Phil Cowell
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/24/07
Loc: Southern Tier NY
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Re: CGE Pro coming home with me from NEAF
[Re: Strgazr27]
#3024328 - 04/04/09 06:38 PM
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I've lugged it out into the backyard and given it a run with my AT111EDT. It's sweet. Quiet, and if your used to a Celestrons HC's like an old friend.
Phil
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Bowmoreman
Clear enough skies
Reged: 09/11/06
Loc: Bolton, MA
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Re: CGE Pro coming home with me from NEAF
[Re: Phil Cowell]
#3024705 - 04/04/09 10:43 PM
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Yeah... one point I'm NOT looking forward to is learning YET ANOTHER new handcontrol/protocol for goto, etc...
I had just gotten to where I could do everything with the CGE from memory and by rote...
Now I gotta learn Gemini... ah well, it'll make good bedtime reading over the next few weeks - LOL...
Congrats, Bobby... it's one sweet looking mount. Kinda uber-Germanic/Teutonic "cool" in a Bauhaus kinda way...
Seems to me it's pretty hard to go wrong in the $5K and up range... funny, that...
clear enough skies
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Bowmoreman
Clear enough skies
Reged: 09/11/06
Loc: Bolton, MA
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Re: CGE Pro coming home with me from NEAF
[Re: Phil Cowell]
#3024706 - 04/04/09 10:44 PM
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BTW, Phil...
Just noticed you're "southern Tier"... whereabouts?
My wife's from Corning, and my Father in law still lives in Elmira... we get there several times a year... I'm thinking next family visit there, I'm gonna hafta "hop out" and visit Cherry Springs, about an hour away...
small world
clear enough skies
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David Pavlich
Transmographied
Reged: 05/18/05
Loc: Mandeville, LA USA
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Re: CGE Pro coming home with me from NEAF
[Re: Bowmoreman]
#3024745 - 04/04/09 11:08 PM
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Quote:
Yeah... one point I'm NOT looking forward to is learning YET ANOTHER new handcontrol/protocol for goto, etc...
I had just gotten to where I could do everything with the CGE from memory and by rote...
Now I gotta learn Gemini... ah well, it'll make good bedtime reading over the next few weeks - LOL...
Congrats, Bobby... it's one sweet looking mount. Kinda uber-Germanic/Teutonic "cool" in a Bauhaus kinda way...
Seems to me it's pretty hard to go wrong in the $5K and up range... funny, that...
clear enough skies
I think you'll get an "AMEN" from other Gemini users when I tell you to read the manual. If you follow the instructions, it is not a big learning curve, but if you try to do it like the typical male (instructions? we don't need no stinkin' instructions  ), you'll be cursing everyone one of we MI250 owners for giving you bad advice. 
David
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Bowmoreman
Clear enough skies
Reged: 09/11/06
Loc: Bolton, MA
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Re: CGE Pro coming home with me from NEAF
[Re: David Pavlich]
#3024771 - 04/04/09 11:25 PM
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Not uber-worried, David... I'm an ex TECO programmer (amongst other arcanity)... I fear NO manual...
but appreciate the warning, nonetheless...
We now return you to Bobby's original posting topic... 
clear enough skies
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Phil Cowell
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/24/07
Loc: Southern Tier NY
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Re: CGE Pro coming home with me from NEAF
[Re: Bowmoreman]
#3025050 - 04/05/09 05:29 AM
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Quote:
BTW, Phil...
Just noticed you're "southern Tier"... whereabouts?
My wife's from Corning, and my Father in law still lives in Elmira... we get there several times a year... I'm thinking next family visit there, I'm gonna hafta "hop out" and visit Cherry Springs, about an hour away...
small world
clear enough skies
I'm in Johnson City just West of Binghamton. About an hour to the East of Elmira.
Phil
Phil
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RAKing
Postmaster
Reged: 12/28/07
Loc: West of the D.C. Nebula
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Re: CGE Pro coming home with me from NEAF
[Re: David Pavlich]
#3025238 - 04/05/09 09:13 AM
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I think you'll get an "AMEN" from other Gemini users when I tell you to read the manual. If you follow the instructions, it is not a big learning curve, but if you try to do it like the typical male (instructions? we don't need no stinkin' instructions ), you'll be cursing everyone one of we MI250 owners for giving you bad advice.
AMEN 
While I love the results - solid alignment and dead center Gotos - the interface is Spartan to say the least. It reminds me of my old VAX days.
RTFM, Dude. 
Ron
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Phil Cowell
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/24/07
Loc: Southern Tier NY
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Re: CGE Pro coming home with me from NEAF
[Re: RAKing]
#3025444 - 04/05/09 11:12 AM
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While I love the results - solid alignment and dead center Gotos - the interface is Spartan to say the least. It reminds me of my old VAX days.
RTFM, Dude.
Ron
Yeah kinda like the astro DEC PDP-7 which is why I went with the CGE Pro. Lifes too short for spartan interfaces.
Phil
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David Pavlich
Transmographied
Reged: 05/18/05
Loc: Mandeville, LA USA
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Re: CGE Pro coming home with me from NEAF
[Re: Phil Cowell]
#3025498 - 04/05/09 11:42 AM
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I don't know...I've gotten pretty quick with the commands of the Gemini. It's kinda' like watching a teenager text message. I can zip around the pad and get the 250 to move around in short order.
Besides, when imaging, how much do you move the mount around anyway? I guess I like the results of the thing.
David
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Phil Cowell
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/24/07
Loc: Southern Tier NY
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Re: CGE Pro coming home with me from NEAF
[Re: David Pavlich]
#3025525 - 04/05/09 11:56 AM
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I agree some people like it, have a Gemini on a CI-700. To be honest though it was the Gemini that stopped me from getting the MI-250 or the Titan. It's very capable but I just don't like it. It's a personal thing I guess, also I'm more a visual user who likes large aperture scopes not so much an imager (yet?).
Phil
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Bowmoreman
Clear enough skies
Reged: 09/11/06
Loc: Bolton, MA
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Re: CGE Pro coming home with me from NEAF
[Re: Phil Cowell]
#3025970 - 04/05/09 03:46 PM
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You guys are KILLING me...
I'm sitting here, sippin a brewksi, and reading the Gemini manual, thinking... "how hard can THIS be?"...
that said, I'm coming from the Celestron interface, which took me a while to grok after the unbelievable, video-game simplicity of the Sphinx Starbook...
ah, well... since ultimately, it's going to be permanently mounted and driven by TheSky/CCDSoft, etc... and remoteable, I suppose es macht nichts...
On the other (third?) hand; perhaps I'm too old (at 3 weeks from 50) to learn yet another arcane computer related interface...
We'll see I guess...
FWIW - I absolutely HATED the Meade Autostar, so what does that make me, some kind of Luddite?
Hmmmm... wonder if we could figure out how to adapt the Celestron NextStar to currently Gemini-compatible...
(listen to me, complaining BEFORE I even try it!)... LOL
But... we digress... I still think that Bobby's soon to be new CGE Pro looks absolutely stunning!
clear enough skies
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Alph
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/23/06
Loc: Melmac
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Re: CGE Pro coming home with me from NEAF
[Re: Bowmoreman]
#3026067 - 04/05/09 04:37 PM
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FWIW - I absolutely HATED the Meade Autostar, so what does that make me, some kind of Luddite?
I have looked at many mount controllers. The Meade Autostar stands out as an overall winner in terms of functionality and features. If you did not like it, then most likely the Gemini controller is not for you either and you will hate it even more.
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Strgazr27
Reged: 10/04/04
Loc: StonyHill Observatory
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Re: CGE Pro coming home with me from NEAF
[Re: Alph]
#3026135 - 04/05/09 05:02 PM
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It's a matter pf personal opinion and comfort level. To me the Nexstar software and controller was better than the Meade Autostar and I have owned both. The Gemini is incredibly powerful when you take the time to read and learn all it is capable of doing. Is it archaic? absolutely but it's simplicity is it's shining point. I have gotten to the point with the G11 that I can click my way around the menus without even really looking at what I am doing. The GoTos are outstanding when you take the time to do an accurate model. My current model is based on 50 points spread accross the sky. The mount never fails to put the object on the chip of my SSAG with a 600mm guidescope.
The 250/Gemini combo is incredible once you get the hang of it. If it weren't for the cost of the 250 vs the Pro it wouldn't have been a chocie.
There is something very "Organic" and almost "Cyborg" like about the CGEPro. I just wished that Celestron would have taken the height into consideration.
Edited by Strgazr27 (04/05/09 05:05 PM)
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Bowmoreman
Clear enough skies
Reged: 09/11/06
Loc: Bolton, MA
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Re: CGE Pro coming home with me from NEAF
[Re: Alph]
#3026138 - 04/05/09 05:03 PM
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Quote:
Quote:
FWIW - I absolutely HATED the Meade Autostar, so what does that make me, some kind of Luddite?
I have looked at many mount controllers. The Meade Autostar stands out as an overall winner in terms of functionality and features. If you did not like it, then most likely the Gemini controller is not for you either and you will hate it even more.
But, I loved NextStar??? Whazzup with THAT? Maybe it was the "Orange"? Or I just got MORE experienced with arcanity? Both?
At the end of the day, it's about the quality of the mount first, and the interface second... which is why the CGE Pro was on my list all along!
Bobby, it'll be really interesting to get your full report once you're all setup and workin with it! You go through mounts like most of us go through six-packs!
Clear enough skies
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Alph
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/23/06
Loc: Melmac
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Re: CGE Pro coming home with me from NEAF
[Re: Strgazr27]
#3026220 - 04/05/09 05:37 PM
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It's a matter pf personal opinion and comfort level
Sure but there are some objective facts. Neither Gemini nor Nextstar controllers allow for uploading user objects like asteroids, satellites, comets, DSOs/stars, and land objects. Nexstar controller also can't go to Alt/Az coordinates.
Quote:
I just wished that Celestron would have taken the height into consideration.
I see how this could be a problem for the C14 owners.
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Phil Cowell
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/24/07
Loc: Southern Tier NY
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Re: CGE Pro coming home with me from NEAF
[Re: Alph]
#3026253 - 04/05/09 05:55 PM
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Yeah but I pretty sure Celestron will be around next year. That to me is more important than nice to have features. Can you say the same about Meade in it's current form?
The RCX was a disaster. The law suit for the RC statement was icing on the financial cake?
Also what mount around $5K that will take around the 90 - 100# capacity does Meade make? The topic is about GEM mounts in this class. Not Alt/AZ.
Phil
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mclewis1
Thread Killer
Reged: 02/25/06
Loc: New Brunswick, Canada
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Re: CGE Pro coming home with me from NEAF
[Re: Alph]
#3026254 - 04/05/09 05:55 PM
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Sure but there are some objective facts. Neither Gemini nor Nextstar controllers allow for uploading user objects like asteroids, satellites, comets, DSOs/stars, and land objects. Nexstar controller also can't go to Alt/Az coordinates.
Facts? Sure ... NexStar v4.xx allows user objects to be added (and not just those already in the db), they can also be land objects. You still can't however load an ephemeris to calculate the motion of a moving object.
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Phil Cowell
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/24/07
Loc: Southern Tier NY
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Re: CGE Pro coming home with me from NEAF
[Re: Bowmoreman]
#3026258 - 04/05/09 05:58 PM
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Dave,
The Gemini is not so much hard as not as intuitive as the CGE Pro HC. The Gemini does do the job well though if you put in the time to learn it. A couple brews might slow the learning curve. 
Phil
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LLEEGE
True Blue
Reged: 03/03/05
Loc: Cloud-chester,NY
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Re: CGE Pro coming home with me from NEAF
[Re: Phil Cowell]
#3026363 - 04/05/09 06:44 PM
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I've never used Gemini but I have owned a few different brands and I gotta say the AP system is probably the best I've used as far as ease of use.
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RAKing
Postmaster
Reged: 12/28/07
Loc: West of the D.C. Nebula
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Re: CGE Pro coming home with me from NEAF
[Re: Phil Cowell]
#3026376 - 04/05/09 06:53 PM
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The Gemini is not so much hard as not as intuitive as the CGE Pro HC. The Gemini does do the job well though if you put in the time to learn it. A couple brews might slow the learning curve.
I'm not so sure. I think a couple might help.
Dave, The Gemini only has five buttons on the face that you normally use to navigate through all the various menus and submenus, etc. It may sound tedious to be pushing the same button several times, but it works quite well once you get the hang of it. No, you can't just punch in something like 2392 directly from a larger keypad - but sometimes it's much easier for me to find the right button out of five choices and navigate to where I want to go.
Plus, since you are permanently mounted, you will soon develop a killer model of the sky like Bobby's and that will save you a lot of time.
Enjoy. I hope to see you guys at NEAF. 
Ron
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