If you want more info on why ASCOM was created and how ASCOM (Alpaca and COM) works, see the About Alpaca and ASCOM section.It tells the story in pictures. Otherwise proceed to the section that addresses the reason you came here, in the orange menu on the left.

Alpaca: Alpaca API Reference V9 (May 2023) NOTEWORTHY. This document is the technical reference for the ASCOM Alpaca APIs and describes how to use them (also available in PDF).Also described is the ImageBytes High Speed Image transfer Protocol, as well as the Alpaca Discovery protocol and some of the fundamental behavioural principles that underly …

FEATURED AlpacaScope - SkyFi to Alpaca Gateway (cross-platform) This is a cross-platform program (Linux, Mac, and PC) that emulates Simulation Curriculum's SkyFi device to allow their SkySafari Plus and SkySafari Pro Apps to use Alpaca to talk to any ASCOM compatible telescope plugged into a Windows PC (by way of ASCOM Remote). No physical SkyFi needed. Of …

1. What are ASCOM, Alpaca, and ASCOM COM? ASCOM is the general name for enabling technology based on universal connectivity between astronomy apps/programs and the devices they use. ASCOM has thus opened up astronomy software innovation by eliminating the need to write special code for each device.

As of August 2022, we no longer host drivers here. Drivers formerly hosted here have been moved to the ASCOM Ghost & Legacy Drivers repository on GitHub.. Download Center. This page lists items that the ASCOM Initiative has made available for download.

Frequently Asked Questions — ASCOM Alpaca and Classic ASCOM COM. NOTE: Alpaca is 100% independent of Windows. Nowhere in the Alpaca ecosystem is Windows (or COM) needed.

ASCOM Video Collection by Video Standard Author (external link) Drivers for video cameras as well as a C# client reference implementation for using video via ACSCOM and some anecdotal info on the 2 year development of this new ASCOM Standard and tools.

ASCOM/COM Applications (Windows only) If you haven't yet read the section About ASCOM, you should really go there and read it now.Knowing the basics and design philosophy can save you time and frustration compared to starting with pre-conceived ideas and ending up frustrated.

In line with previous Platform installers, 6.6 SP1 is a cumulative release that contains all enhancements and fixes from previous Platform releases and service packs. The Platform environment pre-requisites are listed here Platform Prerequisites.

How to Avoid Frustration. If you find yourself not understanding and not getting help from device manufacturer or the app developer, it's easy to get into the "If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail" mode.