The CGE will carry more load than the Atlux – but from my research I’ve read of CGE with raw PE of +/- 22 arc seconds – that can get 3-4 times better with tuning! (A Dr Clay service).
Many folk here to very good work on Losmandy G11 + Gemini – don’t write them off – just make sure they are really well balanced. I have heard from folk here that the G11 gears are better machined than the CGE.
The Atlux has raw PE of +/7 arc seconds and corrected +/- 3. My Atlux raw PE is about +/- 4 arc seconds – see post by Julien, trained I last recall it was about +/- 2.1 (must re-verify)!
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=30307
Pointing wise I have it under MaxPoint point to +/- 34 arc seconds (and no wosre than 90 arc seconds) within target all over the sky, raw I’d say its within +/- 2-3 arc minutes of target if your alignment was well done (regardless of whether you are polar aligned or not). On a C9.25 I have at best done 10 minute shots at 2300mm focal length with no guiding or PEC and have round stars – at best! It also has a very nice power on and recall all last pointing alignment set up for permanent mounts that I absolutely love!
I am surprised you can find a CGE (generally about $5,500) for the same price as an Atlux (list $7,200) – well done!
Yep - I think the Starbook is a crazy step back in power versus the SkySensor-2000-PC!
With the Atlux it’s said you don’t need it to be closer than 20 degrees of the polar to track stars – its smart enough to run both motors to compensate for drift and refraction in polar unaligned mode (which doesn’t then provide PEC – you need to be in Polar Aligned mode for PEC to be active). I can vouch for that under 5 degrees in polar unaligned mode via the SS2K-PC it track very well, but I have never tried it 20 degrees of the pole!