History of the Paramount Mount

This page shows the production history and major feature differences for the Paramount GT-1100, Paramount GT-1100S, Paramount ME, Paramount MX and Paramount ME II mounts.

Paramount GT-1100

Paramount GT-1100S

Paramount ME

Paramount MX

Paramount ME II

Paramount GT-1100 Robotic Telescope Mount

Sold from August, 1996 through December, 1999.

Overview of the Paramount GT-1100 Robotic Telescope Mount.

• All anodized aluminum construction.

• Byers 11-inch right ascension and 7-inch declination gears.

• SBIG's TCE-1 60 ounce-inch stepper motor control system with two degree per second maximum slewing rate.

• 75-pound payload capacity. (Right ascension gear is mounted at the rear of the right ascension axis).

Paramount GT-1100S Robotic Telescope Mount

Sold from January 2000 through July, 2001.

Overview of Software Bisque's second-generation robotic telescope mount.

• All anodized aluminum construction.

• Byers 11-inch right ascension and 7-inch declination gears.

• 4-minute worm period.

• Software Bisque's MKS-3000 DC Servo control system:

  • Brushless DC-servo motors ensure long life and smooth operation.

  • Field upgradeable flash RAM permits easy, immediate software updates.  

  • Fast slew speeds and consistent torque at all slew rates. A maximum rate of five degrees per second in right ascension and seven degrees per second in declination gets you to the object, fast.

  • Virtually unlimited selection of tracking and slew rates.

  • AutoHome™ capability (to better than one arcsecond) with built-in sensor circuitry on each axis ensure that the mount always knows its orientation (after a one-time initialization), even after power failure.

  • Software controlled "hard limits" prevent the mount from tracking or slewing into itself.

  • User-defined parameters can be stored to on-board flash RAM.

  • Numerous safety features critical to remote operation including current-limit protection, encoder-error limits, acceleration ramping, and user-definable maximum slew speeds.

  • Joystick, TheSky for Windows or TheSky Pocket Edition control.

  • Programmable and updateable Periodic Error Correction.

  • Intelligent German Equatorial flipping eliminates unnecessary long slews.

  • The MKS-3000 control system can track at true lunar, solar, minor planet or comet, NEO or LEO satellite rates, or at almost any user-defined rate (when used with TheSky).  No other commercially available control system can make this claim.

  • TheSky has been updated to provide many new capabilities that were previously not possible. Some examples of these new features include: display a graph of the periodic error of the worm gear; track a low-earth satellite by clicking on the object on the Sky Display.

• 100 lb payload capacity. (Right ascension gear is mounted at the top of the right ascension axis)

Links to the legacy Paramount GT-1100S Instructional Videos

Paramount ME Robotic Telescope Mount

Sold from July, 2001 through August 2012.

Overview of Software Bisque's third-generation robotic telescope mount.

• Payloads up to 68 kg (150 lb.). 

• Eight-inch roller bearing (which produces an effective 8-inch bearing surface) on the right ascension axis to ensure maximum stability.

• Software Bisque manufactured ultra-precision gears. Software Bisque guarantees that the right ascension gear maximum 7 arcseconds periodic error before periodic error correction (PEC).

• Transportable. More efficient mount design reduces the overall weight to 68 lbs (no equipment) with improved overall rigidity.

• Improved altitude and azimuth adjustments. New design makes polar alignments much simpler and more precise.

• Improved exterior finish and quality. Every part is precision manufactured using CNCs machines in our production facility.

• Improved accessory control panel. Inputs for CCD camera cables, auto-guiders, focusers and other accessories are integrated into the Paramount ME.

• MKS 4000 control system layout with a smaller integrated board design with more features.

• AutoHome™ for absolute positioning from night to night.

• ProTrack™ integration. 

History of Paramount ME Production Changes

July, 2001 - April 2004

• MKS 3000 Control System

May 2004 - August 2012 (end of production)

• MKS 4000 Control System

July 2001 - January 1, 2008

• Adaptor Panel Revision D

January 1, 2008 - August 2012 (end of production)

• Adaptor Panel Revision F

January 1, 2011 - August 2012 (end of production)

• Versa-Plate Revision B

• Ships with newer model hand paddle instead of the joystick

Paramount MX Robotic Telescope Mount

Available from July, 2011 to present.

The Paramount MX is the portable version of the Paramount series of mounts.  Visit the Paramount MX web page for details about this mount.

Paramount ME II Robotic Telescope Mount

The Paramount ME II supersedes the Paramount ME model mount.  Visit the Paramount ME II web page for details about the new-generation Paramount German equatorial mount.

The Paramount ME II began shipping March, 2013.