OpenAstro iMate 2026.08.17

First image with fully NetworkManager-native WiFi, managed end-to-end from the AlpacaBridge web UI.

• Boots into the OpenAstro-XXXX hotspot (5 GHz, password 12345678, web UI at http://172.24.1.1:6800/)
• Join your home WiFi from the AlpacaBridge WiFi card; the hotspot returns automatically when the network is out of range
• AlpacaBridge preinstalled; iMate PowerBox works out of the box
• Ships a working UWE5622 driver build (Armbian's bundled one cannot run an access point)
• Known limitation: hotspot and client cannot run at the same time (WiFi chip limitation) - see the README

Flash to SD, boot, wait for the eMMC self-install, remove the SD.

OpenAstro OS for iMate

OpenAstro for the iOptron iMate — a modern, self-installing OS for the iMate
(OrangePi 3 LTS / Allwinner H6): Armbian-based Debian 13
(Trixie) on a mainline kernel, with the iMate's WiFi access point, full GPIO /
power-port support, and ready for AlpacaBridge.

Restore stock firmware

Use iOptron's official recovery image.