Well loved TeleVue scope discontinued ...

[harlequin2902]

So, the day finally comes...

After being around in the market for about 12 years, the Pronto (and Ranger) has been discontinued by TeleVue.

I guess they finally bowed out under the pressure from the increased competition in recent times, or perhaps they were simply the overstaying odd ones out in TeleVue's lineup (they were the only 'semi-apos' offered by TeleVue).

Still, they were both well loved by many amateur astronomers worldwide.

[Airconvent]

So, the day finally comes...

After being around in the market for about 12 years, the Pronto (and Ranger) has been discontinued by TeleVue.

I guess they finally bowed out under the pressure from the increased competition in recent times, or perhaps they were simply the overstaying odd ones out in TeleVue's lineup (they were the only 'semi-apos' offered by TeleVue).

Still, they were both well loved by many amateur astronomers worldwide.

hi sam,
franky, I found the scope a tad to expensive and way too heavy for the aperture. I remember wira's 410 head struggling with it during mars watch.
apart from these minor issues, its a great scope optically and I know you had many intimate moments with it! :-)

as for the decision, apparently, its too heavy for spotting scope use and too small for serious users...most prefer at least the 76mm and normally take the TV85 instead as a "grab-and-go" scope. So it makes sense that now they have a REAL spotting scope in the new TV-60, they do not want the pronto sales to cannibalise the new TV-60 as well. this merges the 3 lines (pronto, TV-60 and ranger) and simplify their production processes as well.

rich

[MooEy]

quite hard for the pronto to survive la, it had apo kind of prices. so many similar products which cost only a fraction of it's price. starting we have the megrez 80, borg76ed, then the stellarvue nighthawk, now we have the ultra cheapo orion 80ed. and if one were to pay more, he/she can get a tak.

crazy competition out there, everyone seems to have realise newer and newer versions except televue. not much for televue to improve in the pronto, they might as well sell the tv76 instead.

~MooEy~