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Last updated: 28 March 2008
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Last updated: 28 March 2008 |
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: re: Need to replace the instruction manual for my telescope Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2008 22:34:55 From: richard seymour (rseymour@wolfenet.com) The Meade 4504 is -exactly- the same as your 114 EQ/DH-4 (yours may not have the Starfinder/Autostar) The manuals are here: http://meade.com/manuals/ Look in the right column under '4.5" Reflectors' have fun --dick
From: KAITK@aol.com (KAITK@aol.com) Thanks for the information , Mike. I sincerely appreciate the help you've given me. Logan is so "ready" to begin exploring the night sky!
Subject: RE: DS-2060 motor bracket Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2008 19:26:13 From: Steve Masison (smasison@hotmail.com) I called back to Meade this morning and was clearer on the story behind this scope and they understood what was going on and are fixing this under warranty. Needless to say I am very pleased with their support and wanted to make sure I passed that on. They offered the warranty repair before I asked.
Subject: DS-2060 motor bracket Sent: Monday, March 24, 2008 18:11:14 From: Steve Masison (smasison@hotmail.com) My DS-2060 would only rotate counter-clockwise, I took it apart and it turns out the bracket holding the motor/gear assemby broke. Any idea where I can purchase this part? Meade technical support told me they don't carry it and I would have to send the entire base/mounting arm unit in for repair/replace at a cost of $139. I intend to call them back as I am not sure the tech understood what I needed but I have a bad feeling about this....Is there any hope for finding the bracket?Mike here: Meade typically does not sell individual repair components (most manufacturers don't). You could try Telescope Warehouse. Their link is on the Astronomy Links page on my ETX Site.
Subject: Need to replace the instruction manual for my telescope Sent: Saturday, March 22, 2008 10:46:10 From: KAITK@aol.com (KAITK@aol.com) I have a Meade Electronic telescope Model 114 EQ.DH (D=114 mm F+910mm). Unfortunately, I have misplaced the instructional manual. My 12 year old grandson wishes to begin using it, and I would like to send one along with him to his home where it will be housed from now on. Can you give me an address or phone number to Meade Electronics where I could possible aquire a new one for this model? I'd greatly appreciated your assistance. Sincerely, Kait KlammerMike here: There are some manuals available online. See the FAQ page on my ETX Site for the links.
Subject: #494 and meade motors DS Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 04:37:09 From: davidemarzotto@gmail.com Very interesting your website! I'd like to know a thing. I've a EQ5 mount and a couple of meade DS motors. I'd liko to mount that on mount to make a goto system. Now.. could I buy a meade#494 handpad autostar or I need a different one? i ask this cos 494 it's more economic.. Davide Marzotto http://skylux.blogspot.com THANKS!!!Mike here: Check the article "DS Motors on other Telescopes" on the Helpful Information: Telescope Tech Tips page. Perhaps that will help you.
Subject: Doubt about #495 / #497 Autostar Sent: Thursday, March 6, 2008 09:46:25 From: Ortiz, Christian (Cortiz@agea.com.ar) I'm Christian from Argentina. I recently bought a Meade DS-114 EC telescope. It came with an electronic controller and I want to buy an Autostar controller. Reading your excellent page I found that the Autostar model that I have to buy for my scope is the #495, but reading other comments I found that a #495 Autostar can be converted to a #497 flashing its rom memory. My question is (since I cannot found any #495 on ebay) if I can convert a #497 to #495 in order to be able to work with my DS114. The previous owner of my telescope said to me that he tried to connect an Autostar #497 and it didn't work. I only want the telescope to be able to follow celestial objects automatically, I'm not very interested in it finding everithing for me, I may be interested in connect a handheld with Planetarium, but that's all! Well, I hope not having boring you with this! Thank you!! ChristianMike here: As you can see on Meade's AutoStar page (http://www.meade.com/support/auto.html), the #497 works with all DS models. Do you know why the previous owner said it didn't work?
And:
Thanks for your response! I did note that reference in meade.com but I just don't know why he told me that it didn't work, maybe he connected an older version of the #497 without updates or something... I will ask him again. He told me that I would need a #495 too, so I wanted to be sure before buying anything. I think that the motors and controller installed in my mounting is the #492 kit. If the #497 works fine with those motors, then I will buy a #497. Anyway, I will ask him again and wait for his response about this. Thank you! Christian
And:
Well, I got the previous owner's answer. He said that he have another mounting with a #497 Autostar that goes ok, but that controller connected to the DS-114 only respond to the directional key commands (up, down, right, left). When he tried a "go to" order it does nothing, the telescope doesn't move. He doesn't know if his #497 does not recognise the DS-114 nor he know if this controller got a bios upgrade. Do I try to buy a #497 and hope that do it fine? Thank you Mike! ChristianMike here: If you get a new AutoStar #497 I suspect it will work fine with any DS model, as Meade says.
And:
I will buy a #497 and let you know how it worked! Thank you for your help!!! Christian
Subject: Problem with auto leveling on DS-2130ATS Sent: Wednesday, March 5, 2008 08:15:31 From: Stan (ssiebenthal@cox.net) When I try to use the automatic leveling feature, the scope slews down until it strikes the mount. It used to work fine. Have I done something terrible to this instrument? Stan SMike here: Have you recently replaced the batteries? If so, or even if not, have you done a CALIBRATE MOTOR and TRAIN DRIVES? Doing the CALIBRATE MOTOR is necessary whenever changing the power source or replacing batteries or if the batteries get low and no replacements are immediately available.
And:
Thanks for your prompt reply! I tried fresh batteries, ran CALIBRATE MOTOR, and TRAIN DRIVES. Unfortunately, the scope still crashes into the mount whhile rapidlt moving down seeking level. North works fine and, in a beginner's effort to solve the problen, I upgraded tp an AutoStar #497. No help, but now I've lost the use of the red dot star finder also. All other functions work somewhat better. Stan SMike here: Try reversing the AutoStar cable now that you have a #497 AutoStar. Also, check the condition of the pins in the jacks and connectors; they should not be dirty, too depressed, or bent sideways. As to the red-dot, does it appear in the MODE menu on the AutoStar?
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We're getting closer. I found some very dirty contacts on a NEW 497. I'm checking and cleaning -- very tedious. Meanwhile, I can find nothing relating to SmartFinder on this AutoStar. I notice some models of the ETX use SmartFinder and the 497. Is that a clue? StanMike here: If the AutoStar does not "see" the Smartfinder then the option to control it will not appear in the MODE display. There are some troubleshooting article on the LNT/Smartfinder on the Helpful Information: Telescope Tech Tips page. Most of these apply to the ETX PE model but some of the information may be useful to the DS LNT.
Subject: Adding an AUX jack to a 4504 or DS114 Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 12:07:08 From: Harry Fleming (harry.fleming@tesco.net) For my sins I've got an ETX 125 EC on a modified 4504 mount (so the motors dont collide when it goes round the clock ) and I've been trying to drive it from my computer. I built the AUX port as described the tech tips by richard seymour and checked out the connections rigorously but still no joy. I think I'm managing to talk to the #506 box. I'm not very familiar with the AT commend set. Command ATE1 produces an OK then echos but ATI5 seems to give me info about the port or #506 rather than the scope. I've downloaded the LX 200 command set but they seem to come back error. ACP wont connect at all, at first it said no scope connected now it hangs (but my version is quite old). Any ideas ? Harry FlemingMike here: I'll let our resident AutoStar expert, Dick Seymour, tackle that one.
From: richard seymour (rseymour@wolfenet.com) The "AT" command set has **nothing** to do with an Autostar. (the AT command set was for talking to telephone modems, not telescopes... you're speaking German to a Swahili system...) >> Command ATE1 produces an OK then echos By that, I believe you're really talking to your PC's modem, not the Autostar. "OK" is not a valid response to -any- Autostar command. If you're talking to "COM 3", that's frequently assigned as the built-in modem port... >> but ATI5 seems to give me info about the port or #506 >> rather than the scope. >> I've downloaded the LX 200 command set but they seem to come back >> error. ACP wont connect >> at all, at first it said no scope connected now it hangs (but my >> version is quite old). Any ideas ? Step one, follow the tests in: http://www.weasner.com/etx/autostar/as_testing.html (i don't know if a 494 emits the "X" at power-up. Autostar II's (on an LX200gps) do not, Autostar 497's do) Step-before-one ... try to determine the COM port you -should- be talking to. If you have a USB to serial adapter, either use its configuration program, or drill through the Windows Device Manager screens to figure that out. those are the first steps... good luck --dick
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