PrimaLuceLab EAGLE6 XTM, Computer for Telescopes and Astrophotography

EAGLE6 XTM with Thunderbolt ports and USB-C connectors: high speed connectivity.

EAGLE6 XTM also adds incredibly fast and powerful Thunderbolt 4 connectivity to the USB-C type ports allowing connections up to 40 Gbps with more connectivity options. Compared to a standard USB port, USB-C/Thunderbolt adds many additional features:

• Speed: while USB 3.0 is up to 5 Gbps, the Thunderbolt 4 port offers connectivity speeds up to 40 Gbps 

• Connectivity: you can connect many devices like external drives, displays, multi port docking stations, audio devices, etc. It allows you to connect as many as 6 devices, daisy chained, through a single compact port. Since it has a USB-C type connector, the cable is reversible so there is no wrong way to connect it. If you have a standard USB-C device, you can connect it to the Thunderbolt port (in this case the maximum speed will be 10 Gbps).

Observatory Actions

EAGLE is compatible with any astrophotography device: a built in computer with Windows 11 Enterprise.

In the modern world there are many operating systems that do a great job. But, when it comes to astronomy software and drivers, most of it works on Windows. That's why the EAGLE runs Windows in the same way a laptop or desktop computer does, so you can connect to the EAGLE the devices you like (since manufacturers provide official drivers for Windows 10/11) and install the Windows software you prefer (it has just to be compatible with Windows 10/11, for example you can use NINA, Sequence Generator Pro, Voyager, SharpCap, MaximDL, TheSkyX, Stellarium, Cartes du Ciel, PHD Guiding, and of course our PLAY software). This means that anything you can load on your standard Windows 10/11 computer at home, you can load on the EAGLE. This way you're not just locked in to one particular company in their hardware and you can easily customize the EAGLE in the way you like. EAGLE6 uses a Windows 11 IoT Enterprise license that is lighter-weight and more stable than traditional PCs with Windows 11 Home or other OEM versions that come preinstalled with useless bloatware. EAGLE6 comes with Intel Celeron Quad Core J6412 processor with only 10W of TDP that provides very low power consumption. EAGLE6 offers four USB 3.2 ports, two of them with type-C connector, as well as six USB 2.0 ports, one HDMI 2.0b port, a 2.5 Gigabit ethernet port and WiFi 6E 802.11ax connectivity. This way you have the power you need to run any DSO astrophotography software with a device that’s easy on your battery, improving overall portability.

EAGLE is compatible with any telescope and ensures low power consumption.

Thanks to the special PLUS case, you can connect the EAGLE to any type of telescope: refractors, Schmidt-Cassegrains, Ritchey-Chretiens, Newtonians, and others. Thanks to the many threaded holes on the EAGLE’s chassis and the availability of various PLUS systems accessories (support rings, dovetail bars, dovetail clamps), connecting the EAGLE to your telescope is easy. By using EAGLE instead of a laptop or desktop computer, your telescope will have less cables and shorter runs that will move in unison with your telescope (this drastically reduces the potential for cable snagging or detaching while your telescope tracks the stars across the sky). The EAGLE also has lower power consumption, reducing the battery capacity needed to power your complete telescope all night long. The electronic internal components were designed for field use in extended temperature ranges. This way you can rely on it all night long, in higher humidity conditions since the small amount of internal heat generated by the processor slightly warms the chassis of the EAGLE, helping to prevent dew from forming on body or EYE lens.

EAGLE comes with 10 USB ports so you can connect and control all the devices you need for your telescope.

The EAGLE’s numerous USB ports provide unparalleled flexibility and convenience for astrophotography setups. By offering a variety of connections in a single, compact device, the EAGLE eliminates the need for multiple USB hubs, significantly reducing cable clutter and simplifying cable management. Each USB port is strategically positioned to ensure easy access, minimizing the risk of tangled wires or accidental disconnections that could disrupt your session. Additionally, you can also remotely turn on/off four USB 2.0 ports, instead of having to manually unplug or plug a cable! This can be a great feature to save power (you can also turn off the port you do not use) but you can also reset the port it in case of a device connection failure. With the EAGLE, you can connect and control all your astrophotography equipment from a single, well-organized hub, making your setup more efficient, reducing potential points of failure, and enhancing the overall reliability and ease of use during your astrophotography sessions.

EAGLE includes the advanced power bridge with 7 power out ports: you can power 12V devices directly through the EAGLE.

The EAGLE has a separate 12V power input that can run on up to 16 amps. From there, using a special internal board, power is distributed to seven power out ports - four 12V power out ports are designed to power your camera, mount, focuser, or other 12v devices. These ports are equipped with safety screw-type connections to prevent unwanted detachment of the cables and we have made special power cables (optional) for different devices. The three 0-12V variable power out ports are designed to power dew heaters without the need of an external controller. The control of these ports is managed directly through EAGLE Manager X (which allows you to turn the dew heater on/off and set the power voltage from 3 to 12V) and can be easily automated by adding the optional ECCO environmental module for EAGLE. A dedicated chip on EAGLE’s power board protects the electronics (both on the EAGLE and connected devices) from any overcurrents by temporarily disconnecting power in case of electrical problems - faster than traditional fuses. Power is automatically re-activated once the problem has been resolved. Additionally, a special microcontroller allows you to adjust (+- 1A) the maximum current limit of the 12V ports. This way, if you want to connect a device to a 3A max port and that device has a maximum power consumption of 4A, you can increase the port limit to 4A.

Add the optional ECCO environmental computerized controller to automatically control dew heater power based on dew point.

By adding ECCO, (Environmental Computerized COntroller) to your EAGLE, you can automatically and continuously monitor the dew point (the temperature below which moisture condenses) by sensing the temperature and humidity of the air around your telescope and the temperature of your lenses. ECCO will then automatically vary the voltage to EAGLE’s ports where your dew heaters bands are connected, keeping dew from forming on your optics. All of this with an automatic and easy to use device that you just have to connect to one of the EAGLE USB ports.

DARK mode to turn off LED lights.

Every astronomer knows artificial lights reduce telescope performance, both in visual use and astrophotography. That’s why we designed the EAGLE with a DARK mode feature that allows you to instantly turn off LED lights on the EAGLE, when needed! Not only this will prevent any influence on your telescope but it is also a great feature for your astronomy friends that may be close to you while enjoying the night sky together. Thanks to the new DARK mode, the EAGLE is now a welcome guest at star parties where standard computers may be prohibited because of uncontrolled light emissions from LEDs and screens (the EAGLE doesn’t need for a screen to operate).

GHOST mode to replace USB cables of PLL devices with wireless connection.

Modern astrophotography telescopes require many devices, creating a real cable nightmare: EAGLE’s power distribution system and USB ports greatly simplify cable management, but there’s more: thanks to the GHOST mode, the EAGLE is able to control PLL devices (SESTO SENSO 2, ESATTO, ARCO, GIOTTO and ALTO) by using its WiFi connection instead of a standard USB cable, without forcing you to use special drivers or software. When you activate GHOST mode, EAGLE Manager X wirelessly connects to your PLL devices and creates a new COM device, as you would have with a standard USB cable (that now you can remove) so you can keep using your astrophotography programs and ASCOM platform as you always have.

EAGLE Manager X to control EAGLE’s features.

EAGLE comes with special "EAGLE Manager X" software that starts automatically and provides an easy and intuitive interface, allowing you to:

• Enable/Disable every 12V power out port: this way you can keep all your devices connected (for example, mount, camera, filter wheel, etc.) and activate them remotely when you turn on the entire system.
• Check power consumption: it allows you to check how much power every 12V device powered through the EAGLE requires and it shows the total power consumption of your telescope this way providing you the best way to monitor your system power.
• Name power and USB ports: you can rename every port with the name of the connected device, in order to easily control them or to save COM port number associated to a specific device.
• Check for GPS data: elevation, latitude, longitude, date, time and number of connected satellites
• Check for EYE sky brightness: select the sensor facing toward the sky and check for sky brightness value, also with Bortle Scale.
• Set the power out voltage of the 3 x 0-12V power out ports: increase or decrease the power to dew heaters connected to EAGLE. Each port shows the current consumption that can also be monitored over time.
• Check for Inclinometer to verify elevation of your telescope in respite to the horizon level.
• Show Motion Detector data and visualize if unwanted motions are recorded.
• Activate DARK mode: this turns off all the LED lights.
• Activate GHOST mode: this allows you to replace USB cables of PLL devices with wireless connection.
• NEW Set options for CTRL-IN port: decide if you want to use this port to remotely turn on the EAGLE, one of the 12V power out ports, one of the dew heater ports, one of the A-B-C-D USB 2.0 ports or to activate/deactivate DARK mode.
• NEW Set options for CTRL-OUT port: control CTRL OUT on/off, choose between Switch/Pulse mode, decide Pulse duration (ms) and Pulse repetitions (n).
• Connect or disconnect devices connected to the A-B-C-D USB 2.0 ports: this feature is convenient in case of temporary crash of an auto-guider or planetary camera, which can then be reset without the need to go to the telescope and disconnect/reconnect a cable.
• Set wireless or wired connectivity: it shows the IP addresses you can use with remote desktop to access your EAGLE in AP mode (use your smartphone, tablet or external computer by connecting directly to EAGLE without the need of a WiFi router) or HOST mode for connecting to your existing network such as your home WiFi, also with a wired connection.
• Set your automatic power routines: you can define port status “After power on” and “Before shut down” for the devices connected to the EAGLE. This way, for example, you can automatically turn on all your devices after you start the EAGLE and turn them all off when you shut down the EAGLE.
• Automatically connect to the optional ECCO controller: if you have the environmental controller, EAGLE Manager X is able to automatically connect at startup and take control of dew heater power based on calculated dew-point.