Meade Files Bankruptcy

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515bonner United States of America
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Meade Files Bankruptcy

#1

Post by 515bonner »


14.5" f/5.3 Starmaster with Sky Commander XP4 | 9.25" Celestron SCT | 8" f/7 Starmaster (only 5 made) with Sky Commander V3
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Re: Meade Files Bankruptcy

#2

Post by helicon »


A sad story. It appears that the damages awarded to Orion as well as long-term debt will make Meade's operating as a going concern very difficult. Of course, they may be able to reorganize in the bankruptcy process as creditors will have to accept whatever Meade can payout as a remedy.
So we may not have heard the last from Meade.
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
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Re: Meade Files Bankruptcy

#3

Post by Bigzmey »


Bummer. I hope they will manage to turn things around.
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
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Re: Meade Files Bankruptcy

#4

Post by Star Rider »


Maybe Scott Roberts from Explore Scientific can go in and save the company. Very sad though.

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Scopes - 6" ES AR 152, 5" ES 127 APO, 90mm Stellarvue CF Raptor, 72mm AT, C9.25, C1100 EDGE, 6" RC & ES Comet Hunter.
Cameras - SBIG ST 8300 OSC, Cannon T3i & Orion SSAG
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Re: Meade Files Bankruptcy

#5

Post by Ylem »


Interesting and sad.
A few thoughts, first I had no idea Orion tried to buy Meade, I remember the blocked merger with Celestron.
It’s most likely not the end of Meade, it’s biggest asset is it’s name, and the Chinese have very deep pockets.

I worked for Lionel Trains for many years, samething. Many bankruptcies, but it has that household name.

Wonder what Orion will do with the settlement? Would they now want to make an offer for Meade? That would be awkward...
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Re: Meade Files Bankruptcy

#6

Post by Lady Fraktor »


Orion did not try to buy Meade, they were suing Meade and Celestron for colluding against them.
This is why many times you would see a product from Orion costing one price and Meade or Celestron selling the same equipment for quite a bit less.
Since it seems Sunny has also filed for protection it will be interesting to see how Explore Scientific and Bresser come through this as they are affiliated with Sunny.

Synta/ Celestron settled with Orion out of court last year or the year before.
See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
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Re: Meade Files Bankruptcy

#7

Post by Piet Le Roux »


They did try to buy them:
"Meade, a big name in the home telescope market, fell on hard times a decade ago as foreign-made products scooped up market share from domestic makers. Whatever business was left then shrank during the Great Recession. Orion had tried to acquire the then financially ailing Meade but was outbid first by another Asian manufacturer and finally by Ningbo Sunny. Orion alleges that after the Meade merger with its Chinese buyer, Orion’s ability to buy products from the combined entities ended."

I don't think Meade should survive this: The market has become too small for 4 main players to survive. As a Meade fan and customer I have to be realistic : Their goto software is 20 years old with bugs that is also 20 years old although they made good products (I have 20 year old Autostar controller with updated firmware that controls my 2018 LX90 perfectly) but there is no new development. If I could get a buyer for all my Meade stuff I would be looking at the Orion 10" F8 RC with (unbelievably) an equatorial mount!
Main Equipment : Tele Vue 27mm Panoptic, 7&13mm Nagler, Big Barlow : 8" Meade LX90ACF with Meade 2.0" Enhanced Diagonal : Camera Fuji XT100
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Re: Meade Files Bankruptcy

#8

Post by helicon »


Ylem wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 2:07 am Interesting and sad.
A few thoughts, first I had no idea Orion tried to buy Meade, I remember the blocked merger with Celestron.
It’s most likely not the end of Meade, it’s biggest asset is it’s name, and the Chinese have very deep pockets.

I worked for Lionel Trains for many years, samething. Many bankruptcies, but it has that household name.

Wonder what Orion will do with the settlement? Would they now want to make an offer for Meade? That would be awkward...
Cool. My nephew loves Lionels. For many that would be a dream job. And I think the Meade name/brand will be valuable to whomever resurrects the business. The firm where I worked in the early 2000's sent me to do some due diligence on Meade in preparation for a buyout offer for the business. We ended up not making an offer. At the time Meade was still a publicly traded company on Nasdaq, but the share price had undergone a steep decline. They also had opened a factory in Mexico, which is now shuttered.
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
Latitude: 48.7229° N
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Re: Meade Files Bankruptcy

#9

Post by yobbo89 »


who else is making sct telescopes that i don't know off ? celestron and meade is all i've ever heard off, i picked a meade scope because of price, but it looks like celestron is really in on the game with product diversity and quality , they have the f2 range and more addons.

meade is alright ,their Q.A is going out the window though.
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .

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Re: Meade Files Bankruptcy

#10

Post by Lola Bruce »


I hope the good optical tube designs become Orion property and Meade goes away. The way I and many others have been treated they do not deserve to continue. Meade was a pioneer in our hobby and should be remembered fondly but that is not the Meade of today.

Bruce
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Re: Meade Files Bankruptcy

#11

Post by Lowjiber »


Piet Le Roux wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 7:11 am ...Their goto software is 20 years old with bugs that is also 20 years old ...
Amen! Fifteen years ago, I threw my Meade goto rig off a cliff into the Pacific Ocean in Ft. Bragg, California and haven't allowed anything with the Meade name on my property since. I guess I must have been ahead of the curve. :lol:
John (Urban Astronomer) Apertura AD10 Dob; XLT 150 Dob; XLT 120EQ; Lunt Solar 60 PT/B1200; ES AR102; SW Pro 100ED; 2 SW Pro 80ED's; 90mm Eq; WO Z-61; SW 90mm Virtuso Mak; 2 Orion ST-80's; Quark-C; Cams: Polemaster, ASI120MM-S, ASI174MM & ASI174MM-C
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Re: Meade Files Bankruptcy

#12

Post by Richard »


Quite sad but honestly with LP increasing every year how long before everyone just uses a computer ? I am in RSA at the moment and their is power cuts all the time again which makes a big difference , one can see stars again .
I only had the DS version of Meade terrible
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Re: Meade Files Bankruptcy

#13

Post by yobbo89 »


a news feed came up on my phone today about this. they say they will still honour warranty ectt.
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .

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Re: Meade Files Bankruptcy

#14

Post by turonrambar »


thanks for your post.

kip
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Re: Meade Files Bankruptcy

#15

Post by kt4hx »


Never owned anything with a "Meade" label on it, so really don't have an opinion about them. But from what I have read they did seem to be in a downhill posture for some time now. That happens sometimes with companies as internal changes occur. But usually others pick up any slack that remains when someone fails.
Alan

Scopes: Astro Sky 17.5 f/4.5 Dob || Apertura AD12 f/5 Dob || Zhumell Z10 f/4.9 Dob ||
ES AR127 f/6.5 || ES ED80 f/6 || Apertura 6" f/5 Newtonian
Mounts: ES Twilight-II and Twilight-I
EPs: AT 82° 28mm UWA || TV Ethos 100° 21mm and 13mm || Vixen LVW 65° 22mm ||
ES 82° 18mm || Pentax XW 70° 10mm, 7mm and 5mm || barlows
Filters (2 inch): DGM NPB || Orion Ultra Block, O-III and Sky Glow || Baader HaB
Primary Field Atlases: Uranometria All-Sky Edition and Interstellarum Deep Sky Atlas
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Re: Meade Files Bankruptcy

#16

Post by pakarinen »


I have to admit that I really like my 80mm Meade Adventure Scope, although I guess it's really not Meade-specific. It's not big or pretty, but it works pretty well in my circumstances and it was under $100. Since I bought it from AMZ, I figured I could return it pretty easily if it turned out to be a dog; no need to deal with customer service at Meade.
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Re: Meade Files Bankruptcy

#17

Post by helicon »


Meade probably won't be able to pay the damages ($$$) awarded to Orion, so most likely it will end up in bankruptcy or an ABC (Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors). I imagine after the process that someone will acquire the brand name and any other "goodwill" and slap it on the side of some scopes.
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
Latitude: 48.7229° N
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Re: Meade Files Bankruptcy

#18

Post by Shorty Barlow »


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Does this mean my Meade Plossls will become collectors items? lol
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Re: Meade Files Bankruptcy

#19

Post by DozerBolt »


Yikes! So I'm guessing THAT's why I just got a super deal on my Meade EclipseView 82mm FirstScope, and that it had been listed as "discontinued". Still, I'm writing a review on that puppy as we speak - it's a terrific beginner scope and it comes with "the kitchen sink"...
DozerBolt from Northern California
Odyssey 8" Dob, Dynamax 6" Cat, Orion Shortube 90mm, Restored Tasco 9F 60mm, Meade EclipseView 82mm tabletop;
Orion 9x63 Little Giant AK roofs, Orion Ultra 2x54 Galilleans, Vortex Crossfire HD 12x50 roofs, Nikon Owl II 7x50, Atlas Eagle Owl 10x50 Porros;
Swift Audubon 8.5x44 804b(2), 10x42 Orion Otter ED SP Roofs, more;
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