DS MODELS USER FEEDBACK Last updated: 22 June 2000

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:	 help
Sent:	Saturday, June 17, 2000 15:02:30
From:	mvgasy@c2i.net (CHRISTIAN  HAUGERUD)
I been thinking about bying a refractor , but i dont know what to get.
But i have narrowed it down to these: Helios Evolution 120 mm F/1000 ,
Meade DS-80ec 900mm f/11,3 or Ds-90ec 1000mm f/11,1 and Quantum 120eqq
f/1000. Can any one help me with any info about these scopes? Im mostly
going to be watching planets , so if you have any of this telescopes -
please tell me how good they are to use , max practical power , can you
see a lot of detail on the surface of mars , jupiter and saturn (they
should - some of these scopes are very expensive...) ? + witch eyepices
would you recommend , meade series (they are most expensive but are they
realy best?), Helios sp. or any others?

I hope somebody can help me - oh , and if you want to recommend any
other scopes , please do so!!!

Thanks for a great site , Christan johanson

Subject:	 hello again
Sent:	Monday, June 12, 2000 21:47:35
From:	thecolortech@mindspring.com (neil berkeley)
im not sure if you remember i had contacted you a short while ago about
an etx 70.. well i ended up purchacing a meade 114 ds,a long throw from
the compact etx series. Im very happy so far with the scope, i also
purchased a autostar controller. Im having some slight problems and
wanted to know where i would post my questions?

thanks again
sincerely
neil berkeley
miami fl

Subject:	 DS powered mount
Sent:	Sunday, May 7, 2000 19:40:21
From:	bedair@tucomm.net (Steve & Cathy Bedair)
This is a new and improved mount I have just completed using Meade's DS
series motors, and Autostar. This mount is almost all aluminum and will
work on a table top or on a tripod. It uses 96 tooth (AZ) and 94
(ALT}stainless and brass worm gears. So far the tracking and the views
from my MK-66 have been great.  I have posted more info and pics at
"people.txucom.net/bedair/ScopeStuff.html"

 Thanks again Mike for a great site.
Steve Bedair

Subject:	 DS Series packages?
Sent:	Wednesday, May 3, 2000 20:15:02
From:	robandkasey@roadsterlife2000.com (Rob & Kasey Bromee)
Do you have any idea where I can find info on which model packages (e.g.
Polaris, StarQuest, etc) come with what?

I see these things advertised and I cannot find a thing about the model
names (printed on the box) on the Meade website.

Hmmm?

RTB

Added later:

Thanks for the quick reply.  They sure make it confusing.

Subject:	 My DS powered Russian
Sent:	Sunday, April 16, 2000 15:54:49
From:	bedair@tucomm.net (Steve & Cathy Bedair)
I've included a picture of a homemade Alt. Az. "Goto" tripod that uses
electronics, motors and computer from a dept. store DS 114 . Complete
with the 497 Autostar. The worms and worm gears are from Ford. You can
get more details at:
 "people.txucom.net/bedair/ScopeStuff.html"

Thanks Mike for providing  "The Best" web site around for the DS and ETX
users.
 Steve Bedair.

Subject:	ETX/125
Sent:	Tuesday, April 11, 2000 09:48:57
From:	HQGLTZ@aol.com
I recently sold me ETX/125 with Autostar which I will ship as soon as
the check clears.  I ordered a 12" dob, and while waiting for new scope,
I decided to buy a cheap refractor so I would have something to use in
the interim.  I ended up buying a used Meade DS-90 with Autostar from
OPT (Oceanside Photo and Telescope) for $399.  I was really surprised. 
The views are tack sharp, except for the very edges, and it is almost
color free since it is an f/11.  I still had the 125, so I decided to
have a little shoot-out in my back yard.  As it turns out, the lowly
acromat is much sharper than the ETX, and the go to function is much
better, despite its slightly loosey-goosey mount.  It puts the star in
the field of a 16mm 3 out of 4 times, something I could never do with
the ETX.  I had always noticed that the 125 was not as sharp as the old
ETX/90 I had a couple of years ago.  I bought as book on star testing
optics by Suiter, discovered a few things.  Though the collimation was
not perfect, it was OK, and was reasonably sharp on planetary.  But
trying to view close doubles was another matter.  According to the
defocused star images  I see, it seems that the optics are uncorrected
between 1/8-1/4 wave.  The Airy disk is extremely faint, and most of the
light energy is located in the 3-4 diffraction rings.  All I could see
when viewing Castor most of the time was a 'figure-8' with almost no
separation.  The DS-90 on the other hand shows two perfect Airy disks
with single diffraction rings and distinct separation, the same as I
used to see on my old ETX 90.  So there is more going on with some of
the 125's optics' than just collimation.  So I am happy with the scope I
bought for 1/3 the price that I sold my ETX for.
Herman

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