New In Version 2.3.1

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Rather than adding new “features” that needlessly complicate the interface, ScopeDriver 2.3.1 adds new functionality without a performance penalty or increased complexity. Version 2.3.1’s highlights appear below. For a complete listing of changes in 2.3.1, click here.

Timed Slewing Automates Observing Runs

Timed Slewing allows you to use ScopeDriver in an automated or semi-automated setting, without having to program an interface between ScopeDriver and your imaging hardware.

When connected to a telescope (or in test mode), and the frontmost observing list has a single object selected, “Timed Slewing...” becomes available from the “Time” contextual menu. (The contextual menu may be accessed by clicking on the clock icon to the left of the Observing List’s “Save” button.) This function allows ScopeDriver to be used in an automated setting, with a user-selectable number of seconds between slews.

Multifunction UTC Display in all Observing List Windows

A UTC display has been added to the lower-left corner of Observing List Windows. The display updates every minute, and you may also click the display to immediately update the time and display a contextual menu. Contextual menu allows you to change the display color and copy UTC in various formats.

Other Enhancements

• Test Mode now reports local time, sidereal time, and UTC -- calculated based on the last time and location data gathered from a telescope. In test mode, times are calculated using saved telescope offsets, or by values entered in the Date and Time Window and the Site Information Window during test mode.
• Log Window: Click on any time or position label (or right-click on a time or position field) to summon a contextual menu, which may be used to populate the time and/or telescope position fields.
• Sidereal time is now reported even if your telescope model does not support it.
• Redesigned UTC handling throughout the program, increasing speed, and improving UTC precision when no telescope is connected.
• Added preference to suppress showing of Slew Progress window.

 

And in case you missed it, we added an exciting new feature to version 2.3:

Connect to a Remote Copy of ScopeDriver!

Beginning with version 2.3, you can connect to a telescope that is connected to a different computer. This means that you can connect to your telescope over a local area network (LAN). And, if you have a public IP address, you can connect over a wide area network (WAN) or over the Internet.

When connected remotely, you can do anything from the remote computer that ScopeDriver can do when it’s directly connected to a telescope. Imagine the possibilities!

The below images depict the two separate copies of ScopeDriver. The graphic on the left depicts the copy of ScopeDriver that is set up to do the actual controlling. The image on the right depicts the copy that is physically connected to the telescope.

The remote connection is established after two-way encrypted password verification, so nobody can connect to your telescope without your approval. The same password must be entered into both copies of ScopeDriver, as illustrated below:

ScopeDriver includes an autodiscovery feature that eliminates the need to configure the network and connect the two machines; the connection is handled automatically and transparently.

Try It Out!

Download ScopeDriver and see for yourself why this is such an exciting update!

Upgraders: This is a free upgrade for those who purchased ScopeDriver in January of 2003 or later. If you purchased ScopeDriver prior to January of 2003, you will be able to upgrade to version 2.3 at a special, discounted upgrade price. Just open ScopeDriver, and the program will guide you through the simple upgrade process.

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Thanks for your interest in ScopeDriver!

— Stephen E. Hutson, ScopeDriver’s author

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