Orion SkyView Deluxe Mount - Comments?

[Scott Huber]

Hi gang.....

I am thinking about getting the Orion SkyView Deluxe EQ mount (the one with
the gold aluminum tripod for $239.00) and would appreciate any comments pro
or con. For the time being, I will be placing my C90 on it with plans in
the near future of upgrading the scope to a medium sized refractor or a C5
optical tube.

Thanks to all.......

Scott
j.scot...@worldnet.att.net

[SkyMike]

Scott Huber wrote:
>
> Hi gang.....
>
> I am thinking about getting the Orion SkyView Deluxe EQ mount (the one with
> the gold aluminum tripod for $239.00) and would appreciate any comments pro
> or con. For the time being, I will be placing my C90 on it with plans

Hi Scott,

I'm really happy with mine (with an Orion 6" newt on top). Seems very
sturdy, smooth controls, and the polar alignment scope works great.
Vibrations damp out very quickly. The neighbor's cat likes to visit
when I'm observing and loves to rub up against the tripod legs - not a
problem with this mount. With my cheapo scope/mount I used to have (yes,
I had a DSJ, actually 2) I used to suddenly find myself looking at
Polaris when I'd just finished focusing on Antares. Now I don't even
know half the time when he shows up, until he rubs up against _my_ legs
when he gets no reaction out of me after hitting the tripod a few times
-- then the results are similar...

Clear Skies!

Mike
--
'Tis the perception of the beautiful,
A fine extension of the faculties,
Platonic, universal, wonderful,
Drawn from the stars, and filtered through the skies,
Without which life would be extremely dull.
-- Lord Byron

"... in circles 'round the Sun, doing rings around the Pole ..."
-- Gordon Lightfoot

[Ching Yi Tsai]

"Scott Huber" <j.scot...@worldnet.att.net> writes:

> Hi gang.....
>
> I am thinking about getting the Orion SkyView Deluxe EQ mount (the one with
> the gold aluminum tripod for $239.00) and would appreciate any comments pro

> or con. For the time being, I will be placing my C90 on it with plans in
> the near future of upgrading the scope to a medium sized refractor or a C5
> optical tube.

Check out Phil Harrington's recent review on the mount at his Starware 2.5
website <http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/pharrington/sw25.htm>

I love mine!

--
Ching-Yi (John) Tsai, Computer Science Auckland University
homepage: http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~tsai

[Gandpr]

I recently purchased one for my 6" Intes Mak. Works very well. Just got the
drive unit yesterday (had been backordered) and hope to try it out toninght.
Mount is strong and quite stable. Polar alignment scope is nice. Slow motion
controls work well.

Greg Randall

>Subject: Re: Orion SkyView Deluxe Mount - Comments?
>From: Ching Yi Tsai <cts...@cs26.cs.auckland.ac.nz>
>Date: 2/10/99 3:28 PM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: <vz81zjx...@cs26.cs.auckland.ac.nz>

Greg Randall

[BBarnibus]

>I am thinking about getting the Orion SkyView Deluxe EQ mount (the one with
>the gold aluminum tripod for $239.00) and would appreciate any comments pro
>or con. For the time being, I will be placing my C90 on it with plans in
>the near future of upgrading the scope to a medium sized refractor or a C5
>optical tube.

I have one and am very happy with it. I mostly use it for camera and lens
photography (with an RA motor) but I have also used it with my 4" refractor and
it handles it with ease. All of the gears are nice and tite with very little
back lash / slop but are not stiff when turned. The polar scope seems accurate
and is easy to get good alignment for pictures with a 300mm lens with exposers
up to 5 mins. with little or no star trails.
Let me know if you have more questions.
Bernie in Denver

[wiz...@email.msn.com]

I love mine!! but then, all I had before is an alt-az.

--
Terri
wiz...@msn.com

[Ching Yi Tsai]

bbar...@aol.com (BBarnibus) writes:

> I have one and am very happy with it. I mostly use it for camera and lens
> photography (with an RA motor) but I have also used it with my 4" refractor and
> it handles it with ease. All of the gears are nice and tite with very little
> back lash / slop but are not stiff when turned. The polar scope seems accurate
> and is easy to get good alignment for pictures with a 300mm lens with exposers
> up to 5 mins. with little or no star trails.
> Let me know if you have more questions.

On the subject of this mount, I was wondering if anyone has made a DEC controller for it?
Or even DIY it? I remember someone mentioned that he made a DEC controller himself..
This will help guiding greatly..

Clear Sky,

[Michael L. Pipkin, M.D.]

The SVD instructions refer to dual-axis drives (as well as the Accutrac RA
drive) but no part number is mentioned and of course none is in the Orion
catalog; maybe it's coming. ITE sells a similar looking mount with 2 drives
as does Meade ; don't know if the Meade unit (only $200 for both and
controller) can be adapted.

MLP

Ching Yi Tsai wrote in message ...

[Ching Yi Tsai]

"Michael L. Pipkin, M.D." <mlpi...@flash.net> writes:

> The SVD instructions refer to dual-axis drives (as well as the Accutrac RA
> drive) but no part number is mentioned and of course none is in the Orion
> catalog; maybe it's coming. ITE sells a similar looking mount with 2 drives
> as does Meade ; don't know if the Meade unit (only $200 for both and
> controller) can be adapted.

As far as I know, there is no dual-axis drives for either SVD or Starsplitter's GEM.
And Meade's drives will not fit on the SVD either :(

[KDaly10475]

>As far as I know, there is no dual-axis drives for either SVD or
>Starsplitter's GEM.

I can't speak for the Orion Skyview mount, but Starsplitter offers dual axis
drives for their mount for $239.

Kevin Daly
Mattatuck Astronomical Society
http://members.aol.com/kdaly10475/index.html

[Ching Yi Tsai]

kdaly...@aol.comnospam (KDaly10475) writes:

> >As far as I know, there is no dual-axis drives for either SVD or
> >Starsplitter's GEM.
>
> I can't speak for the Orion Skyview mount, but Starsplitter offers dual axis
> drives for their mount for $239.

This always puzzles me. Because I never found the dual-axis drvies for Starsplitter GEM.
The following is a direct quote from Starsplitter:
"Thank you for your interest in Starsplitter Telescopes. We do not currently
have a dual axis motor for our Gem. We have an RA motor ($149 USD) and JMI
sells a separate DEC motor."

[KDaly10475]

>"Thank you for your interest in Starsplitter Telescopes. We do not currently
>have a dual axis motor for our Gem. We have an RA motor ($149 USD) and JMI
>sells a separate DEC motor.

Hmm, I got the information from Starsplitter's catalogue. It lists single axis
(RA) and dual axis drives on it's price list. I wonder what would happen if
you ordered it?

[isom...@aol.com]

In article <19990212235441...@ng106.aol.com>,

I ordered the SkyView last week from Orion. When I asked about the RA drive,
the customer service rep said that I might want to wait for the DUAL AXIS
Drives which they are expecting pretty soon. Sorry, they didn't have an exact
date yet, but I think I am going to wait on them.

Glad to hear good reports on this mount. I am going to use mine on my C5,
which I think should be a good match.

Clear Skies All...

David

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[Lee & Jane]

FWIW, Orion has been saying that they will have encoders to fit the mount
since Nov. or Dec. 98. They even went do far as to put the item in the
catalog, even though it is unavailable.
Don't get me wrong, a goto skyview deluxe sounds wonderful, I'll get one
when they come out, I just don't like the long wait without a order date.

i>>