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Cyanogen "Maxim DL" Image Processing Software, Version 2.0
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Maximize Your Images!
 MaxIm DL is the perfect tool for amateur and professional astronomers using the Windows 95/98/NT platform. MaxIm DL lets you take control of your CCD imaging! Forget the intimidating manuals and complicated commands and interface; powerful image processing capabilities are now within your reach.
With the release of Version 2.0, MaxIm DL is now even more powerful. Instantly adjust brightness and contrast just by moving the mouse. Use the latest imaging techniques including DDP, LRGB, LCMY, mosaics, and much more! Dozens of new features are available, just click here for a list of new features added to Version 2.0 of Maxim DL! Then try MaxIm DL now since a demonstration version of MaxIm DL is available here as a free download.
For a complete, camera control module integrated solution, then you may wish to purchase the optional MaxImDL CCD which includes Maxim DL. The Maxim DL/CCD suite provides integral control of a variety of imagering CCD cameras including those offered by: Apogee, Celestron, Finger Lakes, Meade, Santa Barbara Instruments Group (SBIG), and Starlight Xpress. Advanced users can even write their own plug-in camera driver!
Why use MaxIm DL? Click here!
Does CCD image processing really have to be difficult? Not with MaxIm DL!
"After many years of using many image processing programs, I find that MaxIm DL is the fastest for calibrating and processing my images. Maxim DL has saved me a lot of time." Tim Puckett
"Maxim DL/CCD has been working wonderfully. I find the program intuitive...
Imaging sessions are now much more productive" Dan Knauss
Introduction to MaxIm DL:
Left: Color Balance Window.
Here is an example of one of the simplest image processing functions: Adjust Color Balance. In the case of Maxim DL you can equalize the background level between the three color planes, and independently scale each color plane.
The Auto button automatically determines the correct settings. This function can make the background of the image black with just a single click! Additionally, you can simply click on a white or the gray area of the image to set the color balance.
All of the image processing functions in MaxIm DL include
a Preview Image function. The preview can be dragged to an interesting part of the image by right-clicking the mouse while the cursor is positioned on the image, and then dragging. The Zoom button will allow you to zoom in onto a small portion of the image. Once this is done, then MaxIm
DL will quickly show you the effect of the processing settings which you are currently using. Once you are satisfied with the results, then you can click "OK" in order to process the entire image.
Right: Digital Development Window.
The convenience of MaxIm DL's image processing functions is seen in the Digital Development command. This new command, also known
as "DDP" will produce amazing results when working with galaxy and other deep-sky images.
The user of MaxIm DL can select any of a variety of different filters, plus the required Background and Mid-level settings, and then watch what happens to the Preview Image.
The DDP parameters can be determined automatically, or you can pick a brightness level just by clicking on the image - it is that simple.
If you do not understand what a button is for, or if you do not wish to read the furnished detailed instruction manual? Then simply click on the small "?" button at the top, then on the button you wish to learn more about. A description will pop up to explain how it works. You can also ask for a complete description of the entire dialog box.
Like most of the MaxIm DL functions, this command will work equally well
on either black-and-white or color images.
Maximum Entropy Deconvolution (MaxEnt) is a sophisticated processing
feature can be used to tighten up blurry images. It can reduce the effects of poor atmospheric seeing, telescope related aberrations, or exposure guiding errors. This following image is animated in order to demonstrate how much the detailed structures in this galaxy's spiral arms will improve after MexEnt processing.
Left: Maximum Entropy Window.
In order to work properly, the MaxEnt Maximum Entropy requires a model of the blur, and of the noise in the image. Both automated and manual tools are provided for this purpose in the software. For beginners, a special "Wizard" guide will lead you through the processing step-by step.
Interested in color imaging? MaxIm DL makes that easier than ever. Choose from standard RGB techniques or advanced LRGB, CMY, and LCMY filter sets.
Automatically equalize the background level. Align the color planes using our all-new Align Images tool.
Are you trying to combine images that are not aligned? With maxim DL you can now automatically register images using our new star matching capability.
Above: Combine Color Window.
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MaxIm DL Features:
MaxIm DL runs under Windows 95TM,
Windows 98TM or Windows
NTTM 4.0 and includes
these powerful features:
Many Mask Options:
- FFT Mild / Medium / Hard / Custom.
- Kernel Low Pass / Low Pass More / User-Defined Kernel.
Geometric Mean Mask perfect for those close-up comet images!
Maximum Entropy Deconvolution:
MaxIm DL uses Hidden Image TM
Maximum Entropy Deconvolution, the same algorithm featured in the premiere
issue of CCD Astronomymagazine.
New features make MaxEnt easier to use than ever!
- Automatic Point-Spread Function Extraction.
- Extract star image as PSF, with optional clean-up.
- Fit Gaussian curve to star image.
- Fit Exponential curve to star image
- Automatic Noise Model Extraction.
- Accurately estimate parameters with a click of the mouse!
Advanced MaxEnt Wizard makes Maximum
Entropy easy even for first-time users!
Thumbnail image in dialog allows "quick look" processing and rapid experimentation.
Photons Wizard allows you to quickly determine the correct calibration for your CCD camera.
Color image support:
- Combine three or four filtered CCD images with optional alignment.
- Manual alignment.
- Sub-pixel shifting.
- Auto-centroid for precise alignment.
- Rotation alignment.
- Manual Overlay alignment.
- Automatic alignment.
- Star matching.
- Correlation matching.
- Sub-pixel color plane realignment.
- Pseudo Color.
- Color balance adjust including scaling and base offset w/auto and mouse selected settings.
- Adjust Saturation.
- Split color image into three monochrome images.
- Convert to Mono.
- Most processing functions work on monochrome and color images.
- Color Smoothing.
CCD Image Calibration:
- Calibration Wizard makes CCD calibration a breeze!
- Supports bias, dark, and flat field frames.
- Full support for median combine, including flat-field renormalization.
- Rescaleable dark frames.
- Manual scaling factor.
- Auto-scale based on exposure length from file header (FITS, SBIG).
- Auto-optimize automatically calculates scaling for minimum noise level
- Calibrate all images command.
- Create master calibration frames.
Image Manipulation:
- Flatten Background.
- Build large mosaics from individual images.
- Pixel editing using the mouse.
- Pick up color.
- Draw.
- Select color from palette.
- Align sets of images.
- Image resize with interpolation, controlled by image dimensions or pixel aspect ratio.
- Remove bad pixels (hot pixels, blooming).
- Crop to any dimensions using the mouse or by entering coordinates.
- Add Noise.
- Rotate, flip, mirror, and duplicate.
- Make pixels square.
- Undo works on all image processing functions.
- Combine multiple files with manual or automatic shift/rotate
combine a series of short exposures into one long-exposure equivelant image
to reduce noise, without guiding.
- Add, subtract, multiply, or divide two images with scaling and offset.
Image Inspection:
- Blinking and Animation.
- Continuous display of cursor coordinates, pixel intensity, and pixel color in status line.
- Display computer screen in Night Vision Mode.
- Zoom View shows close-up of area under the mouse.
- FITS Header Viewer/Editor.
- Line Profiles.
- Information box displays statistics using a resizeable circular cursor, includes:
- Intensity and Red/Green/Blue display.
- Cursor position and radius.
- Brightness statistics: Minimum, Maximum, Average, and Standard Deviation.
- X and Y Centroid.
- X and Y Full-Width Half Maximum (FWHM).
- Estimated star magnitude w/calibration feature.
- Statistics on whole image or rectangular region
- Match screen stretch.
Supports many popular file formats inlcuding:
- FITS - a full implementation of the standard file format for astronomical images, with selectable pixel format and proprietary loss less compression feature. Supports many popular file formats.
- SBIG - supports full line of SBIG cameras.
- PC-Lynxx CCD camera.
- BMP - Windows standard format.
- TIFF - industry standard format (no LZW).
- JPEG - with controllable quality to allow for optimum compression.
- PNG - for high-quality compressed images.
- RAW (unformatted binary) - IEEE float, 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit integers.
- Starlight Xpress images can be imported using either RAW or FITS format.
Optional CCD Camera Support:
- MaxImDL CCD.
- ActiveX Camera Scripting Interface.
- Plug-in Camera Support.
Required Computer System Configuration:
- Operating System: Windows 95, 98 or NT 4.0 (or higher).
- Pentium recommended; minimum 486DX or higher.
- 16 MB RAM or higher (24MB for NT).
- 800 X 600 video recommended.
- 16-bit video (65535 colors) or higher required (256 color support now available for monochrome imaging).
- 10MB disk space required for software installation.
- Mouse.
- MaxIm DL (image processing only) is compatible with Virtual PC or SoftWindows 95 on Apple Macintosh system.
Upgrade Policy:
- One year of free minor version updates via web site download.
- Major upgrades available at reasonable prices (DL to CCD, Version 1 to Version 2)
Fully Y2K Compliant
* Specifications are subject to change without notice.
This is what some of our users are saying about MaxIm DL:
"The user's manual is one of the best written and illustrated that I have seen" - Madison Lindsey
"...offers complete control of the CCD experience, from image acquisition to final processing, in a single application"
- Sky & Telescope magazine, December 1998
"I want to thank you for creating such an easy to use and technically superior product" - Sam Bruce, Virginia
"In the past, I have spent hours to process images; with your software I have obtained the same result or better in 10 minutes!
The preview option is fantastic." - Marco Cosmacini, Italy
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