Opinions on Nobeltec VNS ?

[witzgall]

I am currently looking at any and all options for charting software. If Nobeltec could do the following it would be a STRONG contender for my dollars:
1. ENC support
2. BB24 radar support
3.Explorer chart support (for Bahamas)

Chris

[beetle]

Originally Posted by witzgall

I am currently looking at any and all options for charting software. If Nobeltec could do the following it would be a STRONG contender for my dollars:
1. ENC support
2. BB24 radar support
3.Explorer chart support (for Bahamas)

What is BB24 radar?

It looks like Explorer charts are printed charts in a book. How would a software product support a printed chart?

- rob/beetle

[witzgall]

Rob,

Explorer has provided their information to both Garmin and Maxsea for vector charting, and they made the raster charts available electronically in the past.
Chris

[Nobeltec]

1. ENC support
2. BB24 radar support
3.Explorer chart support (for Bahamas)

1. NOAA S57 ENC support, we've heard the masses. Stay tuned for an announcement in a month or so for some exciting news from us on this.
2. I'm assuming you mean Simrad's BR24 radar support. Unfortunately only Simrad MFDs can interface with the Simrad radars. I'd love to hear if any other PC navigation software or anyone other than Simrad is interfacing with these right now.
3. Explorer charts for Bahamas. CMap by Jeppesen actually owns the exclusive rights to the electronic versions of these charts, so yes, Nobeltec has them available.

[David M]

Originally Posted by Nobeltec

I stumbled on this thread and couldn't help but chime in. I'd love to know if your "shitty customer service" experience was a recent event, or one that happened prior to November 2009, when Nobeltec was under previous management. The reason I ask is that I am (as of new ownership, circa Nov 2009) the Manager of our Tech Support department and I'd welcome any and all input on how we can improve if we're doing something wrong. I have to say, since we took back our Tech Support and brought it back in house where it belongs, I've heard very few complaints from Customers about my team.

As far as the comments about "Nobeltec's constant bugs", we recently released v10.7 just for that reason, to clean up a lot of the issues that were created while under previous ownership. Version 10.7 was nothing but a bug fixing release where hundreds of issues were addressed and no new features (to distract from the goal of getting the software back in line) were added.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed to read only negative experiences with our software, because I know many people are having very positive experiences too. I suppose they're just not the ones being the most vocal, but I know they're out there. We want to change the image that was created for us by some bad decisions in the past and move forward to the future with some really exciting products set to be released in the very near future (by the Seattle and Miami Boat Shows). Feel free to PM me if you'd like to talk about something off the topic of this post.

Joel,
Is a demo version available that people can try for a specific period of time? I think this may help.

I use an older version of VNS and it works fine for me on XP.

Thanks for your post. It is always nice to hear both sides of the story.

[witzgall]

Simrad has a development kit that they are making available to folks. I don't know of all of the ins and outs, but you can read a bit more here: Panbo: The Marine Electronics Weblog: Simrad BR24PC, Free Range BroadBand Radar #2

Explorer is the only nav program right now (that I know of) that is offering BB24 support, but I am sure that there are others in the works.

Chris

Originally Posted by Nobeltec

1. NOAA S57 ENC support, we've heard the masses. Stay tuned for an announcement in a month or so for some exciting news from us on this.
2. I'm assuming you mean Simrad's BR24 radar support. Unfortunately only Simrad MFDs can interface with the Simrad radars. I'd love to hear if any other PC navigation software or anyone other than Simrad is interfacing with these right now.
3. Explorer charts for Bahamas. CMap by Jeppesen actually owns the exclusive rights to the electronic versions of these charts, so yes, Nobeltec has them available.

[Nobeltec]

Originally Posted by David M

Joel,
Is a demo version available that people can try for a specific period of time? I think this may help.

We don't currently have a demo version available, but that is something we've talked about since eChart Planner. I'll keep pushing for it and will add it to our UserVoice feedback site.

[captainKJ]

My experiences with Nobeltec customer were pre 2009,,, good riddance to them

[St. Elsewhere]

I have stayed with Nobeltec for the last 14 years. I can confirm that tech support has improved significantly over the past two years. It is now totally acceptable. I find the Max Sea charts to be an improvement over the earlier Passport charts. They have an online system for submitting chart error corrections. I have submitted some, and they have been incorporated. I do maintain raster charts too, and VNS switches between them very quickly.

I have not used other systems during this period so I can not give a comparison, but I have no reason to make a change either. I wonder if all of us commenting here were discussing VNS 10.7, and the present Tech Support operation, if there would be any outstanding issues other than not supporting some other chart formats.

[keyspc]

right click on installer and run it in "compatibility mode" also win 7 has vitreaul XP built in!.
Hit the F1 key (help and support) and type in "install programs in comptibility mode"
that said i got a version of it that wouldnt run on XP sp2 to run in vista and 7 just fine.
The program itself is way to complicated,tried nobletec,fugawi,etc,etc. thats why i switched to Open CPN

[Kalinka1]

I have used nobeltec from the beginning V4.7 used V5.0 and was just given V7 (owner out of boating) liked the earlier ones got nose a little out of joint when had to keep calling to get the secret code when changing computers. Seriuosly out of joint when they went to the proprietory charts. have a large problem with being locked into any system so will not support any program that does that. I like the ability to lend or borrow charts that I might sail to on a whim. So won't be upgrading Nobeltec

[Ziggy]

Originally Posted by keyspc

right click on installer and run it in "compatibility mode" also win 7 has vitreaul XP built in!.
Hit the F1 key (help and support) and type in "install programs in comptibility mode"
that said i got a version of it that wouldnt run on XP sp2 to run in vista and 7 just fine.
The program itself is way to complicated,tried nobletec,fugawi,etc,etc. thats why i switched to Open CPN

I tried installing VNS 7 on Windows 7 in compatibility mode (tried XP SP3, SP2, and Win 2000). It does install and runs once. Then it crashes on subsequent attempts with an error message, something about empty log file. Only 7 Professional has virtual XP built in. I have the "Home" version, which does not.

Tides and Currents, apparently untouched by Nobeltec since they bought it from Nautical Software, works just fine on Windows 7.

[keyspc]

Originally Posted by Ziggy

I tried installing VNS 7 on Windows 7 in compatibility mode (tried XP SP3, SP2, and Win 2000). It does install and runs once. Then it crashes on subsequent attempts with an error message, something about empty log file. Only 7 Professional has virtual XP built in. I have the "Home" version, which does not.

Tides and Currents, apparently untouched by Nobeltec since they bought it from Nautical Software, works just fine on Windows 7.

Oh! i had that too, rt click on the desktop icon, chose compatipility tab and ensure run as administrator is checked.
If its a certain version ensure you make a new shortcut on desktop just rt drag from progam file and chose make shortcut.

[Ziggy]

Keyspc,

Thanks. I tried your suggestion and it helped--to a point. Now instead of crashing immediately, it crashes when I try to open a new chart. I'm not sure if VNS is worth a lot of effort to make it work with W7. I've been playing with PolarView, and I think its functionality meets all my needs, and also seems to be responsive and so far pretty reliable.

[michaelmrc]

As fat as I'm concerned nobletec's design is flawed right out of the box
I had problems with it back in windows 2000 then again in xp and then when it gacked on me in windows 7 I said enough tried a few programs and decided on coastal explorer I have a lowrance dedicated chartplotter on the boat but use CE on my laptop and I love it no going back for me