Geoptik informed me that a new version is on the market, with better and important structural changes but I don't see any differences and I only read NEW VERSION WITH TWO MOTORS. However, I am awaiting further details. This platform that I see in the review has only one motor, right? I have a Dobsonian 10 and will soon receive a 294mc no pro, I'm starting to understand why the Dobsonian is the most versatile of telescopes, both for visuals and EAA. Thanks also to your suggestions.
Yes, they now sell them with 2 motors and as far as i know it's the only difference. Mine has only 1 but wirks fine. In theory, with 2 it will help to get traction with heavier dobs when platform starts to rise, near the end
thank you for your review. thank you also for doing your best at explaining everything in English. That was kind of you for making that effort to help people understand.
Thanks for this clear & extensive and honest review. Indeed it is hard to get good info on dobsonian platforms. I have one myself from TS optics (not the cheapest but pretty solid model) that I use for my 10'' SW dob. I have been using it for many years, and made some modifications to it over the years. It is not super accurate for tracking but it does the job. I use it mainly for planetary imaging, for which super accurate tracking isn't a must have. I have heard other people using this geoptic platform and I was curious. I got the info that I needed.
Thanks Wilco. If you have a link to your modifications in the platform plese post it here. It could help other peolple, me included. Mine is doing fine and allow me to have decent tracking even for DSO's as long as i use very short exposures, until 8/10 seconds, which fit my needs.
@@DobsonianPower There are people that get impressive deepsky imaging results by using a dob on a platform icw high sensitive camera's & many short exposures stacked. Have a look at Emil Kraaikamps website for instance: astrokraai.nl/viewimages.php?t=y&category=7 As for the modifications, it isn't much worth showing but I did detach the EQ motor control panel & added a long wire to it so that I can control the tracking while standing up and viewing the laptop screen, added a compass & a level to it etc. I'm also thinking about adding height adjustable feet to it, possibly motorized & remote controllable.
I bought an extension for the remote and protected it with foam because of falling on the ground. I had to change the legs to bigger ones because of my unleveled ground. I can't use level to N-S only on E-W because i unleveled it on purppse to fit my latitude better and polar align. I also use a level on E-W but on the 2 rotating gears because the level is different along the platform due to the floor. I've changed the 320xl rubber band for a new equal one. That declination motor is quite a challenge but for short exposures on EAA i feel i don't need it, only for astrophotography worth it. I have it polar aligned by drift with the camera and i am working in a way to get it close to perfection for imaging, until now the drift method is the winner. How do you polar aligned it?
@@DobsonianPower Hi Tiago, sounds good, it seems to me that you like this aspect of being able to customize and improve things, which is part of the fun right? It is not too hard even to build your own EQ platform. For alignment I have to admit that I only use a compass, and some manual adjusting afterwards if needed. I should try the drift alignment once though, but I have to say some slight misalignment doesn't bother me a lot for imaging the planets, moon or sun. I agree the idea of this setup is that it should be simple to use, and to be able to get going quickly on the rare occasions that we have here given the weather conditions in the Netherlands.
Hi, thanks for your review. I have the same configuration of yours for my observations (manual dobson SW 12 inches f5) so I was looking forward to buy the same platform in order to do principally planetary imaging from my balcony. It was very difficult to gather any kind of additional information about this platform, but it seems to be the cheapest right choice (instead of buying an expensive eq8) for people like us, who don’t want to give up on the ease of use of the dobson, but some day are hoping to do imaging at an higher level. I have two questions: 1) Do you mind if I ask you to post the link for the battery and the connection from the battery to the platform that you presented? 2) I don’t know if you have planned to test it yet, but when it happens, do you think this platform would be good enough to guarantee at least 10 seconds of perfectly centered object (in order to do deep space astrophotos one day)? It would be really really really helpful if you post in the future a video where you show the live tracking of the object with this platform just to have an idea on how it works. Many thanks and happy new year!
hi. UPDATE: 1) Link to US Amazon UPS (equal to mine, excellent, i have 2): www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W8MCBMS/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=keepitsimp06b-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07W8MCBMS&linkId=ea3a60b955a52834007e9019589fb32d UPDATE: 2) Hera a video where i recorded Saturn in real time: ruclips.net/video/fm9nvKUBtDk/видео.html Also through EAA i had very nice results, live demonstration at the end of this video: ruclips.net/video/Mx0mxEcaZ_E/видео.html Of course we will be always limited by field rotation but short exposures perfectly possible. I will record live sessions in the future here on youtube and as i always use the platform so it will be in action to. Now it's cold and i mainly do visual but stay tuned because i will upload when i catch a good opportunity. Hope it helps.
@@DobsonianPower wonderful, really thanks a lot for your answers!! It's true, right now it's not the best period, above all for viewing planets, apart from a little bit of Mars and Uranus. Cant't wait for the next uploads about the platform, as I think a lot of other people are interested of course!
Boas. Eu tenho um dob 8''. Também comprei uma plataforma TS Optics dessas mais baratas mas felizmente vinha com defeito. Digo felizmente porque devolvi imediatamente e acabei por comprar uma montagem equatorial motorizada muito boa para astrofotografia. Não existe muita informação sobre este tipo de plataforma. Talvez mais tarde possa comprar uma quando tiver um telescópio maior. Mesmo sabendo que o objetivo principal é a observação, gostaria de saber qual o tempo máximo de exposição num simgle frame que se consegue fazer com esta plataforma, mantendo as estrelas pontuais? Poderia mostrar fotos? Só para ter uma ideia.
Eu é que agradeço. Em breve vou fazer videos em tempo real também com exposições mais longas mas quero primeiro testar bem a câmara para entender bem os parâmetros. UPDATE: video com imagens não processadas, ao natural: ruclips.net/video/Gc2CfBHfRKM/видео.html
I've always wondered, is the platform able to keep a 10" Dobson truss like mine in balance with over 25 kg of weight? Isn't there a risk that it could tilt too much when tracking the sky?
that tube rocks more than my rocking chair. but how do you observe with those oscillations? my Nadirus 12” dobsonian on my homebuilt equatorial table is a real rock. does it make sense to spend more than 1200 euros for a board that then rocks so much?
Thanks for this great review. I build a platform by my own and I think the sliding adjustments from back to forth is for the center of gravity adjustment. You said you wont calculate it and your are right, its not that easy. Because the virtual south bearing starts the vector with 39,1 deg (in your case) through your CoG. Finding the start of the virtual south point is hard. Easy is it to find the CoG. Its roughly 2/3 of your RockerBox height!
Thanks Sebastien. Not easy and in my case not worth it. Actually now I'm using at the midlle holes and at 36 latitude, then adjusted. Either ways and having all polar aligned i have always a periodic error impossible to get rid off but i can live with it. I'll upload soon a video about how i drift polar align it. Congrats for your eq platform, not an easy project for sure 👍💪
@@DobsonianPower I have also an periodic error if about +-20 arc seconds with a 100 seconds periodic, because I use a worm drive like all middle class mounts. But interesting that this belt technic has a periodic error also! I am very interested in that video!! My tip for a good an easy polar alignment is the „polar drift alignment“ Methode from phd2. Very easy, very fast and in a accuracy more then enough for a eq-platform. But give it enough time to sattle the periodic error. Also I add to my eq-platform pulse guiding. My eq feed on the south is a linear electrical controlled actor and RA axis motor is still present. Works fine!
@@SFCounterfeiter the belt is great because avoid drift but the gear wheels makes micro movements that i can see in sharpcap. My method is very simple and effective, you'll see. 👍
Hi, very nice review. I was wondering whether it is equipped with a single or dual axis drive? And from looking at the stability of your 12 inch dobson , I have doubts whether it is good enough for DSO photography. What is your opinion? thanks!
Hi, single axis. Has one 12v motor. IMO all dobsonians in any platforms have limitations at a certain point for astrophotography. The exposure time can't never be the same as an equatorial mount/gem. But it's possible, and this platform allow me to keep it simple, with any trouble, and i have all the setup mounted in seconds, less than a minute. I didn't took pictures of dso's yet because i use it mainly for visual but i have took very nice picture of Uranus which would be almost impossible without the platform. I will record live videos where the platform performance will be exposed so just stay tuned.
big investment... would you say that it holds balance well with a dobsonian that has a mirror box of about 55cm X 55cm and an eyepiece height of about 170cm? (imagine a classic obsession telescope construction, it is not an obsession, it's hand made but it has the same philosophy, it's an 18" F4). Thanks for your input :)
My 12" solid tube base has about 60cm diameter. I would say yes but proceed with caution. I would buy to a good store which accept return if needed. I would take the risk though.
Hi guy, thanks for your great review. I have an 8" Orion XT8 Intelliscope dob that weighs in at 44Lbs with accessories. I'm not sure I can afford the more expensive mount so am considering one of the lighter, cheaper wood mounts for this scope. In your video you said maybe it would work, did you try your 8" dob on the wood mount and what was the result with support and tracking. Thanks again, I get a lot of good information from all your videos...
@@DobsonianPower Thanks, since that's about the weight of my 8" Orion dob I may wait and save a bit more and buy an 8 or 10" goto tracking dob from Skywatcher. 👍
Thanks for this review! Do you know the mA consumption during tracking and during return to initial position? In alternative you would know to indicate me the estimated autonomy with your battery of 20000mA? Thanks in advance
I have searched the geoptik platform and it only has an option to shipping in Europe so I dont know where to buy it. I cant even find 8 inch tube rings
Hmm. That is a beautiful design, but your telescope is visibly wobbling back and forth. That looks very unstable. I think the Y that the base is mounted on is flexing. I am not sure my 16" could ride on this platform.
It's wobbling because it's unbalanced. If you notice the heavy telescope cap it's on it. It doesn't flex, only with brute force, however my floor is unleveled and to give stiffness to the platform base i will add more legs to it. Also in the video i had the teflon pads near the center of the Y and now i have them at the external sides, works better. A stainless steel platform like this or similar is needed for your 16" for sure. My 12" is heavier than bigger truss dobs if that's the case. I use to say the best test for a set up are the imaging results, there is no better proof than the results to see how things work. cheers
UPDATE!! GEOPTIK will ship to USA. Just put the item in my cart and it comes to 1,118.61 EURO (1,216.85 USD) at today's exchange rate 23 JAN 2023. That price is with shipping included.
I have the Celestron StarSense Explorer 10 inch Dobsonian (254mm). The StarSense Application along with this EQ platform will give me the best of both worlds!! Virtual push-to capabilities with steady tracking of my objective!! Who says you can't astro-image with a DOB??
How to POLAR ALIGN your eq platform ruclips.net/video/nUoD2gaPlWM/видео.html
Geoptik informed me that a new version is on the market, with better and important structural changes but I don't see any differences and I only read NEW VERSION WITH TWO MOTORS. However, I am awaiting further details. This platform that I see in the review has only one motor, right? I have a Dobsonian 10 and will soon receive a 294mc no pro, I'm starting to understand why the Dobsonian is the most versatile of telescopes, both for visuals and EAA. Thanks also to your suggestions.
Yes, they now sell them with 2 motors and as far as i know it's the only difference. Mine has only 1 but wirks fine. In theory, with 2 it will help to get traction with heavier dobs when platform starts to rise, near the end
The best piece of equipment you have is that wonderful terrace in that great environment at El Algarve. No doubt. 😀
It's true 👍
That's a nice piece of equipment!
thank you for your review. thank you also for doing your best at explaining everything in English. That was kind of you for making that effort to help people understand.
You're welcome. Thank you for watching!!
Thanks for this clear & extensive and honest review. Indeed it is hard to get good info on dobsonian platforms. I have one myself from TS optics (not the cheapest but pretty solid model) that I use for my 10'' SW dob. I have been using it for many years, and made some modifications to it over the years. It is not super accurate for tracking but it does the job. I use it mainly for planetary imaging, for which super accurate tracking isn't a must have. I have heard other people using this geoptic platform and I was curious. I got the info that I needed.
Thanks Wilco. If you have a link to your modifications in the platform plese post it here. It could help other peolple, me included. Mine is doing fine and allow me to have decent tracking even for DSO's as long as i use very short exposures, until 8/10 seconds, which fit my needs.
@@DobsonianPower There are people that get impressive deepsky imaging results by using a dob on a platform icw high sensitive camera's & many short exposures stacked. Have a look at Emil Kraaikamps website for instance:
astrokraai.nl/viewimages.php?t=y&category=7
As for the modifications, it isn't much worth showing but I did detach the EQ motor control panel & added a long wire to it so that I can control the tracking while standing up and viewing the laptop screen, added a compass & a level to it etc. I'm also thinking about adding height adjustable feet to it, possibly motorized & remote controllable.
I bought an extension for the remote and protected it with foam because of falling on the ground. I had to change the legs to bigger ones because of my unleveled ground. I can't use level to N-S only on E-W because i unleveled it on purppse to fit my latitude better and polar align. I also use a level on E-W but on the 2 rotating gears because the level is different along the platform due to the floor. I've changed the 320xl rubber band for a new equal one. That declination motor is quite a challenge but for short exposures on EAA i feel i don't need it, only for astrophotography worth it. I have it polar aligned by drift with the camera and i am working in a way to get it close to perfection for imaging, until now the drift method is the winner. How do you polar aligned it?
@@DobsonianPower Hi Tiago, sounds good, it seems to me that you like this aspect of being able to customize and improve things, which is part of the fun right? It is not too hard even to build your own EQ platform.
For alignment I have to admit that I only use a compass, and some manual adjusting afterwards if needed. I should try the drift alignment once though, but I have to say some slight misalignment doesn't bother me a lot for imaging the planets, moon or sun. I agree the idea of this setup is that it should be simple to use, and to be able to get going quickly on the rare occasions that we have here given the weather conditions in the Netherlands.
Hi, thanks for your review. I have the same configuration of yours for my observations (manual dobson SW 12 inches f5) so I was looking forward to buy the same platform in order to do principally planetary imaging from my balcony. It was very difficult to gather any kind of additional information about this platform, but it seems to be the cheapest right choice (instead of buying an expensive eq8) for people like us, who don’t want to give up on the ease of use of the dobson, but some day are hoping to do imaging at an higher level. I have two questions:
1) Do you mind if I ask you to post the link for the battery and the connection from the battery to the platform that you presented?
2) I don’t know if you have planned to test it yet, but when it happens, do you think this platform would be good enough to guarantee at least 10 seconds of perfectly centered object (in order to do deep space astrophotos one day)?
It would be really really really helpful if you post in the future a video where you show the live tracking of the object with this platform just to have an idea on how it works.
Many thanks and happy new year!
hi. UPDATE: 1) Link to US Amazon UPS (equal to mine, excellent, i have 2): www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W8MCBMS/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=keepitsimp06b-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07W8MCBMS&linkId=ea3a60b955a52834007e9019589fb32d
UPDATE: 2) Hera a video where i recorded Saturn in real time: ruclips.net/video/fm9nvKUBtDk/видео.html
Also through EAA i had very nice results, live demonstration at the end of this video: ruclips.net/video/Mx0mxEcaZ_E/видео.html
Of course we will be always limited by field rotation but short exposures perfectly possible.
I will record live sessions in the future here on youtube and as i always use the platform so it will be in action to. Now it's cold and i mainly do visual but stay tuned because i will upload when i catch a good opportunity. Hope it helps.
@@DobsonianPower wonderful, really thanks a lot for your answers!! It's true, right now it's not the best period, above all for viewing planets, apart from a little bit of Mars and Uranus. Cant't wait for the next uploads about the platform, as I think a lot of other people are interested of course!
Thank you so much for taking the time!! Your English is very good! I speak Spanish, English, and German. Do you know if GEOPTIK will ship to USA?
I don't know but email them from the page
Boas. Eu tenho um dob 8''. Também comprei uma plataforma TS Optics dessas mais baratas mas felizmente vinha com defeito. Digo felizmente porque devolvi imediatamente e acabei por comprar uma montagem equatorial motorizada muito boa para astrofotografia.
Não existe muita informação sobre este tipo de plataforma. Talvez mais tarde possa comprar uma quando tiver um telescópio maior.
Mesmo sabendo que o objetivo principal é a observação, gostaria de saber qual o tempo máximo de exposição num simgle frame que se consegue fazer com esta plataforma, mantendo as estrelas pontuais? Poderia mostrar fotos? Só para ter uma ideia.
Ainda não testei mais do que 10 segundos mas por norma são 30 segundos no máximo devido à inevitável rotação em qualquer plataforma.
@@DobsonianPower Parabéns pelo vídeo e obrigado pela resposta.
Eu é que agradeço. Em breve vou fazer videos em tempo real também com exposições mais longas mas quero primeiro testar bem a câmara para entender bem os parâmetros. UPDATE: video com imagens não processadas, ao natural: ruclips.net/video/Gc2CfBHfRKM/видео.html
I've always wondered, is the platform able to keep a 10" Dobson truss like mine in balance with over 25 kg of weight? Isn't there a risk that it could tilt too much when tracking the sky?
I just can say that mine handles my 12" pretty well. The tilt comes with the wind, as expected with larger dobs
that tube rocks more than my rocking chair. but how do you observe with those oscillations? my Nadirus 12” dobsonian on my homebuilt equatorial table is a real rock. does it make sense to spend more than 1200 euros for a board that then rocks so much?
The dob in the video is not well fitted and balanced. Nothing to do with the eq platform
Thanks for this great review. I build a platform by my own and I think the sliding adjustments from back to forth is for the center of gravity adjustment. You said you wont calculate it and your are right, its not that easy. Because the virtual south bearing starts the vector with 39,1 deg (in your case) through your CoG. Finding the start of the virtual south point is hard. Easy is it to find the CoG. Its roughly 2/3 of your RockerBox height!
Thanks Sebastien. Not easy and in my case not worth it. Actually now I'm using at the midlle holes and at 36 latitude, then adjusted. Either ways and having all polar aligned i have always a periodic error impossible to get rid off but i can live with it. I'll upload soon a video about how i drift polar align it. Congrats for your eq platform, not an easy project for sure 👍💪
@@DobsonianPower I have also an periodic error if about +-20 arc seconds with a 100 seconds periodic, because I use a worm drive like all middle class mounts. But interesting that this belt technic has a periodic error also! I am very interested in that video!! My tip for a good an easy polar alignment is the „polar drift alignment“ Methode from phd2. Very easy, very fast and in a accuracy more then enough for a eq-platform. But give it enough time to sattle the periodic error. Also I add to my eq-platform pulse guiding. My eq feed on the south is a linear electrical controlled actor and RA axis motor is still present. Works fine!
@@SFCounterfeiter the belt is great because avoid drift but the gear wheels makes micro movements that i can see in sharpcap. My method is very simple and effective, you'll see. 👍
Hi, very nice review. I was wondering whether it is equipped with a single or dual axis drive? And from looking at the stability of your 12 inch dobson , I have doubts whether it is good enough for DSO photography. What is your opinion? thanks!
Hi, single axis. Has one 12v motor. IMO all dobsonians in any platforms have limitations at a certain point for astrophotography. The exposure time can't never be the same as an equatorial mount/gem. But it's possible, and this platform allow me to keep it simple, with any trouble, and i have all the setup mounted in seconds, less than a minute. I didn't took pictures of dso's yet because i use it mainly for visual but i have took very nice picture of Uranus which would be almost impossible without the platform. I will record live videos where the platform performance will be exposed so just stay tuned.
big investment... would you say that it holds balance well with a dobsonian that has a mirror box of about 55cm X 55cm and an eyepiece height of about 170cm? (imagine a classic obsession telescope construction, it is not an obsession, it's hand made but it has the same philosophy, it's an 18" F4). Thanks for your input :)
My 12" solid tube base has about 60cm diameter. I would say yes but proceed with caution. I would buy to a good store which accept return if needed. I would take the risk though.
Hi guy, thanks for your great review. I have an 8" Orion XT8 Intelliscope dob that weighs in at 44Lbs with accessories. I'm not sure I can afford the more expensive mount so am considering one of the lighter, cheaper wood mounts for this scope. In your video you said maybe it would work, did you try your 8" dob on the wood mount and what was the result with support and tracking. Thanks again, I get a lot of good information from all your videos...
I did not but it should work
@@DobsonianPower Thank you, I may give it a go...
It may be posted but I can't find it in the thread. What was the total weight of your 12" dob that was too heavy for the wood mount? Thanks
i don't know. maybe almost 20kg
@@DobsonianPower Thanks, since that's about the weight of my 8" Orion dob I may wait and save a bit more and buy an 8 or 10" goto tracking dob from Skywatcher. 👍
Thanks for this review! Do you know the mA consumption during tracking and during return to initial position?
In alternative you would know to indicate me the estimated autonomy with your battery of 20000mA?
Thanks in advance
I don't know that detail but i know my power supply last 3 or 4 nights before i have to charge it.
@@DobsonianPower Great. Thanks!
I have searched the geoptik platform and it only has an option to shipping in Europe so I dont know where to buy it. I cant even find 8 inch tube rings
Buy it on Astroshop. They ship to USA: www.astroshop.eu/equatorial-wedges/geoptik-polar-wedge-eartha-dobson-platform-with-variable-latitude/p,61990
@@DobsonianPower Thanks when I go to help it says that they deliver worldwide and Europe so thanks 😊
@@DobsonianPower The reason I need a platform is because I cannot find 8 inch tube rings so I'll buy the platform
@@cpdudeyt
Hmm. That is a beautiful design, but your telescope is visibly wobbling back and forth. That looks very unstable. I think the Y that the base is mounted on is flexing. I am not sure my 16" could ride on this platform.
It's wobbling because it's unbalanced. If you notice the heavy telescope cap it's on it. It doesn't flex, only with brute force, however my floor is unleveled and to give stiffness to the platform base i will add more legs to it. Also in the video i had the teflon pads near the center of the Y and now i have them at the external sides, works better. A stainless steel platform like this or similar is needed for your 16" for sure. My 12" is heavier than bigger truss dobs if that's the case. I use to say the best test for a set up are the imaging results, there is no better proof than the results to see how things work. cheers
@@DobsonianPower Thank you for the reply. I understand about the teflon pads and I think you are correct in what the problem was.
ah, thanks… was also wondering about the wobbeling…. but the teflon pad issue make sense
UPDATE!! GEOPTIK will ship to USA. Just put the item in my cart and it comes to 1,118.61 EURO (1,216.85 USD) at today's exchange rate 23 JAN 2023. That price is with shipping included.
great!
I have the Celestron StarSense Explorer 10 inch Dobsonian (254mm). The StarSense Application along with this EQ platform will give me the best of both worlds!! Virtual push-to capabilities with steady tracking of my objective!! Who says you can't astro-image with a DOB??
👍👍