IPOD Navigation Program

[phiggins]

I just got an IPOD 32Gig for my birthday. I installed a navigation program called INavX which allowed be download all the NOAA charts for the east coast of USA and the Great Lakes. But I also have a lot of charts in BSB/KAP format on my PC's hard drive that I would like to load onto the IPOD but there doesn't seem to be able to do it with this navigation program. Maybe this a restriction with IPOD apps that prevent this though they do allow you to download your own music.

Does anyone know if there if an IPOD navigation program that allows me to put charts from my PC's hard drive onto the IPOD?

Thanks

[EHWard3]

Good questions! What I would also like to know is what are the differences between an iPod Touch and an iPhone 3g/4? I don't think there is GPS chips in the iPod correct? How useful can an iPod be in marine navigation?

Thanks!

Ed

[phiggins]

Well actually the new Ipdod Touch does have a GPS.

[EHWard3]

Wow after spending much time researching... I have learned in fact the iPod Touch does NOT have a dedicated GPS chip. It uses WiFi (hotspot) triangulation to identify its location. The same holds true for the iPad WiFi version. The iPad 3G and the iPhone 3G/4 have full GPS capability. Therefore the iPod Touch is not a good marine navigation tool outside of the marina!

[GPSNavX]

I see no mention of a GPS in the iPod touch specs ..

Apple - iPod touch - Technical specifications for iPod touch.

Based on use and specs, only iPhone 3G, 3Gs, 4 and iPad 3G have a GPS receiver.

iPod touch can provide positional data using WiFi, specifically hotspots. Useful on land, but not so much on water.

iNavX running on an iPod touch, iPad, iPhone can receive NMEA data over WiFi (i.e. from a PC or Mac) and use that to plot a real-time position or use the GPS in the above mentioned devices.

[daddle]

Paper charts don't have built in GPS either, so the iPod will still be quite useful

[phiggins]

Thanks for the information Ed. I just assummed I was getting my fix from a GPS.

What would be really nice is to have a navigation program on the ipod that receives both its GPS and AIS data via bluetooth. Then I could have a PC/MAC at the navigation table transmitting the data to the ipod so I didn't have to run down and check.

The ipod does have a bluetooth connection but I think its just used for bluetooth earphones.

[GPSNavX]

You can do the exact same thing via WiFi. Just run MacENC, Coastal Explorer, or GPSGate and the GPS, Instruments, AIS can be sent to the iPod, iPad, iPhone running iNavX.

Apple has only opened up Bluetooth to headsets and keyboards.

[brak]

FWIW PolarCOM will send NMEA data over a network connection (at no cost). I would guess that GPSd would do that too.

[daddle]

Originally Posted by GPSNavX

You can do the exact same thing via WiFi. Just run MacENC...AIS can be sent to the iPod, iPad, iPhone running iNavX.

GPSNavX: I've tried to set this up following the instructions but I'm missing a step somewhere. The iPhone connects to the boat network...but no data flows?

Any guess as to which step I'm missing? Some checkbox on the iNavX?

[phiggins]

I decided to try the TCP/IP connection from iNavX. I have Franson GPSGate on my PC at home so I started a TCIP Server on it. After much fiddling with the Firewalls on the PC (it has two) to allow iNavx to connect to the TCP/IP port , I finally got the INavx connected and was able to display the ship and the AIS targets (I used a GPS/AIS simulator that I wrote to send the data to GPSGate).

So I guess the only thing I will need to buy for the boat is a WIFI router. These are fairly cheap now, $49 at FutureShop so not a big deal. And it won't take another USB connection or draw too much power.

I should also get a waterproof case for the IPOD.

iNavx doesn't seem to have an AIS alarm for CPA/TCPA but it does it give a list of all the AIS targets.

[daddle]

Yup. I got the AIS from MacENC to WiFi to iNavX. It's fantastic. I can watch everything from the galley, head, bunk or even.....the helm. Totally cool.

[GPSNavX]

You should be able to avoid having a separate external router if you use an AdHoc network. That is basically a point to point network between the PC/Mac and iPad/iPhone/iPod.

I should note in an upcoming release (v3.1.2) iNavX will give the option of using the devices Location Services (i.e. GPS) for positional data for plotting, but still accept AIS NMEA over WiFi. The downside of this will be battery life as both the GPS and the WiFi radio will be on when iNavX is used in this capacity.

[phiggins]

GPSNAVX,

Not sure if you have something to do with iNavx but could you possibly answer my question in the first post ie: Is it possible to download charts directly from your PC/Mac's hard drive and use them on iNavX? If not would that be something they can add?

Thanks

[phiggins]

Well I guess he doesn't have an answer to that.

But thanks for the other suggestions. I had no idea (or maybe forgot long ago) that you can have an adhoc connection between computers with Wifi without using a router. I tried it out and works great.