DaveL59

You can't use the starsense app without the code that comes with the scope but can download it, tho it'll be of limited use other than to prove your phone is supported. An alternative is SkEye which does something similar but without using the camera to confirm position based on the stars it sees. You would tho need a means to mount the camera on the scope so that it accurately follows the movement and that'd need some creative thinking:

I'd seriously avoid the Celestron 127 reflector as the design won't be great (bird-jones). Also their LT scopes are on a quite wobbly mount, they work if you can accept it'll need settling time. The Starsense is pretty good, I do have the LT70AZ which is likely cheaper than your option-3? Again wobbly mount but it gived pleasant views with a better diagonal and eyepieces than those it comes with. The app just figures where it is pointed and tells you how to move the scope to find the target you chose and some details about it. The LT80AZ is probably a better option being a larger lens than the LT70 (and the 707), alternatively the DX models should be fine but quite a step up in price. Best to budget for upgraded eyepieces and a better diagonal for the refractor models. I've used the SVbony 7-21mm zoom with the LT70 and it works well, as does the 8-24mm but this is huge and heavy so perhaps not ideal for this range of scope. The 150P will outperform all given the larger aperture but as you say, finding stuff... That's why a few of us bought the starsense explorer model, to re-use the app with our better spec'd scopes, 😉 hence going after the LT70 for its low price.

is that hole part of the moulding of the focuser body, or a separate plate under the bump? Will it move at all if you jiggle it with a small screwdriver for example?

being a little off-centre shouldn't affect its function nor ability to focus, would just be manufacturing tolerances most likely. Not even sure why it needs to align to the hole below but I don't have the destructions for that scope. The focus lock should simply clamp the drawtube so it doesn't move once you have achieved focus, useful if using heavy eyepieces or a camera. Have you tried to focus in daylight on something like trees or houses a few hundred metres away? You should be able to get a good focus across the field of view with both 25 and 10mm eyepieces tho 10mm will be dimmer and of course the image upside-down unless they supplied an erecting prism. Arrangement should be: eyepiece -> diagonal -> scope focuser or with the barlow eyepiece -> barlow -> diagonal -> scope focuser That said you might be able to reach focus without the diagonal but would need to rack the focuser out a few inches more than with it.

Looks like the outer packaging took most of the damage and the inner a small amount of crush to one corner. Unfortunately it does happen in shipping but if the components are ok and work then that's the main thing. Unlikely anyone would compensate unless it has caused a defect in the equipment contained. Can you test it functions without installing so there's no installation marks? Then you'd at least know for sure before contacting the vendor.

ahh that won't help. With my skycam's if I switch the IRcut out the amount of image interference from the IR floods is huge as they cross the lens. With IRcut in place you just get the odd spot where it reflects in the clear dome. Hence it's best to try keep direct IR off the objective as that can create extra "stars" where the beam hits the lens.

haha true tho fairly clear here with some cloud drifting from W but the sky does seem hazy. Sure doesn't seem as dark out there as it used to be.

wonder if we'll see it pass over here and how long before it does?

For Mars that'd be surprising, or any planet for that matter. I believe your scope is a 70/700 so much the same as the Celestron I have. With the 25mm eyepiece you'd get x28 and the 10mm would give x70. The barlow would double those figures but even at x140 the planet should be well inside the field of view and quite small. Only way I can think it would fill the frame would be if out of focus where it'd become a larger fuzzy ball. In focus it'll be at its smallest in the eyepiece but also at its sharpest if you see what I mean.

which eyepieces are you using when you aren't getting good focus? You should be able to get crisp focus with the diagonal and the 25mm eyepiece, the MA10mm should give more magnification but isn't the best. Not sure which barlow is supplied but that can affect image quality if its an all plastic affair. Is the focuser smooth or quite stiff as that can make a difference when making small adjustments. If its very tight then you can ease this by slackening the 2 screws under it just a touch till it suits your needs.

I guess, tho you can get some of these which have WiFi, the ones I have are Hik compatible also which is useful as my NVR can support them as well as the Hik iVMS app for remote monitoring. Sony IMX291 sensor gives great low-light ability but you do still need to run 12v power to them. I tend to run them with a passive PoE splitter so one LAN cable and splitter at the end is all that's needed. I replaced a few with Annke cube models that are Hik flashable so repurposed to be Hog cam, SkyCam etc. Some/most support stuff like XMeye for remote viewing etc but I don't want any cloud connectivity, these IoT gizzmo's are the worst of security vulnerabilities you can introduce onto your network IMHO (incl fridges etc in that) so I isolate them to a vLAN that they cannot reach the outside world from.

Never had that with the IP CCTV modules I use but then they run quite warm so are in effect their own dew heater 🙂 The only one that has an issue is the one looking thru the shed window. Similar to this but without the IR (I use separate IR lights) Not outdoor versions these tho, but I have one external under a makeshift plastic lid that's been running over a year with no issues. Case of keeping water off it and I smeared dielectric grease round the case join and cable connectors.

Can be a problem in confined spaces for sure as most CCTV are geared to illuminate to a fair distance. You could try disabling all but a couple and see if that gives enough light to see but not cause interference, either blank them off with paint/tape or disconnect.

so long as the IR isn't shining at the opening on the OTA and you've no light leakage issues then an IR equipped unit should work fine. Downside with webcam's is they achieve low light by adding while light illumination which would likely be more disruptive than IR. The Logi c270 can do fairly well at low light but probably still won't resolve much detail if there's no illumination and you may want to disable the white LED, tho via sharpcap might do what you need since it'll go down to 1sec exposure. I use a Dericam HD webcam for one of the skycam's that runs to 0.5sec and it does quite well for that but I doubt it'd be too useful for monitoring in total darkness.

Also what they are comparing against. For me the Svbony 7-21 & 8-24 are very good but then my main eyepieces are TAL Plossl, Vixen NPL and a couple of old ortho's which to me all give good views, the NPL perhaps a little more relaxed than the Plossls. I guess if you are more used to high end eyepieces they maybe won't seem as good so the caveat on these really is YMMV 😉

hmm yes only review since end-2008 and he acknowledges eyesight issues. Other than that precious little about these other than saying they're super. They also do a 20x80 astro at slightly below the price of the 20x60 but at this price point you have to wonder how good they really are.

A Graeme Cooper posted on Binopedia forum back in 2013 http://binopedia.info/index.php?topic=843.0 He may still be an active member there so perhaps join and ask there? Not sure he's who you are looking for tho, given only 41 posts and asking details about binos. What eyepieces and what repair is needed by the way?

guess it depends what you're comparing it to... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/POLO-D7100-ULTRA-HD-3-LCD-24X-ZOOM-LED-Digital-Camera-33MP-DSLR-Photo-Camcorder/124174149120?hash=item1ce95b2600:g:Kt4AAOSwO1pbReSR Love how they say 33MP yet later the sensor is listed as 13MP, I think one ad says 3.3MP for the sensor 😄

I guess you have the phone mounted level/parallel to the OTA? The OEM mount has the phone tilted upward at the front end which I guess keeps its FoV a little above the horizon when aiming at low targets. Is the scope on an EQ mount, sounds like it is. Seemed to work fine on the TAL-1 but I rotate the OTA if needed of course so I can use the focuser comfortably, which brings the starsense rig back to a more vertical orientation when I'm closer to target.

you'd probably be fine gloves on as you free up the altitude by turning the handle. No need to undo the other axis as you can just turn the monopod itself 🙂 I'd also suggest handle at the objective side else you'll struggle to get your face up to the eyepieces. For sure tall is better than stooping else your neck is also more strained which really doesn't help much at all.

sq mm that'll likely be 😉

While the NG will gather more light, they don't tend to be particularly good quality nor well regarded. I have the small 76/350 of the same type as the one you ask about, needed some work to give a reasonable image and even then it's not the most usable piece of kit. It works but you can't easily adjust the mirrors to get the best from it unless willing to do serious modifications. The Celestron 70mm refractor should be ok optically, I have the Starsense LT70AZ and it gives a nice image with better eyepieces than supplied. It may be a bit wobbly tho owing to the tripid and mount, but most tripod mounted scopes at that end of the price range will be. As Dave above says I'd opt for this rather than anything NatGeo. edit - I should add too, the eyepieces NatGeo supply are... dreadful!

That was my plan initially but feeling how slack the threads were and finding they were greased already I decided something more was needed. As you'd expect on the bottom end gear, close precision in cutting the threads was clearly not a consideration. I guess the weight of the scope leaning on it would mean many won't notice it or recognise the level of movement vs the shaky viewing and so "it'll do" was good enough 😉

maybe what you have to do is use the multi-buy and get several then stack 'em end to end 😄

thanks Mark. The teflon tape I used was this stuff https://www.amazon.co.uk/Machine-Suitable-FoodSaver-Cabellas-Gdrtwwh/dp/B089F77XNJ/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=teflon+tape&qid=1605199621&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzSllEQVY3MFZYSDNRJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUExMDAxNTU1Tjk4RE9YMFFYV1EmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDQyNDM3NTM5WE9FSEI0ODZGMDAmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl Been useful to improve the focuser movements too as its sticky-backed so can be located and pressed to secure into place. Used it on the little NG dob and the SW130 newt to good effect. I thought the same re the eyelet so a while back added a tiny bit in there too but turned out the worst play was in the threads and also the eyelet being too loose in the carrier, hence the nylon washer. Feels a lot better now, kinda like the feel of loose scratchy knobs on a cheap amp vs the smooth quality feel on the better gear if you know what I mean.