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Post by mgbrowne on Jan 17, 2007 0:15:16 GMT
Hi there everybody,
I am just about to purchase 2 Meade Telescopes and have been put off slightly because I have been told that the electronics in the AutoStar unit can be a bit of pain.
Anybody any experience of this?
Thanks
Michael Browne
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Post by Phil on Jan 17, 2007 2:33:17 GMT
Hi Michael, all I have experience of is Meade Autostar units as I have never worked with any other make. I have had no problems with the Autostar... I think it is like most other controllers, it may take a bit of time to learn, but once you do they are quite simple!
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Post by paulevans on Jan 17, 2007 8:02:54 GMT
The Autostar itself is fine, however I am less convinced about the drive electronics and mechanics. I have an ETX 105 which has been back and forth to the repairers with two burnt boards (simply, one of the tracks isn't thickenough for the current the motor can draw) and the mechanicals are playing up too - I think it's a "Friday afternoon" job.
My LXD75 mount was delivered non-functional as it hadn't been calibrated at the factory. There was a whole batch released like this. Once I got it sorted it was fine.
I also have an ETX 70 which has never presented any problems, works perfectly, is very portable - just doesn't offer much in the way of light collection, image quality or magnification, but that's because it is a short-tube refractor and that's how they are. Good at wide fields though.
So yes, there are problems, but they're all great scopes when they work properly.
P.
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Post by themystif on Jan 17, 2007 10:01:12 GMT
Hello Michael. I recently purchased the DS2102 with the GoTo mount. I had to send the 1st mount back as there was an apparent fault in the azimuth plane. The replacement mount also had this apparent fault, but I seem to have managed to rectify this by tightening the nut in the battery compartment!! I haven't had a real good chance of testing the GoTo yet, but from what I have done so far I'm pretty pleased with it. Once you navigate your way throught the initial setup I find it quite easy to use. Brendan
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Post by Veronica on Jan 17, 2007 10:04:04 GMT
Hi Michael, I've a Meade GoTo 70mm refractor and I've never had a problem with it, in fact, for my first scope I'm very impressed and happy with it. Once I had a decent spell of clear skies, I had the Autostar up and running with no obvious (to a beginner) problems with tracking. I had to train the drives once and I've only had minimal problems aligning ie the align star not being in the centre of the FOV, which was easily remedied. Getting used to the different slewing speeds was grand.
Thumbs up from me!
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Post by mgbrowne on Jan 17, 2007 14:39:27 GMT
Thank you everybody so far.
Michael
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Post by phoenix on Jan 20, 2007 0:43:13 GMT
I bought a 10" LX200 gps and within a year the whole thing gave up the ghost. I probably used it for less than 30 hours so the mileage rate on American brands is not good. Just ask the Simpsons. I got the front panel replaced under warranty but Autostar now scrolls so fast I cannot read it. Thankfully I already know the set up so it makes no difference to me.
Kieran
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Post by Phil on Jan 21, 2007 16:28:53 GMT
You know you can adjust the scroll speed on it Kieran?
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Post by phoenix on Jan 21, 2007 19:49:02 GMT
Phil,
How to I do that?
I have the manual somewhere in a box of stuff but I do not know which box. We moved house and I still have a load of unpacked and unlabeled boxes to sort. Needless to say all the astro gear was very carefully packed, labeled and then set up on the first night in the house.
Kieran
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Post by Phil on Jan 22, 2007 20:41:30 GMT
Can't remember of the top of my head, can I get back to you on that one?
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Post by Phil on Jan 22, 2007 23:53:54 GMT
ok found how to do it.... the two arrows at the bottom of the unit... one on each side of the ? mark adjust the scroll speed when the display is showing scrolling text!
Think this is how it works anyway?
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Post by phoenix on Jan 27, 2007 0:34:26 GMT
Cheers Phil,
I'll try it next time I have a chance.
Kieran
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