For all devices

New Features

• Maestro now supports a new, higher performance, means of communicating with software drivers (e.g., ASCOM). This is an enhancement on the previous use of network sockets for inter-process communications using a new socket "connect and stay connected" appraoch, rather than the old (slower) "connect, transact, disconnect" approach.
• Changed the "Client Status" window (accessible from View --> Common --> Client (ASCOM/X2) Status) to show which clients have connected to Maestro since Maestro was started. The Type (e.g., Telescope, Dome, etc.), source IP address and port number and status of the connection is shown. Note: presently, Maestro only supports connections from the machine that it is running on (i.e., not from over the outside network) hence the IP address is always displayed as "LocalHost". The following connection status values are possible:
  • "Active: ", where will be either XXXms (XXX milliseconds) or "TO off" (if the timeout has been turned off by the connected client).
  • "Protocol error": if the client send a packet to Maestro that was errored.
  • "Disconnected": if the client is no longer connected on the specified port #.
  • "Timed-out @XXXms": if the client was inactive and timed out after XXX milliseconds.

• Provided support for digital temperature sensors across all devices. This includes reading and reporting of hardware internal temperature and, for Focuser, ambient temperature if a proper temperature sensor is attached.
• Temperature reporting units for all devices now follows the units specified in the Settings --> "User Interface Settings" window.

• Added access to network settings for hardware devices that have Ethernet support. This includes the follow new menu entries which open the new network settings window: Settings --> For Telescope --> Network Settings...
  • IPv4 network address for the hardware device
  • IPv4 subnet mask for the hardware device
  • IPv4 gateway address for the hardware device
  • ATCP Passcode: Sets the 32-bit passcode that this Astrometric device we require all ATCP clients to provide for access. The passcode must be provided in hexadecimal format proceeded by "0x". For example: "0xA341B73D". Note: the factory default passcode for a new ATCP server device is 0xFFFF0000. Networking capability is disabled if the ATCP passcode is the factory default value. This mandates a passcode change by the sys admin (usually through Maestro) and best assures ATCP Server security.
• Note: the following credentials use the standard IPv4 address format: ddd.ddd.ddd.ddd where each "ddd" is termed and "octet" with a value between 0 and 255.
• Note: Since the network initialization is only performed at startup, any changes to the following result in the need to power-cycle the hardware to properly initialize networking:
  • Making a physical change to network connectivity such as plugging in a cable that was not plugged in at power up.
  • Changing ATCS TCP Server network settings such as IP address, subnet mask or gateway.
  • Changing the ATCP Passcode off from the default value of 0xFFFF0000 requires a power-cycle to enable networking. Subsequent changes to the ATCP Passcode can be made without a power-cycle.

• Old firmware is OK unless it causes too many errors polling for status. This indicates that a) not all status is getting properly updated in Maestro and b) there likely are UI features that are not supported.
• Maestro does *not* mandate a minimum firmware version since, regardless of version, the bulk of functionality will be supported. Instead, if Maestro detects that the hardware's present firmware does support important features it will report: "NUMEROUS ERRORS DUE TO UNSUPPORTED FEATURES IN THE FIRMWARE OF THE CONNECTED HARDWARE DEVICE. FIRMWARE UPGRADE NEEDED."
• Note: this behavior is independent of the support for TCS legacy products detailed below. Basically, this alert states that, for the hardware device attached to Maestro, a new firmware upgrade is needed for proper function.

• In the View --> Common --> System Information dialog, added device serial number reporting.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed the possible crash (exception) at connection to the hardware device that could occur if this connection was interrupted (i.e., turned off at just the right time).

For telescope control

New Features

Refer to the readme file for the Maestro ASCOM telescope driver.

Support for PrimeTCS-Ui's built-in GPS

Systems using the PrimeTCS-Ui telescope controller can get accurate time and position from PrimeTCS-Ui's built-in (internal) GPS receiver. Maestro can make the following settings for PrimeTCS-Ui's GPS from the "Telescope Site, Time & Date Settings" dialog:

• Select if the GPS is used for internal time including standard time, UTC, Julian date and local Sidereal time.
• Select if the GPS is used for "site" location. Note: when this is selected it should be known that there can be a small position jitter between controller power-ups which is the nature of GPS. This will void any "Align from Last". Therefore, if you use "Align from Last", it is recommended that you use GPS location once to get the site latitude and longitude and then enter them in to the site settings and then un-click "User GPS location".

• Neither GPS time or location is enabled: "No GPS".
• If either GPS time or location is enabled:
  • "GPS: no lock" if the GPS has not yet acquired enough satellites to "lock".
  • "GPS: T valid": if the GPS is locked and GPS time only is enabled.
  • "GPS: P valid": if the GPS is locked and GPS position only is enabled.
  • "GPS: T&P valid": if the GPS is locked and GPS time and position are both enabled.

• Legacy TCS products are defined as Astrometric products for which no new firmware versions are being released. These include the S-Box/SkyWalker combo and PrimeTCS-i.
• Maestro fully supports the features that legacy TCS products provide however it also supports many new features for the contemporary "-U" products.
• When Maestro connects to the hardware, it reads the firmware version and determines if the attached hardware is "legacy" or not. The firmware versions that distinguish between legacy and contemporary is < 4.00.000.

• In the Settings --> For Telescope --> Motors dialog the word "Max" can be entered for Velocity and this will set the axial velocity to the maximum allowed given the attached controllers capabilities (e.g., what 250,000 steps/sec would equate to for PrimeTCS-Ui).
• Custom track rates, entered from the "Telescope Custom Track Rate Settings" dialog, are now checked to assure that they are less than ATCS' 2deg/sec limit prior to sending the setting to the controller.

Bug Fixes

• None

For dome control

New Features

• Supports DomeProU's new faster status polling using ATCL "Command Collections". This is available for DomePro f/w v.43 and later.

Bug Fixes

• None

For focus and rotator control

New Features

• None

Bug fixes

• None

Known bugs

• When restoring telescope settings there will be some number of "Telescope Alert: unknown SSCN" messages that can be ignored.
• When using the RotoFocusProU combo focus and rotation controller you select the same Com port for Rotator as you use for Focuser. In this version of Maestro, if you use this feature first select the Com port for Focus and then after that select the Com port for Rotator. The opposite order of port selection does not work.

Minimum recommended system

Copyright 2026 Astrometric Instruments, Inc.