Can I upgrade my current Astro-Physics mount to go-to function?
Initially, our goal was to allow upgrades for older 400, 600E, 900 or 1200 stepper motor mounts. However, the accuracy demanded of a go-to mount is much higher than a conventional mount. As the GTO model of each mount was developed, we redesigned various mechanical components to achieve optimal performance. These changes cannot be made to existing mounts. The cost of updating the electronics of an existing mount would probably be at least $2,000 (the entire drive system and controller would have to be replaced), yet an older mount would not be as accurate as the newer mounts. As a result, we determined that upgrading would not be cost effective for the customer. We have decided that upgrades will not be made available. The 800, early 600, 706 and 504 mounts also cannot be retrofit with the computer drive due to the tangent arm declination drive.
