HOTECH Advanced CT Laser Collimator - Forums

Topic starter

Perfect post

Jan 28, 2023

Does anyone have any direct experience with this particular laser collimator?
I am considering getting it for my Edge 8 HD so I can collimate during the day, inside, so I don't spend good sky time collimating..

Thanks,
Jerry

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Tim Hawkes

Jan 28, 2023

Hi Jerry,

I don't. But spotted this link that looks relevant https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/697589-learnings-from-using-hotech-laser-collimator-with-edgehd-scope/

just by way of a caveat emptor I can tell you that I have an SCA-2C Laser collimator from Hotech but different because used for a Newtonian. Last week I would have told you that it is great. But on more thorough testing I now find that its expanding rubber ring mechanism for aligning with the focuser just doesn't work with sufficient consistency and also that Hotech have not made it at all easy to adjust the laser alignment - which is slightly out. So beware premature enthusiastic endorsements from folk that haven't yet fully tested their kit.

Tim

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Jeff Reitzel

Jan 28, 2023

I have had one for many years to use with my Edge 11. I initially got it to help align a Hyperstar and it did a great job with that at the short 560mm FL. I have since sold the Hyperstar and use the Hotech after doing major cleaning work on the OTA or something like that. They are not the easiest thing to use but do a good job of getting the collimation very close. It takes a lot of patience getting the Hotech Collimator and the OTA perfectly parallel to each other. Honestly I don't think they are ever absolutely perfect. I say that because I find that I often need small adjustments in the field when checking actual stars after initially collimating with the Hotech. It could just be changes in temperature too since these Edge OTA's are very sensitive to that. I guess it depends on what you want the Hotech to do. Perfect collimation will always best be done in the field with actual stars and your actual imaging conditions. If you are looking for a close collimation after disassembly like I use it for then it is a wonderful tool to have.
CS,
Jeff

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John Hayes

Frequent contributor

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Jan 28, 2023

Jerry Gerber:
Does anyone have any direct experience with this particular laser collimator?
I am considering getting it for my Edge 8 HD so I can collimate during the day, inside, so I don't spend good sky time collimating..

Thanks,
Jerry

I think that you would be better off using SkyWave from Innovations Foresight. Yes it will require sky time but once you have the scope aligned, it should stay that way. It is also far more accurate than any purely geometric method.

John

Jerry Gerber

Topic starter

Perfect post

Jan 28, 2023

Thanks everyone for the information. I've decided not to buy it. It makes sense that collimation should be done in the field, where ambient temperatures more closely match the actual imaging environment. Sometimes, but not always, lo-tech is best.

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Dale Penkala

Jan 28, 2023

My personal experience is you almost always have to adjust on a star to fine tune collimation. The only exception probably would be with a refractor but, SCT, Reflector, RC those you almost always need to fine tune with a star. Again this is just my personal experience. As @John Hayes Mentioned once they are collimated they generally stay collimated as long as you’re careful with mounting and demounting the OTA. I’m not familiar with SkyWave that John mentions but I can highly recommend MetaGuide’s collimation tool for your final tweaking in.
https://smallstarspot.com/metaguide/

Dale

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Nick Grundy

Jan 28, 2023

I actually have the hotech laser collimator. I bought because I was hoping for a more precise alignment (and a bit of an impulse buy). It was pretty painful to setup and use. In the end, I wound up just going back to old method on a star. (this was for my edge HD 8).

I've bought a lot of stuff over the last year getting into this hobby, and this is probably one of the few items I regret purchasing so far. It's awfully expensive compared to other options and for how it performs.

I was just eyeing the Ocal pro and wondering how that performs on an SCT if anyone has tried (I did catch the video Cuiv has on youtube)

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