Re: Celestron Sky Scout
- From: Chris L Peterson <clp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 06 Jun 2006 03:28:52 GMT
On 5 Jun 2006 19:08:53 -0700, "plawler" <plawler@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I still think you are not appreciating what this unit does. It is not
just an "off the shelf" standard GPS. If you compare it to the talking
trip GPS units (e.g., Magellan, Garmin, TomTomGo, etc.) you will find
most of those priced between $400-800.
This doesn't contain a road database, but it does contain a star
database... and it has to do direction and tilt as well as GPS, so you
can point it at a star, and it will identify that star, or you can ask
for an object and it will guide you to the object. Clearly more
sophisticated than the $250 GPS unit.
Not really. GPS units with this device's location capability cost around
$75. For under $100 you can also get one with an electronic compass. All
this unit adds is an electronic inclinometer, costing a few dollars. And
the star database is free, unlike road databases which require the
manufacture to pay royalties to someone. The software to convert from
the position information to a FOV is trivial compared to most GPS
mapping code.
I'd guess the Sky Scout could profitably sell for a _lot_ less if only
it had a market that compared in size to a cheap GPS. But I doubt it
does.
_________________________________________________
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com
.
- References:
- Celestron Sky Scout
- From: plawler
- Re: Celestron Sky Scout
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- Re: Celestron Sky Scout
- From: plawler
- Re: Celestron Sky Scout
- From: Roger Hamlett
- Re: Celestron Sky Scout
- From: plawler
- Celestron Sky Scout
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