Guinness or Murphys?

Agar

So what is the best stout available to the discerning astronomer?
In Ireland we tend to think of just these two brands, while acknowledging the existence of Beamish for those without taste buds/regular income. This makes for a great analogy with the telescope market. Meade corresponds to Guinness (greater international sales) while Celestron corresponds to Murphys. Beamish could represent Tasco!
I began to think along these lines while in my local enjoying the view through the bottom of my Guinness glass and perusing the latest issue of Astronomy Now. I noticed, through the poor seeing brought on by dark brown clouds which finally settled, an article about Meade sueing Celestron for copyright and patent infringement. The court in California had said that Celestron do not 'literally' infringe on Meade copyrights, and that they operated under something like the manufacture of 'equivalents'.
I for one am glad to see this decision. It would be terrible to see Meade owning the copyright on all SCTs with goto. However I do have to acknowledge that in almost all respects, Celestron seem to be following the leader. Take the Meade thirtieth anniversary deal ( buy a scope and get 9 eyepieces in a case for GB£ 99 ). Celestron responded with their own 'equivalent' deal.
Then there's the Meade capture-view binoculars/digital camera combination unit. Celestron have just released their equivalent. Last year Meade introduced UHT coatings. Celestron have just repsonded with Starbright XL coatings. In fact, I think that in nearly all cases of mainstream telescope manufacture, except the addition of goto, Meade have been the innovator.
So the debate goes on. Guinness or Murphys. Meanwhile, those who really know their stout are marvelling at O'Hara's stout, or D'arcy's Dublin Stout, two hand crafted beers that win awards internationally. I dunno, but I think Al Nagler brews them when not making Televue scopes!
What's the moral of the story? Don't drink and think!

bartificer

I would have to agree that Meade, despite being the underdogs some what are leading the race big time. I have a lot of experience with meade scopes ranging in size from the wonderfull little ETX up to the 11" LX200 and despite a certain well know Irish astronomer who shares a surname with a certain well known English TV Astronomer personally telling me that they were rubish and that that was why he stopped stocking them, I find them excellent. If I were to go out an buy a new scope in the morning you can rest a sured it would be a Meade.

Bart B.

Sarky

Black Biddy tbh.

Agar

The galling thing about the celestron/meade debate and the insistance of one leading Irish astronomical organisation in aggressively pushing one particular brand, is that companies like Televue get ignored.
Who in their right mind would not love a large aperture Televue apochromatic refractor? Or even a Questar with their sexy casings and dewsields? These are the porsche and ferrari of telescopes, and we're worried about whether Toyota or Ford are the best cars ever made? Come on.
That statement made last Christmas by a leading Irish astronomical organisation that the only telescopes on the market without flaws were celestrons was incredible, and also possibly grounds for meade, televue, orion, vixen, whoever, to get extremely ticked off, I mean litigiously ticked off. Maybe they're just not bothered about such a small organisation.

And yeah, Black Biddy is one special telestout!

halenger

If anyone can't get that subtlety then I'd be shocked!!

I think the thing about Televue is that they're rather expensive. Otherwise everyone would have one.

I'd guess the reasoning behind brands like Celestron/Meade is that they're within the Price Range of the general public. Trying to sell Televue alone would be focusing on a very niche market.

And about the "one leading Irish astronomical organisation" selling only Celestron. That's infact untrue. They push only Celestron and their own brand DTG-not so much in recent times- but they do sell Televue and many other brands. They're done to order though. I don't see many people stocking a huge amount of Televue!!

bartificer

And about the "one leading Irish astronomical organisation" selling only Celestron. That's infact untrue. They push only Celestron and their own brand DTG-not so much in recent times- but they do sell Televue and many other brands. They're done to order though. I don't see many people stocking a huge amount of Televue!!

Well when I tried to order a Meade ETC off them they told me they did not stock Meade and that they were really bad telescopes and that I should buy a Celestron off them. I promptly ignored their "advice"/marketing and got an ETX off North Down Telescopes for a very good price and not regreted it for a second!