The can both mean the same thing, but ようとする can also mean 'to try to a'. V (dict form)ところ strictly refers to a point in time just before the action starts.
there's many examples on this page with 所 instead of ところ, the kanji 所 refers to the physical place but most grammar points using ところ refers to time, so the kanji can make the sentences confusing by changing the meaning.
It's showing a simple cause and effect relationship, similar to "So about A, here's what happened: B"
It seems like it doesn't have to be a direct cause-and-effect relationship between A and B, though, right? Like, it can be less "A causes B" and more like "A causes [the realization/conclusion/inference/etc. of] B"? E.g. the usage in these example sentences, 「飲んだところあのコーヒーは不味かった。」 「日本の番組をみたところ、すごい事件が起きてるらしい。
