Meade Autostar II handsets??

[ollypenrice]

The handset of my 14 inch LX200 GPS has packed up after threatening to do so for a while. I just need to buy a replacement but - it seems not to be as simple as that.

My scope is not an ACF but nor is it the original kind of LX200 with the substantial square-ish handset. It has always had the 'Autostar II' handset from new.  I think it may be about 16 years old. Telescope Service tell me that an identical looking Autostar II handset which they can supply will only be compatible with an LX200 ACF. 

Does anyone know whether there really are compatible and non-compatible Autostar II handsets? This strikes me as pretty bizarre. Wouldn't a normal manufacturer, making a radical change, call it Autostar III?

Thanks in advance for any insights or experience.

Olly

[Dr_Ju_ju]

What is actually wrong with it ??   a little TLC from someone may be able to resurrect it..... 

[Stuart1971]

1 hour ago, ollypenrice said:

The handset of my 14 inch LX200 GPS has packed up after threatening to do so for a while. I just need to buy a replacement but - it seems not to be as simple as that.

My scope is not an ACF but nor is it the original kind of LX200 with the substantial square-ish handset. It has always had the 'Autostar II' handset from new.  I think it may be about 16 years old. Telescope Service tell me that an identical looking Autostar II handset which they can supply will only be compatible with an LX200 ACF. 

Does anyone know whether there really are compatible and non-compatible Autostar II handsets? This strikes me as pretty bizarre. Wouldn't a normal manufacturer, making a radical change, call it Autostar III?

Thanks in advance for any insights or experience.

Olly

Here you go, this will work with yours... 👍😀 as long as yours is the GPS model, and not the classic....(non GPS) 👍

http://www.opticstar.com/Run/Astronomy/Astro-Accessories-Telescopes-Meade.asp?p=0_10_5_1_6_504

Edited August 27, 2020 by Stuart1971

[Davey-T]

If it's just the buttons becoming unresponsive they probably just need a clean, I use the camera lens cleaning sticks.

There's instructions on the Meade LX200 Yahoo group site.

Dave

[ollypenrice]

53 minutes ago, Stuart1971 said:

Here you go, this will work with yours... 👍😀 as long as yours is the GPS model, and not the classic....(non GPS) 👍

http://www.opticstar.com/Run/Astronomy/Astro-Accessories-Telescopes-Meade.asp?p=0_10_5_1_6_504

Thanks, Stuart. I've just had this confirmed by Opticstar who initially told me it wouldn't. I think they thought mine was a pre-autostar scope. Much relief!

Olly

[ollypenrice]

1 minute ago, Davey-T said:

If it's just the buttons becoming unresponsive they probably just need a clean, I use the camera lens cleaning sticks.

There's instructions on the Meade LX200 Yahoo group site.

Dave

No, alas the screen is kaput. However, it seems the current Autostar II will work after all. Thanks Dave,

Olly

[gilesco]

1 minute ago, ollypenrice said:

No, alas the screen is kaput. However, it seems the current Autostar II will work after all. Thanks Dave,

Olly

I was thinking that would be the case, but didn't reply as I couldn't categorically say.

My reasoning was that as the indi drivers tend to be usable with most Autostar handsets - some drivers just lack the extra features that some of the handsets have. As the handset is essentially sending the same commands to the mount that the indi drivers do I would have thought the only differences might have been pinouts and voltage levels.

[Stuart1971]

13 minutes ago, ollypenrice said:

Thanks, Stuart. I've just had this confirmed by Opticstar who initially told me it wouldn't. I think they thought mine was a pre-autostar scope. Much relief!

Olly

Great...

I think the confusion is, that the only difference between between the  ACF and the yours, is the flatter field optics......all else is the same...so the same handset will work on them both... 👍

Edited August 27, 2020 by Stuart1971

[Cleetus]

17 minutes ago, ollypenrice said:

No, alas the screen is kaput. However, it seems the current Autostar II will work after all. Thanks Dave,

Olly

I had the same problem last year. Was amazed at the prices here in the UK so bought mine from Agena in the US for about $90. Also available here for much less than UK dealers.

https://www.astroshop.eu/handcontroller/meade-autostar-ii-handbox/p,49978

Edited August 27, 2020 by Cleetus

[ollypenrice]

48 minutes ago, Cleetus said:

I had the same problem last year. Was amazed at the prices here in the UK so bought mine from Agena in the US for about $90. Also available here for much less than UK dealers.

https://www.astroshop.eu/handcontroller/meade-autostar-ii-handbox/p,49978

Yes, I saw that price difference. TS said it wouldn't work for mine but I think it will. I'll give it a go. Thanks.

Olly

[skyhog]

I bought one for my LX200gps a few years ago, struggling squeezing the buttons harder as it gave up the ghost. I thought it would be an easy fix to be honest as I'm no stranger to fixing these kind of things but cleaning it and and trying all manner of tricks failed to make it function as before. I try to avoid using the new one too much in favour of the PC.  I tend to bring it in the house after a session during cold damp weather rather than leave it in the obsy, something I read on a meade group once. Although I have a heater in there who knows!

Ed

[michael8554]

The contacts on the ribbon that goes into the display can corrode.

Unlatch it and clean with contact cleaner.

Michael

 

[ollypenrice]

17 hours ago, skyhog said:

I bought one for my LX200gps a few years ago, struggling squeezing the buttons harder as it gave up the ghost. I thought it would be an easy fix to be honest as I'm no stranger to fixing these kind of things but cleaning it and and trying all manner of tricks failed to make it function as before. I try to avoid using the new one too much in favour of the PC.  I tend to bring it in the house after a session during cold damp weather rather than leave it in the obsy, something I read on a meade group once. Although I have a heater in there who knows!

Ed

Agreed. I noticed mine didn't like being left out in the damp. If the next one lasts sixteen years I won't be worried! (Since ours is in visual use I prefer the handset to the PC.)

Olly

[michael8554]

https://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=165287

Michael

[skyhog]

It's still in my box of bits and bobs... May well have another go with it sometime... Hate to be defeated by wires and switches... 

[symmetal]

On 27/08/2020 at 13:40, ollypenrice said:

Yes, I saw that price difference. TS said it wouldn't work for mine but I think it will. I'll give it a go. Thanks.

Olly

Olly, did you get the Autostar II replacement handset from TS and if so can you confirm it does work with the LX200GPS despite what TS say?

I stupidly wired my handset with reverse polarity and it's now dead. 😢 Didn't think it had much in it apart from buttons and a display but it uses 2 PIC chips to scan the buttons and drive the display so looks like no chance of fixing it.

I'm using the handbox emulator in Autostar Suite which works fine, but it would be nice to have a real working handset.

Alan 

[ollypenrice]

5 hours ago, symmetal said:

Olly, did you get the Autostar II replacement handset from TS and if so can you confirm it does work with the LX200GPS despite what TS say?

I stupidly wired my handset with reverse polarity and it's now dead. 😢 Didn't think it had much in it apart from buttons and a display but it uses 2 PIC chips to scan the buttons and drive the display so looks like no chance of fixing it.

I'm using the handbox emulator in Autostar Suite which works fine, but it would be nice to have a real working handset.

Alan 

It worked perfectly, Alan. 

By the way, since the time bug of a couple of years ago when the Meade GPS stopped working, I simply stopped using the GPS entirely rather than risk a patch. Everything works better without it. GoTo is more reliable and setup takes a fraction of the time.

Olly

[symmetal]

7 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

It worked perfectly, Alan. 

By the way, since the time bug of a couple of years ago when the Meade GPS stopped working, I simply stopped using the GPS entirely rather than risk a patch. Everything works better without it. GoTo is more reliable and setup takes a fraction of the time.

Olly

Thanks Olly for confirming that. 🙂 I'll get one to to have a complete setup again though they are a bit pricey. If I realized they were PIC chips in the handset I'd have been a bit more careful. 😬

As you say, if the scope is only at one location then the GPS offers no benefits. I can confirm that Starpatch from StarGPS works fine if you want to update it. Using the trial version for the update means it's free too. 😀 Much quicker and reliable than Meade ASU. It worked fine indoors taking a couple of minutes to GPS lock, but the GPS just times out once I'd moved it to the shed. I had to move the scope over rough ground on a trolley as I was on my own so maybe something got dislodged concerning the GPS bit.

Alan

[symmetal]

My replacement Autostar II arrived yesterday after being on back order from TS for over a year. I'd forgotten all about it.  I'll be more careful with this one compared to the original and triple check my extension cable wiring. 😊

Alan