The new driver is 100% designed, developed, and supported by Astro-Physics.

Here are some of the new features of the Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM driver:

For V5.60.xx:

▪A new "Find Mount" button is available to locate the mount on a COM Port.

▪Simplified the setup of the driver's APCC configuration.

▪The driver forces auto-guiding to 1.00x sidereal, which is now the only option (1.00x auto-guiding is universally recommended by Roland Christen).

▪Updated the defaults to reduce the configuration required for most new setups.

▪When the driver is configured to use APCC the following are available:

•The driver will automatically hide itself to provide the cue that APCC has primary control. The driver can still be brought up via the system tray.

•Park, unpark, and home operations are now handled by APCC instead of the driver.

•Pier-flip can now be forced through the ASCOM driver by setting the ASCOM SideOfPier property.

NOTE: if using APCC, then APCC version 1.9.6.x or later is REQUIRED!
 

For V5.50.xx:

▪Added the REST as an alternative communications method to APCC.

For V5.40.xx:

▪Support for King Rate.

For V5.30.xx:

•Support for Mach 2 and GTOCP5.

For V5.21.xx:

•Asynchronous Park option.

For V5.20.xx:

•Can connect to the GTOCP4 via Ethernet or Wifi.

•Screen position can be saved and restored.

•Can disable Handbox window from being top most.

For V5.10.xx:

•Improved robustness interfacing with APCC v1.6 (and later).

•Improved performance of mouse button presses

•Reduced disk write overhead of log files

•Increased precision of RA commands to 2 decimal places, and Dec Commands to 1 decimal place, when used with GTOCP4 and firmware P01-04 and later firmware.

•When used with the GTOCP4, ASCOM PulseGuide moves up to 99.999 seconds are accepted.

For V5.09.xx:

•Improved robustness interfacing with APCC v1.5 (and later).

•Important bug fixes improving reliability of the driver.

•User interface improvements

For V5.08.xx:

•Moved settings from a flat text file (AP.INI) to a SQLite database for greater reliability and to add new support features.

•Added a new site location field to the driver's handbox window.

•Important bug fixes

•Digitally signed executables (by Sirius Imaging LLC)

For V5.07.xx:

•Added option to not show Park 1 warning.

•Fixed a couple issues that showed up in use with APCC.

For V5.06.xx:

•ASCOM DoesRefraction property reflects the refraction setting in APCC.

•Custom move rate set to -99.9999x to 99.9999x sidereal

•Improved driver connect options to be able to handle a wider range of operation scenarios.

For V5.05.xx:

•Added PEC Record button

•Added Right Angle Polar Alignment utility.

•Added new mount types (1100/1600 GTO)

•Support for APCC Horizons program.

•"Admin" appears in ASCOM logo if running "As administrator".

•Added Park 4

• Added more robustness to handbox move buttons.

•Clicking RA/Dec fields stops a park or slew.

•Added indicators in N/S or E/W directions are reversed. When reversed runaway autoguiding can occur.

•Added automatic N/S/W/E calibration to prevent possible autoguider runaway.

•Miscellaneous user interface changes.

Since V5.05.00:

•100% compliant with ASCOM Platform 6

•Improved robustness and logging capabilities

•Improved operation and many bug fixes (see version history for details)

•Complete support for APCC and Rev. S firmware.

•New visual cues, like CwUp (Counterweight up)

•Bookmarks for right ascension and declination targets. Bookmarks for common altitude and azimuth targets.

•APJog, a standalone application to "nudge" (slew) the mount by a specific distance.

•APLogZipper, a standalone application to zip log files to mail for support issues.

•APTimer, a standalone application that, after a configurable time, stops tracking or park the mount

•Many other tiny improvements!

Improvements of the AP V2 driver over the old AP driver:

•Adheres to the ASCOM Telescope V2 Standard (the old driver only complied with the V1 standard).

•Has a hand box window which provides comprehensive status and control over mount operations.

•The driver is a telescope "hub", This means that multiple ASCOM client applications can connect simultaneously. The old driver only allowed a single client application thus requiring the use of the POTH driver. The new driver does not require POTH.

•Provides robust communications with the mount, retrying commands if it detects a communications error or corruption in a response message.

•Saves multiple observing/imaging site coordinates.

•Can be configured to convert SYNC commands to RCAL commands to prevent possible mount mis-positioning (default).

•Caches common commands that client applications query (RA/Dec/Alt/Az/Pier Side/Sidereal Time/Time) so serial port traffic does not become excessive when many clients are connected simultaneously.

•Provides a Meridian delay feature like PulseGuide and the Astro-Physics keypad have.

•Provides custom RA/Dec tracking rates for both GTOCP2 and GTOCP3 mounts.

•Monitors and reports communications errors.

•Provides asynchronous PulseGuide support. This allows autoguider moves to be made to both RA and Dec simultaneously.

•Provides control over reticle brightness.

•Provides a handy icon in the system tray that provides quick access to status and certain commands.

•Adds custom tracking rates for GTOCP2 mounts.

•Incorporates comprehensive logging.

•Provides a focuser driver for DC synchronous focus motors operated through the GTOCPx Control Box.