DS MODELS USER FEEDBACK Last updated: 7 February 2000

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:	 My DS Scope
Sent:	Saturday, February 5, 2000 11:45:24
From:	dejacobs@iafrica.com (Dina Jacobs)
So end 1999 I decided that it was time to upgrade from my previous scope
- a 60 mm spotting scope - so what to buy? and more importantly what
will be in my price range . Thought of building my own but another
project to ad to my existing projects was not on and I shelved that idea
in the to do list for my future time when I have some of that available
- probably only after retirement still some 30 years off with my present
list.

Sort of made up my mind to go for the 4.5 " Meade NT scope and then I
read the review of the DS scopes in S+T. Here was a scope where I could
have the Goto features for a  price that the standard Meade NT 4.5"
could not give me. My needs was also for a teaching aid to help me find
some of the wonderful stuff out there and in my reasoning the Goto
functions can help. SO decided to take the plunge and ordered a DS127EC
mid December . So last week got the call that it was available for
pickup from the agents. So in my MG and drove back with this massive box
on the passanger seat with the soft top down. Spend the first hour
reading the accompanying documentation. Found it clear and easy to
identify all the parts. So did the assembly of the scope - took me about
an hour.

Placed it on my driveway and as Jupiter and Saturn is high up tried them
first - Used the 25 mm eyepiece. What can I say - I was impressed. This
scope was out of the box accurately set up - no need to adjust any thing
and worked. Yes the focussing do induce some vibrations but it damps
quickly and gave a clear view. Some of the reviews that I read and some
of the experiences of other people had me worried that Mead has cut the
quality too much but this is not my experience . The tripod is quite
sturdy and the plastic parts is of a high quality. The optics seems to
be also of a high quality. So next test - try and see the Orion nebula
in Orion's Sword - M42 . The finder scope really made a difference -
Previously with the spotting scope with a high power eyepiece it was
really difficult to find something  specifically and keep it centered in
the view and it would get to a stage where you would contemplate giving
up  - but with this scope it was 123 and there was the nebula -
WONDERFUL .

The next evening then connected up all the electric stuff and by 20:00
was out in my driveway again to try the new feature - WOW - this was
even better that the previous night - no vibrations while following the
target - Getting M42 was childsplay.

SO WHAT IS MY FINAL VERDICT:
1. This is a good beginner to intermediate scope and I expect to use
this for years.
2. It is big - but easy to carry and set up .
3. I have not yet invested in the GOTO hand control - but my feeling now
is that I will first buy a electric focusser before the hand control.
4. The scope comes with two eyepieces - The 25 mm is excellent and give
a good field of view. The 9 mm I found fussy and do not reveal more than
the 25 mm . I will possibly invest in a 2" eyepiece in future.
5. Is there any one out there using this scope that can sugest some
eyepieces for this scope that they found good to use ?
6. This scope really fulfill my needs and at the price I found an
excellent investment.
7. Meade has a winner here and I think it will introduce and keep many
people interested in astronomy.

Regards
Carel Jacobs (South Africa)
dejacobs@iafrica.com

Subject:	 tracking too fast
Sent:	Saturday, February 5, 2000 11:28:50
From:	rocky@dragonbbs.com (rocky)
I have as ds114 model telescope with the 495 handbox computer
controller. after I align the scope on two stars and tell it to go to
Jupiter, the tracking is to fast, it tracks right out of view. my
question is,  it possible the tracking ratio in the Az and Alt aren't
set right in the controller. I would like to know what the tracking
ratio is suppose to be so I can check it and possibly change it instead
of sending it to Meade for them to check out. I was told to send both
the controller and motors in to be checked because the Az and Alt
setting should be set right and it shouldn't track to fast. I would
rather compare the Az and Alt ratio myself before sending it in. so can
you send me the ratio settings?

Thomas McNickle

Subject:	 Tripod recomendations for DS-114/127 series..
Sent:	Saturday, February 5, 2000 09:42:03
From:	marcs@carolina.rr.com (Marc Stanton (Time-Warner))
My wife purchased for me a Meade DS-114 for Christmas to get me started
in the hobby. The scope is pretty good, although the stock eyepieces
were junk. Upgraded to the Meade 4000 line and am very happy. The AltAz
mount is pretty much useless for Deep Sku viewing however. It recovers
fairly well from a knock, but the problem is that molecular collisions
seem to cause movement. I would like to upgrade the mount to something a
lot more stable and also something that would allow me to mount my
Olympus OM-1 on the scope and piggy-back.

I have checked some mounts up at www.telescope.com and they look good,
but a little pricey. Anyone out there upgraded to a new mount?

Thanks!

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