The iOptron HAE69B takes the highest-capacity platform in the HAE family and adds something most imaging mounts still expect you to supply separately: the computer that runs the imaging session.
The mount head weighs just under 20 lb, yet iOptron rates it to carry 69 lb (31 kg) without a counterweight and up to 79 lb (36 kg) with the optional counterweight system. Built into the mount is iOptron's iMate computer, a 64-bit ARM-based controller preloaded with KStars, Ekos, INDI drivers, and iPolarServer.
That combination makes the HAE69B particularly interesting for larger portable imaging systems. Instead of carrying a substantial mount, a counterweight stack, a separate mini PC, a USB hub, and a power-distribution box into the field, much of the control hardware is already part of the mount.
The HAE69B can control compatible cameras, guide cameras, focusers, filter wheels, and other equipment through iMate, while still allowing direct USB-C control from an external computer if you already have a software workflow you prefer.
Features
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Built-in iMate imaging computer. A 64-bit ARM-based onboard computer comes preloaded with KStars, Ekos, INDI drivers, and iPolarServer for controlling compatible astronomical equipment.
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69 lb counterweight-free payload. Carry up to 31 kg (69 lb) without a conventional counterweight shaft and stack of weights.
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Up to 79 lb with a counterweight. Add the optional counterweight system when a heavier or more demanding telescope configuration calls for additional capacity.
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Just under 20 lb for the mount head. An unusually high payload-to-mount-weight ratio for a system capable of supporting large refractors, SCTs, RCs, and substantial imaging trains.
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Strain-wave gearing on both axes. RA and DEC both use 800:1 reduction ratios, providing the torque needed to carry substantial equipment in a compact mechanical package.
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Periodic error below ±15 arcseconds. The standard HAE69B does not include the high-precision RA encoder of the HAE69B-EC, so demanding long-exposure imagers should plan on guiding when their image scale requires it.
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270-second RA gear period. The known strain-wave period provides useful context when tuning guiding behavior for a particular imaging system.
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32GB onboard storage. iMate includes 32GB of eMMC storage and supports a microSD card up to 64GB for additional image and system storage.
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Integrated USB connections. One USB 3.0 port and two USB 2.0 ports allow compatible cameras, guide cameras, focusers, filter wheels, and other equipment to connect directly to iMate.
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Three 12V accessory outputs. Two can be switched through iMate software, allowing the onboard computer to handle part of the power distribution as well as device control.
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Remote operation over Wi-Fi. Access the computer inside the mount from Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, or Android rather than leaving a separate computer beside the telescope.
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Direct USB-C mount control. Prefer NINA, your own mini PC, or another imaging environment? Connect directly to the mount and use an external computer instead of making iMate the center of the system.
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Equatorial and Alt-Az operation. Use EQ mode for tracking and astrophotography or configure the mount in Alt-Az mode for visual observing.
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Dual Vixen/Losmandy-D saddle. Accepts either of the two common astronomy dovetail standards.
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Integrated ST-4 autoguider port. Traditional guiding remains available in addition to software-based guiding through compatible imaging software.
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Electronic friction brake. Designed to stop mount movement safely during a planned or unexpected interruption in power.
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Automatic zero-position search. Built-in sensing allows the mount to locate its reference position electronically.
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Power-down position memory. The mount can retain position information through a power interruption rather than requiring the entire setup process to begin again.
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Optional external iPolar. Add iOptron's electronic polar-alignment camera when you want a dedicated polar-alignment solution.
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Aluminum carrying case included. A fitted case protects the mount during transport.
The Imaging Computer Is Already Inside the Mount
The feature that separates the HAE69B from the HAE69C is iMate.
Astrophotography systems tend to grow outward. A cooled camera gets added, then a guide camera, electronic focuser, filter wheel, USB hub, power distribution, and eventually a laptop, mini PC, Raspberry Pi, or dedicated astronomy controller to run everything.
The HAE69B puts that computer into the mount itself.
iMate comes preloaded with KStars for planetarium and target selection, Ekos for imaging automation, and INDI drivers for compatible astronomical equipment. Once the equipment profile is configured, the system can handle GoTo, plate solving, autofocus, guiding, capture sequences, scheduling, and other parts of an automated imaging session.
The computer includes 32GB of internal eMMC storage plus a microSD slot supporting cards up to 64GB. One USB 3.0 port, two USB 2.0 ports, and three 12V outputs let cameras and accessories connect directly at the mount rather than requiring another collection of hubs and power boxes around the tripod.
For a large imaging system that gets assembled and taken down regularly, that integration can make as much difference to setup time as the counterweight-free mount itself.
Remote Control Without Leaving the Computer Outside
iMate runs the imaging software onboard, but you still need a screen from which to control it.
The system creates its own Wi-Fi connection and can be accessed remotely from a computer, tablet, or compatible mobile device. The astronomy applications continue running on iMate; the device in your hand simply becomes the interface to the computer inside the mount.
That means a laptop does not have to remain beside the telescope all night. Configure the system, start the sequence, and the onboard computer continues doing the work at the mount.
There is also an Ethernet connection on the iMate hardware for users building more customized installations, although iOptron describes that port primarily for customer DIY applications rather than as the normal portable-control method.
You Are Not Locked Into iMate
One of the most useful parts of the HAE69B design is that the integrated computer is an option, not a commitment.
The mount can also be controlled directly through the USB-C port on its base. Windows users can work through iOptron Commander and ASCOM, while compatible INDI software provides additional options on macOS, Linux, and Raspberry Pi-based systems.
If your imaging setup is already built around NINA, a mini PC, StellarMate, or another control environment, you can continue using it.
If you are traveling and want the cleanest self-contained system possible, use iMate.
That flexibility makes the B model considerably more useful than it would be if the onboard computer were the only way to operate the mount.
69 Pounds Without Counterweights
Underneath the computer is still the feature that makes the HAE69 platform unusual: 69 pounds of counterweight-free payload in a mount weighing less than 20 pounds.
That gives the HAE69B room for genuinely substantial equipment — large refractors, SCTs, RCs, astrographs, cooled cameras, filter wheels, electronic focusers, rotators, guiding equipment, and the assortment of adapters that inevitably becomes part of a mature imaging system.
Add the optional counterweight system and iOptron increases the published payload to 79 lb.
There is an important qualification to those numbers. The current iOptron rating assumes the payload's center of gravity is approximately 250mm from the RA rotation axis. A compact 50-pound SCT and a long 50-pound refractor do not place the same mechanical load on the mount.
That matters increasingly as the telescope becomes larger. Tube length, diameter, dew shields, rear-mounted cameras, focusers, and filter wheels can all move mass farther from the axis and increase the leverage the drive has to manage.
Think about the whole telescope system — not just the number on the scale.
Guiding the Standard HAE69B
The standard HAE69B does not include the high-precision RA encoder found in the HAE69B-EC.
iOptron specifies periodic error below ±15 arcseconds with a 270-second strain-wave gear period. For demanding long-exposure astrophotography, guiding is the appropriate way to continuously correct the remaining tracking error.
Strain-wave mounts can respond differently to guiding than traditional worm-drive mounts because the tracking rate can change relatively quickly through portions of the gear cycle. That often makes relatively short guide exposures useful, but there is no single setting that belongs on every HAE69B.
A short refractor, an 11-inch SCT, and a large RC are completely different guiding problems even when the same mount sits underneath them.
Seeing, guide-camera sensitivity, image scale, telescope geometry, tripod or pier rigidity, and wind all influence the final result. Tune the system from the stars in the actual subframes rather than trying to reproduce somebody else's RMS number.
From the Cloudy Nights Community
The Cloudy Nights discussion around the HAE69B tends to focus on iMate because that is what separates this version from the other HAE69 models.
The appeal is obvious to users building portable systems: the computer, USB connections, accessory power, KStars, Ekos, and INDI are already part of the mount, which can eliminate another mini PC and reduce the number of cables running around the system.
Real-world experience also shows that iMate is best understood as a small Linux astrophotography computer rather than a one-button appliance. Owners have reported some initial work getting cameras, guide cameras, focusers, and software profiles configured correctly. In one early HAE69B discussion, an owner had difficulty getting multiple QHY devices connected through iMate, while the same hardware worked through an external StellarMate computer. That owner also noted that Wi-Fi responsiveness was good and the simplified cabling was appealing once the system was configured.
Another owner ultimately chose to continue using an external mini PC with NINA while working through iMate configuration issues, which highlights an important strength of the HAE69B: the onboard computer can be bypassed. You can use iMate when its integrated workflow suits the session and connect your preferred external computer when it does not.
That is probably the most useful way to approach the B model. The onboard computer gives you another way to build the imaging system without taking the familiar alternatives away.
EQ for Imaging, Alt-Az for Visual
The HAE69B can operate in either equatorial or Alt-Az mode.
In equatorial mode, proper polar alignment provides the geometry required for long-exposure astrophotography, while iMate can handle the control and automation side of the imaging session.
Switch to Alt-Az mode and the same head becomes a high-capacity GoTo visual platform without requiring a conventional polar-alignment routine.
That is especially useful with telescopes in this payload class. A large SCT or refractor can spend one night gathering hours of camera data and the next pointed at the Moon, planets, globular clusters, or double stars with an eyepiece.
Alt-Az mode can also be useful for EAA and outreach using short live-stacked exposures, where rapid setup may matter more than eliminating field rotation over long integrations.
What's Included
- iOptron HAE69B strain-wave AZ/EQ mount head
- Integrated iMate computer
- Dual Vixen/Losmandy-D dovetail saddle
- 12V/6A AC/DC power adapter for indoor use
- USB-C computer/firmware cable
- Aluminum carrying case
Available separately: Go2Nova 8411 OLED hand controller, external iPolar electronic polar scope, LiteRoc tripod, Tri-Pier, counterweight shaft and counterweight, MiniPier extension, iGuider, and other compatible accessories.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes the HAE69B different from the HAE69C?
The defining feature of the HAE69B is its integrated iMate astronomy computer. Both mounts use the same basic dual strain-wave platform and share the same published payload capacity, but the B model adds KStars, Ekos, INDI device control, onboard storage, USB connectivity, and accessory power.
Does the HAE69B have the high-precision RA encoder?
No. The standard HAE69B does not include the high-precision RA encoder. If you want the HAE69 with both iMate and the encoder with Real-Time PEC, that model is the HAE69B-EC.
What can iMate control?
Through KStars, Ekos, and INDI drivers, iMate can work with compatible imaging cameras, guide cameras, electronic focusers, filter wheels, and other astronomical equipment in addition to controlling the mount itself.
Can I really image without leaving a laptop at the telescope?
Yes. The imaging applications run on the computer built into the mount. You still use another device to access and configure iMate remotely, but the computer running the session remains inside the HAE69B.
Do I have to use iMate?
No. The mount can also be controlled directly through USB-C from an external computer using compatible ASCOM or INDI software.
How much can the HAE69B carry?
iOptron rates it for 69 lb (31 kg) without a counterweight and 79 lb (36 kg) with the optional counterweight system. The current rating assumes the payload center of gravity is approximately 250mm from the RA axis, so telescope geometry matters along with total weight.
Should I guide the HAE69B?
For demanding long-exposure imaging, yes. The standard HAE69B does not have the RA encoder of the B-EC version and is specified at less than ±15 arcseconds periodic error. The exact guiding settings should be tuned to the telescope, image scale, seeing, and guide system.
Does it support ST-4 guiding?
Yes. The HAE69B includes an ST-4-compatible autoguider port. Software-based guiding through Ekos, ASCOM, INDI, or other compatible systems can also be used.
Does it include a hand controller?
No. The current HE692B is sold without the handset. iOptron's 8411 Go2Nova OLED controller is available separately if you want physical controls and standalone GoTo operation.
Does it include iPolar?
No. iOptron's external iPolar electronic polar scope is optional. The iMate software includes iPolarServer for use when an iPolar camera is connected.
Does a tripod come with the mount?
No. The HAE69B is supplied without a tripod or pier so you can pair it with the support appropriate for your telescope and observing setup.
Can I use it for visual observing?
Yes. The HAE69B can operate in Alt-Az mode for visual use as well as equatorial mode for astrophotography.
Final Thoughts
The HAE69B is not the encoder version of the HAE69. It is the integrated-computer version, and that gives it a very different reason to exist.
You still get the remarkable part of the HAE69 platform: 69 pounds of counterweight-free capacity in a mount weighing less than 20 pounds.
What the B adds is the ability to build much of the imaging system around the mount itself. KStars, Ekos, INDI, onboard storage, USB connections, and accessory power are already there, allowing the mount, camera, guider, focuser, and filter wheel to become part of one integrated field system.
And because direct USB-C control remains available, using iMate is a choice rather than a requirement. Run the onboard computer when its integration makes sense. Use your existing mini PC or laptop when another workflow fits the session better.
For the imager who wants the HAE69's substantial capacity but also wants fewer separate boxes and cables around a large portable rig, that is the reason to choose the HAE69B.
