Anyone tried the XT10G?

[Manok101]

I plan on purchasing this within a week or so and was wondering if anyone on here has tried one?

[Chris H]

The cost of the XT10G in the UK is higher than the similar Skywatcher 250 GOTO dob so I'm not sure if many people here on the forum will have one, try cloudynights.com

[Manok101]

Thanks

[russ]

It's an interesting scope, especially as the truss design is not a big deal for a 10". Fits easily in a car, less flaff without the truss and shroud. I too would dismiss the Skywatcher Flextube in favour of the Orion.

Just a shame it's £150 more than the Skywatcher. Even the dual speed focuser and better accessories can't account for that much. If it was £999 it could make a case for itself.

[MikeC]

I bought an XT10G a few weeks ago and I'm generally pleased with the scope. The goto system is straightforward to set up and seems quite accurate. Some minor niggles: the 21mm eyepiece supplied with the scope didn't focus so I subsequently had to get a 2" barrel extender (has nobody at Orion noticed this!). Moving the Dobsonion mount isn't very smooth and I haven't found any way of adjusting it (the electronic slewing is fine though). I connected the goto to an iPad/SkyWire/Sky Safari and it only took minutes to get it all set up. Then I tried to connect the goto to PC/USB-RS232 cable/Orion supplied version of StarryNight software. It took weeks, but eventually I managed to get it to work (if anyone needs any help with this - just ask). I'm not so impressed with the red dot finder (EZ FINDER II) supplied with the scope - I find it hard to use with anything other than very bright stars. I've ordered an Orion 8x40 finder scope (which is taking a long time to get delivered).

[Manok101]

By the way how do you connect the goto to the ipad? I would love to do this

[calibos]

Southern Stars Sky-Fi wifi doodad if you want a wireless connection or Sky-Wire if you don't mind a wired connection.

The Sky-fi is a liitle box not much bigger than the iphone that take 3 AA batterys or 12v DC that is connected by cable to your scope handset. It talks to your iPhone/iPad wirelesly via Wifi and converts the signal to RS232 that it send down the wire to your scopes goto handset.

The Sky-Wire is basically just a cable that plugs into the Apple device port on your iPhone/iPad and the other end goes into your scopes goto handset.

I've got a Sky-Fi for my servocat goto drive equipped 16" Lightbridge but only because Southern Stars didn't make the SkyWire back when I got mine. Sky-Wire is cheaper btw. With a 10" or even my 16" you are never more than arms reach away from the goto handset on the holster so the sky-wire cable is long enough to go from there up your tube to your iPhone that you may have velcro'd beside the focuser for example. The Wireless Sky-Fi is more for the big dob owners 20" + who observe up a stepladder where a Sky-wire cable would be too long and more at risk of being caught on something etc.

BTW Mike. Can you use SkySafari scope control to slew your Orion or just initiate Goto's. The slew/arrow buttons are non functional for me as servocat doesn't support the required protocols. I can only initiate Goto's. Or should I say, I will at some point only be able to initiate Goto's. Real life circumstances meant my servocat and Sky-Fi have sat in a box un-installed and the night sky un-observed for me for the last 18 months!! Trying to get the scope finished soon and get back into the observing business. I miss it so bad!!