Meade ETX80 - poor user manual. Help please !

[tom foxe]

Hi, just got this and working thru set-up. Manual says remove prism, but shows no pictures and doesn't say how this might be done. I don't just want to poke around in the prism housing for fear of causing damage. Can anyone explian how to do it, or give a link to a helpful online video clip ? I have tried Youtube and lots of other ETX80 clips but no joy yet. Meade videos v. poor.  The supplied DVD doesn't run on my laptop, all I can get are pictures (not of the prism removal) and what looks like a power point presentation.  Thanks for any help.

Thank you Michael, that explains it ! No mention in manual that this is an optional add-on so I assumed it was located inside the 'scope. Pehaps I should make a Youtube video about the ETX80 before I learn much more about telescopes. I know how easy it is for an experienced person to assume that everybody knows simple things that a beginner has not yet learned. I have not yet seen a video that takes you through the set-up in easy steps.

[michaelmorris]

Welcome to SGL

Are you referring to the following line in the manual

" Remove the 45° prism and eyepiece from the rear cell port ..."

If you are, my guess is that  this refers to the circumstance where you a prism diagonal and eyepiece in the rear port of the scope in addition to/instead of in the usual placement of an eyepiece in the eyepiece holder at the top of the back of the scope.

Picture below shows eyepiece in normal eyepiece position (the eyepiece with green writing on it) and an eyepiece  connected with a diagonal on to the rear port.

Mike Weasner's Might ETX website is a mine of useful info on the ETX range of scopes

http://www.weasner.com/etx/menu.html

I hope this helps

[ronin]

Puzzled by mention of a prism since best I was aware there is not a prism in the ETX-80, it has a barlow and a mirror diagonal.

I see that the prism refers to an erecting prism that can be attached to the rear of the scope if the diagonal mirror is flipped out of the path. As this would extend the mechanical length of the scope if this is in position then if the scope is requested to goto a high altitude star or object then this bit could impact on the main body of the mount. If you are not using this erecting prism and so it is not attached then you can "ignore" the instruction in the manual.

Seems to be an additional item Meade have supplied with the ETX-80 and so they mention the removal of it in the manual - Meade do tend to play safe in that they are telling you to remove something that could well not be attached, and hence confusion. Managed to confuse me.

I would interpret it as "If the erecting prism and any eyepiece is attched to the rear of the scope then Remove the 45° prism and eyepiece from the rear cell port. It may interfere with the alignment procedure. After alignment, you may replace the prism and eyepiece. "