Televue Telepod

[tnbk00]

Does anyone have any experience with the Televue tele-pod? I am looking for some kind of basic, but good quality head to stick my refractor on.

[mercedes_sl1970]

Hi there

Bought one on IIS secondhand. It's an excellent mount. I use it for a 80mm f7.5 refractor and am very happy. Smooth actions, locks well and very steady.

Andrew

[acropolite]

Depending on what you're likely to spend on the telepod, you may be better off with a vixen porta-mount or the GS clone of that mount.

[MortonH]

I have the Televue Panoramic mount, which is basically the Telepod head with a nice wooden tripod. It's an excellent product, although probably a bit pricey compared to today's Chinese products. It holds my Megrez 90 beautifully and is very smooth.

The Telepod head can be fitted with optical encoders and Argo Navis (I have Televue's own lesser version, Sky Tour). Not sure if the porta mount can take Argo Navis, although if not I'm sure Gary Kopff at Wildcard is working on it.

Morton

P.S. Just checked out the Wildcard website. Of course the Porta mount can take Argo Navis!

[Starkler]

What kind of refractor is it? If its a lightweight one like an ED80 , I'd say get a Porta mount but the porta isnt up up to carrying my 115mm vixen.

[charsiubau]

We bought a Telepod when we got our Televue 85 and it is a good mount but we have just bought a Vixen Portamount because it has slow motion controls (the Telepod doesn't) and locks better (it doesn't move when changing heavy 2 inch eyepieces). The Portamount (or the GS clone) is also cheaper so I'd get that in preference to the Telepod if I were you. We will keep the Telepod however because it is more portable than the Portamount - we can stick it in a backpack and go bird or whale watching. The Televue refractor attaches to the Telepod with a clamshell rather than rings so if your refractor is not a Televue I'm not sure how you'd attach it to a Telepod.