Telescope Reviews: Alt/Az Mount Heads

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ASTERON
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 11/24/07

Loc: ISRAEL

Re: Alt/Az Mount Heads new

new

[Re: skullpin]
#5692126 - 02/21/13 02:22 AM

Chunky,
How do you interface the mini iPAD with your DM4 ??
What software are you using ?
Thanks

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ASTERON
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 11/24/07

Loc: ISRAEL

Re: Alt/Az Mount Heads new

new

[Re: skullpin]
#5692132 - 02/21/13 02:28 AM

Keith,
I tried the easy touch, the giro III and others. The discmounts beats them all. It is expensive, but you get what you pay for and it is very stable and operation is simplicity incarnate.
When you observe, the mount vanishes as its so easy to operate, and its you and the object with nothing to interfere between you.

Edited by ASTERON (02/21/13 02:29 AM)

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ASTERON
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 11/24/07

Loc: ISRAEL

Re: Alt/Az Mount Heads new

new

[Re: skullpin]
#5692133 - 02/21/13 02:30 AM

Keith,
I tried the easy touch, the giro III and others. The discmounts beats them all. It is expensive, but you get what you pay for and it is very stable and operation is simplicity incarnate.
When you observe, the mount vanishes as its so easy to operate, and its you and the object

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Chucky
sage

Reged: 04/16/10

Loc: Dublin, Ohio

Re: Alt/Az Mount Heads new

new

[Re: ASTERON]
#5692238 - 02/21/13 06:38 AM Attachment (20 downloads)

<< How do you interface the mini iPAD with your DM4 ??
What software are you using? >>

Sky Safari, Sky Commander, SkyFi. I velcro the Mini to the Sky Commander holder that was provided by Discmount when I purchased my mount.

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Ebbisham
member

Reged: 10/02/10

Loc: Surrey, Uk

Re: Alt/Az Mount Heads new

new

[Re: mogur]
#5692262 - 02/21/13 07:01 AM

Quote:

Quote:

How about a AYOtraveler from AOK Swiss?

http://www.aokswiss.ch/d/mont/ayo/ayotraveler/uebersicht_ayotraveler.html

regards
Chris

Wow! This looks like exactly what I'm after. Wish I could read Swiss.

I got one of these for my Solarmax 60

. Nice and light weight but no slow mo

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/177165-aok-swiss-ayotraveler/

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ASTERON
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 11/24/07

Loc: ISRAEL

Re: Alt/Az Mount Heads new

new

[Re: Ebbisham]
#5692439 - 02/21/13 09:54 AM

Chucky,
Very nice setup ! what is the OTA on the tripod?
I like very much the little red filter on the sky commander ! Is it home made or commercially available?
If I read you correctly you just use the sky salary as a star map?
Or do you have a way to control the sky commander directly from the miniipad ??
AFAIK the iPad does not have any socket which allows it to connect to another computer or device.

Edited by ASTERON (02/21/13 09:59 AM)

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Chucky
sage

Reged: 04/16/10

Loc: Dublin, Ohio

Re: Alt/Az Mount Heads new

new

[Re: ASTERON]
#5692802 - 02/21/13 01:48 PM Attachment (22 downloads)

Shown in my photo is a Stellarvue 80ED. Yes, Sky Safari is used as my star chart. Sky Commander sends the alt/az positions wirelessly via SkyFi to my Ipad Pad. Pretty simple and straight forward. The Sky Commander has a Starmaster plastic dew guard which I then installed a red plastic filter sheet.

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mogur
professor emeritus

Reged: 07/29/11

Loc: WI

Re: Alt/Az Mount Heads new

new

[Re: Ebbisham]
#5693450 - 02/21/13 08:03 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

How about a AYOtraveler from AOK Swiss?

http://www.aokswiss.ch/d/mont/ayo/ayotraveler/uebersicht_ayotraveler.html

regards
Chris

Wow! This looks like exactly what I'm after. Wish I could read Swiss.

I got one of these for my Solarmax 60 . Nice and light weight but no slow mo

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/177165-aok-swiss-ayotraveler/

Bummer. When I saw the two knobs on it I wrongly assumed they were slo-mo knobs. I guess they're just locking knobs? This is rather frustrating. Why can't someone make a mount sort of like THIS but about twice as big with a beefier 3/8" tap on the bottom? I think it would sell like hotcakes if it could be kept around $100.

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Kfrank
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 12/20/08

Loc: Northern Colorado

Re: Alt/Az Mount Heads new

new

[Re: mogur]
#5694541 - 02/22/13 11:53 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

How about a AYOtraveler from AOK Swiss?

http://www.aokswiss.ch/d/mont/ayo/ayotraveler/uebersicht_ayotraveler.html

regards
Chris

Wow! This looks like exactly what I'm after. Wish I could read Swiss.

I got one of these for my Solarmax 60 . Nice and light weight but no slow mo

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/177165-aok-swiss-ayotraveler/

Bummer. When I saw the two knobs on it I wrongly assumed they were slo-mo knobs. I guess they're just locking knobs? This is rather frustrating. Why can't someone make a mount sort of like THIS but about twice as big with a beefier 3/8" tap on the bottom? I think it would sell like hotcakes if it could be kept around $100.

It probably would sell like hotcakes at that price point, however, making a profit on it would be another matter.

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Mark9473
Postmaster

Reged: 07/21/05

Loc: 51°N 4°E

Re: Alt/Az Mount Heads new

new

[Re: Kfrank]
#5694800 - 02/22/13 01:59 PM

Quote:

Why can't someone make a mount sort of like THIS but about twice as big with a beefier 3/8" tap on the bottom? I think it would sell like hotcakes if it could be kept around $100.

I don't know about the price point, but have you looked at the Manfrotto geared tripod heads?

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Midnight Dan
Postmaster

Reged: 01/23/08

Loc: Hilton, NY, Yellow Zone (Bortl...

Re: Alt/Az Mount Heads new

new

[Re: Kfrank]
#5694803 - 02/22/13 02:00 PM

Quote:

Bummer. When I saw the two knobs on it I wrongly assumed they were slo-mo knobs. I guess they're just locking knobs? This is rather frustrating. Why can't someone make a mount sort of like THIS but about twice as big with a beefier 3/8" tap on the bottom? I think it would sell like hotcakes if it could be kept around $100.

I own one of those. It's only good for a VERY small or lightweight scope (think ST80, tops) and even then only at low magnifications. The build quality is marginal, and the only real reason I still have it is because it can come in handy if I want to throw it and some very minimal gear into a backpack for a hike.

To make something like this bigger and beefier (and able to handle larger scopes) means ending up with something very similar to one of the current offerings mentioned by folks above - and definitely not for $100. Unfortunately, if you want something useable, with quality build and performance, it will cost you.

I would question whether you really need the slow motion controls. I was very attached to the slo-mo controls myself but took the plunge and went with the Desert Sky DSV-1, which doesn't have them. While I still like slo-mo's, I have to admit that this mount makes them pretty much unnecessary up to about 170x. The mount is extremely well made with very smooth action and it's just as easy to simply move the scope to keep up with the target.

Contrary to Kieth's experience above, I've found this mount to be very stable and focusing is easy even at higher mags. I'm not sure what scope he was using or what tripod the mount was on, but those might have been contributing factors to the problems he was having. I'm using it with a WO Megrez 90 on a "shorty" contractor's tripod.

In any case, with the scopes listed in your sig line (other than the Lightbridge which, I assume, you're not putting on this mount!

) I would think a DSV-1 would be more than adequate for your needs. And for a few bucks more, you can get it with dual saddles and mount 2 of your OTAs at the same time.

-Dan

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Ebbisham
member

Reged: 10/02/10

Loc: Surrey, Uk

Re: Alt/Az Mount Heads new

new

[Re: Midnight Dan]
#5695163 - 02/22/13 04:59 PM

To be fair to the AyoTraveller if is indeed a extreme lightweight (and IMHO well made) mount intended for small scopes. My SM 60 with binoviewer is the most I would throw at it.
But you are right, make the 2 disks solid aluminium and we are close to a well loved and pricier mount.

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Kfrank
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 12/20/08

Loc: Northern Colorado

Re: Alt/Az Mount Heads new

new

[Re: Midnight Dan]
#5695273 - 02/22/13 05:49 PM

"I would question whether you really need the slow motion controls. I was very attached to the slo-mo controls myself but took the plunge and went with the Desert Sky DSV-1, which doesn't have them. While I still like slo-mo's, I have to admit that this mount makes them pretty much unnecessary up to about 170x. The mount is extremely well made with very smooth action and it's just as easy to simply move the scope to keep up with the target."

Slow motion controls may not be "needed" but, IMO, they add immensly to the convenience and ease of use. This is particularly true when the OTA being used is a short one, resulting in a short moment arm.

After starting out with a mount with no slo-mo, I upgraded to an MG2 and would never go back.

There are a number of things to be considered when selecting a mount, such as stability, carrying capacity, smoothness and ease of use.

One of the MAJOR advantages of slo-mo controls are that when the heads are locked in the slo-mo mode, the scope remains where it was when eyepieces are changed and minor EP changes, adding barlows, etc, cause much less problems.

Sow motion controls may not be "needed" but they sure make for more convenience and easy operation. I wouldn't be without them.

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mogur
professor emeritus

Reged: 07/29/11

Loc: WI

Re: Alt/Az Mount Heads new

new

[Re: Mark9473]
#5695296 - 02/22/13 06:00 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Why can't someone make a mount sort of like THIS but about twice as big with a beefier 3/8" tap on the bottom? I think it would sell like hotcakes if it could be kept around $100.

I don't know about the price point, but have you looked at the Manfrotto geared tripod heads?

Those do look really nice, but a bit pricey for something I would only use when traveling. I have a Vixen Mini-Porta that does me good at home! There's a used one in the CN classifieds for about $100 off. Hmmmmm... BTW, this would only be used for the Onyx and the SolarMax 60.

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mogur
professor emeritus

Reged: 07/29/11

Loc: WI

Re: Alt/Az Mount Heads new

new

[Re: Kfrank]
#5696494 - 02/23/13 12:14 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

How about a AYOtraveler from AOK Swiss?

http://www.aokswiss.ch/d/mont/ayo/ayotraveler/uebersicht_ayotraveler.html

regards
Chris

Wow! This looks like exactly what I'm after. Wish I could read Swiss.

I got one of these for my Solarmax 60 . Nice and light weight but no slow mo

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/177165-aok-swiss-ayotraveler/

Bummer. When I saw the two knobs on it I wrongly assumed they were slo-mo knobs. I guess they're just locking knobs? This is rather frustrating. Why can't someone make a mount sort of like THIS but about twice as big with a beefier 3/8" tap on the bottom? I think it would sell like hotcakes if it could be kept around $100.

It probably would sell like hotcakes at that price point, however, making a profit on it would be another matter.

Well, this one is less and comes with a tripod!

http://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?pid=277-6536

Only reason I haven't bought it is I can't get a straight answer as to how it attaches to the tripod.

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Agatha
professor emeritus

Reged: 06/04/12

Loc: Minneapolis, MN

Re: Alt/Az Mount Heads new

new

[Re: mogur]
#5696846 - 02/23/13 03:36 PM Attachment (11 downloads)

Mogur,

I don't think I can recommend the Celestron mount/tripod that you are wondering about. I have one that I got for binoculars and haven't used it yet. The terminology in the description is idiotic..."heavy duty"

It might be useable for certain things if you are willing to perhaps do some mods (ie; scopestuff stuff). I do not like the very short thread bolt to attach something to...the 1/4-20 bolt, which is I believe the standard camera thread. Of course that can certainly be dealt with. I will try to attach some photos of the attachment method to tripod. I am terrible with photography and computers. So here we go...I am in learning mode with computer stuff...this first photo is of the top of the mount.

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Agatha
professor emeritus

Reged: 06/04/12

Loc: Minneapolis, MN

Re: Alt/Az Mount Heads new

new

[Re: Agatha]
#5696857 - 02/23/13 03:43 PM Attachment (13 downloads)

The next photo is of the bottom of the mount.

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Agatha
professor emeritus

Reged: 06/04/12

Loc: Minneapolis, MN

Re: Alt/Az Mount Heads new

new

[Re: Agatha]
#5696859 - 02/23/13 03:44 PM Attachment (12 downloads)

This is the top of the tripod.

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Agatha
professor emeritus

Reged: 06/04/12

Loc: Minneapolis, MN

Re: Alt/Az Mount Heads new

new

[Re: Agatha]
#5696866 - 02/23/13 03:49 PM

And this is the bottom of the mount. The shoulder section measures about 25mm in diameter and is about 23mm depth to surface of tripod. The thread size is 10mm.

Best, Linda B.

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Agatha
professor emeritus

Reged: 06/04/12

Loc: Minneapolis, MN

Re: Alt/Az Mount Heads new

new

[Re: Agatha]
#5696868 - 02/23/13 03:50 PM Attachment (14 downloads)

Oops,

here is the photo

Best, Linda B.

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