Re: CGEM DX

Started by rmollise, 08/09/2011 12:27AM
Posted 08/09/2011 12:27AM Opening Post
If this is the first Celestron GEM you've used, I suggest hooking up with a local club member who's used one. Your problems may be easily resolvable. The software does not "fail" in my experience.

Uncle Rod

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Posted 08/09/2011 05:31AM #1
I will probably regret this, however

I understand the posters plight.

A new mount SHOULD NOT REQUIRE any problems to be resolved easily OR at all after one hour of first light.

Celestron is on the wrong path, once again. Why do we as the consumer have to be the testers ???? It is obviously a low priced mount for it's stated capabilities. Less than half its competitions price for the same claims. But whatever price you put it out at, it should work in an acceptable fashion. It might not be a software failure, it is a quality control issue. I understand that for a low priced mount, and I will never buy one again.

I am on my second CGEM, which I am now finally pretty happy with. But it took me two examples to get a decent one, and this "decent" one had to go for a $300 Hypertuning and a $200 tripod spreader to be able to guide with it at all. The electronics finally worked, but not the mechanical ability. Tell folks if it is only good for half the stated weight rating and not to expect much as it comes from the factory at a low price. The mechanics of the mount, in my case the CGEM, is very mediocre. There are not many changes other than a tripod for the new DX model.

The DX model, not much different from my CGEM, has a very improved tripod with the very same motors as the CGEM. But it does supply more power to those motors, that seems to be the extent of the improved electronics. They seem to be the same motors as the CG-5 and CGEM, so supplying more power probably just cuts their life expectancy. Just my guess.

I do not mean to sound as bitter as I probably do, I am just tired of the marketing hype that we are expected to accept. Tell it like is and we will accept that in our purchase decision. If you don't tell us, we will be bitter about that purchase, just like the poster is. He probably feels deceived.
Brad

Posted 08/16/2011 04:40AM #2
Rod, maybe you can shed some light on these questions: Here is what I want to do with my Celestron ASGT CG5 Mount; I would like to be able to read the Right Ascension & Declination from the hand controller. I realize that this would have need the alignment procedure to be completed.

I would also like to have the clock drive running without having to go through the entire alignment steps once again.. thanks for any suggestions you may come up with... John Meiners