ASCOM stands for Astronomy Common Object Model. This is an initiative to provide standardized software interfaces for astronomical equipment such as telescopes. For more information, please see ASCOM-Standards.org. You can also download the latest ASCOM Platform from this web site.
MaxPoint is designed to work with these standardized ASCOM drivers. It is therefore compatible with all ASCOM-compliant software that support telescope control, including MaxIm DL.
MaxPoint sits between your telescope control application and your telescope driver. Any GOTO commands going to the telescope are intercepted by MaxPoint, corrected for various errors, and then passed on to the telescope driver. When positions come back from the telescope, they are also corrected to "true" coordinates before being passed back to the control program.
Using this technique, MaxPoint can work with any telescope and any telescope control software.
The ASCOM Telescope Simulator is a great tool for learning about MaxPoint. You can tinker with MaxPoint at your desk, without actually using a telescope. This is a great tool for learning about how it works. Of course, your telescope simulator doesn't have any pointing errors, but you can quickly get a feel for using the package using the simulator.
MaxPoint allows for multiple programs to connect to one telescope. Simply set each package to connect to MaxPoint.
Each controlling program will allow the user to send commands to the telescope, and each will display the current telescope status. Of course, you can only command a slew from one package at a time.
We recommend using the ASCOM TeleAPI interface when using MaxPoint with TheSky. This is necessary because the driver must be between TheSky and the telescope. The procedure for installing TeleAPI is as follows:
Install the ASCOM Platform.
Open Windows Explorer and browse to C:\Program Files\Common Files\ASCOM\Telescope\Planetarium Plug-Ins\TheSky and follow the instructions in install.txt
Note: If you re-install TheSky you will have to re-install the plug-in.
The driver called TheSky-Controlled Telescope can also be used, but in this case TheSky itself will not have the benefit of pointing corrections, because MaxPoint will be upstream of TheSky. This may be useful in situations where TheSky is being used in scripted operation.