SbigControl - Background

I am working over 30 years as developer of hard- and software for industrial control systems.

Over 20 years, I practice imaging and image development of astronomical pictures, first with analog film and now with CCD.

Since 2002, I'm working with Sbig cameras (ST-10, STXL-6303, STT-8300M), together with adaptive optics (AO7, AO8 and now AOX).

I was always convinced of the quality of Sbig cameras, but never of the control software of the different supplier. At least (end of 2014), I could not find a acceptable software which supports the AO-X. For that reason, I decided to develop my own control software for Sbig cameras. Sbig gave me a great support to do this, thank you!

Principally, I realized all my whises in SbigControl, but in meantime I added much features, suggested by customers of SbigControl.

Ate the moment there is the version 1.2 available. It was much work necessary to develop this software, more than 700 working hours, about 25000 C++ code lines and often the necessity to explain my family, why I had to work after my official work...

However, I'm lucky to have now a really powerful sofware to control Sbig cameras. The development forge ahead, and I have included now ASCOM interfaces to control focuser (auto-focus), rotator and telescope mounts. Also a new feature is the possibility to download images from DSS or STSCI data base, to get an idea of the target area.

The first idea was to make SbigControl as freeware, but there are two reasons to ask for a little amount:

1) to remember me always: customers have the right to get a good support from me

2) to remember customers: this software was created by hard work and will further developed

If you have purchased a SbigControl version, you get each update for free - lifelong - automatically!

Thank you to supprt the development of SbigControl!

Clear skies, Manfred