Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 03-02-2015, 19:20   #1
Marine Service Provider
 
captsam54's Avatar

Join Date: May 2009
Location: Somewhere in the Caribbean
Boat: Custom 70' Sportfish
Posts: 338
Anyone use StarNavPilot or MaxSea TimeZero...????

Free nautical charts. With StarNavPilot you will never need to buy charts. You can scan your own charts, capture them with a digital camera or download the free charts available in our download center..

That's a quote from them.... Google it.. I have been searching for a Windows based Chartplotter program other than openCPN..

I really like the new MaxSea TimeZero.. But the cost is $450.00 and $300.00 for the Bahamas raster charts.... Dang.... (Bluewater in Lauderdale)
__________________
Professional Captain.. 100 ton power sail tow since 1984 STCW, TWIC, and MMI
captsam54 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2015, 06:30   #2
Marine Service Provider
 
captsam54's Avatar

Join Date: May 2009
Location: Somewhere in the Caribbean
Boat: Custom 70' Sportfish
Posts: 338
Re: Anyone use StarNavPilot or MaxSea TimeZero...????

Hello, anyone out there??? No one??
__________________
Professional Captain.. 100 ton power sail tow since 1984 STCW, TWIC, and MMI
captsam54 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2015, 07:40   #3
Registered User
 
travellerw's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Martinique
Boat: Fortuna Island Spirit 40
Posts: 2,298
Re: Anyone use StarNavPilot or MaxSea TimeZero...????

I will address the elephant in the room...

Why use Timezero which costs $400 when OpenCPN is free?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app
travellerw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2015, 07:55   #4
Marine Service Provider
 
captsam54's Avatar

Join Date: May 2009
Location: Somewhere in the Caribbean
Boat: Custom 70' Sportfish
Posts: 338
Re: Anyone use StarNavPilot or MaxSea TimeZero...????

Quote:
Originally Posted by travellerw View Post
I will address the elephant in the room...

Why use Timezero which costs $400 when OpenCPN is free?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app
Because MaxSea is a Much Better program and has many seamless options that openCPN does not..??? In this case I am thinking I am getting what I am paying for???
__________________
Professional Captain.. 100 ton power sail tow since 1984 STCW, TWIC, and MMI
captsam54 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2015, 09:47   #5
Registered User
 
travellerw's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Martinique
Boat: Fortuna Island Spirit 40
Posts: 2,298
Re: Anyone use StarNavPilot or MaxSea TimeZero...????

I didn't spend a lot of time playing with it (timezero) , so I don't know about the features. OpenCPN does all that I want. Not sure how Timezero is much better program. I certainly didn't see that.

Based on the lack of responses, I'm guessing that is true for other users.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app
travellerw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2015, 09:52   #6
Registered User

Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: UK
Boat: Catana 50
Posts: 86
Re: Anyone use StarNavPilot or MaxSea TimeZero...????

I use MaxSea Time Zero and have open CPN as my back up. You do indeed get what you pay for.
AliaVita is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2015, 10:12   #7
Registered User
 
travellerw's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Martinique
Boat: Fortuna Island Spirit 40
Posts: 2,298
Re: Anyone use StarNavPilot or MaxSea TimeZero...????

Can you guys describe some features that it provides beyond OpenCPN. I'm not adverse to paying, if it's worth it.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app
travellerw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2015, 11:07   #8
Registered User

Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: UK
Boat: Catana 50
Posts: 86
Re: Anyone use StarNavPilot or MaxSea TimeZero...????

Quote:
Originally Posted by travellerw View Post
Can you guys describe some features that it provides beyond OpenCPN. I'm not adverse to paying, if it's worth it.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app
I know MaxSea better than I know Open CPN, and I doubt that MaxSea 'does' much more, but the presentation and intuitiveness of it are far superior which means that I, as a non techy, will get more out of MaxSea than Open CPN. I dont think Open CPN does weather routing like MaxSea does, but not 100% sure.

The huge advantage for me feature wise is the seamless integration with Furuno. If you dont have Furuno then obviously that doesn't apply. Customer support has also been excellent at MaxSea, again very important as a non techy person. Hope that helps.
AliaVita is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2015, 11:56   #9
Registered User
 
travellerw's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Martinique
Boat: Fortuna Island Spirit 40
Posts: 2,298
Re: Anyone use StarNavPilot or MaxSea TimeZero...????

Quote:
Originally Posted by AliaVita View Post
I know MaxSea better than I know Open CPN, and I doubt that MaxSea 'does' much more, but the presentation and intuitiveness of it are far superior which means that I, as a non techy, will get more out of MaxSea than Open CPN. I dont think Open CPN does weather routing like MaxSea does, but not 100% sure.

The huge advantage for me feature wise is the seamless integration with Furuno. If you dont have Furuno then obviously that doesn't apply. Customer support has also been excellent at MaxSea, again very important as a non techy person. Hope that helps.
Yup that confirms my descission. I'm on the other fence. I think Timezero has a terrible cluttered interface. Like they tried to make it pretty instead of focusing on functionality.

Each to thier own I guess.

P.S. OpenCPN integrates with any hardware via NMEA. Its probably not as seamleas as Timezero though, and definately requires some tech skills
travellerw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2015, 13:03   #10
Registered User
 
MYTraveler's Avatar

Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 170
Re: Anyone use StarNavPilot or MaxSea TimeZero...????

I purchased MaxSea primarily to get the 3D bathemetrics, utilizing my furuno sounder. If you spend enough time fishing an area, you build up a very detailed underwater 3D view of structure -- very useful for some kinds of fishing.
MYTraveler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2015, 14:43   #11
Registered User
 
colemj's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Presently on US East Coast
Boat: Manta 40 "Reach"
Posts: 10,108
Images: 12
Re: Anyone use StarNavPilot or MaxSea TimeZero...????

Quote:
Originally Posted by travellerw View Post
P.S. OpenCPN integrates with any hardware via NMEA. Its probably not as seamleas as Timezero though, and definately requires some tech skills
What he meant was that Furuno chart plotters actually use TimeZero as their native software. So when it is run on a PC also, there is complete integration - control of the chart plotter, seamless routing and waypoints sharing, radar on the PC, etc. The PC becomes the chart plotter also (or vice versa).

Mark
__________________
www.svreach.com

You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.
colemj is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2015, 19:48   #12
Registered User

Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: UK
Boat: Catana 50
Posts: 86
Re: Anyone use StarNavPilot or MaxSea TimeZero...????

Quote:
Originally Posted by colemj View Post
What he meant was that Furuno chart plotters actually use TimeZero as their native software. So when it is run on a PC also, there is complete integration - control of the chart plotter, seamless routing and waypoints sharing, radar on the PC, etc. The PC becomes the chart plotter also (or vice versa).Mark
Colemj is quite correct. I have a small dedicated PC at my Nav Station that runs MaxSea and I use that as my chart plotter. I utilise the redundant Furuno chartplotter as a dedicated radar but I can also overlay the radar on the MaxSea charts as an when I want. I happen to like a clear dedicated radar. If I were to have a problem with the PC or MaxSea I would simply switch back to the Furuno chartplotter. If I were to have a complete systems meltdown I have Open CPN loaded onto my laptop with a USB GPS dongle thingy.
AliaVita is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-02-2015, 04:57   #13
Marine Service Provider
 
captsam54's Avatar

Join Date: May 2009
Location: Somewhere in the Caribbean
Boat: Custom 70' Sportfish
Posts: 338
Re: Anyone use StarNavPilot or MaxSea TimeZero...????

I am just getting up to speed w/ my new Maxsea software on my PC.. I am running Northstar Chartplotters on this boat so can't integrate w/ the PC. I am wondering how to get the wind and waves to show.. Can't highlight them... Wish this came w/ a hard copy user manual...
__________________
Professional Captain.. 100 ton power sail tow since 1984 STCW, TWIC, and MMI
captsam54 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2015, 05:09   #14
Registered User
 
ranger58sb's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Maryland, USA
Boat: 58' Sedan Bridge
Posts: 5,420
Re: Anyone use StarNavPilot or MaxSea TimeZero...????

Quote:
Originally Posted by travellerw View Post
Why use Timezero which costs $400 when OpenCPN is free?

Quote:
Originally Posted by captsam54 View Post
Because MaxSea is a Much Better program and has many seamless options that openCPN does not..??? In this case I am thinking I am getting what I am paying for???

Quote:
Originally Posted by travellerw View Post
I didn't spend a lot of time playing with it (timezero) , so I don't know about the features. OpenCPN does all that I want. Not sure how Timezero is much better program. I certainly didn't see that. Based on the lack of responses, I'm guessing that is true for other users.

Quote:
Originally Posted by AliaVita View Post
I use MaxSea Time Zero and have open CPN as my back up. You do indeed get what you pay for.

Quote:
Originally Posted by travellerw View Post
Can you guys describe some features that it provides beyond OpenCPN. I'm not adverse to paying, if it's worth it.

Hesitated a bit before deciding to comment on this part of the thread...

FWIW, in our case, I chose MaxSea Time Zero specifically because it's the same engine and presentation as on our Furuno NN3D plotter. Data exchange is relatively easy, etc.

But another critical reason -- for me -- is that I'm tired of wrestling with software. I started that some 40 years ago, and I've come to consider it just a pain in the a$$... so I wanted an easy install with somebody else doing whatever maintenance and troubleshooting might ever be necessary, etc.

IOW, I didn't want to install a computer problem; I wanted to install an aid to navigation... and then immediately use it to go boating, with no pharting around trying to fix a software application.

With Time Zero, I think I've had approximately one instance where it didn't work as expected. Maybe two. MaxSea tech support in France talked me through that, easy. Ditto approx. two instances where something on the NN3D unit acted weird. Furuno talked me through it, easy. This over the course of about 6 years.

I compare that to the number of problem threads here in the OpenCPN forum...

Anyway, for me, the cost of TimeZero has been a non-issue. The cost includes tech support; any problems, they fix it, I don't have to phart around with it.

And amortized over the life of the product(s), it's not really expensive (for me) anyway.

-Chris
__________________
Chesapeake Bay, USA.
ranger58sb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2015, 14:45   #15
Registered User
 
rgleason's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Boston, MA
Boat: 1981 Bristol 32 Sloop
Posts: 17,523
Images: 2
Re: Anyone use StarNavPilot or MaxSea TimeZero...????

Opencpn has extensive system of plugins one of them is Weather Routing a capable addon using gribs and a wide selection of constraints and options with boat polar files.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app
rgleason is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
maxsea

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
MaxSea Timezero 1.9.8 has no AIS/ALARM laforge24 Navigation 2 12-05-2014 00:19
Which Charts for MaxSea TimeZero ? Sabbatical II Navigation 2 20-08-2010 10:15
Anyone with MaxSea TimeZero Explorer Yet? s/v Jedi Navigation 20 05-01-2010 18:27

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:07.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.