AP1200GTO vs. ParamountME

Both of these mounts look beautiful and must be of the highest quality. Since they both carry about the same load, why would one pay about $2,000 to $2,500 more for a comparably equipped Paramount? And do these companies ever put these mounts on sale?

There are many long and heated threads covering this topic on numerous forums. These are both outstanding and yet very different mounts. As with many folks, I've owned and used both. The AP1200 is a great transportable and high capacity mount. If you are going to set-up and take down, or ever use your mount in the field - buy an AP, it is clearly the best IMHO. It is a 12V system, is easy to polar align, very well made and accurate, and it can even operate independant of a computer.

If you are going to set up permanently, and even think about operating remotely (even if that is only only in the backyard) I'd invest in the Paramount. It has the software suite and control system that really works well remotely. Two of the important features of the ME is the homing capability, and the stops. I realize that imaging past the meridian can be nice at times, but being able to establish positively where the mount is and knowing that you can't slew under the mount is much more important - at least to me.

I know there are people the use the AP remotely (I ran mine robotically as well), and there are people that take the ME into the field - but that is not where they run the best. If you have any doubt, ask someone that made the switch from an AP to a Paramount in a permanent set-up. I've known many other folks that had the same thought that I had - "why did I wait so long"?

Charles Geiger said:

Both of these mounts look beautiful and must be of the highest quality. Since they both carry about the same load, why would one pay about $2,000 to $2,500 more for a comparably equipped Paramount? And do these companies ever put these mounts on sale?

IMHO you simply cannot go wrong with either. As a matter of fact, these are the two mounts on my list for whenever me and Miss D. finally get out of the Historic District and I can finally build that observatory. Since I'll be leaving the mount in the observatory all the time and controlling it from inside the house--that's the plan for now, anyway--I'm leaning slightly to the Paramount.

If I wanted a mount that was transportable, it would be the 1200. Its more "normal" paradigm of...punch objects into the HC or send the scope on go-tos from a PC attached to the HC is more attractive to me in a poratable setup than the more "computer-centric" Paramount. OTOH, plenty of folks cart their Paramounts around. Ahh...the pain of choosing!

8)

Are you sure the ME is that much more? I think you need several "accessories" with the AP that I thought brought the price up to about the same. I could very well be wrong. You might also consider whether you need that much load capacity. If not, I agree with you. Why not pick up an AP especially since some seem to be available.

Depending on your load requirements, you can also save alot with some other options, namely TAK, EM200, or NJP. The NJP hauls alot and is one of the most accurate mounts out there.

Kevin