2026-10-09 APP 2.0.0-beta48 has been released !
This is mainly a bug fix release for the reported bugs in beta47. In addition it has a significant User Interface performance improvement noticable when you need to process 1000s of images in APP.
2026-10-03 APP 2.0.0-beta47 has been released !
This is a very big release... many code optimizations/rewrites, many parts of APP are much faster and more precise, especially star analysis and registration are much faster ! Big mosaics will go much faster 🙂
And we introduce a new preview filter, which includes the new Adaptive Deep Sky Stretch and a General Levels Stretch, this has been long over due. The old preview filter (the panel on the right side to stretch and preview your data) has not been updated for a couple of years and it is a critical part of any APP session.
Adaptive Deep Sky Stretch or ADSS is a much more intuitive stretch algorithm. It is also color preserving (which is a great new addition in itself ! ) which means that the highlights are no longer bleached, color is maintained from the linear data while stretching. You can simply stretch your data using the sky background level and signal width sliders which work much easier and more intuitive. You no longer need to fiddle with the old complicated sliders with zoom buttons. All the zoom buttons for the sliders are made redundant. And you can enter slider values in the slider value fields yourself. I will make a youtube video in the coming days to explain and fully introduce ADSS. Once the video is ready, it will be highlighted on the forum.
RGB Combine upgrade !. The RGB Combine Tool has been rewritten mostly. The tool is faster and easier to use and most importantly, the Luminance slider to inject a luminance channel or channels into the RGB composite is now working correctly. It no longer bleaches the RGB colors. Combined with the new ADSS preview, you will get much better and easier great composites with great color! I will also explain this in a new youtube video.
Hi,
I have to change my computer, and I wonder if I stay on pc, or if I switch to macbook pro m1? (since there is no imac m1 pro/max)
Suddenly considering the price of parts for pc (processor, ram, heatsink, power supply, video card (unless I keep my rx570))
the switch to mac m1 pro / max would not be more judicious?
If your opinion is for the mac, which version do you recommend? (pro/max, ram...)
Thank you.
Difficult one, we of course support Mac systems and will have a native M1 version in the near future. But if it, as a system, is cheaper than a PC built.. I doubt it a bit. If you can built your own desktop, you can get very nice multicore systems (with Ryzen cpu's for instance) and lots of ram (that you can upgrade yourself if you want). The Mac can't be changed in that sense. The M1 pro and max are very impressive though for the energy they consume. Of course graphics cards are ridiculously priced right now, but APP is not yet utilizing the GPU fully so you could go with your regular GPU and upgrade that when prices are normal again (if ever).
If you really want to go for the Mac, I would say the Max is a better and more future proof system. 64 GB will help for sure as well.
@vincent-mod
Thank you, the macos system attracts me, but it's true that it's 2x the price lol.
to save a little money (a lot even lol), there is the solution of the imac 24 "m1 4k, less powerful, but all in 1, rather than plugging the macbook pro into my 24" fhd screen.
hard to choose.
APP works well on an M1? there is no lack of power?
to save a little money (a lot even lol), there is the solution of the imac 24 "m1 4k, less powerful, but all in 1, rather than plugging the macbook pro into my 24" fhd screen.
hard to choose.APP works well on an M1? there is no lack of power?
It has worked just fine for me and my Mac mini M1. It is clearly faster than my old 2017 iMac 4 core i5 by about 25%. The betas have further reduced the time. When APP is able to use the native M1 Java it will go much faster right away. Then if GPU support and/or Vulkan support is added that will be another boost. That may be some time away though.
Thank you @turtlecat1000,
I have an i7 3770k (3rd gen), so I should normally see a nice difference lol
Any ETA on the Vulkan upgrade to APP?
We don't have an eta no, focus currently is on a new Java version, settings to save, etc.
