Demonstrating the Meade Autostar Handset

[@AmyStreetLife]

Thank you for making this video 13 years before my best friend's husband gave me his old telescope. You never know how and when even the smallest actions help someone. ❤ Thanks for the time you put into the walk through.

[@Monike8Loren27]

Good introductory tutorial! Great grasp of product demonstrated and pleasant to listen to! Thanks!

[@williamoleary4067]

thank you very much for the expert advice that nobody else explained about the alingment

[@jeffloewi5632]

Thank you so much for this. I'm a complete novice at this and while there are several videos on Autostar yours if by far the best and most complete. I'm off to do the alignment thanks to your help.

[@RocketPlanet]

Hi. Yes you have a large choice of alignment stars - if you don't like the one that has been selected automatically you can simply scroll down and select one that is convenient. The stars on the alignment list are not appearing at random though, and they are all 'approved' by the system for their position, brightness, and all are a suitable distance from their neighbors to make identification easy. Target tracking is continuous without input from the user. I hope this helps. KR A&NTV

[@julianrose9883]

5:15 Ahh... The good old days before Pluto was wrongfully kicked out of our solar system.

[@0LoneTech]

Julian Rose it's still in our solar system, just not classified as a full planet.

[@julian281198]

@@0LoneTech you are not fully classified as planet :

[@AmyStreetLife]

I think all of our hearts melted a little when Pluto popped up on the screen. ❤

[@CIBERXGAMING]

thanks for this vid!!! I am having a problem right now where the screen jsut says "getting time" and it says that forever... ive tried turning on and off again, ive tried taking out the cmos battery. tried flipping the switch to on while no power is connected and without the cmos in in hopes that it would drain the memory but no luck! the options pop up to press 0 to align and press menu to go to options but if i select either option it just says "getting time" thanks!

[@moodberry]

I know this is an older video, but I recently dusted off my Autostar Telescope and needed this refresher. As an aside, I called Meade today because I haven't been able to figure out how the azimuth ring markings relate to the actual position. Turns out, they are just there for show. If yo uhold down the mode key for three seconds, the display will show you where the scope is actually pointed AZ and ALT coordinates. I was initially confused because the ring marking for those never matched up. Anyway, those markings aren't really important unless you have your scope permanently mounted.

[@Mrq330]

Does it track an object once it finds it?

[@galacticquasar9944]

yup, puts it in middle of telescope so you can easily use the mag multipliers

[@mellee3045]

Yes but no one knows how to do it, there is no tutorial on tracking just alignment

[@davidbrandenburg8029]

this info is great if this is the very first time you have turned it on, but if its not how do you clear out the first location if you have moved?

[@barrycooper8640]

I just got given this telescope. Thanks for your video. It helped +Astronomy and Nature TV

[@AlexSanchez-ke5ve]

How is your recent experience with the ETX90? Do you think is a good investment?

[@clevername8832]

Same for me! (Except I was given one of the originals that's about 10yrs old!)

[@alejandroprego6700]

My computer don't find the telescope. My cables and connections are the right ones. Would I need a special software for my LX200? Where do I found it?

[@mimcan70]

How to find spares for 1st gen ds2000 mount ..

[@crimescene08]

I just pulled out a meade autostart series 0000 . Can't find info on it

[@Bartexoll]

When do this it stays on the change time thing for a second then changes off to alignment mode

[@RedDevilsGaming]

Am I able to attach a dslr to this type? and is it a good telescope to photograph the moon,ISS and other things

[@SheWolf_73]

I face my meade north perfectly and when it locates first item it is nowhere near ...so the fine tuning won't let me move it enough to align the first star...hence no point going to next one. I'm pulling my hair out. I have had my celestron for 16 years and just cannot get the meade to work correctly. Any help very much appreciated xx

[@JontheBerean]

We just found one in our shed ! Hopefully get it working 🙏

[@edkay3601]

great video! Sometimes when I hook the power up to my autostar it beeps and the display stays dark. the buttons are red so I know it is getting power. Do you have a clue what is causing this? Sometimes it works perfectly. Thanks

[@terrelk18]

Same problem you ever find solution?

[@darththork99]

To put it in the home position, would I have to point it Magnetic North, or True North?

[@idkm6776]

Black Spruce true : )

[@moodberry]

@@idkm6776 Meade support says magnetic North

[@Youraveragekabobguy]

What happens if it says motor unit failed

[@voederbietels]

wich buttons did you push ouside the frame

[@paulscushschofield1288]

How do tell the scope your location?

[@AlexSanchez-ke5ve]

I'm looking to get one Cassagrain, I found the ETX90 and I felt in love.... Do you think this is a good investment? The computarized controler is something that scare me a little bit but I know I can learn to use it.

[@coffeebotography]

I've used several Meade ETX series. All of them virtually eliminate dispersion and collimation. You're good to go. Very advanced optics. Be sure to add to your collection a high magnification and an extra wide field eyepiece.

[@RocketPlanet]

Yes it can be wheelchair operated provided the user has a fair degree of upper body and neck mobility - the base is even small enough to be placed on a w/chair utility tray, but alignment will be lost if the chair is moved. As to observing indoors, through open or closed windows, it’s generally something to avoid as it has a very deleterious effect on the image quality. That said, if you really can’t get outside - then definitely use it indoors as it’s preferable to doing nothing! KR RJD

[@michaelgrimes5588]

Can you use any controller for this series, aside from the one it came with?? Thanks to anyone who answers..

[@williamoleary4067]

i have the star navigator 90mm telescope , my question is, everytime I turn it on, I have to set the time and date on the #497 autostar handset, is that normal or do I have to do that everytime I turn the telescope on? thank you

[@jimmymullins4997]

What model controller is that the 495 or 497? Thanks

[@txbob]

After you did the initial slewing on the two stars, you went to someplace that gave you the options to do several things including SETUP....but you didn't show or say what you pushed to get to this.....it was low on the controller, but you failed to show where you pushed to get to this.

[@Parrotmukbang]

thanks alot for making this video i was wondering how to use this computer so it definitely helped out

[@paulkazjack]

Hi, regarding handsets can you tell me if the LX90 acf lets you choose your own alignment stars from the data base on the handset. just thinking about trees and buildings being in the way.

[@alphaphotoandvideo]

no finderscope?😵

[@starfluke]

Nice tutorial but my Autostar fails this sequence. After it goes to the first alignment star, stops and “whistles” the four quadrant arrow keys for centering the star are inactive. I press them to center the alignment starvbut nothing happens. There’s nothing wrong with the keys. They work fine to move the aim in the corresponding directions BEFORE I start the alignment sequence...ANY alignment sequence: easy, one star, two star. Any ideas will be appreciated. Very nice optical performance but Autostar is useless to me. Thanks

[@ftwxosmarioss]

they are moving but extremely slowly. change the speed

[@SteveSmith-cy3xp]

Great video. one question when you point the telescope north is that magnetic north or celestial north?

[@andyyy6307]

+Steve Smith Celestial North.

[@Batman5ooo]

For some reason i cant fine tune with the arrow keys when trying to allign the scope

[@zool8139]

I have the controller 1.0 the led screen lights up then go's black saying in download can sum one please help me? thanks for the help :-)

[@Markinpuff]

Can the firmware be updated? Found one of these at a flea market for 10$.

[@E80-t6e]

Markinpuff SUPERBOWL CHAMPS!!

[@coffeebotography]

If you have a USB port on the Autostar, Meade has the firmware updates.

[@mikeries8549]

@@coffeebotography USB port. Funny.

[@NatarajanGanesan]

My autostar keeps on slewing all over the place, even when I know it is way past the target. Not sure what is happening

[@coffeebotography]

once you've found the North Star and input your az dec, you've set it up right.

[@trentaustintx1]

Thanks for the post!! It cut my learning curve by a large margin. I am using the #497 controller. Curious if the #497 has electronic focus capabilities, or would I have to purchase the separate electronic focuser?

[@samthecat2700]

You need to purchase the electronic focuser

[@stephenscott4166]

Thank you for the clip. I have had a ETX 70 for some time and have had a bit of fun looking out there. But I need to re boot the brain in it, my mechanics seem to be locked up. I will contact Meade.

[@SpeedyCotton55]

Excellent video, thank you.

[@sunshinenanna69]

my controller wont come on and i put new batteries in it please help??????

[@IgnacioGarciaNJR]

Great, great, great video!

[@emileemyers3957]

can you use the telescope without the remote?

[@RocketPlanet]

Hi Ashlee, yes you can use the instrument terrestrially without the remote (ie without battery power) but the drive base has no provision for manual slow-motion movements so the telescope will be difficult to use at anything but low powers. For astronomical observation, I'd have to say that much of the value of this telescope is lost if the drive system is not employed. KR RJD A&NTV

[@adityarajan5324]

Is the time in 24 hour format? Thanks.

[@MatHelm]

no

[@lukehoppe9445]

Thank you for this i just got one of these. Very helpful video

[@tranquility69]

Nice. Im thinking about getting it.

[@videofluke]

Doesn't it say not to use arrows to allign the star for easy alignment. It says to move the base manually with hands.

[@mikeries8549]

I unlock the base and zero in on the star it says it slewed to. Then it usually still misses the second star by a few degrees but...the thing seems to always get the up-down angle perfect after the first star. Seems to have trouble getting the horizontal angles right. It's not perfect but once you're setup on what you want to view it tracks very well UNLESS YOUR BATTERIES GET LOW. :)

[@GeorgieGorman]

thank you that was brilliant cant wait to see the unevirse Ireland west

[@enjdothings]

Great tutorial, thanks for the vid!

[@paulkazjack]

Excellent,thanks.

[@enzoenzo9811]

saluto a tutti, qualcuno del forum sa dirmi come far funzionare il mio LX600 GPS con piattaforma ASCOM e cupola sirius max dom due? cerco hardware , software)

[@rociocabrera2469]

Hola soy d argentina cero inglés xfis necesito ayuda mi sueño era tener un telescopio y ahora q lo tengo No lo sé usar alguien me puede ayudar se los voy a estar eternamente agradecida

[@FransBlaas1]

I am in south América and cannot get it right.. this telescope seems only for use in northern parts of the world. Have it for 11 years and no use.

[@Auntie_Trev]

Hi. I've just got my first Meade telescope (Ebay ETX 70) the Autostar handset lights up ant I can move the telescope about but the display is blank - lit up red, but blank. Any ideas how to fix it? Thanks

[@RocketPlanet]

Hi. True North is ideal but Magnetic will do just fine. KR A&NTV

[@moodberry]

I called Meade and they told me to use magnetic north.

[@solitaire5142]

This would be so much more informative had shown WHICH buttons your pushing.

[@latouselatrec]

Solitaire 514 my gawd man is you brain

[@margaretmarshall3645]

Any time you see something change without seeing him press a button, he is pressing the up or down arrows at the bottom, which are for scrolling through a menu. The central up/down/right/left arrows are only used for slewing the optical tube to refine where it points.

[@hopefullrideon]

Why so much yelling?

[@galacticquasar9944]

2019 anyone?

[@tonydoberman21]

2021 here - COVID-19 hobbies kicking in HARD

[@paulscushschofield1288]

You forgot about your imputing your location

[@stevepulsar]

Without you we would all know sod all about astronomy :)

[@tbonepachanga]

Great thanx

[@MrStealth654321]

Cool

[@gggonzo265]

Thanks. Now I can stargaze on my ETX 70.

[@Liofa73]

Pretty noisy slewing motor.

[@ericbarnett6771]

That IS NOT the Home Position.

[@RocketPlanet]

Hi Eric, we're passing this kind of blurted comment less and less, but you put a proper name over the door, so I'll bite, for now. So, I assume you are referring to a point in the presentation at about 1:50, where I put the instrument in the 'level north home position'. The instrument is a Meade ETX60AT and the position shown is correct. I don't think this telescope has been made for some years - but that's how it looked ten years ago anyway. Please share with us why you deny this. If we get no reply within a week, we'll be removing both this and your post. KR RJD A&NTV

[@ericbarnett6771]

@@RocketPlanet I had a "Level North" ETX-125 some years ago and I honestly cannot remember the alignment process. I will take you at your word. Since, as you say, this telescope is no longer being made, perhaps it is time to demonstrate the alignment technique, and Home Position, on a modern Meade scope in a new video. My point being that anyone looking for info on aligning their Meade scope today is going to fail to do so if they use this video for guidance.

[@RocketPlanet]

Hi Eric, in the case of the ETX125, the pre-alignment procedure to place the instrument in the home position is indeed quite different from the ETX60/70/80. We certainly won't stand in your way if you wish to make a video demonstrating that process. But it might be worth noting that the instrument is an article of history and the US manufacturer, Meade Instruments, has since been eclipsed by bankruptcy. KR RJD A&NTV

[@ericbarnett6771]

@@RocketPlanet Bankruptcy simply means that they cannot pay their debts on time. They still sell telescopes. www.meade.com

[@RocketPlanet]

If you're not in government service already Eric, go for it - you have the kind grasp of financial matters that would mark you out for high office. And yes 'they' still sell telescopes. But it's just a brand now with a bit of history, and the resplendent honour of being part of the Chinese 'economic miracle'. And I think that's something of a pity. Because, with all their faults, Meade Instruments of California USA was an example of an increasingly rare type of bold and brilliant American manufacturer. Good luck anyway. RJD A&NTV

[@ColdWarWarriors]

Garbage system and garbage brand, i had a lx90, biggest pile of you no what. Don't waste your time get a celestron.

[@Nomoreidsleft]

So fake. The telescope doesn't actually "find" anything. It just moves to where it thinks the star is.

[@RocketPlanet]

Hi there. So it doesn't 'find' anything but it does 'think'? Thanks for clarifying that for us and purging me of invalid anthropocentric terminology. Are you, perchance, a student of the late Marvin Minsky? KR RJD A&NTV

[@tdw5933]

Shame no see speed

[@peterpierre8195]

At least show what buttons you're pushing duh