The offer of controllers to automate focusers has expanded considerably in recent times, with new models from manufacturers as diverse as ZWO, PegasusAstro or Primaluce. Given this, we want to explain why our Seletek controllers—Armadillo, Platypus, Tarsier and Limpet—continue to be the best option to automate the focuser.

1. Experience, reliability and stability

Seletek was launched in 2008, and since then more than 1,000 units have been sold across its different versions (Armadillo, Platypus, Tarsier and Limpet). In all this time the failure rate of our devices has been minimal, and the few issues that have come up have always been easily identifiable and repairable.

The stock Seletek motors have proven just as reliable over the years—high-quality motors with metal gears, at an affordable price and with a minimal failure rate. Together with the reliability of the controller itself, Seletek works with every existing automation software on the market and on every system (ASCOM, Linux/INDI/INDIGO). It's a well-established product that gives the customer total peace of mind, which also makes it ideal for remote astronomy.

2. Design

Some new focusers from other brands come with the motor and its cables embedded, all attached to the focuser. This can look attractive at first, but in our view it has several drawbacks:

  • It increases the number of cables hanging off the focuser, with a higher risk of accidents.
  • It adds weight off-axis, with a risk of damage to the focuser.
  • It increases the bulk of the assembly, making the telescope harder to handle, and more awkward to assemble and disassemble.
  • If any part fails—electronics or motor—the whole unit becomes inoperative.

Lunatico's traditional configuration—a motor with a plate adapted to your focuser, and an autonomous controller placed wherever it's least in the way—is, in our view, optimal and safe.

Various competitor all-in-one motorised focusers with embedded motor and cables
Some of the all-in-one, embedded-motor designs from other manufacturers.

3. Versatility

The new controllers almost always use standard plates that fit, more or less, on the focuser; but as they are adaptable generic models, they often have too many parts or too little precision, which can deteriorate the final focusing accuracy.

Lunatico has been designing and manufacturing plates to adapt our motors to different focusers for more than 10 years, so we have plates for practically all focusers on the market, tailored for each model so the adaptation is perfect.

Limpet focuser controller on a Takahashi refractor
Limpet on a Takahashi refractor.
Platypus focuser controller—observatory installation in Chile
Platypus in a remote observatory in Chile.

4. Software

Where the new market offer is typically limited to one focuser per device, the Seletek software allows you to control several focusers—up to 3 with the Platypus—simultaneously with a single device, as well as other elements such as rotators, heating bands, and fans. In addition, the Seletek focuser software incorporates the most complete temperature compensation algorithm of any controller on the market, and it works with all existing software on all systems (ASCOM, Linux/INDI/INDIGO).

Seletek Armadillo 2 focuser and rotator controller

5. Price

As for price, the market offer is uneven: you'll find focusers priced both above and below the Seletek line, often depending heavily on which accessories are included. At Lunatico we've always tried to find the most reliable and economical solutions for amateur astronomers, and that's led us to keep our Seletek range at very reasonable prices. Check them out—we really want to continue counting on your trust.