Help or Advice for a new scope...

All - Any help or advice you all can give me on an upcoming telescope
purchase would be greatly appreciated. I have narrowed it down to a
few choices and would like to hear others experiences or opinions
about these telescopes. I am currently using a Meade ETX60 and Tasco
4.5 inch reflector, mainly for Moon viewing (cause that's all the
Tasco one seems good for) but would like to start viewing the planets
and eventually work up to astrophotography. GPS is not needed or
really a desired option. Also opinions on high transmission
coatings...

- Meade 8" LX90 SCT (I like the tripod for this one, but don't
necessarily need the goto functionality)

- Meade 8" LX10 SCT (Seems similar to the LX90, but without the GOTO
and what looks like a flimsier mount)

- Celestron NexStar 8i (Seems at least similar in specs to the Meade
ones above, but the mount seems a little sturdier than the LX10)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Jason Giannini

- Celestron NexStar 8i (Seems at least similar in specs to the Meade
ones above, but the mount seems a little sturdier than the LX10)

Many people feel that the Celestron scope is more refined and I agree. More
than half of the Meade SCTs (perhaps 20 over the last 5 years) I've "known" had
problems and were lemons. I make it my "job" to warn people off from a company
that is hell bent of selling shoddy scopes via fancy ads. Even "happy" meade
owners have to admit that the reputation for their scopes is valid.
Go Celestron.

Capt RB

- Celestron NexStar 8i (Seems at least similar in specs to the Meade
ones above, but the mount seems a little sturdier than the LX10)

Many people feel that the Celestron scope is more refined and I agree. More
than half of the Meade SCTs (perhaps 20 over the last 5 years) I've "known" had
problems and were lemons. I make it my "job" to warn people off from a company
that is hell bent of selling shoddy scopes via fancy ads. Even "happy" meade
owners have to admit that the reputation for their scopes is valid.
Go Celestron.

Capt RB