· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu… uh, User You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Equipment Discussions >> Mounts Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 FLNightSky professor emeritus Reged: 03/13/06 Musicbox mount       #3403119 - 10/21/09 09:06 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   On a recent issue of S&T which covered this year's NEAF I saw a picture of something called the Musicbox which was a little camera mount (barn door tracker I think) which you wound up. I can't find any information on it, has anyone seen/tried one? Post Extras:       deepskytraveler super member Reged: 12/25/05 Loc: Worthington, OH Re: Musicbox mount [Re: FLNightSky]       #3403433 - 10/21/09 11:50 PM Attachment (135 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I saw the Musicbox mount at NEAF this year and was intrigued by it. IIRC the gentlemen showing it was from China. I have a few photos that I can share, but unfortunately no other information about the product or the company. Mark Post Extras:       deepskytraveler super member Reged: 12/25/05 Loc: Worthington, OH Re: Musicbox mount [Re: deepskytraveler]       #3403435 - 10/21/09 11:50 PM Attachment (98 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   and another... Post Extras:       deepskytraveler super member Reged: 12/25/05 Loc: Worthington, OH Re: Musicbox mount [Re: deepskytraveler]       #3403437 - 10/21/09 11:51 PM Attachment (98 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   and one more... Post Extras:       FLNightSky professor emeritus Reged: 03/13/06 Re: Musicbox mount [Re: deepskytraveler]       #3408612 - 10/24/09 05:32 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks for the pictures. I also am unable to find any info about it. It looks pretty cool. Post Extras:       ottovonrotton super member Reged: 01/01/09 Loc: Where is Port Perry? Re: Musicbox mount [Re: FLNightSky]       #3461881 - 11/22/09 09:37 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   It has surfaced at http://www.leo-optronics.com/ now we need a price? And it plays a tune! Post Extras:       Dave Chapman sage Reged: 01/27/07 Loc: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Re: Musicbox mount [Re: ottovonrotton]       #5586124 - 12/23/12 06:48 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I bought one of these in late 2009 and have had good results using it . Are there any other users out there? Post Extras:       TONGKW scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 01/16/07 Re: Musicbox mount [Re: Dave Chapman]       #5586685 - 12/24/12 06:17 AM Attachment (45 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I have just bought the latest version, the Musicbox EQ2. A picture of it is shown here with a ball head on a homemade base. It can run for 7 minutes on a full wind up but the maker advise using it for the “middle” 5 minutes only. The playing of “twinkle twinkle little star “ all the way along as I am taking pictures is a good way to keep me and my nearby comrades happy in a cold night. I reckon it is all right with a small DSLR and a wide angle lens taking wide field pictures of the night sky. K W TONG C8+CG5 GT, TSA102+HEQ5 PRO, MK67+Voyager, NexStar 6SE, C5+Mizar K, WO ZS80FD+Kenko NES, Megrez 72FD+Kenko KDS, Mini Borg 50, PST Post Extras:       TONGKW scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 01/16/07 Re: Musicbox mount [Re: TONGKW]       #5586687 - 12/24/12 06:21 AM Attachment (40 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Herewith is another picture showing the other side. Post Extras:       Starhawk Post Laureate Reged: 09/16/08 Loc: Tucson, Arizona Re: Musicbox mount [Re: TONGKW]       #5587313 - 12/24/12 02:25 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   How much does it cost? It looks like a very perfect camping trip AP mount. Does it really play twinkle twinkle? Hilarious! -Rich Post Extras:       Starhawk Post Laureate Reged: 09/16/08 Loc: Tucson, Arizona Re: Musicbox mount [Re: Starhawk]       #5587514 - 12/24/12 04:54 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Leo-optronics doesn't appear to be a real site. Where did you get one? -Rich Post Extras:       TONGKW scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 01/16/07 Re: Musicbox mount [Re: Starhawk]       #5587875 - 12/24/12 11:12 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The Musicbox EQ2 star tracker does really play “twinkle twinkle little star” while tracking. The driving power comes from the spring of the little music box. I was told this little music box can be replaced with another one with another song when available later. The Musicbox EQ2 star tracker was ordered directly from Japan a few months ago. This is their website. http://www.skybird.jp/ The price was 19,800.00 Yen plus postage. Post Extras:       Starhawk Post Laureate Reged: 09/16/08 Loc: Tucson, Arizona Re: Musicbox mount [Re: TONGKW]       #5588065 - 12/25/12 03:33 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thank you for the link. Hmm, about $233.57. I am trying to decide if that is expensive or not. The cute little Vixen Polarie is $395, so that makes the MusicBox EQ look pretty good in comparison. I suppose the bigger question I have is why these haven't been available all along since the 1950s. -Rich Post Extras:       Starhawk Post Laureate Reged: 09/16/08 Loc: Tucson, Arizona Re: Musicbox mount [Re: TONGKW]       #5588066 - 12/25/12 03:33 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thank you for the link. Hmm, about $233.57. I am trying to decide if that is expensive or not. The cute little Vixen Polarie is $395, so that makes the MusicBox EQ look pretty good in comparison. I suppose the bigger question I have is why these haven't been available all along since the 1950s. -Rich Post Extras:       TONGKW scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 01/16/07 Re: Musicbox mount [Re: Starhawk]       #5588119 - 12/25/12 05:56 AM Attachment (23 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I also have the Vixen Polarie. I find the Vixen Polarie to be much more substantial in construction and thus can carry a much heavier load. The Musicbox EQ2 is rather delicate by comparison. Herewith is my Vixen Polarie carrying a DSLR and a Borg 50 refractor OTA, a combination I often take along during my traveling. ---- Post Extras:       lakeorion professor emeritus Reged: 08/03/10 Loc: Lake Orion MI Re: Musicbox mount [Re: TONGKW]       #5591215 - 12/27/12 01:37 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I have a Musicbox EQ. Can't say I much care for it, but at the time, the Polarie and it's clones weren't available yet. The big downfall is the 6 minutes. It's just not enough time to gather really good data. Post Extras:       Dave Chapman sage Reged: 01/27/07 Loc: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Re: Musicbox mount [Re: lakeorion]       #5592794 - 12/28/12 02:38 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   It appears that the EQII is capable of operation in both North and South hemispheres. I used the original EQ mount in New Zealand, but I had to invent a mechanical gismo to hang it upside-down! Dave Post Extras:       TONGKW scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 01/16/07 Re: Musicbox mount [Re: Dave Chapman]       #5593284 - 12/28/12 08:22 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   There is provision for operating the Musicbox EQ2 in the south hemisphere. All that is needed is to remove the existing tripod mounting plate at the front of the mount body and re-mount it onto the back. Post Extras:       neotesla Pooh-Bah Reged: 11/18/10 Loc: Canada Re: Musicbox mount [Re: TONGKW]       #5594069 - 12/29/12 10:18 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   It appears iOptron is making one as well... http://www.ioptron.com/index.cfm?select=category&cid=91af533f-b0e2-4dd6-9... Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 4 registered and 16 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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