· 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 ghataa professor emeritus Reged: 06/20/11 Loc: Central, NJ Classic Atlas or New Alt/Azm Atlas?       #5686030 - 02/17/13 09:45 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi All, I am looking to move to a beefier mount for AP and had basically settled on the Atlas until the new Atlas Pro mount came out. While I appreciate the upgrades on be Pro, I have no interest in alt/azm feature and curious if everything else is essentially equal between the two mounts. For example, weight capacity, ability to do long exposures while guiding etc. The $800 dollar difference is significant and let's me think about other goodies, especially if performance is practically the same for AP. Thanks, George Post Extras:       Lane Post Laureate Reged: 11/19/07 Loc: Frisco, Texas Re: Classic Atlas or New Alt/Azm Atlas? [Re: ghataa]       #5687119 - 02/18/13 03:17 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Weight capacity is highter and theoretically the belt drive will make AP better on the new mount. Having ALT/AZ is really a benefit for those of us that do visual viewing. Keeps the eyepiece at a reasonable position and does not flip the scope upside down, which helps with mirror flop issues in an SCT. Post Extras:       hcsceo super member Reged: 10/14/09 Loc: Austin, TX Re: Classic Atlas or New Alt/Azm Atlas? [Re: ghataa]       #5687134 - 02/18/13 03:23 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   George, I just went through this over the weekend and went with the Classic Atlas. I can't really speak for the Pro version as I've never even seen one, but I didn't want to deal with any issues that might hang up my imaging so went with the tried and true classic mount. I'll never use it in ALT/AZ either so I didn't see a reason to go with the added complexity and risk issues. Looks like it has encoders which could be beneficial if the resolution is good and appears to support 4 extra pounds of weight (Not sure if that really means anything). I currently run a C8 and a C9.25 could be in my future and know the atlas will handle either well. I did want to use EQMod since my imaging is completely robotic now and I've yet to see anyone using EQMod with it so not sure if it will work. Basically, I know the Classic Atlas will work for me and I had too many questions about the PRO to risk it. Plus the added savings puts more money in my pocket for other stuffs. I'm generally not a first revision kind of person and with something this expensive there is no way I'm going to risk my hobby on a bad experience. Not sure any of this helps you but that was my thought process. Post Extras:       EFT Vendor - Deep Space Products Reged: 05/07/07 Loc: Phoenix, AZ Re: Classic Atlas or New Alt/Azm Atlas? [Re: hcsceo]       #5688786 - 02/19/13 12:17 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   If you have no intention of using the Alt/Az then I would see no reason for going with the Atlas Pro. While they have added a belt drive system, there is a misconception as to what a belt drive may or may not do. There seems to be an idea that a belt drive will not have backlash and will somehow operate better than a spur gear drive. However, these are toothed belts and pulleys that we a talking about and toothed belts and pulleys can have backlash, just like spur gears. In fact, you would probably get less backlash with a high precision set of spur gears than you could with a set of pullies and belts made by different companies. If this were a non-toothed belt system then you would have no backlash, but you could have slippage. Belt stretching can be a concern, but these days most belts are made with materials that are pretty resistant to stretching. So, I would recommend going with the classic Atlas in your case. You won't really be missing out on anything except the extra cost. Post Extras:       ghataa professor emeritus Reged: 06/20/11 Loc: Central, NJ Re: Classic Atlas or New Alt/Azm Atlas? [Re: EFT]       #5688878 - 02/19/13 01:02 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks for the responses guys. Ed and Steve: I really appreciate the recommendation given my AP focus. Thanks for saving me some cash! Best, George Post Extras:       Lane Post Laureate Reged: 11/19/07 Loc: Frisco, Texas Re: Classic Atlas or New Alt/Azm Atlas? [Re: ghataa]       #5691900 - 02/20/13 10:44 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I thought the point of the new belt drive mounts was to eliminate periodic error by eliminating the teeth. What good is belt drive with teeth? Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 26 registered and 37 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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