I think I may have been the first person in the US to have one of the new 2007 model PEs. I waited to get the 2007 model because to be honest I really did not care for the Astro Tube. Now they offer the Blue Tube as well which to my taste looks much more like a serious scientific instrument. Looks aside, this has turned out to be the best telescope purchase I have ever made. (And believe me, I have made plenty!) The LNT technology works like a charm, much better than I expected. The gotos put the oblect into the 26mm eyepiece every time. The optics are as close to perfect as an amateur telescope can get. The only quirk that I have found would be to not let the autostar get too cold before doing an allignment. I did that the first night out and kept getting a motor failurs warning. I had to do a reset to make it work properly. Subsequent nights I have made sure to not let it get too cold and things have worled perfectly.
  The 884 tripod has been updated slightly and is more sturdy than the previous versions. I had considered replacing it with the 887 tripod but after using the new 884 I decided it wasnt necessary.
  The only complaint I have is with the Smart Finder. It is very cheaply made and worse than that it is mounted to the scope in a way that makes me concerned that it could break off fairly easily. I thought about removing it and installing another finder, but the LNT and time modules are located within it, meaning that to remove it would be to remove those modules as well. I am surprised that Meade would make such an important piece so poorly. I intend to install a right angle finder to compliment the smart finder for those times when I dont want to use the autostar.
  All in all, this is the best telescope I have ever owned and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to start some serious astronomy and is not content with just looking at the Moon and Jupiter. (Those views are incredible as well!)

From: | Created on: 10/16/2009 1:48:52 PM