MaxIm DL is available in a number of different product levels, as follows:
MaxIm DL Basic is an introductory-level package suitable for users of webcams and low-end astronomical cameras such as Meade DSI and Orion StarShoot.
MaxIm DL IP provides full image processing and analysis capability, but no instrumentation control or image capture.
MaxIm DSLR includes support for popular DSLR camera models and all equipment supported by Basic. It also includes telescope and focuser control, and scripting.
MaxIm DL Pro provides all features, including support for scientific-grade CCD cameras,
MaxIm DL Pro Suite is a bundle of MaxIm DL Pro and MaxPoint.
This user manual describes all available features. Depending on the product level you purchased, you may not be able to access all capabilities.
Users can upgrade between product levels using the webstore at http://www.cyanogen.com.
The following table describes the differences between the product levels. For MaxIm DL Pro Suite please refer to the MaxIm DL Pro column. See below for a breakdown of the supported cameras by level.
Major Feature |
IP |
Basic |
DSLR |
Pro |
Com/ActiveX Scripting |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Image Processing Plug-ins |
Y |
|
Y* |
Y |
Third-Party Camera Plug-in Support |
|
|
|
Y |
Built-in Planetarium |
|
|
|
Y |
|
|
|
|
|
Instrumentation Control |
IP |
Basic |
DSLR |
Pro |
Scientific-Grade Camera Control* |
|
|
|
Y |
DSLR Camera Control* |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Webcam/DSI Camera Control* |
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
Filter Wheel Control |
|
|
|
Y |
Autoguider Control |
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
AO Control |
|
|
|
Y |
Dome Control |
|
|
|
Y |
Focuser Control |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Telescope Control |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Observatory Webcam Display |
|
|
|
Y |
ASCOM Switch Control |
|
|
|
Y |
Davis Weather Station Integration |
|
|
|
Y |
Boltwood Cloud Sensor Integration |
|
|
|
Y |
|
|
|
|
|
Control Features |
IP |
Basic |
DSLR |
Pro |
Built-in Catalogs |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Multiple Exposure Presets |
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
Autosave Sequences |
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
Scheduled Exposures (eclipse) |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Visual Focus Tools |
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
Autofocus |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Capture Mosaic |
|
|
|
Y |
Dithering |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Astrometric Resynchronization |
|
|
|
Y |
Offset Tracking |
|
|
|
Y |
Guider Filter Compensation |
|
|
|
Y |
Tracking Error Graph |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Tracking Log |
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
Tracking Alarms |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Move (via autoguider pulse) |
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
Automatic Star Chart Overlay |
|
|
|
Y |
Calibrate Shutter Latency |
|
|
|
Y |
Automatic Observatory Shutdown |
|
|
|
Y |
Automatic Pointing Refinement |
|
|
|
Y |
Automatic Pier Flip |
|
|
|
Y |
Automatic Shutdown |
|
|
|
Y |
Multi-Star Autoguiding |
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
Differential Autoguiding |
|
|
|
Y |
Exposure Auto Script |
|
|
Y |
Y |
|
|
|
|
|
File Menu |
IP |
Basic |
DSLR |
Pro |
New/Open/Revert/Save/Close |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Read/Write AVI Files |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Reads DSLR RAW Files |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Batch Save/Convert |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Load/Save Configurations |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Run Script |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
|
|
|
|
|
Edit Menu |
IP |
Basic |
DSLR |
Pro |
Annotate Images |
Y |
|
|
Y |
Mosaic |
Y |
|
|
Y |
All Other Edit Features |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
|
|
|
|
View Menu |
IP |
Basic |
DSLR |
Pro |
Pan/Zoom |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
View Full Screen |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Screen Stretch Window |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Information Window |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Pan Window |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Zoom Window |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
FITS Header Window |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Graph Window |
Y |
|
|
Y |
Log Window |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Batch Process Window |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Virtual Keypad |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Night Vision Mode |
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
Animate/Blink |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Equalize Screen Stretch |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
|
|
|
|
Analyze Menu |
IP |
Basic |
DSLR |
Pro |
PinPoint Astrometry |
Y |
|
|
Y |
Photometry |
Y |
|
|
Y |
FFT Analysis |
Y |
|
|
Y |
|
|
|
|
|
Process Menu |
IP |
Basic |
DSLR |
Pro |
Intelligent Image Calibration |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Align Images |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Stack Images |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Remove Bad Pixels |
Y |
|
|
Y |
Add Noise |
Y |
|
|
Y |
Remove Bloom |
Y |
|
|
Y |
Remove Pedestal |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Resize/Double Size/Half Size |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Make Pixels Square |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Stretch (linear/log/gamma) |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Histogram Specification |
Y |
|
|
Y |
Curves |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Levels |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Threshold |
Y |
|
|
Y |
Pixel Math |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
|
|
|
|
|
Filter Menu |
IP |
Basic |
DSLR |
Pro |
Kernel Filter |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
FFT Filter |
Y |
|
|
Y |
Unsharp Mask Filter |
Y |
Y* |
Y |
Y |
Digital Development |
Y |
Y* |
Y |
Y |
Range-Restricted Filters |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Rank Filter |
Y |
|
|
Y |
Local Adaptive Filter |
Y |
|
|
Y |
Rotational Gradient Filter |
Y |
|
|
Y |
Wavelet Filter |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Deconvolve |
Y |
|
|
Y |
Flatten/Remove Gradient |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
|
|
|
|
|
Color Menu |
IP |
Basic |
DSLR |
Pro |
Combine Color (RGB, LRGB) |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Color Stack |
Y |
|
|
Y |
Split Tricolor |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Convert to Mono |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Pseudo Color |
Y |
|
|
Y |
Convert Color (de-bayer) |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Color Balance |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
White Balance |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Realign Planes |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Adjust Saturation |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Remove Background Color |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Color Smoothing |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Color Adjust (graphical) |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Narrowband Blending |
Y |
|
|
Y |
Quick Color |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
|
|
|
|
Other |
IP |
Basic |
DSLR |
Pro |
Supernova Search Tool support |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Supports third party control software |
|
|
Y |
Y |
* Please see notes below.
Scripting
Some scripting functions in MaxIm DSLR are not available since the underlying capability is only available in MaxIm DL Pro.
FFT Filters
If a command optionally utilizes FFT filters, and FFT filters are not supported in the product level used, they will not be available for that command.
Cameras Supported by MaxIm DL Basic
MaxIm DL Basic supports webcams and introductory-level cameras:
Fishcamp Starfish
Lumenera (all models)
Meade DSI
Meade LPI
Meade 208XT, 216XT
SAC 10
SBIG ST-4
SBIG STV
Orion StarShoot (except G3)
Video DirectShow
Simulator
Please note that all video cameras and webcams are supported by Video DirectShow, including Imaging Source, Orion StarShoot Planetary, Watec, etc.
Cameras Supported by MaxIm DSLR
Above plus:
Canon EOS DSLR Series
Nikon DSLR Series
Olympus DSLR Series
Cameras Supported by MaxIm DL Pro
All available models including all third-party plug-ins and ASCOM camera drivers.
For a complete list of all known supported cameras, please see Camera and Autoguider Setup. Plug-ins for additional camera models may be available directly from the camera manufacturer.