Good review, but you failed to point out any negatives about the scope. I have had the same scope (150p) for about 3 weeks now. Been out on average 4 nights a week with it. Here is my experience. 1) I already own an 8 inch solid tube dob. The virtuoso's build quality is lower which is obvious when using the focuser. It just feels so cheap and abrasive, and because of the truss design, focusing makes the scope shake slightly which ruins the view, but in saying that the shaking does settle down. There are mods out there that fix this somewhat but it doesn't change the fact that it is a cheap helical focuser. Rack and pinion will always beat it. 2) I have been using the 8 AA batteries too. They work.. for a while... then the scope starts to behave strangely. Targets go out of alignment, tracking just doesn't work at times, realigning reguarly is essential and as the night goes on the accuracy just doesn't hold up. Saadly I am yet to experience a night of flawless observing when using the GoTo. The rate of battery drain is quite high also, which means that powering the scope using only AA batteries will become a running cost. 3) It needs a shroud. Any stray light will blow out the view. Forget about observing on a full moon, it will have a significant impact. Thankfully, shrouds are easy to fashion and there are guides here on TH-cam to help. You could argue that because it is so cheap for a GoTo scope these issues are excusable. Maybe they are, that's for you to decide. I am considering returning mine however because of the dissapointing GoTo and tracking performance consistency. Just my two pennies.
Does aligning the scope need any initial settings like home position (pointing towards North) putting lat long, time-date-time zone etc? Today it has been ordered from High point scientific.
Got my Skymax 127 Virtuoso GTi in use today. It’s my first scope. It was already assembled too, but its red dot finder is in a wrong position, below the scope. Now it’s a pain to use and I’m not able to just remount it the other way, because synscan doesn’t understand it has been turned.
It looks like you can run the scope with your iPhone. Can you see what the telescope sees and snap images with it, or do you have to use the eyepiece? I have a Unistellar Equinox 2 which is great for deep 13:09 space objects, but not so good for solar system or lunar objects. I’m looking for a scope to see objects within the solar system but runs like my Unistellar scope
Great question! This telescope can be controlled with a smartphone, however, it is designed as a visual telescope with an eyepiece and is not well suited for deep sky astrophotography. However, with the right camera and perhaps a Barlow lens, you could use it to image the planets.
nice video, nice little observational scope. I do wish you would have made it slew to one of the deep sky objects, after completing you alignment!, just to see how close it came for you....Also, i'm not sure why one wouldn't just the 150p for more light, for just $35 more....never mind, I check out the specs. The 150 has a little more magnification, but darker field than the 130: "44% vs 56% more light-gathering than the human eye."
Hi Greg! To add to you comment, Teagan here, I did actually slew to messier 31 after my initial alignment and it was in fact just of center in the eyepiece but it was there without any additional adjustments!
I just bought the 150mm virtuoso go to and can’t wait for it to arrive. Question I have is should I get the double threaded Optolong L-Pro Light Pollution Filter or single what do you recommend? Thank you for any advice
Im stuck with 130p Vs 150p and nexstar 4se I want to attend my camera nex 5 Sony to do some pictures and videos I'm not sure with one will be the best chose 🤦🤦🤦
"so Im going to manually point my scope towards jupiter...", how do you do that?, Im new, you are not supposed to see jupyter from there withought any device right?
Just received the new GTI 150 for my first telescope and I don’t know the sky to well at all. What app would you recommend to help me navigate so I can locate objects in the sky to calibrate by scope? Also what Barlow lens do you recommend with this scope?Thanks
Assuming you haven't found an answer by now: I personally use Stellarium. It's convenient, helps you know exactly what you're looking at, I recommend it.
Yes, once aligned, after you slew to an object, it will track it for quite a while. How long and how accurate depends on how accurate your initial go-to alignment is as well as how many alignment points you do.
Does the Synscan v5 hand controller work with this telescope and the 150p also? It has 40k astro items vs 10k with the smartphone, also as Ed Ting said in his review the controller can be used by touch, but the smartphone you have to look back and forth to push the slew buttons with the smartphone. Thanks! SKU Number SKY-S30106 Model Number S30106
I love my virtuoso GTi. It's really a great telescope for all needs. 👍 well done HPS
Couldn't agree more! Thanks!
Good review, but you failed to point out any negatives about the scope. I have had the same scope (150p) for about 3 weeks now. Been out on average 4 nights a week with it. Here is my experience.
1) I already own an 8 inch solid tube dob. The virtuoso's build quality is lower which is obvious when using the focuser. It just feels so cheap and abrasive, and because of the truss design, focusing makes the scope shake slightly which ruins the view, but in saying that the shaking does settle down. There are mods out there that fix this somewhat but it doesn't change the fact that it is a cheap helical focuser. Rack and pinion will always beat it.
2) I have been using the 8 AA batteries too. They work.. for a while... then the scope starts to behave strangely. Targets go out of alignment, tracking just doesn't work at times, realigning reguarly is essential and as the night goes on the accuracy just doesn't hold up. Saadly I am yet to experience a night of flawless observing when using the GoTo. The rate of battery drain is quite high also, which means that powering the scope using only AA batteries will become a running cost.
3) It needs a shroud. Any stray light will blow out the view. Forget about observing on a full moon, it will have a significant impact. Thankfully, shrouds are easy to fashion and there are guides here on TH-cam to help.
You could argue that because it is so cheap for a GoTo scope these issues are excusable. Maybe they are, that's for you to decide. I am considering returning mine however because of the dissapointing GoTo and tracking performance consistency. Just my two pennies.
Thank you for the feedback regarding your scope experience!
There's not many reviews out there for this scope so thanks for this extensive one!
You're welcome!
Can you manually turn the scope, or must you use the motor to move it around?
Does aligning the scope need any initial settings like home position (pointing towards North) putting lat long, time-date-time zone etc? Today it has been ordered from High point scientific.
This is a little scope that can! Would the 150mm be better in Suburban skies? Do you sell a Shroud?
Can I set it on a tripod instead table?
Thank you so much for this video - it is the best by far that we have seen.
Nicely done HPS team. And great capture of the bat!
Thank you, Team!
Thank You for this awsome telescope review! I'm at the dawn of smart telescopes wow!
Got my Skymax 127 Virtuoso GTi in use today. It’s my first scope. It was already assembled too, but its red dot finder is in a wrong position, below the scope. Now it’s a pain to use and I’m not able to just remount it the other way, because synscan doesn’t understand it has been turned.
So I’m trying to figure out is there an easy fix to this or do I have a faulty unit which should be replaced.
It looks like you can run the scope with your iPhone. Can you see what the telescope sees and snap images with it, or do you have to use the eyepiece?
I have a Unistellar Equinox 2 which is great for deep 13:09 space objects, but not so good for solar system or lunar objects. I’m looking for a scope to see objects within the solar system but runs like my Unistellar scope
Great question! This telescope can be controlled with a smartphone, however, it is designed as a visual telescope with an eyepiece and is not well suited for deep sky astrophotography. However, with the right camera and perhaps a Barlow lens, you could use it to image the planets.
Great video. How to make sure that focuser work well. It is very wobly
Does it track objects aswell ?
nice video, nice little observational scope. I do wish you would have made it slew to one of the deep sky objects, after completing you alignment!, just to see how close it came for you....Also, i'm not sure why one wouldn't just the 150p for more light, for just $35 more....never mind, I check out the specs. The 150 has a little more magnification, but darker field than the 130: "44% vs 56% more light-gathering than the human eye."
Thanks for the response, Greg! You're right about the 130 vs 150p.
Hi Greg! To add to you comment, Teagan here, I did actually slew to messier 31 after my initial alignment and it was in fact just of center in the eyepiece but it was there without any additional adjustments!
I just bought the 150mm virtuoso go to and can’t wait for it to arrive. Question I have is should I get the double threaded Optolong L-Pro Light Pollution Filter or single what do you recommend? Thank you for any advice
Im stuck with 130p Vs 150p and nexstar 4se I want to attend my camera nex 5 Sony to do some pictures and videos I'm not sure with one will be the best chose 🤦🤦🤦
"so Im going to manually point my scope towards jupiter...", how do you do that?, Im new, you are not supposed to see jupyter from there withought any device right?
What?
Just received the new GTI 150 for my first telescope and I don’t know the sky to well at all. What app would you recommend to help me navigate so I can locate objects in the sky to calibrate by scope? Also what Barlow lens do you recommend with this scope?Thanks
Assuming you haven't found an answer by now: I personally use Stellarium. It's convenient, helps you know exactly what you're looking at, I recommend it.
Does this track the objects automatically? If I align it and watch Jupiter, will the scope move to keep up with it?
Yes, once aligned, after you slew to an object, it will track it for quite a while. How long and how accurate depends on how accurate your initial go-to alignment is as well as how many alignment points you do.
Does it have auto-follow?
Does the Synscan v5 hand controller work with this telescope and the 150p also? It has 40k astro items vs 10k with the smartphone, also as Ed Ting said in his review the controller can be used by touch, but the smartphone you have to look back and forth to push the slew buttons with the smartphone. Thanks!
SKU Number SKY-S30106
Model Number S30106
Can you get a solar viewer with this?
No. Unless you completely cover the open part with a shroud. And obviously with a solar filter on the front
Nice! I would like them to make a really big one like a 12 inch! Ha Ha.
Y'know, I heard that blondes have more fun.