Telescope Reviews: Celestron VX mount

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Equipment Discussions >> Mounts

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rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: esthel]
#5682125 - 02/15/13 06:36 PM

Quote:

I would need to install NexRemote to have Stellarium and any software that requires EqMod. I would not be able to only run only EqMod?

NO. You will not be able to run EQMOD period. It will NOT work with the Celestrons.

To use Stellarium with the scope, all you need install in Stellarium...nothing else.

Post Extras:

cn register 5
sage

Reged: 12/26/12

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: esthel]
#5682164 - 02/15/13 06:53 PM

I think NexRemote may need an upgrade to run with the AVX.

But you don't need NexRemote to run Stellarium. Connect to the real HC. The basic hand controller functionality is the same as all the other NexStar based scopes.

You definitely don't need Eqmod.

Chris

Post Extras:

rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: cn register 5]
#5682166 - 02/15/13 06:56 PM

Not sure about an upgrade being needed. At this point I believe the program will run as is...we'll see...

Post Extras:

Whichwayisnorth
professor emeritus

Reged: 07/04/11

Loc: Southern California

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: rmollise]
#5682308 - 02/15/13 08:42 PM

Against my better judgement I broke down and bought the SkyQ accessory today and the app. I am actually pretty impressed. Now I also own SkySafari and the SkyFI module which is great but I think for my kids to use I am going to prefer SkyQ.

Post Extras:

Ben B
member

Reged: 02/03/13

Loc: GA

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: rmollise]
#5682635 - 02/16/13 12:09 AM

Quote:

Quote:

I would need to install NexRemote to have Stellarium and any software that requires EqMod. I would not be able to only run only EqMod?

NO. You will not be able to run EQMOD period. It will NOT work with the Celestrons.

To use Stellarium with the scope, all you need install in Stellarium...nothing else.

To elaborate a bit more, the Advanced VX comes with a serial cable that plugs into the hand controller. I was able to connect this serial cable to my RS232 to USB adapter (my netbook doesn't have a serial port), install the ASCOM platform, Celestron ASCOM drivers, and control the mount with Stellarium and PHD Guiding without any issues.

So assuming you either have a serial port on your computer or a serial to USB adapter, the mount comes with all the hardware needed to control it from a computer.

Post Extras:

rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: Ben B]
#5682927 - 02/16/13 08:08 AM

Excellent. I'm now hoping to hear from someone who's used NexRemote with the mount...

Edited by rmollise (02/16/13 08:11 AM)

Post Extras:

SeptemberEquinox
sage

Reged: 01/29/12

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: rmollise]
#5683052 - 02/16/13 09:36 AM

Omg, I love this mount.

Post Extras:

cn register 5
sage

Reged: 12/26/12

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: SeptemberEquinox]
#5683332 - 02/16/13 11:48 AM

You don't need to run NexRemote, you can use the real HC as a HC just as usual and control it with Stellarium or any application that uses the ASCOM driver.

There's a new ASCOM driver version, 5.0.30, that's aware of the AVX, it's needed to use the mount based guide commands.

I have tried NexRemote 1.7.22, it basically works but the mount is identified as an AS-GT.

Chris

BTW I'm not convinced this big bucket for all the AVX messages is such a good idea. We end up getting the same questions asked and answered multiple times. Separate threads with meaningful topics would help those who don't have time to go through all 400 odd messages

C

Post Extras:

Whichwayisnorth
professor emeritus

Reged: 07/04/11

Loc: Southern California

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: cn register 5]
#5683454 - 02/16/13 12:47 PM

Perhaps the Mods can lock and sticky this for a month or so and new questions can be asked in new threads?

For the record I am fine with it either way but I do agree that a lot of information is now buried within.

Edited by Whichwayisnorth (02/16/13 12:48 PM)

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jfrech14
member

Reged: 01/17/12

Loc: Virginia, USA

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: esthel]
#5684167 - 02/16/13 08:11 PM

I just made a pier adapter out of an old c8 wedge base.. it was easy as pie and is amazingly sturdy. It will have no problem handling my 25 lb load. The only thing is I felt some play in the gears after I took the scope off and put it back on.. it was verrry tiny play and took a bit of force... but im paranoid somebody put my mind at rest haha

the antibacklash works very well and pointing is ridiculously amazing. It works with thesky6 as well as X obviously since it comes with first light edition. I got the ac power adapter.. it is NOT threaded sadly but it sticks in fair enough. Im just gonna tape it to my pier. I am having issues with all star polar align.. I find that drift align works better but I will play around with it more some other time. I come from lx200s so this mount is... relatively silent compared to an lx... im in love lol

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jfrech14
member

Reged: 01/17/12

Loc: Virginia, USA

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: jfrech14]
#5684169 - 02/16/13 08:12 PM

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/32612_10151506134449680_966114564...

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jfrech14
member

Reged: 01/17/12

Loc: Virginia, USA

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: jfrech14]
#5686424 - 02/18/13 04:38 AM

I LOVE THIS MOUNT. After doing 3 hrs of 10 minute drift aligns I have 5 minute guiding in RA only down to round stars and its pretty windy.. This was one of the best investments I've made yet

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chasdz
member

Reged: 01/04/13

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: jfrech14]
#5691811 - 02/20/13 09:51 PM

So as I have stated earlier in this string I have been a LX 200 user for years. HOW DO I LEVEL THIS MOUNT? Do you level the tripod prior to placing the head on it? Is that good enough?

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blave
member

Reged: 08/11/09

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: Tanchistu]
#5692066 - 02/21/13 12:44 AM

Based on my brief experience with the SmartEQ Pro mount that I briefly owned before sending it back to iOptron just a couple weeks ago, I would give it a miss. I think it's too light to be very useful. I could not get very accurate go-tos with it, and that's being pretty familiar with iOptron's hardware/firmware ((I bought it for purely visual observing, but did not warm up to it even for that). Spend a little more and be willing to lug a little bit more weight around (even the venerable AS-GT) and I think you'd be happier.

My previous mount was an AS-GT, and the current one is an iEQ45, which I've been having reasonably good luck with when using it as a guided mount (unguided has been hopeless for whatever reason; much worse than with the AS-GT).

That said, this new VX mount is very intriguing; its price point is unbeatable if it doesn't suck 8^) . Which is why I'm reading this thread!

cheers,

Dave B.
San Jose, CA

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rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: chasdz]
#5692300 - 02/21/13 07:42 AM

Quote:

So as I have stated earlier in this string I have been a LX 200 user for years. HOW DO I LEVEL THIS MOUNT? Do you level the tripod prior to placing the head on it? Is that good enough?

Just level the tripod. Don't spend a lot of time worrying about it. Leveling is not necessary.

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tjugo
professor emeritus

Reged: 11/06/07

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: rmollise]
#5692451 - 02/21/13 10:07 AM

Quote:

Quote:

So as I have stated earlier in this string I have been a LX 200 user for years. HOW DO I LEVEL THIS MOUNT? Do you level the tripod prior to placing the head on it? Is that good enough?

Just level the tripod. Don't spend a lot of time worrying about it. Leveling is not necessary.

Yeap, don't spend more than 1 minute leveling the tripod because:

1) EQ mounts doesn't need to be leveled to operate properly
2) The built-in bubble is very inaccurate anyway

Cheers,

Jose

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chasdz
member

Reged: 01/04/13

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: tjugo]
#5692777 - 02/21/13 01:36 PM

Thanks to all for the help.

Post Extras:

cn register 5
sage

Reged: 12/26/12

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: chasdz]
#5692896 - 02/21/13 02:49 PM

The AVX doesn't even have a bubble. Put it down, say "that looks about right" and get on with your life.

Chris

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Whichwayisnorth
professor emeritus

Reged: 07/04/11

Loc: Southern California

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: cn register 5]
#5693191 - 02/21/13 05:33 PM

Could you guys please explain why level doesn't matter? Tell me like I'm 5. I can't get my head around it.

Seems to me that if the mount was low in the west and you align a star then when the mount sweeps around to the east the mount will be pointing high.

Post Extras:

benula
member

Reged: 04/27/11

Loc: Stillwater, MN

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: Whichwayisnorth]
#5693245 - 02/21/13 06:02 PM

Being out of level in North/South is compensated by changing altitude. Being out of level in East/West needs no compensation.

Compared to someone at a different longitude/latitude, your tripod is always out of level and yet eq mounts work just fine in both places.

This makes sense in my head...maybe someone else will be around to correct me soon.
-Ben

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