Nexdome shoud be ashamed of themselves for such poor fabrication, and quality control. You for sure made it known to them, and hopfully going forward, they will improve. Hats off to you, for been so patient with them. To have a Dome is awesome. Enjoy.
You have done a sterling job in fixing all the issues with your new dome. Just send them your invoice for all the additional manhours and sundries used to correct all the problems. $150 an hour should cover it ☺️. Your patience is infinitely greater than mine. I'm sure your video will be of great help to others who are considering using this observatory brand. Cheers
Great video! I was the first to get the new shutter automation system in August '23 and had all of the problems you talked about. I e-mailed back and forth with Babak about the mounting brackets not fitting. I explained what was wrong and how to fix them but he said it was designed that way (not to fit I guess). I had no documentation, limit switches were wired backward, broken wires in the plastic power box and the software didn't work to control the shutter. I could never get it to calibrate or reliably run with intermittent power from the power block. I eventually got an Arduino board with wifi and wrote my own ASCOM diver and control software for the shutter. It works well with N.I.N.A. I did get the sprocket and guides to work fairly well with much work but would like to change to the system you have for the chain guides and the power connection to the slip rings. Thanks again for the information in your video.
You are absolutely right! There is nothing like having an observatory. I do more observing now than ever before. I bought a Skyshed pod and have enjoyed it. No more setting up. This was really important since I am now over 70 years old.
Congrats on the OBS project completion Rich! Nice work getting through the NexDome morass! It is beautiful and I hope it continues to work good for you for many years! Great vid, I think it is a service to viewers to let them know how it really went. Cheers! Doug
Excellent video mate! - Congratulations on the new obsy, so sorry to hear there were so many faults/issues though, damn! It's absolute madness that these things aren't spot-on given the price point! Good on you for showing everything! Clear skies mate, and hopefully you can enjoy the obsy now :-)
Thanks Luke! I should've followed your lead and built a ROR, but so far after all of the issues it's be running well. I feel I need a full year to get through all the seasons though to be confident. Time will tell...
Really stunning that there would be so many issues. I can imagine that variability in installation can cause lots of support problems, but the QA is obviously lacking on their end. Hope it eventually makes things easier for you.
Great video ! Nexdome should certainly fire their design and QC staff. But hats off to you for your patience and for being able to fix all the issues by yourself. Looking forward to seeing DSO images from this setup !
This title so many times and decided to skip it so it won't break my heart. got a big smile on my face after that first few secouns Congratulations. Now I can envy you :)
Great Video. I feel your pain, I also bought one of these and had nothing but issues. According to Babak, I'm the only one with (insert issue here), even though as you say there are many people with the same issue. My build is a bit different, I was installing just the dome on top of a 10 x 8 structure. I ordered the ring kit - what a piece of crap. Mine was the first with the new track, but old dome, so no holes drilled and no instructions. The panels didn't fit and are not level, so the sprocket would bind coming out of the holes. If the dome stopped where a wheel was at a panel joint, it acted like a stopper and the motor had a hard time moving - this was worse once the outside temp dropped to -15. The dome was not level and I could not get it to be a perfect circle. I still had the old shutter kit (motor moved with the shutter) and it was crap, didn't roll and was binding all over the place. For the past 3 months I did some redesigning - I purchased a approx 8 foot aluminum angled ring (it is not 100% but way better than what Nexdome could make), the dome sits on that, it sits on (new) leveled wheels (3D printed brackets). My motor is spring loaded so the sprocket follows the track (ring was not 100% - but that's another story). I redesigned the shutter, I 2 pieces of angle iron rolled to fit the arch, I 3D printed nylon runners and build my own chain drive system, becasue the angle iron is bolted to the dome, it added rigidity and the shuttle now rolls back and forth with zero binding. I also redisgned the electrical contacts that attach to the spring loaded motor, so no issues with loosing contacts with the straps I inserted into the track. I can't complain about the support, there was none. At least you got your money back and could still make it work - I got absolutely nothing from them and after seeing this video, I'm considering getting a lawyer involved. I will have to put a similar video together to show my build.
Wow, nice video. i want an observatory too, but not with the need of being a craftsman to get it assembled. Look forward seeing the great shots you surely are going to get from there. Congrats !!
Hey Rich....I just finished setting up my used !st gen Nexdome, I Love it! But like you it came with it's own issues. You will probably be tinkering for ever! I Love it because I have done more Imaging since I bought it, than the previous 2-3 years combined! I'm already set up to image tonight, just have to hit start in the Sequencer from my couch.Enjoy
I cannot stand low quality crap when spending thousands and even more in my own time and energy. I'd had demanded a refund, but I admire your diligence. I hope you can still be enjoying it in a few years. I've read lots of bad stuff about nexdome for several years. Dylan at a certain YT channel convinced me never to buy one just watching his frustrations.
Dammmm!!! For sure Jealous!!! Super deserved!!! Congratulations brother! Shutter switch sounds like a space ship! I would have done the same thing. I just looked them up! SHEESH! For you to have all those problems is simply unacceptable! You are better than me. I might have packed that thing back up, slapped a label on it and sent it back!
Great, honest review! I'm glad they at least gave you a refund. It's disappointing they tried to make you feel like the problems with the observatory were your fault.
This video talked me out of this brand of dome! Thank you for saving me the headache. Sounds like their engineering lacks engineers and their customer service lacks service.
Yep about everything you mentioned is what I've fought with. I don't have a shutter kit to worry about thankfully. My dome is only about 10' from my back door so I open and close it manually. My rotation is driving me nuts. Like your fixes and will give it a try. Thanks for the video.
Great video and one of the most honest I have seen, but wow. Just wow. The whole point of the observatory kits is to be relatively easy to put together and just get going out of the box. I had been thinking about going with one of these but after this review I will not be. Not even because of the issues you had with the dome itself, but I just can't support a company with such poor customer service.
They should have told you that you have to get the galvanized coating off of the eye hook screws to be able to solder the wire to them. Solder will not stick to galvanized metal. That said, it's only a thin layer that you can easily buff off with a buffing wheel on a drill, or if you have a bench grinder you can grind off a thin spot. Also you need a small inexpensive can of flux for both the copper wire and on the spot where you ground off the galvanization. Flux helps catalyze the solder connection and helps the flow of the solder. I use it on all electronic connections to quicken the soldering and minimize heating of sensitive electronic parts, or keep nearby plastic from melting. Of course you're right to complain about problems. I've heard these problems for years with these domes. I will probably just build a roll off observatory. One can be built for half the cost if designed properly.
Loved the intro, I quit... Setting up and packing away every night 🤣 This was not the video I expected for all those issues... She there were a lot :| glad you eventually got it setup!! Hope it doesn't cause you more problem!
I was very close to purchase a next dome. Decided to go with a roll off roof. My feeling is if I have to design and fabricate around a half ass dome I may as well build a roll off shed
Congratulations on your decision to bite the bullet! I'm jealous. I live on a steep hill with no flat area to place a dome. I know I can cantilever over the edge, but that would be so precarious and constantly eroding any foundation. Easier to just buy some flat land in a remote dark site. But I hate driving, so would rarely visit. I wish I had a 14" RASA in a dome. I'll have to live with what I got. A twenty foot flat area in my driveway. Bortle 4, close enough for a light telescope rig to carry in one trip, and obtain images in under 10 minutes.
Congrats on the observatory! This is one of my dreams and I've already looked up specs on roll off roof sheds. Now all I need is a new house and a yard. Also a shame about all the things that should have been manufactured properly. No reason for any customer to drill their own holes or 3D print their own parts. Clear skies!
I could be wrong but it sounds like a professional laser lever would have saved you a lot of trouble. Dang that’s scary about all of your troubles. I built a cheap plastic observatory that actually a shed for a lawn mower. It works.
Omg, your tales of woe are unbelievable. It looks like the product has really gone downhill. I'm glad I didn't have as many issues you have dealt with, when I bought mine I shipped it to Cyprus and would have been a nightmare to resolve. Mine is the Arduino shutter, the toothed belt around the dome.
It's a shame you didn't wait for the Sky Shed Pod S. I got mine in May. It replaced my original Sky Shed Pod. Fully automated and won't crack like the Nexdome does. Wayne designed a much simpler, more reliable motor system. It's not too late to sell the Nexdome and pick up a better obsy.
honestly, im not getting one of those now. thanks for the video!, edit, you might be able to fill that door with some great stuff insulation from a few drilled locations, obviously you wouldn't want it to bulge or deform.
Jesus. I’ve seen guys cut a Dome from plywood and have better luck. I don’t know if I would have your patience, but once you’re several thousand into a project, it has to get done!
Well done and great mods. Sounds like I would have sent it all back and went with something else. Way too many issues. Glad you gave a real world review. I’d never buy one….
So they essentially bought back your warrantee and left you with no more support? Unbelieveable! Can you imagine what would happen if an automobile manufacturer tried that?
that lip at the base of the dome is nothing but a rain collector and will most likely get nasty over time no? Best to keep that clean and dry as often as possible. Rich, thank you for your unvarnished review.
Seems like the astro shop I purchase from also carries this brand, so I decided to check the price. Your setup appears to cost around €10k over here, not including shipping, so I guess it'll be rougly the same over there. For that price, I expect way better fit and finish, and less bullshit from their aftersales service dept. Thanks for letting us know which brand to avoid.
Dang, and I posted this before we got to the power block. That's utter jank! This feels like some cheap Chinese product assembled from whatever they had laying around. Those parts are utterly unsuitable for the task at hand. And the nerve of that support guy, to refund the motor without discussing it with you first, just so they wouldn't have to support it anymore. That's not how it works! They can't unilaterally decide that, especially given that you bought that motor as part of a complete integrated setup. If would've been different if you purchased this separately later, but this was part of a $10k system. Imagine purchasing a convertible, and when the roof refuses to open, instead of fixing the problem, Chevy simply refunds what you paid extra for the roof. You would drive that car straight back into the dealership, and not even bother aiming for the door.
Congrats on the observatory and I'm very sorry to hear of the troubles you had with it, it's a good thing you figured a lot out on your own. It's a shame that a company is putting out product like that and then blaming the customers for their issues. Looks like I will stay away from this company
I wonder if you could pop a couple small holes in the door and fill it with Great Stuff / Foam? That's a lot of home engineering for the price. I'd like something like this but not if I gotta build it twice lol
Can NexDome go to a new customer location and assemble their product without modifications and take video of the progress recorded by the customer to show there are no issues with the product? That would be interesting.
Wow. What an ordeal. A counter review for sure…. I was actually considering a dome design, but you just made it clear to me to focus on a rolloff design…. No need for rotation and all the issues that go with it. Can you think of disadvantages of using a rolloff design?
@@DeepSpaceAstro After watching your video, I checked back on SkyShed - they have a bunch of interesting designs that even combine half dome, rotating dome, and partial roll-off. They also appear to be simpler and fairly high quality... I didn't check all the forums, but it would be interesting to know why chose NexDome instead of them? Would that now be an option to consider, or would you go all the way to pure ROR design?
As you ACCURATELY state, these problems DO exist, with this product: A dome, a rolloff roof is great, but I'd NEVER, not in a billion years purchase this product. JUST too many problems - and everyone who has purchased this product, is screaming at the number of problems. Thankfully you are handy and able make repairs.
I have a 1 acre plus lot where I moved to off grid. Have been thinking about something like this. Thanks for the review. I'll stay away from this company for sure.
WOW. What a HUGE pain in the ass! I would've been irate. I don't even know if there's a comparable alternative as competition, which is probably a big part of the problem!
Sorry you had to go through all those problems. What is your confidence level your observatory will survive a strong thunderstorm and get through a snowy winter? Did you have to get a building permit to put this one your property? Why did you choose this brand over other brands? I certainly wouldn’t choose them after this review. OK, I’ll be dragging my equipment out tonight to set up and tear down.
Very low. I've had maybe 20-25mph gusts and it was fine, although it would flex the top of the door. That's why I want to try and shore that up. I plan on bolting rings in the concrete pad, one in the front and one at the back. Then throw a strap over the shutter and connect it to those rings when I know a storm is coming, just in case. Other owners say it's survived high winds, but I'm just too scared to test that. We'll see what happens in the winter. I fear those shutter tracks will get packed with snow/ice, and I won't be able to open the shutter. One guy said he put used motor oil in them and the snow/ice never sticks. I really don't want to do that, but I'm gonna try WD-40 or something similar. I'll just have to figure it out as I go through the seasons. There's really no other brands with this form factor at this price that I'm aware of.
Lord have mercy!! if I was spending anywhere close to that amount of money , it better be spot on. I mean engineering development better design it to go snap-snap together like legos. You have ALL RIGHTS to give them a piece of your mind. I’m a fuser, but I would have been so pissed if I had all the problems you did. I’m not dyi person. That shit better work like expected! should never have to spend more money to assemble. Did you go to the business bureau?
wow... I looked hard at a nextdome... I am handy myself and I can tell just by your video that this is a POS... off the list but man... good job getting that working...
Remind me my sky-watcher 150mm newton, I had to change, remake many parts. So bad concept, poor quality. Only the focuser is ok ( last generation ) I'll never buy a Canadian brand anymore.
A $1250 refund? How much did that garbage cost? “Don’t expect it to be an out of the box solution”? For money which allows them to give you a $1250 refund, you’re damned right I’d want an out of the box solution. Where is this garbage made? A small chinese owned island off the coast of Tasmania? They should be bloody ashamed and that refund and their reason for it (ie to get you off their back) is disgusting. I’ve always said us astronomers get ripped off by the industry for ridiculous pricing for the simplest of parts and this proves it with an added bonus: Shoddy workmanship they don’t even seem to care about.
Wow. What a clown act. Sure seems like there's room in the market for a real engineer to design a good dome solution in this price range and crush NexDome. Thanks for putting this video out.
Sheesh, $8000 and that much hassle. For as much work as you put in fixing it you could have built your own. Nice that they did support, but it's not really a discount product, I'd expect a lot better for that much money. The "discovery" that they can't solder to chromed steel means they have no idea what they are doing, and the fact that they want to refund you to drop support tells me they don't care.
This way of editing videos where you cut out every single space between sentences is incredibly annoying. It’s very fatiguing to listen to more than a few minutes. For Shorts it’s fine, but for a whole video I simply had to stop after 8 minutes and didn’t want to come back and watch the rest.
O M W, this must be the best review on a lousy product. Not even going to write down what I think of NexDome, all is set and written already. Shame that our well-earned money gives us this poor product.
This company is a joke. Is there any part that was right and didn't need to be adjusted or replaced? Has anyone there ever assembled something like this themselves?
Man, your videos are very interesting, but the way you edit, making the whole video sound like one sentence, is very tiring and I can’t even watch half of it. This effect is meant for Shorts.
The only way to is to build your own retractable roof, shed. PERIOD ! Anything else is wasting money and time. Nexdome= abort dome. Sorry you fell for the trap man. I feel sorry for you. You should have just researched better and built a retractable roof shed like all the rest of us did.
I think that anyone buying something like this should expect a bit of a project... But holy cow man! You wouldn't expect all that, and have CS wash their hands of you. I'm gobsmacked.
Nexdome shoud be ashamed of themselves for such poor fabrication, and quality control. You for sure made it known to them, and hopfully going forward, they will improve. Hats off to you, for been so patient with them. To have a Dome is awesome. Enjoy.
OMG ! I’ll be crossing Nexdome off my list . I’m too old for that level of DYI anymore . Hats off to you and your determination .
You have done a sterling job in fixing all the issues with your new dome. Just send them your invoice for all the additional manhours and sundries used to correct all the problems. $150 an hour should cover it ☺️. Your patience is infinitely greater than mine. I'm sure your video will be of great help to others who are considering using this observatory brand. Cheers
Great video! I was the first to get the new shutter automation system in August '23 and had all of the problems you talked about. I e-mailed back and forth with Babak about the mounting brackets not fitting. I explained what was wrong and how to fix them but he said it was designed that way (not to fit I guess). I had no documentation, limit switches were wired backward, broken wires in the plastic power box and the software didn't work to control the shutter. I could never get it to calibrate or reliably run with intermittent power from the power block. I eventually got an Arduino board with wifi and wrote my own ASCOM diver and control software for the shutter. It works well with N.I.N.A. I did get the sprocket and guides to work fairly well with much work but would like to change to the system you have for the chain guides and the power connection to the slip rings. Thanks again for the information in your video.
Wow what a slap in the face for customers. Thanks for the vid !
You are absolutely right! There is nothing like having an observatory. I do more observing now than ever before. I bought a Skyshed pod and have enjoyed it. No more setting up. This was really important since I am now over 70 years old.
Congrats on the OBS project completion Rich! Nice work getting through the NexDome morass! It is beautiful and I hope it continues to work good for you for many years! Great vid, I think it is a service to viewers to let them know how it really went.
Cheers!
Doug
Thanks Doug!
as a mech. engineer, I'm pretty shocked...kudos for your direct approach in fixing things others havent thought about
Excellent video mate! - Congratulations on the new obsy, so sorry to hear there were so many faults/issues though, damn! It's absolute madness that these things aren't spot-on given the price point! Good on you for showing everything!
Clear skies mate, and hopefully you can enjoy the obsy now :-)
Thanks Luke! I should've followed your lead and built a ROR, but so far after all of the issues it's be running well. I feel I need a full year to get through all the seasons though to be confident. Time will tell...
Really stunning that there would be so many issues. I can imagine that variability in installation can cause lots of support problems, but the QA is obviously lacking on their end. Hope it eventually makes things easier for you.
Great video ! Nexdome should certainly fire their design and QC staff. But hats off to you for your patience and for being able to fix all the issues by yourself. Looking forward to seeing DSO images from this setup !
This title so many times and decided to skip it so it won't break my heart.
got a big smile on my face after that first few secouns
Congratulations.
Now I can envy you :)
Great Video. I feel your pain, I also bought one of these and had nothing but issues. According to Babak, I'm the only one with (insert issue here), even though as you say there are many people with the same issue. My build is a bit different, I was installing just the dome on top of a 10 x 8 structure. I ordered the ring kit - what a piece of crap. Mine was the first with the new track, but old dome, so no holes drilled and no instructions. The panels didn't fit and are not level, so the sprocket would bind coming out of the holes. If the dome stopped where a wheel was at a panel joint, it acted like a stopper and the motor had a hard time moving - this was worse once the outside temp dropped to -15. The dome was not level and I could not get it to be a perfect circle. I still had the old shutter kit (motor moved with the shutter) and it was crap, didn't roll and was binding all over the place. For the past 3 months I did some redesigning - I purchased a approx 8 foot aluminum angled ring (it is not 100% but way better than what Nexdome could make), the dome sits on that, it sits on (new) leveled wheels (3D printed brackets). My motor is spring loaded so the sprocket follows the track (ring was not 100% - but that's another story). I redesigned the shutter, I 2 pieces of angle iron rolled to fit the arch, I 3D printed nylon runners and build my own chain drive system, becasue the angle iron is bolted to the dome, it added rigidity and the shuttle now rolls back and forth with zero binding. I also redisgned the electrical contacts that attach to the spring loaded motor, so no issues with loosing contacts with the straps I inserted into the track. I can't complain about the support, there was none. At least you got your money back and could still make it work - I got absolutely nothing from them and after seeing this video, I'm considering getting a lawyer involved. I will have to put a similar video together to show my build.
Wow, nice video. i want an observatory too, but not with the need of being a craftsman to get it assembled. Look forward seeing the great shots you surely are going to get from there. Congrats !!
That is a clean looking unit. I hate the look of the ones that have stars and moons moulded in making it look like a kids backyard toy
Hey Rich....I just finished setting up my used !st gen Nexdome, I Love it! But like you it came with it's own issues. You will probably be tinkering for ever! I Love it because I have done more Imaging since I bought it, than the previous 2-3 years combined! I'm already set up to image tonight, just have to hit start in the Sequencer from my couch.Enjoy
You could do 10 times more if you send your rig in a remote location with 280+ days of the clear skies. Another plus, you will not need tinkering.
I cannot stand low quality crap when spending thousands and even more in my own time and energy. I'd had demanded a refund, but I admire your diligence. I hope you can still be enjoying it in a few years. I've read lots of bad stuff about nexdome for several years. Dylan at a certain YT channel convinced me never to buy one just watching his frustrations.
Dammmm!!! For sure Jealous!!! Super deserved!!! Congratulations brother! Shutter switch sounds like a space ship! I would have done the same thing. I just looked them up! SHEESH! For you to have all those problems is simply unacceptable! You are better than me. I might have packed that thing back up, slapped a label on it and sent it back!
Thanks man! Believe me, it crossed my mind, but shipping was stupid expensive for this!
Great, honest review! I'm glad they at least gave you a refund. It's disappointing they tried to make you feel like the problems with the observatory were your fault.
Thanks Mark!
Wow, what a shocker from Nexdome. Still, you beat it into submission! Enjoy the lack of setup, I know I do even with my manual diy observatory.
This video talked me out of this brand of dome! Thank you for saving me the headache. Sounds like their engineering lacks engineers and their customer service lacks service.
Thanks so much for your review. You've offered a great service to those of us considering this product. I know now to look elseware.
Yep about everything you mentioned is what I've fought with. I don't have a shutter kit to worry about thankfully. My dome is only about 10' from my back door so I open and close it manually. My rotation is driving me nuts. Like your fixes and will give it a try. Thanks for the video.
Great video and one of the most honest I have seen, but wow. Just wow. The whole point of the observatory kits is to be relatively easy to put together and just get going out of the box. I had been thinking about going with one of these but after this review I will not be. Not even because of the issues you had with the dome itself, but I just can't support a company with such poor customer service.
Congrats! I need to get out of our Bortle 6 bordering on 7 and move to a 3 or 4 and then get a dome or roll off.
They should have told you that you have to get the galvanized coating off of the eye hook screws to be able to solder the wire to them. Solder will not stick to galvanized metal. That said, it's only a thin layer that you can easily buff off with a buffing wheel on a drill, or if you have a bench grinder you can grind off a thin spot. Also you need a small inexpensive can of flux for both the copper wire and on the spot where you ground off the galvanization. Flux helps catalyze the solder connection and helps the flow of the solder. I use it on all electronic connections to quicken the soldering and minimize heating of sensitive electronic parts, or keep nearby plastic from melting. Of course you're right to complain about problems. I've heard these problems for years with these domes. I will probably just build a roll off observatory. One can be built for half the cost if designed properly.
Awesome, Rich. Good for you!
Loved the intro, I quit... Setting up and packing away every night 🤣
This was not the video I expected for all those issues... She there were a lot :| glad you eventually got it setup!! Hope it doesn't cause you more problem!
I was very close to purchase a next dome. Decided to go with a roll off roof. My feeling is if I have to design and fabricate around a half ass dome I may as well build a roll off shed
Congratulations on your decision to bite the bullet!
I'm jealous. I live on a steep hill with no flat area to place a dome. I know I can cantilever over the edge, but that would be so precarious and constantly eroding any foundation. Easier to just buy some flat land in a remote dark site. But I hate driving, so would rarely visit. I wish I had a 14" RASA in a dome.
I'll have to live with what I got. A twenty foot flat area in my driveway. Bortle 4, close enough for a light telescope rig to carry in one trip, and obtain images in under 10 minutes.
Congrats on the observatory! This is one of my dreams and I've already looked up specs on roll off roof sheds. Now all I need is a new house and a yard.
Also a shame about all the things that should have been manufactured properly. No reason for any customer to drill their own holes or 3D print their own parts.
Clear skies!
Thanks Naz!
I could be wrong but it sounds like a professional laser lever would have saved you a lot of trouble.
Dang that’s scary about all of your troubles. I built a cheap plastic observatory that actually a shed for a lawn mower. It works.
Congrats and clear skies, sorry they failed at customer service. Seems like the norm now a days, sadly.
Very nice! That is going to be awesome!
Omg, your tales of woe are unbelievable. It looks like the product has really gone downhill. I'm glad I didn't have as many issues you have dealt with, when I bought mine I shipped it to Cyprus and would have been a nightmare to resolve. Mine is the Arduino shutter, the toothed belt around the dome.
It's a shame you didn't wait for the Sky Shed Pod S. I got mine in May. It replaced my original Sky Shed Pod. Fully automated and won't crack like the Nexdome does. Wayne designed a much simpler, more reliable motor system. It's not too late to sell the Nexdome and pick up a better obsy.
honestly, im not getting one of those now. thanks for the video!, edit, you might be able to fill that door with some great stuff insulation from a few drilled locations, obviously you wouldn't want it to bulge or deform.
The door isn't hollow unfortunately.
Congrats!!! 👏👏👏
Jesus. I’ve seen guys cut a Dome from plywood and have better luck. I don’t know if I would have your patience, but once you’re several thousand into a project, it has to get done!
Well done and great mods. Sounds like I would have sent it all back and went with something else. Way too many issues. Glad you gave a real world review. I’d never buy one….
So they essentially bought back your warrantee and left you with no more support? Unbelieveable! Can you imagine what would happen if an automobile manufacturer tried that?
Very cool! I wish i had space to put a Dome but i have like no space 😔
that lip at the base of the dome is nothing but a rain collector and will most likely get nasty over time no? Best to keep that clean and dry as often as possible.
Rich, thank you for your unvarnished review.
@cryhavoc38 Yeah it's already dirty.
Seems like the astro shop I purchase from also carries this brand, so I decided to check the price. Your setup appears to cost around €10k over here, not including shipping, so I guess it'll be rougly the same over there. For that price, I expect way better fit and finish, and less bullshit from their aftersales service dept. Thanks for letting us know which brand to avoid.
Dang, and I posted this before we got to the power block. That's utter jank! This feels like some cheap Chinese product assembled from whatever they had laying around. Those parts are utterly unsuitable for the task at hand.
And the nerve of that support guy, to refund the motor without discussing it with you first, just so they wouldn't have to support it anymore. That's not how it works! They can't unilaterally decide that, especially given that you bought that motor as part of a complete integrated setup. If would've been different if you purchased this separately later, but this was part of a $10k system. Imagine purchasing a convertible, and when the roof refuses to open, instead of fixing the problem, Chevy simply refunds what you paid extra for the roof. You would drive that car straight back into the dealership, and not even bother aiming for the door.
Congrats on the observatory and I'm very sorry to hear of the troubles you had with it, it's a good thing you figured a lot out on your own. It's a shame that a company is putting out product like that and then blaming the customers for their issues. Looks like I will stay away from this company
Thanks Bill! As someone else perfectly put it, it's my beautiful nightmare! lol
I wonder if you could pop a couple small holes in the door and fill it with Great Stuff / Foam? That's a lot of home engineering for the price. I'd like something like this but not if I gotta build it twice lol
Others have suggested the same thing, but the door is not hollow. Thanks!
@@DeepSpaceAstro ahhh, welp we tried lol
It's been 40/60 for and against nextdome from what I've seen I er the years. Sticking with my roll off
Thanks for the detailed report, think I'll stick with telegizmo cover for a while.
It sounds like a horror story.
Can NexDome go to a new customer location and assemble their product without modifications and take video of the progress recorded by the customer to show there are no issues with the product? That would be interesting.
Wow. What an ordeal. A counter review for sure…. I was actually considering a dome design, but you just made it clear to me to focus on a rolloff design…. No need for rotation and all the issues that go with it. Can you think of disadvantages of using a rolloff design?
If I had to do it all again, I would go with a ROR.
@@DeepSpaceAstro After watching your video, I checked back on SkyShed - they have a bunch of interesting designs that even combine half dome, rotating dome, and partial roll-off. They also appear to be simpler and fairly high quality... I didn't check all the forums, but it would be interesting to know why chose NexDome instead of them? Would that now be an option to consider, or would you go all the way to pure ROR design?
Congratulations
Any issues with cooling down to Telescopes?
Would the dome track the sky ?
Nope. I usually open it up an hour before I start. Yes the dome tracks the mount
Their Quality Control needs to assemble some kits periodically. They would have all the information they need. Customer complaints are too late.
As you ACCURATELY state, these problems DO exist, with this product: A dome, a rolloff roof is great, but I'd NEVER, not in a billion years purchase this product. JUST too many problems - and everyone who has purchased this product, is screaming at the number of problems. Thankfully you are handy and able make repairs.
By the way, the wind will blow the top of the dome off if you do not create a solution.
This tells me if we all work together we can help out each other much better 😊
They should provide a service to deliver and install. I don't think I can install it by myself.
I have a 1 acre plus lot where I moved to off grid. Have been thinking about something like this. Thanks for the review. I'll stay away from this company for sure.
What is Bortle of the location? Wasn’t it easier to build using your own design? You look handyman. What about starting your owen company?
I'm in Bortle 5
@@DeepSpaceAstro How many clear sky nights per year? Thanks
Maybe 45-50 so far this year.
Bravo !!! 🤗🤗🤗
WOW. What a HUGE pain in the ass! I would've been irate. I don't even know if there's a comparable alternative as competition, which is probably a big part of the problem!
it is a first time when I saw your smile
Sorry you had to go through all those problems. What is your confidence level your observatory will survive a strong thunderstorm and get through a snowy winter? Did you have to get a building permit to put this one your property? Why did you choose this brand over other brands? I certainly wouldn’t choose them after this review. OK, I’ll be dragging my equipment out tonight to set up and tear down.
Very low. I've had maybe 20-25mph gusts and it was fine, although it would flex the top of the door. That's why I want to try and shore that up. I plan on bolting rings in the concrete pad, one in the front and one at the back. Then throw a strap over the shutter and connect it to those rings when I know a storm is coming, just in case. Other owners say it's survived high winds, but I'm just too scared to test that. We'll see what happens in the winter. I fear those shutter tracks will get packed with snow/ice, and I won't be able to open the shutter. One guy said he put used motor oil in them and the snow/ice never sticks. I really don't want to do that, but I'm gonna try WD-40 or something similar. I'll just have to figure it out as I go through the seasons. There's really no other brands with this form factor at this price that I'm aware of.
Lord have mercy!! if I was spending anywhere close to that amount of money , it better be spot on. I mean engineering development better design it to go snap-snap together like legos. You have ALL RIGHTS to give them a piece of your mind. I’m a fuser, but I would have been so pissed if I had all the problems you did. I’m not dyi person. That shit better work like expected! should never have to spend more money to assemble. Did you go to the business bureau?
Yep - roll off roof, dome - any configuration is BETTER than the tear-dow, rebuilt garbage. congrats my friend.
Wow... Any recommendations for an easier unit if you could start over?
Nothing in this form factor or price point.
Pffff.... The moment I want an observatory to, I will make my one after seing this video.
I just assumed you lived on top of empire state building :)
🤣
Nice! ....uuum I see you still have your wedding ring on, does your wife know you bought this awesome unit??🤣
🤣 Shhh...I told her they gave it to me!
Your image quality would benefit a lot if you chose a less contrast image style/picture profile.
Rich, kudos to you. Nexdome really dropped the ball. Not good at all! They need to step up big time.
wow... I looked hard at a nextdome... I am handy myself and I can tell just by your video that this is a POS... off the list but man... good job getting that working...
No Pier??
Not yet.
Remind me my sky-watcher 150mm newton, I had to change, remake many parts. So bad concept, poor quality. Only the focuser is ok ( last generation )
I'll never buy a Canadian brand anymore.
Thank you for the video, it has made up my mind, I will not be buying this model.
A $1250 refund? How much did that garbage cost? “Don’t expect it to be an out of the box solution”? For money which allows them to give you a $1250 refund, you’re damned right I’d want an out of the box solution. Where is this garbage made? A small chinese owned island off the coast of Tasmania? They should be bloody ashamed and that refund and their reason for it (ie to get you off their back) is disgusting. I’ve always said us astronomers get ripped off by the industry for ridiculous pricing for the simplest of parts and this proves it with an added bonus: Shoddy workmanship they don’t even seem to care about.
Wow. What a clown act. Sure seems like there's room in the market for a real engineer to design a good dome solution in this price range and crush NexDome. Thanks for putting this video out.
Sheesh, $8000 and that much hassle. For as much work as you put in fixing it you could have built your own. Nice that they did support, but it's not really a discount product, I'd expect a lot better for that much money. The "discovery" that they can't solder to chromed steel means they have no idea what they are doing, and the fact that they want to refund you to drop support tells me they don't care.
After watching this they should be ashamed to sell something like this!
No NexDome for me!
Yikes. Sounds like a nightmare...
Wow that is some truly bad engineering. It’s crazy they sell this as a finished product. Nice work troubleshooting all the problems though.
Congratulations Rich!
I would drill a hole or two in the door and fill it with expanding foam to make it more rigid.
That would be a good idea if it was hollow. It's just thin ABS.
soooooooooo youre saying buy a SkyShed POD-S instead..... got it.
This way of editing videos where you cut out every single space between sentences is incredibly annoying. It’s very fatiguing to listen to more than a few minutes.
For Shorts it’s fine, but for a whole video I simply had to stop after 8 minutes and didn’t want to come back and watch the rest.
Deserves a pier
Yep! I'm thinking I'll do that next year!
Nightmare! 😢
Wow, what a beautiful nightmare.
Perfectly put!
O M W, this must be the best review on a lousy product. Not even going to write down what I think of NexDome, all is set and written already. Shame that our well-earned money gives us this poor product.
That must one of the worst engineering I've seen in years.
This company is a joke. Is there any part that was right and didn't need to be adjusted or replaced? Has anyone there ever assembled something like this themselves?
Man, your videos are very interesting, but the way you edit, making the whole video sound like one sentence, is very tiring and I can’t even watch half of it. This effect is meant for Shorts.
Awfull construction, awfull support!
The only way to is to build your own retractable roof, shed. PERIOD ! Anything else is wasting money and time. Nexdome= abort dome. Sorry you fell for the trap man. I feel sorry for you. You should have just researched better and built a retractable roof shed like all the rest of us did.
Very poor engineering.
This thing is terrible. I won't be buying one.
Every video I’ve ever seen on this product it’s the same story, garbage.
I think that anyone buying something like this should expect a bit of a project... But holy cow man! You wouldn't expect all that, and have CS wash their hands of you. I'm gobsmacked.