asus laptop running seaclear

[scotty]

i posted a thread a few months ago about the asus laptops. well i bought a 900 running xp. i have installed seaclear on it and it runs it fine.

as for the laptop, it works well, not the fastest thing around. it runs just fine, no hang ups and it only draws 36 watts charging the battery, running the wifi too. i have not ot do not plan on finding the actual draw but the power supply puts out 12 volts. so running direct from battery should not be a problem, but i plan on contacting asus to find out what the tolerance for voltage is.

i plan on putting a flat screen on the boat with a swing arm so it can be used with the laptop in side as a bigger screen or in the cockpit. i also bought a usb tv tuner so it can do triple duty ( computer, tv and nav ). i know lots here are against laptops due to splash reasons, but most of the modern wireless keyboards and mouses will be able to control the laptop inside from the cockpit.

[G4MJW]

Hi Scotty . . . How are you getting on with your Asus Eee PC 900?

I have Maxsea 10 Nav software + CM93 charts that cover the whole world:



The program works well and I've run it on older larger laptops (Toshiba Satellite). The only problem is that as with most PC's and Laptops ~ NO serial ports. Maxsea 10 will only look at a GPS that has a Serial/RS232 connection. I know it would be posible to purchase a USB to serial adapter and use it with a GPS that also has a serial lead/connector.

As most modern GPS's are USB or Bluetooth, I am hunting around for a software patch that will allow the program to use a USB GPS. In effect a virtual serial to USB in software and then any USB GPS should work. I wounder how you run a GPS with SeaClear?

Steve

[skatastrophy]

Originally Posted by G4MJW

The program works well and I've run it on older larger laptops (Toshiba Satellite). The only problem is that as with most PC's and Laptops ~ NO serial ports. Maxsea 10 will only look at a GPS that has a Serial/RS232 connection. I know it would be posible to purchase a USB to serial adapter and use it with a GPS that also has a serial lead/connector.

This thread seems to have people that got Maxsea 10 working with a USB GPS device:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...-gps-4136.html

The only other suggestions I found for using USB GPS devices is to upgrade to Maxsea 12, but that's a pretty good chunk of money to do that.

[sandy daugherty]

I would really like to hear your opinions on how useable the screens on the ASUS and other inexpensive laptops in the cockpit, compared to a purpose-built chart plotter.

[G4MJW]

This thread seems to have people that got Maxsea 10 working with a USB GPS device:

maxsea10 cannot fined the GPS

The only other suggestions I found for using USB GPS devices is to upgrade to Maxsea 12, but that's a pretty good chunk of money to do that

I did search but never saw that thread before!

I was trying to avoud using a physical USB to Serial Adapter.

In Maxsea GPS setup screen there are only setting for serial ports, COM1 to 7. Having spent hours on it on my old laptop and having spoken to Maxsea agent . . . IT WILL NOT SEE anything other than a COM port or a virtual COM port. So it's no good just plugging in a Bluetooth or USB GPS UNLESS there is and external converter + software to fool it.

SOME PROGRESS: On the Asus, as there are no real serial ports, when you go into GPS settings, everything is "Greyed out". I've installed "USB Virtual Com" utility and pointed VCOM1 to a USB port. Now within Maxsea, all those COM settings are active and all the other parameters can be set. Arrrrh . . . bad new, I sold my old Garmin 12 (serial) and have not yet purchased a replacement USB GPS!

__________________________________________________ _____

The screen on the 900 maybe a bit smaller than some chartplotters etc but it is very "Sharp" and nice and bright. I will use my Asus inside the cabin only and BUT may add an ex "Point of Sale" monitor 10" or 12" for use at the helm!

Steve
PS: Maxsea 12 . . . megga$$$ as I have charts for the whole world and they won't run in the new version of Maxsea!

[scotty]

the screen is just fine, even watched a couple of movies on it. i have not had the boat out sense the asus is running so i cant say much about that end. i will say the screen is not daylight viewable. but its not too bad infact i am using it around the house as my main laptop. the key board takes a day or so to get used to.

posted from the kitchen on my asus while making jerky (venison)

[scotte]

SeaClear (and presumably MaxSea) requires NMEA input. It's really that simple, and there's no way around it as that's the way the program was designed to work. Any GPS designed for marine use will very likely output NMEA...

I believe there are some utilities that will bridge a USB GPS to look like a virtual serial port - that should work, but I've never tried one. A quick search came back with Franson GPSGate and USBvCOM as a couple of possibilities...

[G4MJW]

I believe there are some utilities that will bridge a USB GPS to look like a virtual serial port - that should work, but I've never tried one. A quick search came back with Franson GPSGate and USBvCOM as a couple of possibilities...

I downloaded both GPSGate and USBvCOM and a few others yesterday. They both work great with a USB GPS. I borowed a Garmin Geko for the day and at long last pleased to see my location on one of the charts, even if I am at home 10 miles from the river!

USBvCOM is free. The Franson program is free for 14 days to try and then you'd have to pay for it or it stops working.

The other programs I tried were not suitable and did not work.

Steve