I purchased a DS-114ec-hq from Sam`s. It came with the AutoStar. Total cost was $260 with sales tax. I have counted the moons around Jupiter. Seen 2 middle bands on same. Saturn stands out with the rings separated from the planetary disk.

Once I watched the tape and figured out how to polar align the scope (the manual had steps out of order), I come very close to my target. If I work at it I can get the scope to put the target in the eyepiece (25mm .965) without using the finder scope.

My three complaints are the finder scope prisms a bit. And the focuser takes .965 eyepieces. It looks like an easy modification could allow 1.25 eyepieces (not an adapter). I am going to talk to meade about getting a 1.25 focuser. Finally it does shake when you focus at high magnifications, but I wrap legs with some velcro once I have them set in the ground (pushing the tips in the ground helps alot) and leveled, and that helps quite a bit.

All in all for $260 I cannot complain. It is getting me excited about astronomy again. Some people fish; others gaze at stars. I`m a gazer. I am already thinking about my next purchase in the $1500 range.

• RE: RE: RE: blue meade ds-114ec is it real? other ds114ec questions - Steve McIlree - October 24, 2000 - 21:17 UTC
  • I just purchased a DS-114EC for $200 - bobrae1013 - December 27, 2001 - 05:07 UTC