Telescopes (Meade ETX 70 & Skylux) in Lidl Monday 22nd N

Hi Stephen

As you said the uk is selling them for 300 but if lidl did manage to buy a good quantity of these telescopes? How on earth then can a supermarket get at a small price for them?

If this is the case? Why cant the main telescope shops do the same….what’s so special about lidls that can manage this? Personally I wouldn’t buy it because to me it’s a junk scope whatever make it is. I know im negative about this because I have my suspicions to be. If they were selling them telescopes in your local sweetshop would you still buy it?

Im not asking people not to buy it….its there choice!! What I am saying all these years ive been interested in astronomy we have been advised to stay away from junk scopes in chemists/supermarkets. All of a sudden this lidls is selling this telescope and now its ok to buy from a supermarket. Its giving the wrong impression to the beginner. Is there one man here that can tell me im wrong in what im saying? Im sure someone will twist my words but at least im sticking to my beliefs.

169 for the scope……sorry I just cant see the rewards in getting it.

Orion.

There are loads and loads of Lidls, all over the place, not just in Ireland - usually telescope shops would only have one or two branches at the most. Lidl can afford to buy them in bulk because of this.

And Meade isn't a 'junk scope' brand. If this was a Tasco telescope you can be sure that people here wouldn't be as ready to buy it as they are now, but Meade are quite reputable, from what I've seen.

Hi,

maybe the scope might be good? maybe not.......if the beginners out there buy this scope and there happy with it..all is well and i will eat my words...if its not good......well it wasnt me that recommened it.

my main concern is how can a supermarket sell such a scope if its the genuine item and not a immitation? dont forget xmas is comming up soon isnt this the time to avoid junk scopes for your children and yourself? maybe ive lost the plot....and you all can slag me off for being honest but im the one keeping away from junk scopes and some of you are buying them.....why? so all the advice astronomy forums/magazines and so on give about not to buy junk scopes is all false? lidl is some kind of supermarket isnt it? my wife goes there shopping sometimes for household items.....would you normally buy a scope from a shop that sells food/other things? dont think so somehow.

I bought the skylux (cheaper scope) last time from lidl and have been happy with it. I do actually use it quite a bit for planetary/lunar when I cant be bothered taking out the 10". With decent eyepeices I think its a good scope. The more expensive one is a meade ETX-70, it ifs not then lidl will be getting sued from meade over trademarks! I dont own one of these but have used other peoples ones and its great for what it is, a small goto, with exactly the magnification and performance that you would expect from a short tube refractor.

The thing is that lidl have actually established themselves with a reputation for the optics in some of their specials. I own a pair of binoculars and a telescope from them and they have both performed as well as much more expensive equipment. Thats not to say that they wont turn around next week and sell a plastic tasco, in which case this board will be full of people advising not to buy it. The products they are selling on monday have an good track record for what they are, 70mm refractors, and imo are not junkscopes.

If there is a perception that this thread is advocating going and buying cheap scopes from a supermarket in general, then that is wrong. Its just these particular scopes that are a good deal. A Tasco at Tesco would not be!

As for the price, Meade is phasing out the ETX line and upgrading it, therefore I would suspect that lidl managed to buy a large chunk of existing stock at a discount directly from the factory in China. The Skylux comes with a Meade CD also so perhaps there is actually some agreement between lidl and meade to shift old kit that otherwise would become a liability on the books sitting in warehouses.

Cheers,
~Al

Al - is the current scope on offer for €60 a Skylux? There's no description of brand.

Also, would either (or both) of these serve any useful purpose as a finder, in you opinion?

And finally, do you know if *all* the Lidl stores will be carrying both of these products from Monday?

Cheers

Dave

Hi Cathy


Ok fair enough you don’t agree with me.

I’m only saying what I feel no one can argue about that. As for that scope again I see nothing mentioned about it being a Meade..all it says is…….computer telescope!!

Now….if it is a Meade why not have the name there? But if it turns out to be a Meade in disguise please except my apologies. But as I see it to my eyes it’s a junk scope. I cant say no more than that its just my opinion that’s all. If im wrong about this……again except my apologies.

Has anybody seen it yet? Is it a Meade or something else?

Orion

Orion - yes, it *is* a Meade - you can see the Meade badge (on the scope)in the photo and as far as I know, no-one else other than Meade sells a scope with a model number 'ETX-70'.

This is not a 'junk scope' but neither is it a top end fluorite apo. Most certainly what it is, is cheap and value for money. Seems there are real bargains to be had these days! Fair play to Lidl.

Al - Takahashi at Tesco? Who knows... :shock:

Cheers

Dave