On Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 9:11 AM, Kim <kimharch@cut.net> wrote:
I see the cost listed as $799. By the time you send it back and forth to Meade three or four times for repairs, losing many months of use in the process, then ultimately have to pay a third party hundreds of dollars to fix what Meade will refuse to repair, you may as well buy a G-11. It may actually cost you less in the long run.
I'm actually very happy with my Celestron CGEM. I know there were a few reports of software glitches among the first buyers, so I waited a year. Mine worked perfectly straight out of the box, is precise, has a 40-lb. payload, is easy to set-up, polar-align, and use. The GPS accessory works well, too. I bought a dual-scope saddle and sprang for an aftermarket knob upgrade and hand-paddle cable extension, as well as the NexGuide autoguider- it communicates directly with the mount so a laptop isn't needed. Tracking is spot-on after doing a proper alignment and calibration. The thing that caught my eye on the Meade mount is the cube layout and alt-az/GEM versatility. Like you, Kim, my faith in Meade standing behind their products these days is non-existent.