SometimesKen
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/15/05
Posts: 579
Loc: Bad Moon Observatory
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ExploraDomes have been out for a little more than 1 year now. I took delivery of my ED last July.
In my opinion POD's & ED's will not hurt sales of higher priced domes. After all, an ExploraDome is exactly what it was designed to be ..... a cheap alternative to higher priced observatories, not to compete with them. With these 2 products folks like me that don't have deep pockets can have a functional observatory without all the bells & whistles.
If it wasn't for ExploraDomes I wouldn't have an observatory yet, I would still be waiting for my kiddies to finish college. I don't mind manually rotating the dome one bit. I used the BMO 5 nights out of 7 last week, I absolutely love just powering up and start observing! Way cool! 
Ken
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Bad Moon Observatory - February 1, 2007
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Bob Griffiths
Getting Grouchy
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 10103
Loc: Frederick Maryland
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I may be missing a few screws or not wrapped as tight as my Mommy would have liked but as a visual observer can anyone tell me exactly what I am missing with my Exploradome that a much higher priced Obs
would provide...
Not interested in automation or motorizing thje rotation as it takes no more effort then bending my elbow to bring a nice ice cold beer to my mouth...
Increased size?
Just curious...as to what I am missing
Bob G.
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CPC1100
Nexstar 8i + GPS & Rays Brackets
Denk S1 power switch
Orion 100 mm Refractor
Meade LXD 55 ...AR-5 127 mm Refractor
Gerbring heated clothing in the winter
Exploradome Observatory S.I.E. (Smiling Irish Eyes)
39*21'03" N
77*28'12" W
The sky over my head....
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Snaproll
Postmaster
Reged: 02/20/04
Posts: 5095
Loc: Green Bay
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Well Bob, I'm a poor guy too, but I think the advantages of a "high priced" dome would be, (and since I don't have one and use one rarely I could be way wrong on this).
More "professional" fit and finish.
More heat reflectivity, lower inside temps.
Ummmmm... duh-no... that's about all that I can think of.
Maybe better security from a break in standpoint?
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JerryWise
Postmaster
Reged: 12/26/03
Posts: 9284
Loc: Lexington, SC
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Well, I can only speak for myself but since the POD was released I haven't bought another expensive observatory.
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Keith Howlett
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/06/07
Posts: 1444
Loc: Northumberland, UK
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Quote:
I thought the implication was to imply that there are actually a large number of PODs out there already...
 Yes that too!
I can think of lots of reasons you might choose one over a more expensive dome other than price. I used to move around a lot with work and a POD / ED would have been just the business at the time. Personally I think they are a great idea and I hope they do very well.
The previous posters have a good point about dome 'aperture fever'. I love my fiberglass dome but keep getting a hankering for something metallic and shiney with bricks underneath it.
Cheers,
Keith
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Keith Howlett
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/06/07
Posts: 1444
Loc: Northumberland, UK
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...wait a minute, shiney and on bricks, that sounds like my car. 
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JerryWise
Postmaster
Reged: 12/26/03
Posts: 9284
Loc: Lexington, SC
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Quote:
....... I love my fiberglass dome but keep getting a hankering for something metallic and shiney with bricks underneath it.
...........
Ohhh Behave..... Now we talking. Maybe copper with bricks under it.
Yesssss. 
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Scott Horstman
Vendor - Backyard Observatories
Reged: 03/11/04
Posts: 13088
Loc: Too Far North, USA
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As a vendor I probably shouldn't jump in here but.....
Hats off to both Dan and Wayne for they're new low cost approach to home dome observatories!
Both, I think, have sparked interest in how practical it really is to have your own home observatory. Having your own observatory is awesome regardless of what you choose.
I have only limited knowlege on the other "high end" observatories but descriminating customers who are housing 14" RCs on Paramounts will choose a higher end observatory to house their gear. The Sirius, for instance, only has a temperature varience, one way or the other, of 3 or 4 degrees from the ambient temperature and has been proven to be good as new for 20 years, plus other important qualities. Like scopes and mounts....you get what you pay for.
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Scott
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."
Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180)
www.backyardobservatories.com
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Colonel Bogey
sage
Reged: 01/27/07
Posts: 291
Loc: Sweden
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Quote:
Well Bob, I'm a poor guy too, but I think the advantages of a "high priced" dome would be, (and since I don't have one and use one rarely I could be way wrong on this).
More "professional" fit and finish.
More heat reflectivity, lower inside temps.
Ummmmm... duh-no... that's about all that I can think of.
Maybe better security from a break in standpoint?
I might add stability and resilience to bad weather. Since my dome is an integral part of the house, I would be in trouble explaining to the insurance company why the dome suddenly blew off...
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Observatory: Paramount ME/C-14/TCF-S/FW8-STL BVRI/STL-1001E + TV85/STL guider
Portable: Giro Gr-III/TEC140/Pentax XW's/ZAO II's
Solar: LS60THa
Binocs: Fujinon 16x70
Grab&go: Manfrotto tripod/FS60C
SW: Mira Pro, IRAF, MaximDL, CCDSoft, TheSky6, VisualSpec etc etc
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d.sleeter
member
Reged: 05/11/06
Posts: 24
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On July 3rd Steve C responded to my question about whether PODs are hurting high priced domes sales by adding the comment that he didn't understand my motivation for asking the question. Well here it is.
For more than a year I've been toying with the idea of buying a dome, and though I can't afford it right now, I've had my sights set on an Observa-dome or an Ashdome. a free-standing model for the back yard.
For as far back as I can remember (or at least as far back as I've been paying attention), their prices have been firmly controlled. Then Voillah! Six to 8 months ago Observa-dome started what they call and "overstock sale". In doing so, they've been offering 30% to 35% discounts on just 4 domes, so the sale is admittedly small, but if you buy one of the on-sale domes, the discount amounts to THOUSANDS of dollars!
As of today, the 2 larger domes have sold, but the 2 smaller domes (2.5 meter models) are still UNSOLD. Observa-dome characterizes this sale as a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity, but I wonder if it truly is. Though it's too early to attribute this sale to the PODs, it might have something to do with the success of the EDs.
Seriously wondering if the EDs and PODs will force a price reduction in the smaller Observa-domes and Ashdomes, I'm now thinking that anyone in the market for a small metal dome might want to hold off on their purchase, wait a while, and see what happens.
Dave Sleeter
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JAT Observatory
NOT a Wimp
Reged: 02/20/05
Posts: 8893
Loc: In the Primordial Soup
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I guess you should ask yourself this question: Since you have been thinking about buying a Observa-Dome or and Ash Dome for a while, would you now consider buying a cheaper (price and quality) POD or ED in place or either that Ash or Observa-Dome? You yourself are a prime candidate to answer the very question you originally ask.
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-Marcus
Hey what did you expect? After all, I am just a pig with a nice smile!
www.jatobservatory.org
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Snaproll
Postmaster
Reged: 02/20/04
Posts: 5095
Loc: Green Bay
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Quote:
Though it's too early to attribute this sale to the PODs, it might have something to do with the success of the EDs.
Too early is probably a correct statement. From the best I can tell, PODs have started to be delivered for a couple weeks now, but it sounds like they are running into production difficulties. An update from Wayne said they are shipping a "few dozen" a week and later gave a number like "50 instead of 75" while they estimated 112 a week, ("a POD exery 90 minutes, for three shifts"). So it sounds like they are shipping at 1/2 projected capacity.
So far to date, only two people (regular people that is, not "beta testers") have weighed on on POD from an owner's standpoint. Either once they get their POD they don't have time for forums, or there really just aren't that many out there yet.
As far as ED's, I don't know for sure how many are out there, but somewhere I read "over a hundred". Whether they are in actual use or not, I don't know.
So Dave, I think that the big dome manufacturers may be feeling the pressure or threat potential, but I don't think they need be worried. I doubt anyone that could afford a nice observatory is going to settle for a POD. On the other hand, someone even looking at a POD or ED for economic reasons, I don't think that they'd say, "Oh I think I'll wait another 20 years and save up for an Ash". They'll buy what the can afford (or what they want to invest) and wouldn't have been a buyer in the upper end market anyway (at least right away).
I really do think if anything, low end domes will get people turned on to observatories and then interested in "better" ones.
I guess the thought is like, "Is the ETX going to threaten sales of C14's???" Two different animals. Someone buying an ETX is probably not even going to think about realistically buying a C14, so it's not a 'lost' C14 sale... Then once they've had the ETX for a while, then have aperture fever take over, then they start thinking about a C14 more and more realistically.
Maybe there will be "dome fever" as well? I kind of think there will be. You don't know if you like something until you try it. You don't try it unless you can afford it (ie think it is 'worth' the money). Once you get started in something that you like, if it becomes a passion and worth the investment, it's natural to want to upgrade to better equipment.
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Jim W Astro images
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d.sleeter
member
Reged: 05/11/06
Posts: 24
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On July 11th 2007, in response to my original post, Marcus said:
"I guess you should ask yourself this question: Since you have been thinking about buying a Observa-Dome or and Ash Dome for a while, would you now consider buying a cheaper (price and quality) POD or ED in place or either that Ash or Observa-Dome?"
My answer is no. I wouldn't consider a POD or an ED. But I still have to build the telescope (a 16" Newt), and I'm putting my expendable income into other projects right now, so it will be a year to 18 months before I'm ready to buy a dome. In the meantime, I'm seriously wondering if EDs and PODs will drive down the prices of the metal domes, and, of course, I'm hoping that they do. Maybe Observadome's current "overstock sale" is a harbinger of things to come.
Dave Sleeter
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rodney
Vendor - Explora Dome
Reged: 03/08/05
Posts: 1306
Loc: Asbury, NJ
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Quote:
On July 11th 2007, in response to my original post, Marcus said:
"I guess you should ask yourself this question: Since you have been thinking about buying a Observa-Dome or and Ash Dome for a while, would you now consider buying a cheaper (price and quality) POD or ED in place or either that Ash or Observa-Dome?"
My answer is no. I wouldn't consider a POD or an ED. But I still have to build the telescope (a 16" Newt), and I'm putting my expendable income into other projects right now, so it will be a year to 18 months before I'm ready to buy a dome. In the meantime, I'm seriously wondering if EDs and PODs will drive down the prices of the metal domes, and, of course, I'm hoping that they do. Maybe Observadome's current "overstock sale" is a harbinger of things to come.
Dave Sleeter
I doubt the ED's or PODs will have that much impact on the more expensive domes out there any time soon. Think about this, it took Toyota 20 plus years to knock down GM from the top of the automotive heap.
The guy looking to buy a Ferrari would not normally settle for a Chevette. Then again his expectations may be to high.
Rodney
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Explora Dome information can be found here:
www.exploradome.us
Rodney
13 Truss
Canon XSi
Extremely happy Explora Dome home observatory owner
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JAT Observatory
NOT a Wimp
Reged: 02/20/05
Posts: 8893
Loc: In the Primordial Soup
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Quote:
My answer is no. I wouldn't consider a POD or an ED.............. Maybe Observadome's current "overstock sale" is a harbinger of things to come.
I see no reason that companies like Observadome or Ash would change their pricing because of ED or the POD. I am guessing the sale is because they have some domes they need to get rid of.
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-Marcus
Hey what did you expect? After all, I am just a pig with a nice smile!
www.jatobservatory.org
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jsarli
member
Reged: 04/01/07
Posts: 79
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I dont think that the POD will affect the price of high priced domes at all. For instance, Universities will always purchase the more expensive domes or roll off roof observatories because of thier quality and looks. Professional companies, such as NASA, Air Force etc, will purchase the more expensive domes, as well as people that can afford to have a bigger high quality observatory. Also, I beleive that more people purchase roll off roof observatories than domes.
JS
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riverpoet
sage
Reged: 11/03/03
Posts: 255
Loc: Slovenia, Europe
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Better question is: will Skyshed POD hurt sales of Skyshed roll-offs 
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C11 + Skywatcher EQ6 Pro + Skyshed POD XL3
Vixen Sphinx NexSXD
Basler Ace 1300-30GM, QHY5, Canon EOS 1000D (mod)
Astrotrac TT320X
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My Astrophoto Gallery
FINDASTRONOMY - Astronomy Search engine
Astronom.si - Slovenian Astro Community
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