Weasner's Meade DS Models User Feedback

DS MODELS USER FEEDBACK

Last updated: 23 November 2004

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.

Sky & Telescope DS Models review (12/20/99)

Guest DS2130 review (11/15/01)

Subject:	Tips on my First Purchase
Sent:	Monday, November 22, 2004 17:58:31
From:	Kenneth DeFilippo (constrmgronsite@optonline.net)
I came across your web-site strictly by accident, and was quite
impressed with the degree of work that obviously went into it's making.
I am writing to ask if you could possibly take a moment to share a tip
or two for me regarding my first telescope purchase.

First, my interests lie in viewing planets, stars, and frankly, as far
as my initial investment will permit me. I would also be looking to try
my hand at using my 35mm camera should I see something that I want to
get on film.

I have looked at many telescopes, and have read-up on the basics. I am
now looking at the Meade EQ-AST, short tube telescope, 114mm dia lens
w/1000mm f8.8 FL. Would you recommend this particular piece of equipment
for a beginner?

Thank you for your time.

Regards,

Ken DeFilippo
Clifton, NJ

Mike here: I'm not familiar with that model. But its optical specs sound OK. Can't speak to the mounting. Keep in mind that the best telescope is the one that gets used. If it will meet your expectations and budget then it could be OK for you. HOWEVER, keep in mind that for 35mm astrophotography you will want a sturdy mount and good tracking in Polar mode.

Subject:	What size DS 2000 is mine
Sent:	Saturday, November 20, 2004 15:02:23
From:	Steven F. Warnke (sfwyms@mchsi.com)
My wife got me this scope for Christmas two years ago , the box it came
in said it was a DS 2000 ? But the dimintions don't measure the same as
the modles in my book?

The tube is 26.188 by - the back is 3inches inside and the front is
3.250 inches? It is a reflector,and came with three eyepieces plus a 3X
Barlow.

The eyepiece holder is 1" inside and it has a imfo plate on it (D=76 mm 
F=700 mm  f/9.2).

The book is dated 2001 and the software is dated1999. She bought it at
Walmart for for I think a bit over $200.22.

I thank-you very much for your help, I had a 250X refractor when I grew
up in N. Cal. I always liked looking through it.This is my first
reflector , I need all this imfo because I am thinking of getting a
slightly larger scope penneys has them on sale. I was still only going
to get low end. It is a Meade Equatorial  114EQASE. It is 450X and also
has autostar, for $199.99. I want a Big scope, but money is tight.

I am Steven Foster Warnke. I live in Mason City, Iowa. And I hate
clouds!!

                             thank-you  Steven

Mike here: Not certain what you are asking. If you want the Meade manual, see the FAQ page on the ETX Site for where to locate manuals.

Subject:	DS/B-80EC telescope
Sent:	Saturday, November 20, 2004 06:20:48
From:	Joe & Charlene Just (joejust@t-online.de)
Need help finding operational/instruction manual for Bresser DS/B-80EC
on the internet.  If anyone knows where I can find it please email me a
joejust@t-online.de

Thank you

Mike here: If this is the Meade DS-80EC, you can find that manual on Meade's site:
http://www.meade.com/manuals/

And:

Thank you for the assistance.  That is the same telescope, I believe,
anyway it appears to be the same as this Bresser.  Thanks again.

Regards,

Joe Just
Hohenfels, Germany

Subject:	Re: DS model comparisons
Sent:	Friday, November 19, 2004 19:59:57
From:	Harrison H (hmh63@msn.com)
Thanks, It's great of you to go out of your way to help.

Much appreciation,

Harrison Heiman

Subject:	DS model comparisons
Sent:	Friday, November 19, 2004 05:43:26
From:	Harrison H (hmh63@msn.com)
First, great site...thanks.  I know that you've stated that your
expertise isn't in the DS models, but you may have heard enough to help
me a little anyway. I'm a definite newbie and would like to know if you
might have an overall impression between two models.  First is the
DS-90ATA from Sam's Club and the other is the DS-114AATE from BJ's. 
They're both $200 and include 3 eyepieces, but the DS-114 includes an
electronic eyepiece as well.  I'm just looking for a decent starter kit
and I hope that one of these will do the trick.

Thanks and keep up the great work,

Harrison Heiman
HMH63@msn.com

Mike here: These are telescope models originally released in the 1999-2000 timeframe with the addition (I believe) of an Autostar (or similar) GOTO handcontroller. While the focal lengths are similar (1000mm for the DS90 refractor and 910mm for the DS-114 Newtonian reflector), the larger aperture of the reflector will let you see fainter objects than with the DS-90.

Subject:	Meade 2130AT vs Orion Dobsonians
Sent:	Sunday, November 14, 2004 12:36:48
From:	inetinfo2 (inetinfo2@sbcglobal.net)
It's Mid November 2004 and I'm searching the internet for various
telescope options for myself and my 8 year old son. The Meade DS-2130 AT
is available (in factory seconds) for under $200 from various places.
For a 5" scope with autostar, this seems pretty irresistible. However, I
can also get an Orion XT-6 Dobsonian for just a tad more money (the
SkyQuest XT6 for $239). The bigger Orion however does not have any kind
of "goto" capability. The site www.scopereviews.com seems to really like
this series. What is your opinion on the matter? As amateurs (I've never
owned a telescope before) I would think we would greatly benefit from
the "goto" functionality. However, a bigger 'scope and some skycharts
might be the better route.

Thanks,
Jeff

Mike here: For new amateur astronomers, having a GOTO capability puts more objects at your fingertips. However, in the centuries before GOTOs, amateur astronomers will able to learn the night sky and successfully navigate their way around. So, if you are willing to take the time to learn the sky and how to find objects, then having a large aperture will present nicer views, especially of faint objects from a dark site. So it comes down to the trade-offs and only you can make that determination.

And:

Thanks Mike for the quick feedback. If possible I'd like to trouble you
with a couple more questions:

1) I'm not sure if you're a 'scope "nut" (do you have a dozen or more
'scopes? :-)), but, at say $200 for the Meade DS-2130AT, would the price
alone temp you to want another (or, maybe another way to ask this - do
you have friends who, at that price, are running out to grab one)?

2) How much merit to you give the www.scopereviews.com site? Their
opinion is that the optics of the Meade DS series are not as good as
some others (such as the Orion line for example).

3) Another variation on question 2 - are you willing to attempt to
compare the merits of the optics of, say, the Meade in question
(DS-2130AT) vs the Orion SpaceProbe 130 EQ? They have similar specs in
terms of focal length and aperture, f-stop. Is there some way someone
like myself can find out which 'scope will give me a better view of
planets? I'm an engineer (if you couldn't tell) so I'm trying to do my
best job at quantifying the merit and value of each option (Meade
DS-2130AT, Orion SpaceProbe 130 EQ, and Orion Sykquest XT6). I know
there's more to it than numbers - for instance, even if I end up with
the "better " (technically) XT6, if we never use it because we are
unable to figure out how to use skycharts, etc, then it really wasn't
the best choice.

I just want to avoid being "sucked in" by the bargains available on the
DS-2130AT if, for another say $100 - $150, I could buy myself an
optically superior unit that will yield longer term interest in the
hobby.

Thanks again,
Jeff

Mike here: Certainly you get what you pay for. $200 for any almost any telescope means low-end. I have no experience with that site. And since I've not personally experienced either telescope I have no basis for a comparison.

Subject:	a few ques...
Sent:	Wednesday, November 10, 2004 04:33:26
From:	Daphne Schonfeld (daphne@laflaf.com)
i'm sort of a beginner with the skies and scopes and i'd like to buy my
1st one...but i dont really understand much bout all the little
details...

i do have some ques...

1 - is the MEADE DS-2114 and the POLARIS DS-2114 the same?

2 - with my future scope to be...id like to be able to see saturn's
rings, good view of the moon and also nebulas (such as andromeda and the
crab nebula and triffid...and some others...)...

so my ques. actually is - what scope will u recommend me to buy?

i dont want it to be too sophisticated and not a begginer's one also
that i'll forget bout in a month or so...

got any suggestions for me?

Mike here: Some models have different names depending upon the marketplaces they are sold through. But I suspect these are the same models, although the included accessories might be different. Whether the DS model will provide the views you expect will depend upon those expectations. Most small telescopes will let you see galaxies and nebula but they will appear as "faint fuzzy blobs" to your eye. Yes, will be able to see the Ring around Saturn and craters on the Moon. You might want to look through the DS feedback pages (in the feedback archives) on my ETX Site. There is also a DS discussion group on Yahoo.
By the way, please read the Email Etiquette item on the ETX Site Home Page; your message was originally DELETED UNREAD as SPAM due to the ambiguous subject entry. Thanks for understanding.

Subject:	DS 2000 mount problem
Sent:	Monday, November 8, 2004 11:19:09
From:	jmerskin@excite.com
Perhaps you have an answer or can direct me to where I can find an
answer.

I have the above mount that has stopped working in the ALT movement(Up
and down).  The motor turns, the drive gears turn, the worm gears turns,
the worm wheel gear turns, but then nothing else turns.  I suspect that
the worm wheel gear is no longer attached.  How do I get into the worm
wheel housing to determine the cause of the problem?  Or perhaps, is
something else wrong?

Thanks in advance, and I don't know what Meade owners would do without
your great site...

Mike here: You might check the article "DS Drive errors" on the Telescope Tech Tips page. May or may not help.

And:

Thanks for the response Mike, and I've read that tip.  I still don't
know how to get into the housing around the wormwheel gear.  Is there a
particular forum on your site that I might ask the question?

Again, thanks very much for the response.

And an update:

I figured out the problem.  The housing is a force fit and will come
loose if you pry gently.  The reason the mount didn't work was it had
moved past a stop. The inside of the housing ha a smaller diameter for
about 1/2 the circumference.  The worm wheel housing is a mirror of the
outside housing.  Somehow, the gear housing had moved past this stop and
was jammed.  It now works.

Subject:	COMPARING SCOPES FOR A NOVICE
Sent:	Saturday, November 6, 2004 09:12:17
From:	KNICKRD@aol.com (KNICKRD@aol.com)
I AM LOOKING FOR A SCOPE FOR MY SON. I AM LOOKING AT THE MEADE DS2076AT,
DS2060AT, DS80 AND THE TELESTAR "TO GO". PLEASE ANY REVIEWS,
APPRECIATED.

Mike here: See the "DS, Older Models" feedback page (including the Feedback Archives) as well as the Helpful Information: User Observations page. Those are the only DS comments I have posted. You can also search the Site for any DS model; remember, some people may have put a dash between "DS" and the model number.
Also, please read the Email Etiquette item re: ALL CAPS. Thanks.

Subject:	Meade DS70 repair
Sent:	Tuesday, November 2, 2004 10:57:36
From:	Susan Jett (sjett@tol-tx.com)
Greetings I am looking for a repair person for a Meade DS70. 
Can you help me?
Susan

Mike here: I don't think Dr. Clay Sherrod works on these models. What specifically is wrong with it?

And:

OK.  Thank you for your reply.
I found a place a in Texas, within two hundred miles. . .   Long story ,
was purchased for a 10 year old,  and has lived a hard life.  Over the
weekend it was handed to me in various pieces.  And there is something
rattling around inside...

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