Telescope Reviews: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO!

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Mike Clemens
Frozen to Eyepiece

Reged: 11/26/05

Loc: Alaska, USA

Re: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO! new

new

[Re: gillmj24]
#5182342 - 04/20/12 08:16 PM

I think you are right.

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M44
sage

Reged: 03/24/07

Loc: SoCal.

Re: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO! new

new

[Re: gillmj24]
#5182357 - 04/20/12 08:31 PM

12,750 - Mount
3,750 - Absolute Encoder Option

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krzauber
member

Reged: 12/02/11

Loc: Shoreham, NY

Re: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO! new

new

[Re: M44]
#5182364 - 04/20/12 08:36 PM

Well if you buy it at NEAF you're gonna be charged 8.375% sales tax which is a helluva lot more than shipping from Illinois would cost ...

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coz
super member

Reged: 08/25/10

Re: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO! new

new

[Re: krzauber]
#5182383 - 04/20/12 08:51 PM

The encoder upgrade on the 3600 is $6800. I know that's larger but it may be close?

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seryddwr
Innocent Bystander

Reged: 02/19/10

Loc: I don't know, you tell me.

Re: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO! new

new

[Re: coz]
#5182396 - 04/20/12 09:00 PM

Anybody want to make a charitable donation of their 1200?

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gillmj24
Post Laureate

Reged: 12/06/05

Loc: PA

Re: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO! new

new

[Re: seryddwr]
#5182420 - 04/20/12 09:29 PM

Having the first 1600... priceless. Plus I'd be hoping for a usual slight Sunday evening neaf discount.

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coz
super member

Reged: 08/25/10

Re: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO! new

new

[Re: gillmj24]
#5182447 - 04/20/12 10:01 PM

Looks like a new polar scope coming too that is more accurate and easer to use. It will be also available for the other mounts.

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David Pavlich
Transmographied

Reged: 05/18/05

Loc: Mandeville, LA USA

Re: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO! new

new

[Re: gillmj24]
#5182507 - 04/20/12 10:44 PM

Well, there's still the MX at 90lbs capacity and the EM500 at 120lbs.

David

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fetoma
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 09/26/06

Loc: Southern New Jersey

Re: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO! new

new

[Re: David Pavlich]
#5182578 - 04/21/12 12:07 AM

Do you think the encoder technology mimics the ASA DDM mounts?

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WadeH237
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 02/24/07

Loc: Snohomish, WA

Re: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO! new

new

[Re: fetoma]
#5182604 - 04/21/12 12:34 AM

I have been on the 1200 list for the last 6 months. I got an email today that was virtually identical to the mail that was sent to the AP users group.

I am actually a bit bummed out by this. The AP1200 was my dream mount. Nearly all of my use is portable and the 1200 is about as big as I would ever want to haul out to dark sky sites. Yet it's capacity is enough that I'd never need to upgrade when I can get around to building an observatory. The heaviest piece of the AP1600 is 58lb, versus 50lb for the AP1200. Those 8lb make a difference hoisting the thing up onto a pier.

I'm also concerned about the price. The price difference from the 900 makes the 1200 a screaming deal. My ballpark guess would put the 1600 around 14K to 15K, which would put it on par with the Paramount NE (at least that's how I would price it.) Between the larger size and what I expect the price to be, I am afraid that I'm just out of luck. I'm going to wait for the word on pricing next week before I do anything.

There are still AP900s available right now, so I may just step down to one of them. I may also even step down to the Mach1, since it will handle any of my current scopes, except the C14. The Mach1 would be ideal for my portable usage, and I would upgrade some day when I set up an observatory.

While the AP1600 is really cool and it doesn't sway me from going with AP, I have been a bit sad for much of today because my dream mount just slipped away...

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gillmj24
Post Laureate

Reged: 12/06/05

Loc: PA

Re: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO! new

new

[Re: WadeH237]
#5182665 - 04/21/12 02:07 AM

Used 1200's are still a great deal. I got mine certified pre owned and there is nothing wrong with that.

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Logan Tudor
member

Reged: 12/28/11

Re: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO! new

new

[Re: gillmj24]
#5182781 - 04/21/12 07:59 AM

Hey guys, for anyone planning to attend those conferences, would you kindly take video footage of the mount, upload to YouTube and post the link back here (for the benefit of your international astro brothers).

Cheers,

Logan.

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etsleds
sage

Reged: 11/14/09

Re: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO! new

new

[Re: coz]
#5182875 - 04/21/12 09:09 AM

New polar scope, that's what caught my eye. Do you have confirmation they will update it for other other mounts? Every time I go from my EM200 to AP900, I get more than a wee bit frustrated...

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gillmj24
Post Laureate

Reged: 12/06/05

Loc: PA

Re: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO! new

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[Re: etsleds]
#5182880 - 04/21/12 09:16 AM

Couldynights will definitely show it on video.

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saadabbasi
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 08/23/09

Loc: 29N

Re: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO! new

new

[Re: etsleds]
#5182884 - 04/21/12 09:19 AM

Quote:

New polar scope, that's what caught my eye. Do you have confirmation they will update it for other other mounts? Every time I go from my EM200 to AP900, I get more than a wee bit frustrated...

This is what I'm interested in. I'm going to get the AP900 soon and I the polar scope would really seal the deal.

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bobhen
professor emeritus

Reged: 06/25/05

Re: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO! new

new

[Re: WadeH237]
#5182950 - 04/21/12 10:18 AM

Quote:

There are still AP900s available right now, so I may just step down to one of them. I may also even step down to the Mach1, since it will handle any of my current scopes, except the C14. The Mach1 would be ideal for my portable usage, and I would upgrade some day when I set up an observatory.

A Mach 1 will handle a C14 for visual a lot better than a G11 – especially with a Losmandy G11 or Rob Miller tripod.

I’m sure the Mach 1 and 900 mounts were cannibalizing 1200 sales.

I would actually like to see AP develop a killer 25lb imaging/35lb load capacity mount that is as portable as say a CG5 or Losmandy GM8 with all the attributes of their other mounts – and with a target price of 3.5 – 5k. Lots of amateurs are getting older and downsizing but wanting to retain AP quality and precision. I just bet a mount in that range would be their biggest seller in the coming years.

Bob

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Richard McC
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 12/31/04

Loc: Australia

Re: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO! new

new

[Re: etsleds]
#5182954 - 04/21/12 10:22 AM

On the Yahoo AP group, Roland has confirmed that the new polar scope will be available for at least some but not all other AP mounts (AP600: no, Mach1GTO: yes). I don't remember other mount models being mentioned so far but I'm sure we will find out soon.

Later edit: Updated list of mounts from a later post by Marj. The new polar scope will be available for the Mach1GTO, 900, 1200 and 1600. It will not fit into the smaller opening of the 600E or 800. Not sure about the 400 at this point.

Edited by Richard McC (04/26/12 07:37 AM)

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Paul G
Post Laureate

Reged: 05/08/03

Loc: Freedonia

Re: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO! new

new

[Re: bobhen]
#5182970 - 04/21/12 10:33 AM

Quote:

Quote:

There are still AP900s available right now, so I may just step down to one of them. I may also even step down to the Mach1, since it will handle any of my current scopes, except the C14. The Mach1 would be ideal for my portable usage, and I would upgrade some day when I set up an observatory.

A Mach 1 will handle a C14 for visual a lot better than a G11 – especially with a Losmandy G11 or Rob Miller tripod.

I’m sure the Mach 1 and 900 mounts were cannibalizing 1200 sales.

I would actually like to see AP develop a killer 25lb imaging/35lb load capacity mount that is as portable as say a CG5 or Losmandy GM8 with all the attributes of their other mounts – and with a target price of 3.5 – 5k. Lots of amateurs are getting older and downsizing but wanting to retain AP quality and precision. I just bet a mount in that range would be their biggest seller in the coming years.

Bob

The old AP400 GTO fit the bill perfectly.

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orlyandico
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 08/10/09

Loc: Singapore

Re: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO! new

new

[Re: Paul G]
#5183074 - 04/21/12 11:30 AM

The data sheet of the 1600 states that absolute encoders are available on both axes? (to provide homing capability)?

If so then this removes the objection that the PME/PMX have limit switches and the AP's do not - an absolute encoder is even better than a limit switch.

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Starhawk
Post Laureate

Reged: 09/16/08

Loc: Tucson, Arizona

Re: AP 1200 No longer Available-1600GTO! new

new

[Re: orlyandico]
#5183123 - 04/21/12 12:04 PM

I'm wondering if this encoder option will migrate to the AP900 and Mach 1. That would appear to be the way of the future. I hope it would be a retrofit, though. Otherwise, that would really be heck on mount sales/ resales. Maybe a slightly larger mount than the AP900 could appear (AP1000?), but going any bigger than the Mach 1 is coffin corner, since that will kill mobility; the raison d'être for the Mach 1 GTO.

So I'm hoping for the retrofit kit...

-Rich

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