DS MODELS USER FEEDBACK Last updated: 26 July 2001

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:	DS-90 home page
Sent:	Tuesday, July 24, 2001 13:06:19
From:	Dave.Myers@axacs.com
I wanted to thank you for all the help your page has given me. I decided
to go ahead and make a brief page devoted to the DS-90EC, the url is
here:

http://www.mindspring.com/~dwmyers/ds90ec.html

Thanks,

David.

Subject:	re: DS-90 questions
Sent:	Saturday, July 21, 2001 11:54:14
From:	rseymour@wolfenet.com (richard seymour)
To:	Dave.Myers@axacs.com
> 3. Non-Autostar electrical drive controller. 
> When initially plugged in, all four LED lights blink simultaneously.
> Touching *any* button on the controller causes the scope
> to skew to the right and up about 25-30 degrees rapidly.

That is normal behaviour.  (isn't it in the manual? it was in my ETX90
manual for its default hand controller).  The systems is performing what
the Autostar calls a "Calibration" to determine how fast to run the
motors for sidereal drive.

> Power cord fall-out.
If Meade supplies a 10-battery holder, that mneans they're expecting 15
volts... the DS- may work well with 12v, but 4504's (an Equatorial
mounted DS-114) get touchy below 11.5 volts.  The 4504, with
counterweights is relatively massive and takes power to move. Check to
see if your 494 has a "Cord Warp" function under "Utilites". IF so, turn
it "on".  That tells the scope to not keep spinning in a wrap-the-cord
direction... it'll go the other way once in a while.

Otherwise: masking tape.

have fun
--dick

Subject:	DS-90EC
Sent:	Friday, July 20, 2001 11:37:37
From:	Dave.Myers@axacs.com
I purchased one of these a few weeks back, and I'd be curious what other
people have to say about this scope. The optics seem good enough,
considering my viewing conditions (I've split the double double under
horrible Atlanta skies, split Polaris, observed detail on Mars, etc),
but there are nagging problems with the mount and the motor drives, the
non-Autostar drive controller and the power supply cord I'd love to hear
some feedback on. I'll address these in no particular order:

1. motor drives: These are attached to the mount by knurled knobs and
once attached, often can be detached while carrying the scope outside.
More so, they are also easy to misthread and the quality of the
threading is just ordinary (I've seen excellent plastic threading on
Pharmacia liquid chromatography equipment). But more so, it's the
tendency to occasionally 'pop off' that worries me. I guess this leads
to a question: is there a preferred way to carry the Meade mount? Would
this recommendation change when the OTA is attached to the mount or not?

2. Mount. tiny problem unassociated with the motor drive issue. The feet
are soft plastic and occasionally come off I'd like to just glue them on
permanently.

3. Non-Autostar electrical drive controller. This acts *very* weird when
powered up. When initially plugged in, all four LED lights blink
simultaneously. Touching *any* button on the controller causes the scope
to skew to the right and up about 25-30 degrees rapidly. Afterwards the
drive controller settles down and works properly. The LEDs no longer
blink and one LED light displays, showing the speed of the motor drive
properly. Is this:

a. a drive controller problem?
b. a drive motor problem?
c. a mount problem?
d. a 'feature' of the drive controller?

I'll note, that when the #495 Autostar is plugged in, this problem is
not seen at all.

4. power supply cord. To explain I have the AC/DC adapter and I've taken
the 12V adapter cord, and attached it to a sealed 12V power supply (One
of these batteries that Sears sells, to start cars. They're *awesome*
replacements for the 10 AA batteries that Meade normally supplies. For
one, they're rechargable and reusable). When you skew the telescope for
more than 90 degrees at a time, very often this power cord pulls out.
This is no fun. For one, all setup information is lost, any alignment is
lost, you're just screwed.

Cursory examination of the plug that connects into the mount suggests
this plug is a little loose. Any fixes? I don't think power is supplied
by the barrel of the power plug itself into the mount; would a little
Play-Doh or other 'stiffening' agent help with this power issue?

The one half fix I've found so far is to loop the power cord over the
OTA and bring it down and back into the mount. It works mostly, but it's
awfully ugly.

Any help appreciated,

David.

Subject:	Website about "DS Mount Conversions"
Sent:	Wednesday, July 18, 2001 15:34:14
From:	hpwallner@aon.at (hpwallner)
my website on "DS Mount Conversions" is up now. Could you please add it
to your linklist?  If you need webspace -just delete my photos at your
"Autostar-info page." I`m in contact with people who want to convert
their CG-5 mounts -I hope I can post some pics on my site soon.

http://members.aon.at/wallnerstelescopes/

Thanks again and fine weather for your ETX star party.

Peter Wallner

Subject:	DS Mount conversions
Sent:	Saturday, July 14, 2001 21:02:25
From:	hp_wallner@hotmail.com (hpwallner)
Hello DS owners,

I`m putting together a website about converted DS-telescopes. I think
most of you know Steve Bedair`s mounts. They will be on my site too. I
use the DS -motors to drive my 12 years old C8 Super Polaris mount. If
someone of you has converted his/her mount I would be glad to post some
pics on my page.

Thanks and happy GoTo

Peter Wallner

Subject:	re: focuser on a DS-114
Sent:	Monday, July 9, 2001 22:54:19
From:	rseymour@wolfenet.com (richard seymour)
To:	rnlacour@adelphia.net
As Mike said, you have to plug the focuser's cord into the AUX
jack on the DS-114's base.  Then the Autostar will "see" it and
add it to the items shown when you lean on the MODE key.

It is also possible to upgrade your 495 to a full 497 by simply
using the A2.4 Updater and setting the 495 into FLASH LOAD 
before starting the procedure.  Use a *new* A2.4 kit, since that
will put the 21eK firmware into the Ephemerides folder.

Previous updaters will *not* do this.

Once you have loaded 21eK, you can then also access Focus by pressing
the zero (0) key during normal operations.

have fun
--dick

Subject:	DS-16
Sent:	Friday, July 6, 2001 14:39:43
From:	Xzz41@cs.com
I have recently acquired a Meade DS-16 with AC motor in pieces.  The
parts I have include the tube, the base and the mirror.  The person who
gave it to me purchased it about 13 years ago.  I am having problems
finding good, valuable information on this telescope including owners'
manuals, other books, photos, etc.  Any information you have, including
magazine articles, books, manuals, etc., would be extremely helpful to
me.  If you could provide photocopies of any manuals, I would be happy
to reimburse you for your time and effort as well as for the cost of
materials to a certain extent.  Also, I am curious to know where I could
find the other parts needed to complete the telescope.

Thank you for your time and cooperation.  I am looking forward to
hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Mark Gilbert
xzz41@cs.com

Subject:	Hoping you can help
Sent:	Wednesday, July 4, 2001 10:40:43
From:	rnlacour@adelphia.net (Richard La Cour)
I have had no luck from meade, so I'm hoping you can help. I've checked
alot of your site, but cannot find the answer to my problem. I have a
DS-114 scope and just purchased a 1240 focuser. The Autostar says to
hold mode down for 2 seconds and turn on the focus settings from the
menu. I don't have the focus setting. It has location instead. I have
upgraded to the "i" (believe the most current) version of the autostar
495. The EC control which comes with the scope wont register the focus
IN/OUT either. What am I doing wrong? 
Thanks for any input. - Richard

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