Weasner's Astronomy Software Feedback

ASTRONOMY SOFTWARE FEEDBACK

Last updated: 19 August 2005

This page is for user comments on Astronomy software for the PC, Macintosh, or Palm OS systems. Items that are more "review" oriented will be posted on the Astronomy Software Reviews page. 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:	ETX and the Mac
Sent:	Wednesday, August 17, 2005 05:31:03
From:	Ted Witt (tcwwitt@sbcglobal.net)
Here's a bit of an update.  Went to Shutan's last Saturday...they had no
ETX's in stock.  Went home, and went on the Meade site and found that
the Discovery Channel Stores had a bunch.  Called up our local one, and
they had the ETX-90PE with UHTC (same price as I would have paid at
Shutan's), so.......I got it.

One of the add-ons is the AutoStar Suite software, which I've installed
on my 15" Powerbook (I have Virtual PC 7.0) running under Tiger).  Don't
need Equinox any more.

Now all I have to do is get the AutoStar up and running on the ETX. 
I've trained the drives, and I'm playing around with getting the Auto
Alignment to work.  It does require some patience, but the Auto North
and Auto level are nice features.  I'l keep you posted as I go forward.

Ted

Mike here: If you find using VPC (which provides Windows capabilities) a pain (I do), then consider those other apps I mentioned earliier. Also, there is AutostarX for updating the Autostar from Mac OS X. See the Autostar Info page.

Subject:	misreading ETX70 and cartes du ciel
Sent:	Tuesday, August 16, 2005 05:15:38
From:	Fam Veldhuizen (hanzeman@zeelandnet.nl)
My ETX 70 with autostar#494 and connection cable #506 is not working
correctly with my updated Carte du Ciel program. The values Dec, Az ands
El are not corresponding to the autostar values. Is there anyone having
(and solving) similar problems/
gr
hans van veldhuizen

Subject:	ETX and the Mac
Sent:	Friday, August 12, 2005 06:28:42
From:	Ted Witt (tcwwitt@sbcglobal.net)
I discovered your site the other day, and it's fabulous!  I'm about to
purchase my first telescope since i was a kid (I'm 60), and I think I've
locked onto the ETX series (either a 70 or 90).  The only other one I'm
mildly interested in is the Celestron NexStar 80GT.  Is there an
advantage over the ETX's. I'm a certified Macaholic, and I'm looking for
info on how to control the AutoStar with a Mac, and I thought I saw it
on your web site, but I can't find it.  Can you direct me to the right
location. I'm looking at a shareware application called Equinox that
looks promising and supposedly will control the ETX.  I found it on
Versiontracker, and it's not too expensive and has great features.

I really enjoy your site and the reviews.  They've helped me a great
deal.  I'm going to visit Shutan's on Saturday - I live in northern IL
to see what they have in stock.

Thanks for your help, and keep up the great work!

Ted Witt

Mike here: I haven't tried Equinox to control the Autostar (which in turns controls the ETX) but have used ScopeDriver and Astroplanner (see the comments on the Accessory Reviews: Software page). Also see the Mac articles on the Helpful Information: Autostar Info page.

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