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JTW Astronomy introduces new lineup of mounts

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#1 Fishie

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Posted 21 February 2023 - 07:56 PM

Looks exciting, but the lightest mount isn't anywhere too light anyway.

 

332552358_713530920264793_3406677423416320489_n.jpg

 

They are introducing the mounts over this week on their Facebook.


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#2 AnakChan

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Posted 21 February 2023 - 08:02 PM

THeir strainwave driven mount (orange on extreme right - JTW Chimera) specs look interesting - it's got absolute encoders but stated that guiding is (mostly) not needed. There's no mention of any kind of sky modelling but if it works as advertised, then this could be the "ideal" mount...great weight:payload ratio, and absolute encoders with no guiding.


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#3 psandelle

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Posted 21 February 2023 - 11:07 PM

THeir strainwave driven mount (orange on extreme right - JTW Chimera) specs look interesting - it's got absolute encoders but stated that guiding is (mostly) not needed. There's no mention of any kind of sky modelling but if it works as advertised, then this could be the "ideal" mount...great weight:payload ratio, and absolute encoders with no guiding.

They mention sky modeling on their direct mount, so I’m hoping that that Carrie’s over to this mount.

 

Paul


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#4 AnakChan

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Posted 21 February 2023 - 11:22 PM

They mention sky modeling on their direct mount, so I’m hoping that that Carrie’s over to this mount.

 

Paul

I must have missed their direct drive mount specific announcement. All I see is their overall "friction, direct, geared, harmonic" post, and the Chimera specific post. Would be interesting to see details of their direct drive mount.



#5 psandelle

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Posted 21 February 2023 - 11:43 PM

I must have missed their direct drive mount specific announcement. All I see is their overall "friction, direct, geared, harmonic" post, and the Chimera specific post. Would be interesting to see details of their direct drive mount.

I might have gotten it wrong (off the top off my pointy head), but there was another mount that did sky modeling, so I would think they would have it on this one, which I want to get my hands on. grin.gif

 

Paul



#6 Zambiadarkskies

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Posted 22 February 2023 - 07:40 AM

I am not in the market, but it is fantastic to see a European brand making new mounts in Europe.  Very interesting.  Thanks for sharing.  



#7 tocster

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Posted 22 February 2023 - 09:58 AM

They are going berserk with announcements flowerred.gif

I do have to wonder about their ability to actually produce so many models though - cant think of any other manufacturer that has so many different types of mounts in their line up - very ambious and I am hoping they can really pull it off bow.gif


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#8 etunar

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Posted 23 February 2023 - 05:36 AM

They only have the trident and minotaur listed on but the pricing is confusing considering one is rated 75kg and the other 35kg. I know the default minotaur is listed with absolute encoders but still seems pricier than the p75 with encoders.. 


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#9 Fishie

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Posted 23 February 2023 - 08:34 PM

Summarizing what they announced so far

Attached Thumbnails

  • 未命名.png

Edited by Fishie, 23 February 2023 - 08:36 PM.

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#10 AnakChan

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Posted 23 February 2023 - 10:21 PM

attachicon.gif未命名.png

Summarizing what they announced so far

Excellent summary.



#11 bendgrampie

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Posted 24 February 2023 - 04:01 AM

Color me skeptical.

#12 archer1960

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Posted 24 February 2023 - 09:10 AM

35kg capacity harmonic drive! Definitely shooting for a different market than the Pegasus and the ASI!



#13 psandelle

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Posted 24 February 2023 - 01:48 PM

35kg capacity harmonic drive! Definitely shooting for a different market than the Pegasus and the ASI!

10Micron and Mach2 zone.

 

Paul



#14 Fishie

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Posted 25 February 2023 - 03:50 AM

updated.png

Updated version


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#15 TopherTheME

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Posted 25 February 2023 - 09:47 AM

I wish JTW all the best but this is a great example of what you should not do as a small start up business. Not only are they introducing (or trying to) a lot of new products, they are also introducing technologies that are new to them. Like direct drive, seriously? Start with one technology, master it, then move on to the next. That is unless you have unlimited engineering and manufacturing resources.
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#16 KNak

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Posted 25 February 2023 - 09:57 AM

I suppose, but I can count on a couple fingers the number of current consumer mount makers that can be considered to have 'mastered' anything. Let's hope for the best with JTW
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#17 Fishie

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Posted 25 February 2023 - 11:46 AM

        updated.png


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#18 Guest99

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Posted 25 February 2023 - 12:32 PM

Their website only shows the Trident and Minotaur, the latter with no price?

 

https://www.jtwastro...ons/p75-trident

 

Seems like there are various options on the Trident;

drive system standard or stainless steel

encoders none or 23 bit or 24 bit

and how many 12kg counterweights

 

Their website says the Minotaur is due 1st qrt 2023 @4995 Euros but with the inflation we are seeing this side of the pond that might change, no options listed for the Minotaur



#19 Guest99

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Posted 25 February 2023 - 12:50 PM

There is a long thread dating back to 2019 on stargazers lounge, it appears that only the Trident has shipped and that's only recently, seems some customers were waiting around 2 years from announcement to delivery of the Trident. The mounts sounds great but the thread does have a lot of unhappy people with the manufacturing delays. On guy in Southampton has a Trident and he's very happy with it.



#20 archer1960

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Posted 25 February 2023 - 12:52 PM

I wish JTW all the best but this is a great example of what you should not do as a small start up business. Not only are they introducing (or trying to) a lot of new products, they are also introducing technologies that are new to them. Like direct drive, seriously? Start with one technology, master it, then move on to the next. That is unless you have unlimited engineering and manufacturing resources.

Perhaps, but it also depends on how much commonality there is across the products. If they (for example) all use the same firmware and controller boards with just a few dip switches to change between models, and the only difference is the physical size of the weight-bearing mechanical pieces, then it's a lot less design-intensive.



#21 Guest99

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Posted 25 February 2023 - 02:45 PM

They are quick to respond on their Facebook page to criticisms , the comments under their posts are interesting it appears there are a lot commonality between the mounts, however earlier this week when they announce the range mentioned at the top of this thread they said they will add descriptions to their website one each day. So far that has not happened, quite a few people on there and stargazers lounge are complaining they promise a lot but are late in everything.

 

Apparently their first mount now discontinued was a design they bought in, it didn't work as expected so caused a delay which had an impact on their Trident as that is an inhouse design. The Trident they only shipped 10 units to local customers incase they had to do any modifications, then apparently when everything was ok they shipped the other 40.

 

I've only seen 1 user review and he had to wait a couple of years but was apparently pleased with it. The Trident is the only one on sale, the other one on their website Minotaur is scheduled for 1st quarter 2023, well not long left in the first quarter and nothing indicated on their website as to when any will be ready.



#22 Blue_Orca

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Posted 25 February 2023 - 04:36 PM

Earlier I asked over WhatsApp, when JTW will accept orders on the Chimera, the reply was "When they're finished and boxed ready for delivery".  I can't help but wonder if their announcement on Facebook was just to test water and see which mount would generate the most interests and they should focus next after the Trident and Minotaur.  Hopefully they have more than just a few engineering renderings to prove the mounts are not just some over-promised vaporware...     


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#23 archer1960

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Posted 25 February 2023 - 05:48 PM

Using OnStep is going to cut their development costs and reduce the risk significantly. 150+ lb with encoders for ~$6k is a pretty good bang-for-the buck mount!


Edited by archer1960, 25 February 2023 - 05:49 PM.


#24 etunar

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Posted 26 February 2023 - 04:35 AM

I wish JTW all the best but this is a great example of what you should not do as a small start up business. Not only are they introducing (or trying to) a lot of new products, they are also introducing technologies that are new to them. Like direct drive, seriously? Start with one technology, master it, then move on to the next. That is unless you have unlimited engineering and manufacturing resources.

I hope I am wrong but I have to agree. Their basic trident model is reasonably priced, even with encoders it's still quite cheap compared to likes of 10micron..

 

I do wish they introduced a smaller version of trident without encoders even cheaper though. 75kg is a lot!



#25 Guest99

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Posted 26 February 2023 - 07:48 AM

Earlier I asked over WhatsApp, when JTW will accept orders on the Chimera, the reply was "When they're finished and boxed ready for delivery".  I can't help but wonder if their announcement on Facebook was just to test water and see which mount would generate the most interests and they should focus next after the Trident and Minotaur.  Hopefully they have more than just a few engineering renderings to prove the mounts are not just some over-promised vaporware...     

Judging by their past promises it might be quite some time before they are ready, as far as I can see on their website only the Trident is available and the Minotaur only a guestimate price of 4995 Euros and available 1st quarter of 2023, well only a month to go! Their reply doesn't inspire confidence they will be ready anytime soon.




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