HEQ5 vs HEQ5 PRO

[MortonH]

There’s a lot of confusing/conflicting info out there on this mount, not helped by the variation in prices from different dealers.

As I understand it, the basic HEQ5 is a decent sturdy mount but the motors are a little rough round the edges, shall we say. There is apparently a GOTO upgrade kit, which replacs the motors with better ones and adds the hand controller.

The confusing thing is that I have seen adverts for a GOTO HEQ5 which is apparently not the PRO model, and is priced between the others, so I'm wondering if they've added the hand controller but not replaced the motors.

I'm considering the basic model on the basis that I can upgrade to GOTO later (with improved tracking for astrophotography). I can't really afford the PRO model now, plus there still seem to be issues with the software, etc. I like the fact that the HEQ5 is strong enough to take a decent-sized OTA (I'm thinking up to 5" refractor or 10" SCT, at some point in the future)

Any thoughts? I believe that similar issues apply to the EQ6.


Morton

[h0ughy]

upgrading will be expensive - get the eq6 while they are cheap!

[Rob]

Is autoguiding possible with the HEQ5 standard? Or is the HEQ5-PRO or goto needed for this?

[MortonH]

Ron, not sure about autoguiding, although that's not an issue for me.

Houghy, I'm one of those people for whom the HEQ5 was made. I don't want an EQ6 to lug around!

Morton

[ving]

hi. I bought the heq5 non-pro... in otherwords the basic model. if you buy the one with syntrek like i did upgrading to goto is as easy as pluging in a synscan or skyscan controller instead of the syntrek one you are given.

sooo it comes down to this:

$800 for basic heq5 syntrek mount + the cost of the controller. easy!

i took the cheap way out and purchased a version 2.05 synscan controller of a forum member (thanks:)) so ended up with goto cheap.

also another way is eq direct (you are gunna have to google it) where you conect your syntrek mount directly to a computer thru a modded cable. this turns out very cheap indeed andone of our members is doing this right now... i believe he has even connected a gps to it.

hope this helps somewhat :)

[ving]

gee the topics moving too fast for me :P

the new (syntrek) mount comes with a guiding port. i havent really tried mine yet.