What to make of NexStar 8i Special Edition?

I narrowded my choices down to the following three. I was going to go
with ETX 125AT even though I wanted a 8 inch scope because of higher
price of LX90. When Celestron announced of its release of 8i Special
Edition at a price little more than what ETX costs, it changed my mind
to go with 8i SE.

Has anyone heard about anything on NexStar 8i Special Edition that I
should be aware of given it is a new product?

- NexStar 8i Special Edition
- ETX 125 AT
- Meade LX 90

Has anyone heard about anything on NexStar 8i Special Edition that I
should be aware of given it is a new product?


Hi:

Other than that pretty tube, it, I understand, uses a slightly different align
routine so as not to infringe on the Meade patents.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

"Rod Mollise" wrote in message
...
Other than that pretty tube, it, I understand, uses a slightly different
align
routine so as not to infringe on the Meade patents.


Plus it includes the XLT coatings at about the same price as the normal N8i
without them - but does NOT include NexRemote because the new software isn't
compatible with it.

John C

On 12 Nov 2004 01:17:18 GMT, (Rod Mollise) wrote:


Has anyone heard about anything on NexStar 8i Special Edition that I
should be aware of given it is a new product?


Hi:

Other than that pretty tube, it, I understand, uses a slightly different align
routine so as not to infringe on the Meade patents.

Funny how this comes out just after the Meade ETX graphic tubes.
Does Celestron ever think of not immitating them? They started the
SCT revolution after all.
-Rich

On 12 Nov 2004 05:33:02 GMT, Uncle Bob
wrote:

RichA wrote:

Funny how this comes out just after the Meade ETX graphic tubes.
Does Celestron ever think of not immitating them? They started the
SCT revolution after all.
-Rich

Celestron, 1960
Meade, 1980, copied the C-8. So there.

Plonk.

Improved the who concept, radically increased
the number of buyers, introduced more innovations
with regard to the SCT, took over a large part
of the market, made SCTs more accessable to many
amateurs.
-Rich

Plus it includes the XLT coatings at about the same price as the normal N8i
without them - but does NOT include NexRemote because the new software isn't
compatible with it.

Hi:

Really? I just assume NR would be useable with it, since it can be used with
the "i".

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

Funny how this comes out just after the Meade ETX graphic tubes.
Does Celestron ever think of not immitating them? They started the
SCT revolution after all.
-Rich


Hi Rich:

The pretty tube is not the main impetus, the alignment routines are.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

On 12 Nov 2004 20:39:44 GMT, (Rod Mollise) wrote:


Funny how this comes out just after the Meade ETX graphic tubes.
Does Celestron ever think of not immitating them? They started the
SCT revolution after all.
-Rich


Hi Rich:

The pretty tube is not the main impetus, the alignment routines are.

I was listening to a radio ad for a local hifi dealer. The last
comment was "I know you have the trained staff to keep my system
looking and sounding good for years."
Note the emphasis on "looking good." Now to me, the person is
mistaken, because I wouldn't care if my system looked like junk,
as long as it had decent sound. In fact, if I could sacrifice the
flash and get better sound, I would. Same with a telescope.
If a (shudder!) B&L 8" SCT had the best optics, I'd own it, ugliness
and all.
Some people buy things for reasons other than their main purpose and
perceive (for whatever reason) that one characteristic is more
important than another. What I want to see is someone complaining
in an astro store because they can't get the picture on the new
ETX90 OTA on their ETX125!
-Rich

I was listening to a radio ad for a local hifi dealer. The last
comment was "I know you have the trained staff to keep my system
looking and sounding good for years."
Note the emphasis on "lookin

Hi:

Well, I get that. OTOH, there's nothing wrong with pretty, I guess. But, the
thing is, as I said, pretty was not the main impetus for the release of this
one, I don't think. It was an alignment routine that does not infringe on
Meade's patents.

Me? I love the way it looks, and I WANT one (as if I need another C8 ;-)).

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

"Rod Mollise" wrote in message
...

Really? I just assume NR would be useable with it, since it can be used
with
the "i".



Hi, Rod.

No, the SE model has different firmware. Celestron states that they do
intend to release a version of NR that will work with the SE at some later
date.

John C