Meade LX200 broken autostar 2 handset

[giuliog]

Hi

I have inherited a Meade LZ200R 10" (bought 2007) telescope and would love to learn how to use it. The problem I have is the Autostar 2 handset is dead (no display) and I dont seem to be able to buy one anywhere in the UK at the moment.

I am good with computers so I know you can connect it via a PC etc but do you need to have a functioning handset?

I have also seen wifi and bluetooth adapters on eBay but they seem to need a handset for the intial setup to?

Do any of you have any suggestions what I could do?

Thanks for and help

Giulio

[westmarch]

There is a Meade ETX 90 on ebay at present with an Autostar controller at £41.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203447649649?hash=item2f5e6cc571:g:c1cAAOSwZ~pgmTrV

Worth a look.

John

[giuliog]

Thanks...  quick question I did not realise they were compatible the ETX ones,  If you can use other handsets can you point me in the direction of some advice on which ones are?

[lenscap]

Have a look at this guide;

http://newsroom.meadeuk.com/2016/06/autostar-and-audiostar-explained.html

[giuliog]

Thanks so after reading that I do need a Autostar 2 ...oh well maybe someone can suggest another way of controlling the telescope without it till I can get one?

[skyhog]

You can still buy them, here is a link

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

May have to wait a while in the present climate mind you

[skyhog]

Just noticed you mentioned not available in UK... So you probably have that link already.. 

[Ggm]

5 hours ago, skyhog said:

You can still buy them, here is a link

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

May have to wait a while in the present climate mind you

Thanks I might as well order one and wait..

[ollypenrice]

I bought a new handset from Telescope Service in Germany. Their website incorrectly stated that the one in question would not work with my instrument but, after checking on the net,  I concluded that it would and it did.

Olly

[michael8554]

Just to cover what's already been said.

Your scope uses the Autostar II handset, it's just buttons, the "computer" is in the mount.

LX90 and ETX range use the Autostar 497 handset, the "computer" is in the handset.

They are not interchangeable.

With a Meade #507 (not the #505) cable between a PC and the RS232 port on the mount, you can use a Virtual Handset without the need for the Autostar II handset at startup.

You can find a Virtual Handset in Meade's free Autostar Suite Software.

And in Andrew Johannsen's MyScope software.

And eleswhere if you Google.

I use ScopeBoss for iOS on an iPhone (or iPad) for the wireless experience, needs a WiFi RS232 dongle in the mount's RS232 port.

So much better than the wired Autostar II handset, and Meade's own (discontinued) wireless Autostar II handset.

If you get as far as Guiding the scope, use the ASCOM "Meade Autostar/Audiostar Project (October 2019)" driver, which is an ongoing update of all the old Meade drivers on the AQSCOM site.

Michael