either. |
