mac book with gps

[kvideo]

Has anyone had experience using a mac book with gps as a main navigation program.. I would like to know how good it is, how reliable. I am thinking of buying one and am looking for pros and cons

Thanks

Joe

[woodyapex]

Originally Posted by kvideo

Has anyone had experience using a mac book with gps as a main navigation program.. I would like to know how good it is, how reliable. I am thinking of buying one and am looking for pros and cons

Thanks

Joe

If you have time to read this after sifting through all your replies ? then heres what i found . I bought a 24 channel gps that worked fantastic . i think i bought this off ebay but it went straight onto our lasses bricklaptop but i found it hard to get onto the mac book altough the ebay guy helped and sorted it out . i'd be more worried about the mac on the boat really . youll not get much use before the salty air starts to fry the track pad . ring the guy on this link and see what he says .
OFFICIAL LAPTOP MARINE DIGITAL GPS CHART PLOTTER NAVIGATION SYSTEM + NOAA CHARTS | eBay

thanks woody

[four winds]

Macbook air with Globalsat usb puck and buetooth backup from same manufacturer. Had them for a while and happy. Using Polarview for software and very pleased. Opencpn is an option and a good one. Both use noaa free charts if US based.

Pretty easy to check most options folks will mention.

Also like my 32" display.

[woodyapex]

Originally Posted by four winds

Macbook air with Globalsat usb puck and buetooth backup from same manufacturer. Had them for a while and happy. Using Polarview for software and very pleased. Opencpn is an option and a good one. Both use noaa free charts if US based.

Pretty easy to check most options folks will mention.

Also like my 32" display.

I was a little vague . It's open cpn I have too and I'm in the UK .
Love the display is that just and hdmi to a TV from the laptop ?

[colemj]

Originally Posted by woodyapex

i'd be more worried about the mac on the boat really . youll not get much use before the salty air starts to fry the track pad .

We have had two macbooks on the boat cruising full time for almost 7 years with no problems due to salty air, humidity, heat, etc. The trackpads are glass that is bonded to solid state force sensors (not even a mechanical click mechanism), so I don't know what could corrode or fry. The hard drives are solid state, so there isn't even a problem with motion anymore. The display is bonded glass, and since there is no fan, the single conformally-coated board on the inside is essentially sealed off from the environment with the exception of a very small single port (~8mm).

Environmentally-wise, the macbook is about the perfect computer for a boat.

Mark

[four winds]

Originally Posted by woodyapex

I was a little vague . It's open cpn I have too and I'm in the UK .
Love the display is that just and hdmi to a TV from the laptop ?

Yes, hdmi to a visio tv, good sharp image. AC 110 powered though, not DC. Can be seen from the helm but if sailing and no motor running it's turned off. So I check the laptop on the nav table from the companionway instead.

[four winds]

kvideo, I notice you inquire about pros and cons.

I've used the laptop as primary tool and also a Garmin 441s as primary at different times for weeks each. Still have both.

Trip planning, route making is a breeze sitting at the dinette with a wireless mouse.
The Garmin is tedious standing at the helm creating routes.

Have not had a problem with the Mac in the marine environment since purchase in 2011. Fulltime livaboard.

Gotta keep it dry though. I killed a 2010 MB Pro at the six month mark with a phantom water leak above the settee. Just a few drops down the open screen into the vent at the hinge area. Killed the keyboard controller chip on the mainboard just before the board died completely. Can't get the battery out of a mac fast enough. That port has never leaked since. WTH.

Wouldn't let that stop me from the idea though. Just gotta be vigilent about placement of the machine.

I think I prefer the laptop over the plotter but not sure which is a backup to the other. Having used both equally I stay up to speed on both so maybe that's good.

I've often thought a mac mini built in securely and a dc powered display at the nav table would be a good option for me.

[woodyapex]

Originally Posted by four winds

Yes, hdmi to a visio tv, good sharp image. AC 110 powered though, not DC. Can be seen from the helm but if sailing and no motor running it's turned off. So I check the laptop on the nav table from the companionway instead.

Very nice . It's people like you and me that need to take this sailing lark into the 21st century with all the modern tech available . I'm off to get a TV 12v and a mouse for my mac on a long lead to be able to use the MacBook well hidden and out of harms way . With me sat at the helm

Thinking about it! anyone made their own auto helm from one of the cheap actuator Rams on eBay ? It must be possible

[woodyapex]

Ha ha four winds
I'd actually wrote my reply before I'd seen your bit on wireless mouse .
Wireless mouse it is .

[four winds]

Careful with that techy talk praise woody.

You'll recieve a volly of salty words from the "them damn kids these days" quarters. (I'm 57)

I'm sure you have paper charts, dividers, lead line, and a sextant. Oh, and a hand bearing compass and a taffrail log...... and a bucket of tar pitch..... and..... ..

You do want to be judged worthy to be out here right?

[colemj]

Originally Posted by woodyapex

Thinking about it! anyone made their own auto helm from one of the cheap actuator Rams on eBay ? It must be possible

The ram and power/raw control are the easy part. The more difficult part is the software to control it. If you just set it to a compass course, or to adjust to XTE from a nav route, the pilot will be zig-zagging back and forth continuously.

The basic mechanical and electrical part of it isn't rocket science, but one that works decently does require some programming and electronic skills.

Mark

[woodyapex]

Originally Posted by four winds

Careful with that techy talk praise woody.

You'll recieve a volly of salty words from the "them damn kids these days" quarters. (I'm 57)

I'm sure you have paper charts, dividers, lead line, and a sextant. Oh, and a hand bearing compass and a taffrail log...... and a bucket of tar pitch..... and..... ..

You do want to be judged worthy to be out here right?

Or I could have just bought a brand new ray marine dragon fly 7" .
Backed up with isailor on my I pad .
Isailor on 2 different iPhones .
Two mac books .
And a seperate depth sounder .

But of cause I have paper charts !