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Vixen GP

lancerde

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lancerde

lancerde

Posted
Posted

Hi folks

I have seen this on ebay over here. My question is: Is this mount any good? Can it be up graded to GOTO? It looks as if it is on par with a SW neq 3. I'm looking for a motorised mount in RA and DEC and this caught my eye. I don't have the budget for proper AP but I thought this might be ok for some basic wide field dslr photos or with my Opticstar AR80.

Cheers jC

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A McEwan

A McEwan

Posted
Posted

Don't know about "upgrading" to GoTo, but the old style Vixen GP is a high class mount. Tracking is very accurate and it's a very quiet and smooth mount. Nice build quality and just plain Nice! I would say it was superior to the NEQ3, as the original SW EQ mounts are clones of the Vixen series from way back. If you get it it might surprise you. Certainly for an Opticstar AR80 it will be more than adequate.

Ant

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E621Keith

E621Keith

Posted
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If the mount is in good condition it will be better than not just EQ3-2 but a EQ5 as well. The added polar scope illuminator is a bonus and suggest this scope has a polar scope (you need to check). The Vixen polarscope is one of the best on the market and is an £160 optional extra with current GP mounts. The MT1 stepper motor are very quite and retail for £100 each. I don't know much about the Baader controller though.

As Ant mentioned, the GP is the original mount from which clones like EQ5 and CG5 were created. It is a highly modular mount and can take a huge variety of accessories and upgrades, including those made for its clones.

On my last count there are half a dozen GOTO options for the GP and you should be able to fit Sky Watcher Synscan GOTO for EQ5 on a GP without any issue.

I would not be surprise to see this auction go for more than €300.

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pete_gamby

pete_gamby

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There's no longer a Vixen-branded goto upgrade for the GP series mounts. The one that I've tended to point people to is the iOptron GOTO Nova although I hear differing reports about whether it is still a current product!

As others have mentioned, the EQ series are clones of the Vixen GP mounts to the point that the physical designs are identical so another alternative would be to use e.g. an EQ3 Synscan GOTO upgrade kit.

HTH

Cheers, Pete

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E621Keith

E621Keith

Posted
Posted

There's no longer a Vixen-branded goto upgrade for the GP series mounts. The one that I've tended to point people to is the iOptron GOTO Nova although I hear differing reports about whether it is still a current product!

As others have mentioned, the EQ series are clones of the Vixen GP mounts to the point that the physical designs are identical so another alternative would be to use e.g. an EQ3 Synscan GOTO upgrade kit.

HTH

Cheers, Pete

Pete,

Do you know is Vixen planning on a replacment or are they stopping development for the GP series?

Also, do you mean EQ5 Synscan GOTO upgrade kit. I don't think the EQ3-2 kit will fit a GP.

Anyway here is a list of GOTO upgrade for GP

Skywatcher EQ5 pro Synscan upgrade

IOptron GOTO Nova

K-Astec/Boxdoerfer MTS-3

Astro electronic FS-2

Littlefoot VPower (+MT1 motors)

Other GOTO that will fit but either discontinued or not sold as upgrade kit

Celestron Nexstar CG5 GT

Vixen Skysensor 2000 (discontinued)

Vixen Starbook S (recently discontinued)

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Brian Nordstrom

Brian Nordstrom

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Posted

I have one with duel axis drives and its an excellent mount in every way . Smooth, sturdy and well made , way better than the Synta clones .

Synta copied these in all their EQ5/CG5 variants and copied the Super Polaris for the EQ4/CG4's .

The Synta copies are NOT !!! anywere as good as the origonal japanese made Vixen by a long shot !!! not even close .

On the GOTO , vixen made a 'Sky sensor 2000' in the mid 2000's , it is good but complicated to use by todays standards . No longer made but still around 2nd hand .

Ioptrons retro fit drives and encoders 'Go to Nova' ( as said earlier ) with 8402 software will bolt straight up to these and is upgradable to the new 8406 software via Ioptrons web site .

Synta's GOTO's ( celestron ,SW and a few others ) will fit as well as I said these Synta mounts are clones of the origonal Vixens , what do they say " Imitation is the greatest form of flattery ".

I also have an Ioptron IEQ45 using 8406 software and its awsome , much easier to use than the SW, Meade and Celestron GOTO's out there , up and GOTOing in 5 miniutes .

But true , any Vixen mount SP, GP or GPDX are the beginning's to the road to a high end mount .

As said I own one and will not sell it in a hurry its that good , I would go for it if I was you .

One more thing Vixen still service these mounts and sell all spare parts for each model .

Brian.

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pete_gamby

pete_gamby

Posted
Posted

Pete,

Do you know is Vixen planning on a replacment or are they stopping development for the GP series?

Also, do you mean EQ5 Synscan GOTO upgrade kit. I don't think the EQ3-2 kit will fit a GP.

At present, the best information I have is that there will be no further development of the GP and GPD2 mounts and associated accessories. There is certainly no hint of a Star Book TEN-based GOTO kit (the price would be extraordinary if there was one!). The GP series mounts continue to be available for purchase although we tend to hold very few in stock due to low sales volumes (partly due to the fact that, as mentioned, they are good quality and so don't die and need replacing!).

Yes, sorry typo on my part.

Cheers, Pete

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