Re: Skysensor 2000-PC availability?

From: Szaki (szaki10_at_comcast.net)
Date: 01/09/05 

Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2005 10:40:46 -0800

Why you had to move the goto to your GP mount?
Not happy with the Celestron GT?
All these cheap goto systems, that Mead or Celestron makes uses standard DC
motors, vs. SS2K use stepping motors, lot more accurate. For example, I can
be over 100x power or more and slew from one object to another and they all
come into my eyepiece field view. SS2K even locate objects on the Moon,
after proper alignment, controler has the database too.
 I owned LX200 and Nexstars, but I'm very impressed with the SS2K. There is
the reason for the high price and demand for the SS2K. FCC killed it off
here in the US.
Julius

"Stephen Paul" <smarshallpaul@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:jb2dnQfy4vDw03zcRVn-rA@comcast.com...
> Fred wrote:
>> Hi *,
>> I'm considering upgrading my old EQ5 which came with my C8 with GOTO
>> capabilities and I'm almost set for a Skysensor 2000-PC (I'd love a
>> Celestron CGE or a Losmandy but not for now :) )
>> Now the big question is where to find the toy (at a decent price, of
>> course). I found a couple of potential sources around USD1200 but with no
>> immediate availability. Is there a shortage or something similar? Do you
>> happen to know where I could buy it, preferable online, within a fair
>> timeframe?
>>
>> Bonus question for existing users: is the 'PC' option worth the delta or
>> could you live without it?
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
>>
>
> Consider the Celestron CG5 Advanced Series GT mount. It seems to have
> accurate aiming capabilities provided it heads off in the correct
> direction (I've seen it fail this a couple of times), and there's an
> optional accessory that provides an auxiliary port, hand controller port,
> and serial port for Nexremote (formerly HC Anywhere) PC control. It also
> has an autoguider port on the main controller board which is mounted on
> the RA axis.
>
> I just did a transplant of the complete GoTo system to my Vixen GP. I
> _finally_ got it out for a trial run thanks to a break in the clouds the
> other night, and the accuracy was identical to the CG5. Using just a quick
> centering of Polaris in the polar scope, and rough centering of the
> alignment stars in a 1 degree TFOV eyepiece, all objects were off center
> in the same location, but within the field of view.
>
> The next ideas:
> remote control
> aiming correction using the Meade DSI as a field star imager
> autoguiding with the Meade DSI
> remote focus of a DSLR

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Skysensor 2000-PC availability?
    ... > Why you had to move the goto to your GP mount? ... > Not happy with the Celestron GT? ... The difference is in the quality of the motor itself (the design ... Availability in the US, of the controller is poor, and given the current ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Re: GP-C102ED-ASGT (GP gets a Nexstar makeover)
    ... controller with battery pack. ... evening from another local Astromarter and immediately put it into service ... drives and 2" leg tripod to the GP on Sunday early ... the Celestron, or with an SVP tripod that I have, as well as the Vixen MT-1 ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Re: SS2K vs. Mead LXD-75 or C-GT
    ... The SS2K, is a great controller, and if it is the first controller you use, you will probably find the other controllers 'odd'. ... The SS2K, is a very heavy unit compared to the other controllers, but this is because the motor drive electronics is in the handset, when the other units need this seperately. ... The GP, and GP-DX, are very well made mount assemblies, with generally low periodic error, and the error itself is of the form that is readily correctable. ... The Celestron mount, has undergone about four revisions, and the current unit, is actually fractionally 'better' than the GP-DX, in one area. ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Re: SS2K vs. Mead LXD-75 or C-GT
    ... like the LXD-75 or the Celestron GT has? ... The SS2K, is a great controller, and if it is the first ... controller you use, you will probably find the other controllers 'odd'. ... The GP, and GP-DX, are very well made mount ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)