Meade Autostar Suite w/LPI Digital Camera

The camera works fine unless you have a Windows Vista computer. The driver software does not run on vista. Meade Customer Service says that there is no plan to support Vista. I exchanged this camera for a Celestron NexImage Solar System Imager. It works good on Vista.

I would like to say I know how well this works, but so far I have spent 2 days trying to convince my vista laptop to work with the digital camera. There are tricks to make it work, but if you a not comfortable using regedit and are willing to accept that some features won't work properly do not buy this if you only have a vista laptop.

Meade states that this is a Microsoft problem, and that might be true, but frankly there is no vista driver and that responsibility should fall on the person selling the device, not the Operating System company.

Now, if you have an XP laptop ( I am sure you will be using a laptop, who lugs around a desktop with their telescope ) this will work great. Note the comments by some others about the usb to serial adapter necessary for autostar to work.

Am I upset about the driver not working? Nah, I am nerd, I can deal with the hard work to get things working properly. Don't buy this for your child thinking it will work perfectly, this is big nerd kind of toys.

This Meade autostar digital camera works great! It's a fun way to view the stars.

I did a direct compare with Meades LPI camera and the Barska® Digi Eyepiece. The Digi Eyepiece had a better picture but their software was a little buggy.
The Meade LPI camera and Autostar software was very easy to install.
The Autostar suite is amazing!

If you plan to connect a computer to your Autostar you will need to buy an adapter.
The camera plugs into your usb port, BUT the Autostar software,to direct your telescope, goes into a serial port.
(how dumb is that? Anyone going to use this is going to be using a laptop and todays laptops do not have this port!)
So you will need to buy a USB to Serial Port Cable adapter.
Meade sells it for $40.00 but other vendors here on Amazon have ones that will work for $20.00 or even less.

I give them 4 stars because the camera could be better and they are unclear that you need a usb port AND a serial port to use them both together.

If you are looking for something that is almost plug and play (you need the serial to usb adapter) I would get the Meade.
The Autostar Software is amazing!

If you are just looking for a camera only, and don't need the autostar software, I would look at getting the Barska® Digi Eyepiece.
Their software is a little buggy but the pictures are clearer.
You can read my other review of the Barska® Digi Eyepiece here on Amazon to see what problems I had.
Just do a search for Barska® Digi Eyepiece.

I ended up using both on different computers and telescopes. =o)

I Purches Meade Autostar for my Meade LX200GPS where the results where greate. I have to get used to the Autostar Suite but after 3 nights i got the best resuls of the moon. and Jupiter.