Last updated: 28 February 2006 |
This page is for user comments and information specific to the Meade DS telescope models. Accessories and Feedback items appropriate to the ETX models are posted on other pages as appropriate. If you have any comments, suggestions, questions or answers to questions posed here, e-mail them to me and I'll post them. Please use an appropriate Subject Line on your message. Thanks.
Subject: older ds-60 Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2006 11:00:59 From: connie (sunset@michweb.net) i have a old telestar ds-60 with the mead 492 dual motor controler i want to do away with with the battery pack the battry pack puts out 15v with fresh batteries if i buy an adapter what voltage do i need 15v or 12v and how much current 500ma? 1000ma? thank you very muchMike here: 12VDC is fine as I suspect (guessing somewhat) that 1000mm will be required (the ETX-60/70 AC Adapter is 1000mm).
Subject: Meade DS 80 Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2006 08:57:24 From: andy (andym@suite224.net) I bought this from ebay, I like the OTA, and thtas about all. The focuser I had to work on, cuz it was sloppy to say the least, I called meade for the 1.25 adaptor upgrade. I pitched the tiny finy finder, and had to rework a 50mm finder base to use the existing two holes. Im in the process of having a dob style mount made for it. All in all , I was really disa[[ointed in this scope. Its only saving garce is the scope its self, it has I think four baffles, and snaps Saturn , Jupiter, and the moon into focus beautifully. I see the same scope can be had now for 65.00 on ebay, with the hand controller I payed extra for. At that price I might be tempted ot recommend it, withthe understanding it will need to be upgraded in a lot of ways. EPs , finder, adaptor, mount etc.
Subject: Selling ETX Need Opinion on Meade 2045 Sent: Monday, February 20, 2006 20:14:06 From: Greg Kaiser (kizrus@phreego.com) I am thinking of selling my ETX-105 and going to a Meade 4" 2045 SCT mounted on an Orion Sky View Pro. I want to be able to use an Off Axis Guider and a focal reducer for which I cant use any on the ETX-105 for Photography at least as far as I know only an Eyepiece Focal reducer since only works good with 10mm eyepieces and below. I have that version now. Is it possible to use both accessories on this older Meade? Astromart has one for around 200.00. I have a DSI imager currently and a Coolpix 4500 digital camera. I'm concerned that the center obstruction may interfere with viewing and imaging being only a 4inch aperture?? Speed is F10 and FL-1000 seems like a good compromise for DeepSky Work anyway Thanks Greg Gilbert, ArizonaMike here: I have no experience with that model. If it is an older model be certain that it accepts 1.25" eyepieces, otherwise you will need an adapter. The central obstruction shouldn't be a problem with the possible exception of long focal length eyepieces and possibly the focal reducer. As to the focal reducer on the ETX, haven't heard of that problem. Which one do you have? I have successfully used the Shutan (Apogee) Wide Field Adapter (focal reducer) on my ETX-90 and ETX-125. See the Accessory Reviews: Showcase Products page.
And:
It was the Atik Focal Reducer from Scope Stuff. I tested it with my LPI and measure an object on the screen w/without the reducer and yes it worked with the LPI. With normal viewing through a 26mm the effect was less and with a 40mm it got worse it started vignetting (sp) Greg
Subject: re: Manual needed Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 20:14:27 From: richard seymour (rseymour@wolfenet.com) The 114EQ-DH is the same as the 4500 or 4504 So you can use their manuals from http://www.meade.com/manuals have fun --dick
Subject: Manual needed Sent: Monday, February 13, 2006 19:30:30 From: Kenneth Reeder (messengerbear@stonemedia.com) I just bought my son a used Meade 114 EQ-DH. The manual wasn't included. Any suggestions where I can download one? Any help would be great. Thanks, Eva ReederMike here: See the FAQ page for info on where to find some manuals.
Subject: DS2130-LNT Calc North is always East Sent: Monday, February 13, 2006 14:10:35 From: Bobowski, Eamon (EBobowski@urac.org) Troy, Take heart, you aren't the only one... My DS2130-LNT always pointed east as well, until I gave it an unexpected tweak that actually fixed the problem. (By the way, my scope was skewed east not just during initial "finding north" set up but the alignment stars and subsequent GoTo destinations were always off by 45-90 degrees - and the sidereal tracking was atrocious as well even after getting the thing "synchronized"...) This is going to sound a little goofy, but in the end all I had to do was loosen the cradle ring and rotate the OTA away from the mounting arm (counterclockwise as you stand behind the scope and face the rear of the OTA). It took a couple of tries to get the correct rotation, but after 3 or 4 adjustments it finally set up correctly, pointing north and centering the alignment stars. The DS2130 comes with 2 arrow stickers (1 on the OTA and 1 on the cradle ring) that indicated the "correct" placement of the OTA in the cradle ring. When I set my scope up initially, I used these arrows and so the configuration looked like this: l OTA V ------------------------- A cradle ring l My adjustments to correct for north=east now has the alignment of the two arrows off by about 1 1/2 inches rotation, looking more like this l OTA V ---------------------------------------------------- A cradle ring l You'll know if you're in the right ballpark if your focuser is more or less at 12 o'clock on the OTA (sticking straight up). It does move the red dot finder to a slightly more awkward position, but there are no problems with the leveling and now it sets up and works like a champ! All my best, Eamon Bobowski Washington DC PS - I've heard it said that the real problem with the LNT module on the DS scopes is the presence of the motor in the mounting arm as it is within the level plane of the LNT while it tries to find north (Note that this motor is due east of the LNT...). On the ETX scopes, the LNT module rides well above the motors and is thus not subject to the same interference. Oh, and the problem (and it's fix) occurs (and is fixed) on both the #494 and the #497 regardless of firmware version.
Subject: Meade StarQuest 60mm (DS 60?) and DS-2130ATS Sent: Friday, February 10, 2006 18:02:41 From: Rick Goldsmith (rickgtx@yahoo.com) I have a Meade StarQuest 60mm (I believe is the same as a DS-60) and plan to buy a DS-2130ATS from the Meade outlet. Are the parts interchangeable? The StarQuest has no motor but instructions and a place to install one and the user guide talks about Autostar. Could I some how make a goto out of the DS-60 and return it to the DS-2130ATS depending on my needs? I'm mainly frustrated keeping an object in view as ground rotates it away. Thanks for the great site Mike, RickMike here: I really can't say as I don't have either model.
Subject: Re: Calc North is always East. Sent: Wednesday, February 1, 2006 19:34:38 From: Troy M. Barnhart (barney@rapidnet.com) Dick, I noticed the blurb in README about... "Fixed problem on DS2000's mounts with LNT module." Do you know about what this is exactly referring? Now, you'll remember that I have a #494 w/ my DS2130-LNT and have had problems with the LNT module... Any thoughts on the possibility of me getting a #497 and patching to new version and running that on my DS2130-LNT? Regards, Troy Barnhart Rapid City, South Dakota
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