Downloads for Explore Scientific™ PMC-Eight™ telescope mount users — the ExploreStars Envision™ mount-control app, ESP32 Wi-Fi firmware tools, and the latest Propeller firmware.
📖 New here? Start with GETTING_STARTED.txt — a step-by-step guide that walks you through choosing the right tool, updating firmware, and installing ExploreStars Envision in the correct order. First-time users should read this before anything else. Experienced users can jump to its "Quick Reference" section.
The Releases page carries pre-built binaries for every platform. Pick the asset that matches your device:
| Asset name | Platform | Notes |
|---|---|---|
ExploreStars-Envision-vX.Y.Z.W-android.apk |
Android | Sideload — tap to install |
ExploreStars-Envision-vX.Y.Z.W-windows.zip |
Windows | Extract, run ExplorestarsLite.Maui.exe |
ExploreStars-Envision-vX.Y.Z.W-pwa-server.zip |
Self-hosted PWA | Run on a Windows/Mac/Linux PC; phones connect via local Wi-Fi |
For the user manual and attribution doc, see the explorestars-envision branch.
iOS and macOS app-store builds are planned.
Downloads: get the latest assets from the pmc8-dashboard-v0.2.6 release.
PMC8 Dashboard is a Python/PyQt6 desktop utility for PMC-Eight configuration, WiFi/home-network setup, command testing, response logging, and firmware upload workflow support.
| Item | Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Source and manual | pmc8-dashboard |
Public source, docs, and third-party notices |
| Windows ZIP | PMC8_Dashboard_Windows.zip |
Extract and run run_dashboard_windows.bat |
| macOS ZIP | PMC8_Dashboard_macOS.zip |
Extract, double-click setup_macos.command (first run), then run_PMC8-Dashboard.command |
| Linux / Raspberry Pi (64-bit) ZIP | PMC8_Dashboard_Linux.zip |
Extract, run setup_linux.sh (first run), then run_dashboard_linux.sh |
Configure PMC8 for Home Network Connection — a
Windows utility that puts a PMC-Eight WiFi module (ESP32 / ESP8266 / RN-131)
onto your home network over USB serial, so the mount joins your router and gets
a LAN IP. 📦 Download the v1.0 release
— Configure-PMC8-Home-Network-v1.0.exe, a single self-contained executable
(no installer, no .NET install needed).
Cross-platform spiral-search automation for ASCOM Alpaca–compatible mounts. Point at the expected coordinates, press Start, and the mount runs an expanding spiral search pattern until your target appears. Browser-based UI with phone tilt-to-steer for fine centering. 📦 Download the v2.0 release →
| Item | Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| README and User Manual | spiral-search |
Setup, FOV calculators, tilt steering, REST API, troubleshooting |
| Windows ZIP | SpiralSearch-Bridge-v2.0-win-x86.zip |
32- and 64-bit; extract and run SpiralSearch.Bridge.exe |
| macOS ZIP (Apple Silicon) | SpiralSearch-Bridge-v2.0-macos-arm64.zip |
M1–M4; ad-hoc codesign on first run (see manual) |
| macOS ZIP (Intel) | SpiralSearch-Bridge-v2.0-macos-x64.zip |
Intel Macs |
| Linux ARM64 ZIP | SpiralSearch-Bridge-v2.0-linux-arm64.zip |
Raspberry Pi 4/5 |
Each zip is a self-contained single-file executable plus the User Manual — no .NET runtime or installer required.
| Tool | Branch | Description |
|---|---|---|
| PMC-Eight UFCT | pmc8-ufct |
Universal Firmware Configuration Tool (Windows) — read/write config, send raw commands, serial firmware flash, RN-131 restore |
| PMC-Eight Firmware | pmc8-firmware |
Latest Propeller firmware, 20A02.2.0.1 (flash via UFCT or the PMC8 Dashboard) |
| ESP32 OTA Update | v2.4 release · docs | Update the ESP32 Wi-Fi firmware (ES4.2.30) over the air — no opening the mount. Windows, macOS and Linux/Raspberry Pi. Finds the serial port for you, and tells you in seconds if your module is too old for OTA |
| ESP32 Serial Flash | v1.3 release · docs | Rescue path when OTA isn't possible — needs opening the mount and fitting a jumper. Windows, macOS and Linux/Raspberry Pi |
| Branch | What it carries |
|---|---|
pwa-server |
Pre-built PWA server distribution (alternate to the Release zip — same content) |
windows |
Windows desktop binary (alternate to the Release zip — same content) |
Cross-platform telescope mount control — runs on Android, Windows, and as a self-hosted PWA accessible from any phone or tablet on your local network.
- 11,000+ object catalog with altitude-based visibility coloring
- GoTo, Sync, Tracking (Sidereal/Solar/Lunar), Meridian Flip, multi-star alignment
- Model-aware display — chart marker and RA/Dec readouts can show the alignment-corrected "true sky" position
- Star Seeker in-app sky chart with sensor-based push-to identification
- Camera field-of-view overlay on the sky chart, with a calculator — sensor/camera presets, Barlow/reducer, and rotator-angle support
- Spiral Search, Thumb Pad centering with Fine/Coarse rates
- Solar system targets: planets, Moon, Sun, minor planets
- Multi-language UI (English, 简体中文, Français, Italiano, Español, Deutsch, Português, 日本語, Nederlands, Polski, Українська)
- Night vision mode for dark adaptation
- GPS location, firmware config reader/writer
- Envision Mode (Enhanced WiFi) — faster, smoother multi-client operation where the WiFi-module firmware supports it; switch it on and off from the app, set the mount to start up in it, and see at a glance whether it is running
- Share one mount with the app on several phones/tablets AND an ASCOM Alpaca / INDI driver at once — Cartes du Ciel, SkySafari, Stellarium, etc. connect through the driver
- Self-hosted server runs on macOS, PC Linux, Raspberry Pi, and Windows from one download (web server + USB-serial support bundled)
- QR-code phone setup — a
/startpage with scannable codes for the certificate, the app, and mount-sharing, plus a "Start Envision" full-screen Home-Screen icon - Built-in user manual
ExploreStars Envision™ is a trademark of Wes McDonald. Explore Scientific™, ExploreStars™, and PMC-Eight™ are trademarks of Explore Scientific, LLC, and are used here with acknowledgement.
ExploreStars Envision™ is an independent application that controls Explore Scientific™ PMC-Eight™ telescope mounts. The application code and project materials are authored and owned by Wes McDonald. If Explore Scientific, LLC recommends, endorses, promotes, or distributes the app, that should be understood as support for an independently authored application within the PMC-Eight™ ecosystem, not as Explore Scientific authorship or ownership of the app.
Copyright © 2026 Wes McDonald. All rights reserved.
For questions about the PMC-Eight mount itself, visit Explore Scientific.