The competition is moving toward more affordable APO-like refractors that
offer good views to the unwealthy and non-discriminating eye. I have always
thought that
paying 1000's of dollars US for 76mm of aperture, portability and wide
FOV's with accessories that break the bank of the average person is borderline
hare-brained. IMHO

A couple of thoughts:

1. $1000 or $2000 is a good deal of money. But many people think nothing of
spending $5000 or $10,000 extra for a fancier car that will be history in a
decade or so and yet seem to thing that $2000 for a telescope which will last
at least one lifetime is hair-brained. For many folks, a TV-76 is out of the
question, but for many it is just a matter of rearranging priorities.

2. The advantage of the TV-76 over scopes like the ED-80 is that it is small
enough to be useful as a general purpose scope and bird watching scope. While
achromats do OK, false color can be very evident under many circumstances when
birding.

jon