Cannot upgrade telescopes

I've noticed that most telescopes can't
be upgraded to succeding models, you have
to sell your own and buy a new one.
With scopes like the ETX and LX-90 and the
LX-200, I'm wondering why this wasn't made
available? Would it be a money losing proposition
for the scope companies?
-Rich

"RichA" wrote in message
...
I've noticed that most telescopes can't
be upgraded to succeding models, you have
to sell your own and buy a new one.
With scopes like the ETX and LX-90 and the
LX-200, I'm wondering why this wasn't made
available? Would it be a money losing proposition
for the scope companies?
-Rich
Basically it isn't possible.
The changes are usually comparable to a complete 'model' change in a car,
rather than just a 'version' change. The only common parts are the core
optics, and even here there may well be alterations (on the LX200 for
instance, the optics are altered slightly to allow for the extra backfocus
needed for the microfocusser). Given also the work needed to align the
optics to the mechanical system (factory jigging), the work/parts involved
would be more expensive than buying a new scope. The 'version' changes,
are handled in some cases by software upgrades, or simpler upgrades like
replacing the hand controller, which can be done to existing units. In the
past, this was done, with things like the version 2 to version 3
motherboard upgrade for the LX200 classic.
On the LX200, to the LX200GPS, I doubt if there are more than the
bearings, and a few bolts, that are actually 'common' to the older unit.
Though some castings may be the same, they have different holes and
machining, and most parts are completely different.
You might as well ask why you cannot upgrade your cooker in the kitchen to
the latest model. If you look at car models where such a conversion is
possible (when the change only involved panels, trim, and some minor
parts), it is still only worth doing, where one of the 'versions' has
gained a massive price advantage through some 'cachet', that then covers
the labout and parts needed...

Best Wishes

On Sun, 02 Jan 2005 16:00:15 -0500, RichA wrote:

I've noticed that most telescopes can't
be upgraded to succeding models, you have
to sell your own and buy a new one.
With scopes like the ETX and LX-90 and the
LX-200, I'm wondering why this wasn't made
available? Would it be a money losing proposition
for the scope companies?
-Rich

Newer scopes do allow firmware upgrades. But anything more would seem to require
swapping out optics, electronics, or mechanics. While a certain degree of
modularity is nice, it also serves to limit the range of design enhancements
possible. I think these mass produced products maintain their low cost by
treating each model as entirely different. This is pretty much how the world
works- how many products do you own that can be upgraded to the next model? Your
car? Your TV? Your microwave oven?

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

On Sun, 02 Jan 2005 22:22:46 GMT, Chris L Peterson
wrote:

On Sun, 02 Jan 2005 16:00:15 -0500, RichA wrote:

I've noticed that most telescopes can't
be upgraded to succeding models, you have
to sell your own and buy a new one.
With scopes like the ETX and LX-90 and the
LX-200, I'm wondering why this wasn't made
available? Would it be a money losing proposition
for the scope companies?
-Rich

Newer scopes do allow firmware upgrades. But anything more would seem to require
swapping out optics, electronics, or mechanics. While a certain degree of
modularity is nice, it also serves to limit the range of design enhancements
possible. I think these mass produced products maintain their low cost by
treating each model as entirely different. This is pretty much how the world
works- how many products do you own that can be upgraded to the next model? Your
car? Your TV? Your microwave oven?

Remember the Meade apo mounts? They didn't come with Goto, but you
could add it. It involved installling a few things, a board, add the
hand control.
-Rich

_______________________________________________ __

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

On Sun, 02 Jan 2005 22:18:35 -0500, RichA wrote:

Remember the Meade apo mounts? They didn't come with Goto, but you
could add it. It involved installling a few things, a board, add the
hand control.

Sure, but the Meade scopes have evolved to the point where there would be little
to be gained by upgrading the electronics- the design is highly evolved and the
firmware upgradable. A better quality scope would require better quality motors
and gears- a much more complex upgrade. In any case, adding options is one
thing; upgrading to a different model is something else altogether.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

On Mon, 03 Jan 2005 04:05:21 GMT, Chris L Peterson
wrote:

On Sun, 02 Jan 2005 22:18:35 -0500, RichA wrote:

Remember the Meade apo mounts? They didn't come with Goto, but you
could add it. It involved installling a few things, a board, add the
hand control.

Sure, but the Meade scopes have evolved to the point where there would be little
to be gained by upgrading the electronics- the design is highly evolved and the
firmware upgradable. A better quality scope would require better quality motors
and gears- a much more complex upgrade. In any case, adding options is one
thing; upgrading to a different model is something else altogether.

If the functionality is all in software, then why can't the older
scopes be upgraded to True North Pointing? The physical
characteristics of the scopes have not changed.
-Rich

On Mon, 03 Jan 2005 16:43:04 -0500, RichA wrote:

If the functionality is all in software, then why can't the older
scopes be upgraded to True North Pointing? The physical
characteristics of the scopes have not changed.

The old scopes could be made very advanced, including error models. But the old
scopes would require ROM updates, which would require disassembling the mount. A
major undertaking that would probably result in lots of people damaging their
scopes. New scopes are flash based, so updates don't require the actual swapping
out of chips. Meade did send out ROM upgrades for the LX200 on occasion, though.
But aside from the difficulties of changing ROMs, I don't see why Meade would
want to continue supplying firmware upgrades for an obsolete product.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

"RichA" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 03 Jan 2005 04:05:21 GMT, Chris L Peterson
wrote:

On Sun, 02 Jan 2005 22:18:35 -0500, RichA wrote:

Remember the Meade apo mounts? They didn't come with Goto, but you
could add it. It involved installling a few things, a board, add the
hand control.

Sure, but the Meade scopes have evolved to the point where there would
be little
to be gained by upgrading the electronics- the design is highly evolved
and the
firmware upgradable. A better quality scope would require better
quality motors
and gears- a much more complex upgrade. In any case, adding options is
one
thing; upgrading to a different model is something else altogether.

If the functionality is all in software, then why can't the older
scopes be upgraded to True North Pointing? The physical
characteristics of the scopes have not changed.
You need to add an electronic compass inside the scope, a level detector
system inside the scope (both major mechanical changes), then have the
input pins to the processor (it doesn't have them spare), then write
completely new software (since the processor in the older scope is
different from the new one). You could design such an upgrade for perhaps
an initial outlay of $50000, and sell it (including installation), for
perhaps $2000 (since it would involve a complete mtherboard change). How
many do you think would sell?...

Best Wishes

I've noticed that most telescopes can't
be upgraded to succeding models, you have
to sell your own and buy a new one. =20


With the exception of software, most things are not upgradable.=20
Cars, trucks, dishwashers, cameras, clothing, etc. There are=20
retrofits for lots of things, including telescopes however.

-Florian

The more i think about it the more i think that telescope are one of=20
the MOST upgradeable items that i own. You can add/upgrade finders,=20
tripods, focusers, eyepieces (oh man can you upgrade eyepieces),=20
encoders, drives, and on and on and on.=20

-Florian