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Seems that the quality control on the Wal-Mart ETX 'specials' appears to vary widely.

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Mark - you really have to ask what quality control can you expect for $50 scope with goto pointing All the five ETX-70s I've looked at showed astigmatism to a lesser or greater degree [one was diabolical!] and I did query the flip-mirror [in particular its thickness and possible 'warping'] with threads on this forum but without response. Most problems are minimal and ok if lower powers used or if the scope is used as a widefield astrograph.

Certainly for the moon and most terrestrial use any astigmatism goes largely unnoticed with most users and I suspect Meade know this. If the scope can be tweaked then higher powers will give better satifaction on stellar targets and planets - small that they will appear.

I was puzzled that the same ETX-60/70/80 flip-mirror system is used in the ETX-Maks and wondered if the slow f/13 Mak beam means any warping or slight misalignment went unnoticed. Does it

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Yes, you are quite correct here. For the $50 I paid, I can't expect much. Those who purchased this model for the $200 they were originally selling for, may have higher expectations.
The real point though, is Wal-Mart probably paid Meade closer to the $50 each. For Meade to see any profit on these, just getting them assembled and into a box would have to be near break even for them.
Some years ago, I watched a PBS 'Frontline' program on how Wal-Mart has a reputation for pressuring their suppliers for the absolute lowest price possible. I just can not imagine Meade making much on this load of scopes Wal-Mart bought from them.

All of your comments here are well taken. I do indeed need to keep my expectations in perspective. As you say, for a wide-field, low mag 'go-to', this is still a bargain. I think I am more interested in this little thing for the gadget factor,,, as John Ingraham mentioned earlier. I do intend to have some fun with this and even to try and tweak the best performance from it. After all, if I make a mess of it, I am only out the $50.

Thanks for your thoughts on this.
Mark J.D.

[below zero again tonight, Jet Stream nearly overhead, stars practically blinking on and off from the turbulence. Think I'll sit this one out and stay inside.]

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I imagine Walmart probably dealt directly with the manufacturer in China, and Meade got a small stipend per scope, making the deal sweeter for them than if they'd had to warehouse and ship the scopes to Walmart.

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Usually these things are made from the good parts of returned faulty scopes - kinda refurbished.

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Seems that the quality control on the Wal-Mart ETX 'specials' appears to vary widely.

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Mark - you really have to ask what quality control can you expect for $50 scope with goto pointing All the five ETX-70s I've looked at showed astigmatism to a lesser or greater degree [one was diabolical!] and I did query the flip-mirror [in particular its thickness and possible 'warping'] with threads on this forum but without response. Most problems are minimal and ok if lower powers used or if the scope is used as a widefield astrograph.

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LOL...what makes you think that you get better QA on more expensive telescopes?

In almost all cases you won't...all products get the casual once over and they are then shipped to the store to be sold. The customer is the QA department.


The Big Box store concept which applies to almost ALL consumer products is based on the assumption that one box is the same as the other and the consumer will accept the MINIMUM level of QA.

And most consumers never return defective items.

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Usually these things are made from the good parts of returned faulty scopes - kinda refurbished.

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Would you mind providing a cite for that claim?

I seriously doubt this is the case.

If the argument that Meade is hardly able to make a profit making the scope once, how would they make a profit doing reworking it again?

Sounds like ETX bashing to me.

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FREAKING WHAT? I find that very offensive I've spent years promoting the ETX series, I love these little babies, and trying to solve users problems and issues. The problem is that the number of returns on these scopes is way too high owing to tight margins. Meade would rather get something back on spare parts than nothing.

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Meade ETX 90 UHTC, 497 Autostar, 884 tripod, right angle finder.

CALIBRATE MOTORS and TRAIN DRIVES!

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Usually these things are made from the good parts of returned faulty scopes - kinda refurbished.

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Would you mind providing a cite for that claim?

I seriously doubt this is the case.

If the argument that Meade is hardly able to make a profit making the scope once, how would they make a profit doing reworking it again?

Sounds like ETX bashing to me.

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FREAKING WHAT? I find that very offensive I've spent years promoting the ETX series, I love these little babies, and trying to solve users problems and issues. The problem is that the number of returns on these scopes is way too high owing to tight margins. Meade would rather get something back on spare parts than nothing.

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I am not trying to offend you...I am asking for any proof that you might have for the statement. I too would like to know who is salvaging Meade scopes...all of them...and I seriously doubt it is Meade.

As for my remarks, I am stating what I preceive to be the truth. I don't think the ETX has any more defects than any other Meade scope.

Once a product is manufactured, the last thing a manufacturer wants to do is handle that box again...more labor costs...and remember that labor is in China. Any returns that Meade gets back will likely be dumped to a reseller in the United States who will attempt to resell the same item again without fixing it. What doesn't sell is usually scrapped and written off a tax loss. Now some companies will salvage larger lots of surplus goods that can't be sold to an unsuspecting public which will finally be disassembled and resold as parts...to places like Surplus Shed.

So I agree with you that Meade does get something out of the defective scopes...and that is figured into their business plan to account for a certain number of defective scopes that are returned. Every other company does it too...including much more expensive scopes.

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