It seems that the De-Rotator has got a bad wrap mostly from people that have never used or even seen one. It's a little like the story of opals being bad luck (fed by the Gold merchants in the UK). We I own one and have had problems with a faulty one. I was supprised that when I needed assistance all I got was to be told I should have got a wedge. However all of those people I had spoken to had never even seen a De-Rotator. I have to agree that less complex operations leave less to go wrong. However the Mead De-Rotator does what it claims to do and is a great option for mobile setups, and for those that want to take simple shots without being the best on the block. Where I am located I am not able to see the pole to align so the De-Rotator is a good option. If I want to use a wedge I need to operate at another location. Just remember if you choose this option you WILL need a weight system to balance the scope or you will get poor results. I think overall a Wedge is a better system, and even better if you have a perm setup. I am going to build my own shortly (easy to do). However its very hard to build a De-Rotator so I purchsed one. Now I will have both options. I use a Web Cam through an AutoGuider as well. It can be a little difficult to find a guide star at times, but I can be set up to take pictures in as little as 15 mins..
My opinion is if you have the money to invest in a De-Rotator you should do it. It will get you results you will be happy with. Then add to the fun by making your own Wedge (plans on the net)., Then learn to polar align and extend your options.
Or buy some meat and beer, have a BBQ and look at pictures in a mag... Hmmm,,,, does sound good, but na, get the De-Rotator.
Cheers
Mardy
