Some new drivers simply replace older versions, adding support for
new features and possibly for new camera models (e.g. the newly
introduced G3-16000 camera). Other drivers are completely new,
supporting new user applications (e.g. TheSkyX from Software Bisque)
or new hardware (e.g. drivers for Gx Camera Ethernet Adapter for MaxIm
DL and Astroart—these drivers did not exist in
previous versions and it was necessary to use ASCOM drivers
instead).
New drivers are designed as universal, supporting entire class of
current Gx cameras, with either USB or Ethernet connection. While this
universality was already introduced in the case of Gx
Camera Ethernet Adapter driver, USB drivers traditionally
distinguished between small G0/G1 guiding cameras and
large G2/G3/G4 cameras. This separation is gone, new driver
handles all USB connected cameras equally.
Unfortunately there are software packages with driver
interface not designed to allow usage of single driver for both
imaging and guiding cameras (e.g. MaxIm DL v4/v5 or Astroart). The only solution was
somewhat artificial splitting of drivers for these software packages
into two variants:
Imager driver, which controls models G2, G3 and G4,
typically used as imaging cameras.
Guider driver, which controls models G0 and G1,
typically used as autoguiding cameras.
This solution does not allow for e.g. using of G1 and G0 models
together as imaging and guiding cameras, but it hopefully covers
typical camera combinations. The limitation is not inherent to Gx
cameras or their drivers (other software packages like TheSkyX or SIPS
do no suffer from it), but rather to the way some software packages
handle camera drivers.
Because we do not know with which software the ASCOM driver
will be used, we also split the ASCOM drivers to two
variants—Imager and Guider. So when
considering USB and Ethernet versions, drivers for ASCOM,
MaxIm DL and Astroart are available in
four versions:
The SIPS and TheSkyX drivers are only in USB and Ethernet
variants.
Unified drivers are released in the SIPS version 2.3. But SIPS
software package offers available Gx cameras in the CCD Window tool,
so the user does not need to install Gx camera drivers. USB drivers
require no configuration at all (cameras simply appear in the
configuration window when they are connected to the host PC and Scan
Cameras command button is clicked). Cameras connected through the Gx
Camera Ethernet Adapter require only the device IP address of
FQDN to be defined.
Drivers can be downloaded from the download section of this web site.
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