If you like the GOTO ability of the Meade ETX- Meade Autostar Observation System, you will love the ETX-Autostar PC or PDA Observation System. Instead of using keys on the Autostar to point the telescope, you can use the PC's mouse or the stylus of your PDA. From a graphic screen of you PC or PDA you can point the cursor to a star, click the mouse or tap the stylus, and the telescope will point to the target star. It is very convenient.

This system can also find constellations easily. Just look at the computer screen and compare it to the sky. Click on each star of the constellation, and point the telescope to the stars in the constellation one by one. Learning astronomy becomes much easier. You can actually see what Orion looks like now with the help of the computer screen and the names of all of the stars that makes up that constellation.

The system can also find Kochab for NCP alignment. In my case, I cannot see Kochab for at least 4-5 months out of the year due to the hill behind my backyard. I use the feature on the computer planetarium program to determine the clock position of Kochab. This is very helpful with my NCP alignment.

You will need a computer (preferably a laptop computer), a Meade #505 compatible cable. For you Palm OS PDA, you need a Palm/Autostar cable adaptor. Either case you need planetarium software that has telescope control functions.

You must still use the Meade #497 Autostar to connect to the telescope. The PC or Palm OS PDA is connected to the Autostar and NEVER to the telescope directly. It is still the Autostar that control the telescope movement. The PC or Palm OS PDA just tell the Autostar where to point. Whatever software on your PC or Palm OS PDA cannot control the telescope directly. .

Note: The 505 cable adaptor has a female DB-9 connector. The Palm/Autostar has a male DB-9 connector. The DB-9 may is NOT interchangeable even with a gender changer.