New Products from Meade

Ok, a few new announcements from Meade

1) A slightly updated version of the ETX scopes.
Basically, it's now painted a little different and has a device attached to it which allows it to point North, level correctly and slew to the first alignment star, all done automatically. It also comes with a red dot finder.


2) The LX90 has also been updated slightly. It has the same colour scheme as before but includes the new point north etc stuff and has the red dot finder. Not exactly a major change. All the new technology is embeeded in the red dot finder - aka "Smartfinder". My guess is that it'll be available as an add-on for those who want to buy it. It probably plugs into the autostar or one of the aux ports on the scope.
www.meade.com/lx90/index.html

3) 5000 series eyepieces. There's a good reason why Meade was selling their 4000 series eyepieces at a reduced price - there's a new lineup of eyepieces coming out. No link for this yet. Meade are now selling the 4000 series eyepieces at a reduced rate.

Michael

Info re the 5000 series eyepieces
www.meade.com/authdealers/series5000/pdfs/series5000_lowRes.pdf

Michael

So the scope has an autolevel, north finding feature on it, as well as a built-in red dot finder for accurate star allignment and sets your time automatically, this must use the GPS system.

This is what I've been waiting for, almost.
You still need to enter your location.

I was going to get an ETX but I was thinking that Meade would add on the GPS system to it, so I waited, makes sense that such a small scope would need it as thats the kind of scope you'd bring along on holidays etc...
Its not quite a GPS scope yet, but its getting there, I think I'll wait for that add-on.
They've added all these features to the LX90 also..

The new 5000 eyepieces look abit wierd compared with the 4000 eyepieces, whats with all the rubber !!
The standard eyepieces have 5 degrees more field of view compared with the 4000 series, no big deal.

If 4000 series eyepieces are going cheap, nows a good time to stock up on them,

So the scope has an autolevel, north finding feature on it, as well as a built-in red dot finder for accurate star allignment and sets your time automatically, this must use the GPS system.

This is what I've been waiting for, almost.
You still need to enter your location.

If it was GPS you would not need to enter your location though.

Cheers,
~Al

They must be using some cut down version since it auto calculates the time. Maybe they ran out of program space in the autostar....
or will add the full GPS system later as an extra

Check out the price of series 4000 eyepieces at scopetronix.com, 50$
Thats a great price, works out at about 40 euros an eyepiece,
Me thinks I'll be ordering some of those.