Skywatcher motorised dob - coming soon - Page 2

netwolf · #21 22-04-2009, 10:42 AM

Andrews has also released pricing for the Slew and Track dobs.

http://www.andrewscom.com.au/site-section-10.htm

NEW! Flex-tube auto tracking Dobsonians arriving soon.

200mm...$1499
250mm...$1899
300mm...$2999

Upgradeable to full "Go-To"...

Looking at the non-goto, you could almost get a Servocat or even cheaper the Sitech system for this. Without the ArgoNavis it woudl be a tracking only, but you could use a laptop for both to give goto. With these SW tracking scopes you would need something like EQMOD to get goto with a laptop.

8" 499 (+1000 for slew and track)
10" 799 (+1200 for slew and track)
12" 1499 (+1500 for slew and track)

toryglen-boy (Duncan) · #22 22-04-2009, 10:47 AM

this was all posted yesterday guys

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...4&postcount=25

sally1jack (Phil) · #23 22-04-2009, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by netwolf

Andrews has also released pricing for the Slew and Track dobs.

http://www.andrewscom.com.au/site-section-10.htm

NEW! Flex-tube auto tracking Dobsonians arriving soon.

200mm...$1499
250mm...$1899
300mm...$2999

Upgradeable to full "Go-To"...

Looking at the non-goto, you could almost get a Servocat or even cheaper the Sitech system for this. Without the ArgoNavis it woudl be a tracking only, but you could use a laptop for both to give goto. With these SW tracking scopes you would need something like EQMOD to get goto with a laptop.

I just purchased a servocat & by the time it landed & made through customs it cost me $3200 , so there is still a gap
Phil

toryglen-boy (Duncan) · #24 22-04-2009, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sally1jack

I just purchased a servocat & by the time it landed & made through customs it cost me $3200 , so there is still a gap
Phil

Even so, the ordinary dob can be had for $1200, so $1800 just for tracking ... that seems a bit steep to me. That kinda money would get you a brand new HEQ5 Pro with Go-to and a 4" refractor to put on it !!

i think its far too much money. $1000 more then yes, but only just, but 1.5 times the price of the entire 12" scope just so it will track, and with no go-to?

no thanks. Argo Navis here i come.

sally1jack (Phil) · #25 22-04-2009, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toryglen-boy

Even so, the ordinary dob can be had for $1200, so $1800 just for tracking ... that seems a bit steep to me. That kinda money would get you a brand new HEQ5 Pro with Go-to and a 4" refractor to put on it !!

i think its far too much money. $1000 more then yes, but only just, but 1.5 times the price of the entire 12" scope just so it will track, and with no go-to?

no thanks. Argo Navis here i come.

I agree tracking is an expensive sport when it comes to Dobs
Phil

Calibos (Keith) · #26 23-04-2009, 04:13 AM

I pity you poor guys. the UK pricing looks great.
I just posted this on the UK forums
http://stargazerslounge.com/sponsor-...ml#post1209594

toryglen-boy (Duncan) · #27 23-04-2009, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calibos

I pity you poor guys. the UK pricing looks great.
I just posted this on the UK forums
http://stargazerslounge.com/sponsor-...ml#post1209594

yeah, i can get one shipped out from the UK to here, and its still cheaper than buying locally.

unbelievable.

Calibos (Keith) · #28 23-04-2009, 10:13 AM

<Shudders at the thoughts of the amount of U.P.S. ('Ups'

I dropped it) guys that would have to handle it along its 9000 mile journey>

toryglen-boy (Duncan) · #29 23-04-2009, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calibos

<Shudders at the thoughts of the amount of U.P.S. ('Ups'

I dropped it) guys that would have to handle it along its 9000 mile journey>

I know !!

although if the mirror could be removed, and packed and sent seperately ..

it might not seems so crazy ...

toryglen-boy (Duncan) · #30 23-04-2009, 10:23 AM

i wonder how hard it would be to buy an 8" auto tracking dob, and just convert the machanics of it over to my 12" and sell the 8" on?

seems to be a much cheaper way of doing it, that said i havent been able to find any reviews of one, or any pictures of the point where the OTA meets the mount ...

tnott · #31 24-04-2009, 04:19 PM

Well people have cannibalised cheaper DS Meade scopes for their GOTO stuff so it would be possible.

Don't know how well this system would work though, as cheaper GOTO is often a nightmare to get to work properly.

As for imaging with it........?

Starkler (Geoff) · #32 24-04-2009, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toryglen-boy

i wonder how hard it would be to buy an 8" auto tracking dob, and just convert the machanics of it over to my 12" and sell the 8" on?

Youd take a fair value hit on the holes left in the 8"ers base.

toryglen-boy (Duncan) · #33 27-04-2009, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by netwolf

Andrews has also released pricing for the Slew and Track dobs.

http://www.andrewscom.com.au/site-section-10.htm

NEW! Flex-tube auto tracking Dobsonians arriving soon.

200mm...$1499
250mm...$1899
300mm...$2999

Upgradeable to full "Go-To"...

Looks like they have revised thier prices ....

200mm...$1349
250mm...$1649
300mm...$2549

Sab (Sebastian) · #34 20-07-2009, 10:09 PM

Hi All... Has anyone managed to try out one of these bad boys?

If so are they any good?

p.s this mob in NZ claim that is comes with GOTO handset with Synscan database...

http://www.nztelescopes.co.nz/dobsonian.htm

mbaddah (Mo) · #35 22-07-2009, 04:13 PM

So these skywatcher flextube only come with the ability to track from a point you've manually selected and not automatically "go-to" preset location in the sky?

How would this rate in comparison to the argo-navis in comparison as I've been tempted to either buy an argo-navis or just sell off my current dob and by a skywatcher flextube with the goto, thanks

MortonH · #36 22-07-2009, 04:32 PM

A recent post from someone in China for the eclipse said that they visited the Synta factory and saw an "awesome new handset" due to be released later this year. Could this be for the Dobs?

Or maybe goto on heavy Dobs is too much for the motors and they just shelved the idea.

Morton

Sab (Sebastian) · #37 22-07-2009, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sab

Hi All... Has anyone managed to try out one of these bad boys?

If so are they any good?

p.s this mob in NZ claim that is comes with GOTO handset with Synscan database...

http://www.nztelescopes.co.nz/dobsonian.htm

I emailed Bintel about this to see what they had to say... apparently its not a GOTO handset, just "a simple slew and track system"

Their recommendation was to go for the Argo Navis

Still might be useful for imaging...

toryglen-boy (Duncan) · #38 22-07-2009, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sab

I emailed Bintel about this to see what they had to say... apparently its not a GOTO handset, just "a simple slew and track system"

Their recommendation was to go for the Argo Navis

Still might be useful for imaging...

i think frame rotation would probably put the mockers on any imaging you want to do on it ..

Sab (Sebastian) · #39 22-07-2009, 11:02 PM

Good Point...

Gee telescope shopping is hard work.

toryglen-boy (Duncan) · #40 23-07-2009, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sab

Good Point...

Gee telescope shopping is hard work.

i used to be the biggest advocate of these scopes, now i am not so sure.

It seems like your paying twice the cost for a mount, that is now pretty widely known, only tracks, and doesnt have goto.

So, the normal 12" is about $1500 , the version that tracks is about $3000, to my mind, thats $1500 that would be better spent on the non-goto, adding an argo navis, and maybe 2 good pentax ep's etc.

I mean, how import is tracking on this anyway? apart from the planets, i use my dob to look at things at magnifications of between x25 - x75ish i can easily keep something centred with a slight push of my digit, and a WA eyepiece.

no, the more i look at this, the more i think they have dropped a clanger, just think, for $500 less you can buy a 16" scope !!!