I just stumbled on this info
http://www.milltechmarine.com/Wireless-AIS-Solutions-for-Tablets_b_13.html
I have a Windows 8.1 Tablet with Rose Point
Navigation Systems Coastal Explorer, and it's set up to receive
GPS and
AIS over USB at the chart table. I also have an
iPad where I'd like to receive and display
AIS data overlaid on other charting
software. I'm going to try setting this up, but would prefer to use Bluetooth because I use a Mi-Fi with both devices to connect to
Internet. If I use the ad-hoc Wi-Fi between the two devices it means I can't connect to the
internet at the same time (using my Mi-Fi).
Ad-hoc connections are basically like putting a string between two cans, however another option not mentioned in the article would use the Mi-Fi as a DHCP server to establish a peer-to-peer LAN within my
boat. I haven't tried that with an
iPad and windows PC don't even know if the iPad can do it (so that will need to be researched). If so, that would allow both the iPad and PC to talk to each other
and use the internet at the same time.
So I have two
research projects: PC to iPad using Bluetooth, or PC to iPad using peer-to-peer LAN.
If anyone has done this please let me know.