The only thing I can say about Meade is that I feel lukewarm towards the
firm. I've owned two Meade scopes: an ETX-90RA and a Meade 12" SCT. The
ETX I still have and it is a great performer for the price. The 12", now
long sold, was a real disappointment. Granted, it wasn't a new scope when I
bought it, but it's optics were so rough that nothing magnified like planets
ever appeared clearly even under ideal seeing conditions. It was a mid
1990's model and they say the newer models are top notch but I haven't tried
those.

John



"RichA" wrote in message
...
Reading some of the wildly speculative posts
about the new Meade RCs here is telling. It
shows that some people just don't know (or care) that Meade,
above all other companies in astronomy has done
more for the hobby than any other, in terms creating
equipment that allowed a massive expansion of
viewing and imaging and did more to increase the
numbers of amateurs than anyone else.
The anti-Meade forces do have different reasons;

-You've got the disgruntled types who were burned
somehow by Meade in the past (at least in their minds)
and they just can't let anyone forget it.

-You've got the apo-elitists, AP Mafiosos who look down
on any scope that doesn't cost $1000/inch or more but who
are too blind to see that technology has allowed "lesser" scopes
to achieve virtual imaging miracles compared to 20 years ago.
They just can't figure out why anyone would bring out a 10"
catadioptric whose OTA alone doesn't cost at least $10,000!

-You've got the TeleVue mob (louder now that the Meade 5000
eyepieces are coming) but who deep down resent the fact their
TeleVue scopes have never achieved the "status" of the APs,
TMBs, TECs, Taks and Aries of the world and who from time to
time probably wonder why they spent $5000 on a 4" apo and
mount when that could have purchased a 14" SCT or custom Newtonian
capable of outstanding planetary and deepsky imaging and visual
performance that would allow them to go way beyond the "showpiece"
objects in deepsky.

Lastly, you've got the underdog worshipers who view ANY
Meade creation as some kind of rip-off (principally from Celestron)
of other scope makers.

What I'd suggest is, keep up the speculation and the invective,
if it proves correct, any of it, then that's a feather in your cap,
you can preen on the group to your heart's contentment. But, if
these RCs and the Meade Series 5000 eyepieces turn out to be
good, then watch what happens to the markets they are aimed at.

If Al Nagler (and of course there are rumours things are afoot)
comes out with something spectacular, eyepiece wise (though I
don't see that happening since his new Naglers are not that old)
then at least the TV supporters will be able to have something
to cheer about.
-Rich