CEM120- late 2015

[Zakalwe]

Any thoughts on this?

https://www.altairastro.com/xcms_entry.php?xcmsentryid=18

The dovetail plate looks like they've copied the Paramount Versaplate- USB hub and power on the dovetail plate. WiFi enabled and Ethernet...Ethernet is got to be good for remote operation to get away from the USB 5 metre restriction. They claim Direct Drive, but they mean that the motors drive the worm, not a true direct drive like the ASA mounts.

[JamesF]

Being able to use ethernet for control would be good.  The counterweight shaft looks a bit of an afterthought though.  Not that there are that many choices about where to put it.

James

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I do not think the counterweight shaft looks like an afterthought. The same configuration has been used in some of their earlier mounts.

[pete_l]

Sounds like an EQ-8 spec mount, but at (an estimated) twice the price

[DaveS]

I dunno, but I think if I was in the market for a mount with that load capacity I'd be looking Mesu 200. More expensive, yes (But not a lot more) and getting away from worm-and-wheel.

[melsky]

It's slightly lighter than an EQ-8 with twice the payload capacity. I chose an IEQ45 over an EQ-6 for the same reason, if you don't have an observatory and transport your kit out to dark sites weight is very important.

Mel

[Zakalwe]

It's slightly lighter than an EQ-8 with twice the payload capacity. I chose an IEQ45 over an EQ-6 for the same reason, if you don't have an observatory and transport your kit out to dark sites weight is very important. Mel

It has a similar payload. The EQ8 weighs 28Kg (head and counterweight bar) and carries 50kg. The CEM120 weighs 27Kg and carries 55Kg

[melsky]

Oops, your figures are more accurate Zakalwe

[perfrej]

Apparently, the "direct drive" means absence of the first reduction stage directly on the steppers. Sounds like dangerous practice to, relying on accurate micro-stepping for resolution.

We'll see if they get it out the door. They have, of late, used the market as unsuspecting beta testers...

For accurate tracking, I also have concerns about flex in the cw bar, but that may not be justified. My mount of similar payload has a 40mm cw bar in order to cope with flex.

/per

[Zakalwe]

The CW arrangement is a bit unusual, but the bar itself is 43mm diameter stainless steel. I can't see that flexing too much.

I think that they are phrasing it a "direct drive worm" ......The motor is connected directly to the worm without any spur gears or belt drives.