LDW1

What makes sense and what is actual can be different sometimes ! I would like to see the instruction (actual) in writing somewhere, I haven't seen / found it yet.

I use a 2 and sometimes 3 star alignment, very rarely do I use Polaris based on my yard location. I use my ipad which is as good as it gets for everything.

I am going to try Magnetic North now because True North use is way off as I mention, I use az .

I was / am using the north level alignment using True North as I mention. Now I am going to try Magnetic north but I wanted to confirm my use of true north. I do it using an electronic compass on my ipad that will show either True or Magnetic North alignment ie the approx. 10° west declination difference.

I was told some time ago on this site to use True North not Magnetic North ( compass ), in my part of the world Magnetic North has a west declination of about 10° from True North, when setting my Gti alignment and levelling. But when I do use True North my targeted dso object is about 10° to the left of where my telescope stops ie I have to manually shift my scope to the left to make it line up. This tells me that I should be using Magnetic North to set my alignment for the nite not True North. Its quite consistent with every object. Did some one give me the wrong instructions when I asked or what am I doing wrong ?

Thats all well and good until you get ' out of stock ' or ' discontinued ' or ........ , its not as easy as you think ! Have you even tried it, really ? But thanx anyway, lol !

I am almost 76 yr. old, ' planned obsolesence ' was a catch phrase way back in the 60's, that terminology is nothing new, lol !

Just don't count on it, it may be in the form of a new, way more costly model but who knows how far down the road.

Many newcomers to this end of the hobby, who just want to be able to see something that they always only were able to see in other so called experts posts won't even care about a slight field rotation in the outer fringes of the results. I have been in the hobby a long time and I sure won't, that is left up to the perfectionists, I know I was a one at one time !

You are correct so how do you intend to keep it doing what you want it to do, need it to do above a snails pace, during crashes, etc. ? Have you ever tried to buy a replacement battery, some years ago I had a Samsung Note4, it worked perfectly, it needed a new battery, I couldn't find one in literally the world, I had to scrap it and bought a Note10, so far it works great. It was that way right back to my Bag Phone. Good Luck I have been through it all, lol !

I think you are missing, ignoring or whatever when it comes to how modern, the newest updating affects capabilities, performance of our discussion subject ! To use autos, tv's etc as a direct example is a no go and you must know that. Hopefully ! But you are correct ultimately the choice is yours, lol ! Good Luck in the future ! PS: I am 75 yr. old I accepted it a long time ago, on the other hand if ond doesn't have the spare cash to spend thats okay also, we are all in this for fun not the neccessity.

If you don't upgrade think of the $'s you save and the fun you miss, you can't have one without the other. It just leads to more whining, more cursing, lol ! Good Luck ! PS: And maybe restless sleep.

You are all wrong but it doesn't matter ! Tell that to or ask that rational of ZWO. You may not like the answer just before they hang up, lol ! PS: Before you do please explain how you introduce new applications, new applications, new ..... with a software update that the older ..... don't have the capacities, the ....... to utilize. Wasn't there a cartoon decades ago called Back To The Stone Age, lol ?

What can I say !

Don't disregard the ' new plastics ' it is a lot more than you might think, its the way of the world, the new world as is the SS50 ! Either join or don't, no one will care !

Correct but you just miss out on all the new features, new capabilities that go with each and every update for newer gear. If you are happy with that there is nothing wrong with living in the past.

As I said Good Luck !

And they are, any one in this ...... wouldn't give you 2 cents for it all, they are 2 far in the past, just keep them for you. Believe me I have been through it all !

For you maybe but checkin with ZWO and their workings. Good Luck ! PS: Its more than just something turning on, I sure you know, I will give you a 12 yr. old ipad it still turns on but after that ....... .

No matter how old they are they will likly turn on but when the company quits supporting, stops updates what do you think happens in its actual operation, its capabilities.

In anybodys right mind how can you even think of comparing those 2, lol ?

Are you just kidding ? LOL !

10 years old ! What exactly are you expecting, hopeing for 10 years later operating this revolutionary piece of gear ie SS50 ? Its always been upgrade this and now upgrade that, lol !

Do you really think the designers of the SS50 thought of someone trying what you are asking to ensure they would build that capability into this revolutionary $600 C piece of optical gear, as a matter of course ? As with anything new like this some should realize that the sky is not the limit. Sometimes I wonder what some fellow astronomers think they are getting all for a great but very low price, its just the start of something big, lol !