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Avalon Linear Fast Reverse EQDirect

Gib007

By Gib007
in Discussions - Mounts

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Gib007

Gib007

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Hello all. A good friend of mine has bought himself an Avalon Linear Fast Reverse (http://www.avalon-instruments.com/en/prodotto/linear-fast-reverse-eng/) mount after reading a lot of good reviews of it. I myself have a Skywatcher NEQ6 Pro and use an EQDirect cable to control the mount via ASCOM (EQMod). My friend is keen on doing the same and I've noticed this Avalon mount has the exact same connector as my NEQ6 Pro. Would I be correct in saying that the Avalon Linear Fast Reverse uses the exact same EQDirect cable as the Skywatcher NEQ6 Pro? Thank you in advance! :)

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sbooder

sbooder

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I would be careful if I were him.  They may look the same but they may have wired the pins differently.  A nice touch by SW is at the back of the Synscan manual they give you a schematic of the connector so you know which pin is what. I would ask Avalon if they could provide the same.

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chrisshillito

chrisshillito

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I would be careful if I were him. They may look the same but they may have wired the pins differently. A nice touch by SW is at the back of the Synscan manual they give you a schematic of the connector so you know which pin is what. I would ask Avalon if they could provide the same.

No harm in being cautious but the avalon mounts do not use their own controllers. They simply fit a standard synta/skywatcher motor controller into their own mount so the pin outs are identical to the sykwatcher mounts.

Chris.

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Gib007

Gib007

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It's definitely Equatorial as it's for imaging but it's a really odd design that apparently doesn't need counterweights in the most part and never needs a meridian flip. I have to say, I'm intrigued to see it when it arrives.

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ollypenrice

ollypenrice

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It's definitely Equatorial as it's for imaging but it's a really odd design that apparently doesn't need counterweights in the most part and never needs a meridian flip. I have to say, I'm intrigued to see it when it arrives.

It's not an odd design at all, really. It's a fork equatorial with half of the fork removed, making it an 'arm equatorial.' Fork mounts built up a bad reputation because Meade and Celestron tried to make them too cheaply and for improbably demanding focal lengths. Competition does nat always improve the breed. Sometimes it exterminates it.

Lucas Mesu still offers a 'fork variant' and I wish I were sufficiently affluent to try it. I like the idea and think it will have its day, because the meridian flip is inherently... silly. Inordinately expensive mounts carry it off withut a blip, but why do it at all?  Let's revisit the fork equatorial without the aid of either Meade or Celestron.

Olly

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Gib007

Gib007

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I do agree with you, by all means, but it seemed odd to me because I had never seen it and didn't think it was Equatorial until I read up on it. I'm tempted to upgrade from my NEQ6 Pro but it's like £3,330 without VAT... :/

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sbooder

sbooder

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I do agree with you, by all means, but it seemed odd to me because I had never seen it and didn't think it was Equatorial until I read up on it. I'm tempted to upgrade from my NEQ6 Pro but it's like £3,330 without VAT... :/

It is a little over budget for me too.  Now I may be very wrong here, but I am not sure I would trust it with a large newt or if it is capable of taking one.  Not because of the capacity but it just looks like collision city to me.  It may be that I cannot get my head around the way it moves but if it can't it would have limitations for me.  Wonderfully engineered though.

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Gib007

Gib007

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It is a little over budget for me too. Now I may be very wrong here, but I am not sure I would trust it with a large newt or if it is capable of taking one. Not because of the capacity but it just looks like collision city to me. It may be that I cannot get my head around the way it moves but if it can't it would have limitations for me. Wonderfully engineered though.

That's true but it looks to me as if, once mounted on the Losmandy saddle, the telescope and optical train are above the rear fork of the mount, preventing a collision. The mount is however "designed for Cassegrain OTAs" though.

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sbooder

sbooder

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That's true but it looks to me as if, once mounted on the Losmandy saddle, the telescope and optical train are above the rear fork of the mount, preventing a collision. The mount is however "designed for Cassegrain OTAs" though.

I just love Newts, (not that I would not like a nice CAT) so I would have to be very rich to have one of these as well as my NEQ6.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Roberto Coleschi

Roberto Coleschi

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Avalon mounts (Linear FR and M1) can be used with EQDIR interface and EQMod, because the motors and the control boards are exactly the same are used to Skywatcher mounts EQ6 (I usually use my Linear FR with EQmod driver controlled by Starry Night Pro). Recently, Avalon Instruments has put on the market "StarGo" controller, which uses a different control system. Not because they are produced in Italy, but I can assure you that the products are of a high standard, and can be used with long  f/lenght without problems (only wind and too bad seeing can stop my mount). I have done tests with my Meade ACF 10 " @2500mm, off-axis guider with Lodestar, and Canon 450D (5.2 uM pixel size), without any problem: link at full res image http://www.astrobin.com/full/45071/0/

I'm not into the astrophotography well, but Avalon mounts have a lot of potential, and to me worth the price paid :smiley:

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