Recommended Cockpit Platform

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by rgleason

Opencpn has an NVchart Plugin, I wonder if it still works?

I may be wrong BUT I think if you bought before they changed to a subscription mode the it does work.

But if you loose that device you can not repace it without going to an annual subscription.

Would be happy to be proven wrong.

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by wholybee

There are a lot of rpi enthusiasts here, and so lots of recommendations for it. But, it isn't simple, no mater how much a package like OpenPlotter or BBN tries to dumb it down. And, it isn't any more reliable of an OS then either MacOS or Windows. The enthusiasts and purists will fight and argue that to death, but it's fact. Linux is only reliable if you understand it enough to work with it properly. I am saying that for an agnostic point of view, I work with and enjoy them all. But I could never recommend Linux for someone that is looking for a quick setup and it works solution.

If you want a reliable and easy to setup and use OpenCPN system, get either a Windows or Mac laptop.

That was kinda where I started from. But was thinking more if a Windows TABLET.

Then the concept of using a screen image came up, which was interesting. I had not considered that. So I could run a laptop below and link to a cockpit screen image on a tablet.

So the evolved question becomes;
What is the MOST STABLE environment/implementation of OCPN?
I guess I should ask in what environment is the most/best available Help?

But I should also ask, because I have not gotten a new laptop in about 7 years…..how is the Windows environment evolving? From what I have seen, from a distance, Windows is forcing a lot of interaction: upgrades, security fixes, and other interaction pushing the user to do things. When I turn the box in I want it to turn ON, and not tell me to wait for a damn uphrade. Is this an issue or am I making this up?

[mgrouch]

Originally Posted by wholybee

There are a lot of rpi enthusiasts here, and so lots of recommendations for it. But, it isn't simple, no mater how much a package like OpenPlotter or BBN tries to dumb it down. And, it isn't any more reliable of an OS then either MacOS or Windows. The enthusiasts and purists will fight and argue that to death, but it's fact. Linux is only reliable if you understand it enough to work with it properly. I am saying that for an agnostic point of view, I work with and enjoy them all. But I could never recommend Linux for someone that is looking for a quick setup and it works solution.

If you want a reliable and easy to setup and use OpenCPN system, get either a Windows or Mac laptop.

Look at the title of the thread ‘Recommended Cockpit Platform’. How can you even install Windows or Mac laptop in a cockpit? Forget about their power draw.
Your suggestion doesn’t make any sense.

[mgrouch]

Originally Posted by hpeer

That was kinda where I started from. But was thinking more if a Windows TABLET.

Then the concept of using a screen image came up, which was interesting. I had not considered that. So I could run a laptop below and link to a cockpit screen image on a tablet.

So the evolved question becomes;
What is the MOST STABLE environment/implementation of OCPN?
I guess I should ask in what environment is the most/best available Help?

But I should also ask, because I have not gotten a new laptop in about 7 years…..how is the Windows environment evolving? From what I have seen, from a distance, Windows is forcing a lot of interaction: upgrades, security fixes, and other interaction pushing the user to do things. When I turn the box in I want it to turn ON, and not tell me to wait for a damn uphrade. Is this an issue or am I making this up?

Introducing Remote Desktop access from a tablet as an additional software and network component only reduces reliability as it adds additional points of failure. That solution also draws more power so it’s not better suited for a boat.

Any modern commercial chartplotter is highly customized Android which is Linux based.
Most of car navigation user interfaces are also in fact Linux. Not windows and not MacOS.

[hpeer]

I am not especially worried about power draw.

Lots of solar. 2 fully redundant systems.
Good wind gen.
200 gallons of diesel.
Honda in extremis.

Battery power is a little thin. 4 golf cart.

But any more we sail little at night and frankly, my phones will carry me through when off shore. I din’t sit and stare at a screen. Except in fog.

[mgrouch]

Originally Posted by hpeer

I am not especially worried about power draw.

Lots of solar.
Good wind gen.
200 gallons of diesel.
Honda in extremis.

About your reliability worries. Both Raymarine and B&G chartplotter OS are Android based, and Android is based on Linux.

[hpeer]

I have already sprung for the Pi5. I am flying out tomorrow and will have the off-season to fool with it. So we will see how it goes.

[flpaoli]

I wonder if the reliability issues people have experienced (and I believe them) with Pi is because of:

1. not rebooting it, minding that typical chart plotters are on a circuit breaker which is turned off regularly

2. software updates, amd maybe most people don't update regularly the firmware of their chart plotter?

Bluetooth being finicky might be due to #1. I can imagine how #2 could break plugins if they're not well written.

Not trying to defend the Pi, just trying to understand.

To hpeer's point, Windows updates a lot more nowadays, for good reasons, to keep you safe. But if your chat plotter isn't connected to the Internet, that might be overkill.

And it's gradually adding more and more annoying advertising like messages to the core OS experience.

[hpeer]

Yeah, it is a complicated space with no simple answers, unfortunately.

Hopefully I will be looking at a relatively simple install. There is much in BBN? that I neither need or want. I have an external stand alone PyPilot, and YDNR wireless router for instruments and AIS transceiver. I suppose the YDNR 0183/2000 buss that can all plug into the PI. I really only want OCPN with digital radar capability. All the rest is not needed.

Maybe if I keep it simple, to the core task, life will be simpler. For a change.

So I bought the PI5 recommended above. Then figured out I will need a mouse, key board, and power supply for same. Got on order. I am taking my spare PyPilot and some chips and ordered a card reader and a GPS puck. Not sure I need the PyPilot as it will be stand alone. I guess I will have sufficient open USB ports. Still wrapping my head around the bits.


Anything else I may need for this starter outfit? Amazon overnight takes up to a week at our cabin. I need to take what I need.

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by mgrouch

Look at the title of the thread ‘Recommended Cockpit Platform’. How can you even install Windows or Mac laptop in a cockpit? Forget about their power draw.
Your suggestion doesn’t make any sense.

There are windows tablets and windows convertible laptop/tablets that would work in a cockpit. My laptop uses around 10-15W. Really not any more than a Pi when you consider a monitor.

But to my point, I circumnavigated with a Windows 10 laptop and OpenCPN. It was easy to setup, and in 4 years never once had it crash, and on several passages had it run for 30-40 days 24/7 without rebooting or closing OpenCPN.

OpenCPN support on this forum is almost exclusively problems with Linux and Rpi. But I bet there are more OpenCPN Windows users than Rpi users.

[barcoMeCasa]

Originally Posted by wholybee

OpenCPN support on this forum is almost exclusively problems with Linux and Rpi.

The Pi gets a hard time from a small number of posters on here but suspect you'd have to look very hard to find *any* posts about problems with openplotter if the (very good for opensource) instructions were followed, it seems always to be after someone has wandered off on their own setting things up badly, & quite often actually made worse by bad advice on here, the openplotter forum is the place to ask anything.
In some ways the setup is actually easier in openplotter than windows, especially if you want something to provide data over wifi for other tablets, phones etc to see.
Though shouldn't really matter what OS you use, end result is turn on & have something the works & keeps on working.

[barcoMeCasa]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Anything else I may need for this starter outfit? Amazon overnight takes up to a week at our cabin. I need to take what I need.

https://forum.openmarine.net/index.php is a good place to ask, the openplotter v4 runs on a Pi5 & is still beta software but I've been running it for a while & pretty much all you need is there, seems rock solid stable. People have been sent down rabbit holes occasionally from bad advice on here, any setup questions are better asked there.
https://forum.openmarine.net/showthread.php?tid=5060
V4 documentation not published yet shouldn't be too different from V3 >
https://openplotter.readthedocs.io/e..._you_need.html

[mgrouch]

Originally Posted by barcoMeCasa

https://forum.openmarine.net/index.php is a good place to ask, the openplotter v4 runs on a Pi5 & is still beta software but I've been running it for a while & pretty much all you need is there, seems rock solid stable. People have been sent down rabbit holes occasionally from bad advice on here, any setup questions are better asked there.
https://forum.openmarine.net/showthread.php?tid=5060
V4 documentation not published yet shouldn't be too different from V3 >
https://openplotter.readthedocs.io/e..._you_need.html

Openplotter in a cockpit on a touchscreen? How did it work for you? How could you put waypoints on a touchscreen in OpenCPN running on Openplotter.
From what I’ve seen touchscreen support is very poor in OpenPlotter. And this thread per title is about ‘Recommended Cockpit Platform’.

[barcoMeCasa]

Originally Posted by mgrouch

From what I’ve seen touchscreen support is very poor in OpenPlotter. .

It's still in development so no one knows yet.

[hpeer]

Got the Pi5 computer, opened it up, not ONE word of documentation. NADA.

So I seek some guidance please.

Either here or a link for a Pi novice.

Think like a grade schooler explaining to his Great Grandfather.

Which probably is about right! LOL