SBIG CUSTOMER SURVEY    

INSTRUCTIONS:  Please fill out the form below and hit the submit button when you have verified all the information is correct.  You will receive an automatic confirmation of the information you submitted for your records.  Use the Tab key to move down the form and Shift+Tab key to move up the form.  We will mail a free copy of our Hartmann Mask Analysis software (normally $99) to every participant who answers all of the questions on the form.  Participants from outside the US may receive the Hartmann software for $10 to cover the cost of packaging and shipping. 

Thank you for participating in our survey!

Name
Address
City
State
Zip
Phone number
E-mail


1.  How long have you been an active amateur / professional astronomer?

Less than 1 year
1 - 2 years
3 - 4 years
5 - 9 years
10 - 14 years
15 - 19 years
20 - 24 years
25 - 29 years
30 or more years

2.  How often do you check our web site?

3.  Which SBIG camera(s) do you own?  (check all that apply):

ST-4
ST-4X
ST-5 (Original Model)
ST-5C (PixCel 255)
ST-237 (PixCel 237)
ST-6
ST-7
ST-8

4.  Why did you purchase a CCD camera?

Autoguiding  
Increase limit of human vision (view objects, but not necessarily save images)  
Photo-quality monochrome or color imaging  
Asteroid search
Astrometry or photometry  
Other scientific endeavor (describe):

5.  Before you purchased a CCD camera did you hesitate because of:

Price?
Performance concerns? 
Concern over which brand was best?   
Telescope not adequate for exposures minutes long?
Lack of suitable outdoor site?
Concern about complexity of autoguiding or CCD imaging in general?
Lack of familiarity with computers?
Please elaborate:

 

6.  What finally motivated you to buy a CCD camera?

           Please elaborate:
          

 

7.  What is your primary motivation in using a CCD camera?

8.  What type of telescope do you primarily use for CCD imaging?

Refractor
Schmidt-Cassegrain
Maksutov reflector
Newtonian reflector
Other          Describe:

What is the aperture of your main telescope you use with a CCD camera?
Inches

9.  What kind of mount do you have?

Celestron Ultima
Meade LX200
Non-GOTO Meade or Celestron Fork Mount   
Losmandy
AstroPhysics
Software Bisque Paramount
Other commercial mount (describe below)
Home built (describe below)
Please elaborate:

10.  Does your mount have GOTO capability?

         
         

11.  What is the tracking performance of your mount?

1 - 10 arcseconds peak to peak periodic error
11 - 30 arcseconds peak to peak periodic error
Greater than 30 arcseconds peak to peak periodic error
Don't know

12.  Approximately how much did you spend on your primary telescope and mount?

 $

13.  What type of computer do you use with your camera?

Laptop
Desktop
Other           Describe:

14.  What operating system do you use?:

DOS
Windows 3.1
Windows 95
Windows 98
Windows NT
Macintosh
Other         Describe: 

15.  If you have used both CCDOPS for DOS and CCDOPS for Windows 95/98, which do you prefer :

I prefer CCDOPS for DOS
I prefer CCDOPS for Windows 95/98
I prefer other control software (describe below) 

   Describe: 

16.  If necessary, would you pay 20% extra to have CCD imaging equipment that works with Macintosh computers?:

Yes
No

17.  Where do you use your system?

Backyard - temporary setup on grass, patio or driveway
Backyard - fixed pier
Backyard - home observatory
Remote site (portability important)
Remote site - permanent

18.  How do you power your equipment?

Battery
House power using long extension cable
Generator

19.  Do you wish SBIG would offer a:

Less expensive autoguider than the ST-4, but no simpler?
More capable autoguider than the ST-4 for a comparable cost?
Much more capable autoguider/imager than the ST-4 that is more automatic, but more costly?

20.  Do you wish SBIG would offer a:

Less capable camera than the ST-7 for less money (e.g., no autoguiding) ?
More capable camera for more money (e.g. more features or expensive CCD?
About what we currently sell?

21.  Please rank the following CCD camera attributes in terms of importance to you (1 is most desirable, 5 is least).  Do not use the same number twice:

Large array, lots of pixels
Self-guiding
Color imaging capable (using filters)
Powerful software

22.  If you had a choice, would you buy (a) a camera that was a great imager for $1995, or would you rather buy (b) the same camera with an integrated filter wheel and built-in AO capability for $2750?

(a) the camera only for $1995
(b) the camera with built-in filter wheel and AO for $2750

23.  Have you ever bought one of our competitors' products?

Yes
No
If yes, which one?  Describe: 

24.  If so, why did you purchase a competitor's product?

Lower price
More interesting feature set
CCD better matched to system
Better software
Better known brand name
Better performance (please describe)
Other         Describe: 

25.  How do you feel about your SBIG purchase?

Very pleased
Happy
Neutral feelings
Disappointed
Very disappointed
Describe: 

26.  How do you feel about the price you paid for your SBIG camera?

Too high
Reasonable
A bargain

27.  Would you buy another product from us or a competitor?

SBIG
Competitor

28.  How was our customer service?

Excellent
Good
Average
Poor
Very bad
Don't know - never called
How could it be improved:

29.  Was the SBIG camera difficult to use?

Yes
No

30.  Did you have problems with our camera that required return/repair?

Yes
No

31.  If your SBIG purchase was an autoguider, self-guided camera or camera used for guiding, were you able to achieve good round star images on long exposures?

All of the time
Most of the time
Seldom
Never
Haven't used guiding feature

32.  Are you interested in spectroscopy - now or at some future date?

Yes
No

33.  Do you use 7 x 50 or larger binoculars for observing occasionally (monthly)?

Yes
No

34.  Do you use a Dobsonian style telescope for observing occasionally (monthly)?

Yes
No
If yes, what size aperture?  inches.

35.  If you do not have a GOTO mount, are you hoping to acquire one?

Yes
No

36.  Would you like to operate your system remotely (i.e., from the comfort of your den) if you could?

Yes
No

37.  If you had a remote CCD system would it matter if the system could not conveniently be used visually - if it was optimized for electronic operation?

Yes it would matter.   A visual system is important to me.
No it wouldn't matter.   If I have a good remote CCD system, I don't need to use the scope visually

38.  Which publications do you read regularly?

Astronomy magazine
Sky & Telescope magazine
Other         Describe: 

39.  In what ways would you like to see SBIG improve its products?

40.  Please add any comments you like about this survey or SBIG products
and service in general.

Thank you for participating in this survey.
To send us your answers just hit the SUBMIT FORM button below.
You will receive an automatic feedback form displaying the answers you provided.

 

 

Revised: September 30, 1999 10:37:01 AM.
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