MaxIm DL supports a wide variety of hardware, including cameras, autoguiders, filter wheels, focusers, telescope mounts, focal plane rotators, and observatory domes.
MaxIm DL primarily uses ASCOM drivers, available from http://ascom-standards.org. ASCOM is not a piece of software but rather an open, standardized interface for controlling astronomy equipment. Telescope, dome, focuser, and rotator drivers are all exclusively supported via ASCOM. Some cameras and filter wheels also have ASCOM drivers available. For additional information please refer to the section ASCOM Equipment, below.
For cameras, autoguiders, and filter wheels MaxIm DL has a proprietary plug-in architecture. Plug-ins are available from a variety of sources:
Many plug-ins are developed and supported by Diffraction Limited, and distributed with MaxIm DL. Most of these plug-ins require that the equipment manufacturer’s device drivers also be installed on the computer.
Some plug-ins are developed and supported by the equipment manufacturer, but are distributed with MaxIm DL as a convenience for the user.
Some cameras and filter wheels have ASCOM drivers available. These are supported by a special ASCOM Plug-in, which is included with MaxIm DL.
Other plug-ins and drivers are distributed directly by the equipment manufacturer. If you do not see your equipment listed, please consult with the manufacturer. Often drivers can be downloaded from their web site.
New equipment is appearing all the time, and as a result may not be listed in our documentation. If your equipment is not listed, please be sure to:
Update to the latest release of MaxIm DL.
Contact the equipment manufacturer to see if they provide their own plug-in drivers.
Please note that full technical support is available for software that is written by Diffraction Limited; however, many of these drivers were supplied by equipment manufacturers or other third parties. While we will always do our best to assist you, in some cases we may need to refer you to the equipment manufacturer for technical support.
The camera/filter wheel Plug-in API is available from Diffraction Limited upon request. An “advanced” version of the interface is also available to equipment manufacturers and developers.