Updating a meade 497 controller

Those two models were also sold as the "495" (a 497 with limited programming), and as the "Starfinder", a 494 programmed for German Equatorial Mounting only, as the Meade 4504 and 114EQ-DH4, both 114mm Newtonians.Meade's advertising claimed that the 497 had a full megabyte, and the 495 had only a half-megabyte, but every 495 anyone has investigated has had the full one megabyte, and Meade's Autostar Updater program is happy to load any 495 with 497 firmware.Downloading a 497 firmware image to a 495 will turn it into a 497. As far as I know, all of the comands that come out of a 494 to the telescope are the same as with a 497.In all the scopes that I have used, the two handsets were interchangable. Can I get an expert opinion whether or not it will work with my ETX80 before I spend 0? The 494 handset does not have the memory capacity to be updated and is not programmed with that capacity. The 497, 497 EP, and Audio Star are the ones that can be updated and can work with an ETX. It doesn't state in the description that it works specifically with the ETX80 but it does state it works with the ETX90.This information will focus on the 497 Autostar, with comments about other models' differences.If you take off the covers of your Autostar, you'll find that it contains a two-sided circuit board.

This version has passed the Conformance Checker tests and has support for programmably changing pier side. Park and Unpark use the mount Hibernate/Wakeup commands for Nex Star HCs version 5.24. ), installed as part of the driver, for a full description. This driver works with either alt-az mounts (like a dobsonian) or equatorial mounts. Looked up available hand sets from Meade and found the 497 model.I am very confident that if it will work on an EXT 90 it will work with the EXT 80. If you are in doubt after more replies, assuming that there are some, call Meade Customer Support.work with these scopes, you need to replace the #494 Autostar controller (which does not have a serial port) with the #497 Autostar (which does). Li-ion batteries do not have a horrible performance penalty in the cold (unlike Ni Cad).We expect/guess maybe 70% performance in freezing conditions.