iPad

[ActiveCaptain]

Originally Posted by Strait Shooter

So what other improvements do you guys that are involved in this technology see happening both near term and in the long run?

First, I had multiple conversations yesterday with the developer of eSeaChart. There are a couple of bugs and I now understand why some people are seeing markers disappear when they pan the chart in his app. He only displays 30 markers at a time. So if you're on an iPad and pan a little, depending on the location, more than 30 markers might become visible - so they get turned off.

When I'd been looking into the problem, I was looking on my iPhone. Given the smaller screen, it wasn't very common to have more than 30 markers so I didn't see it happen. iPad users were more likely to experience it.

He's going to bump up the number - 30 is too small; the website cuts off at 99 for memory and performance reasons. Like the website, he's also going to provide an indicator when there's too many so you'll have an idea about why the markers are gone.

There's also a bug with markers and skewed charts. It's just a bug and he's got a handle on fixing it.

Now, the future...

I've been developing the next layer of capabilities that are possible once you have a great set of point-of-interest data. It all has to do with merging a planned route against the databases of ActiveCaptain data. There are philosophical ways to describe it but that usually glasses everyone's eyes over. Instead, here are a couple of practical examples - they all assume I know the route you've planned and my software is watching you move along your plan:

- What hazards are in your path. How far away is the next one and how long will it take before you get there? What should you do when you get near it?

- How far ahead is the next bridge that you need to have opened? Note that "My Card" has a place where we save your max air draft along with other heights with antennas down, etc. So for example, we can tell a trawler that the next bridge is 6 nm ahead (46:40 minutes from now at current SOG) and that they need to drop their antennas to get through. Or we can let them know that they'll have to wait at the bridge and given the restrictions, should slow down to 5.1 nm/hr to get there 5 minutes before the next opening. Of course, all of these values are live and count down/change as you move along the route.

- Given that you carry 500 gallons of fuel, burn 1.5 gph, like to have a minimum of 50 gallons in reserve, where are the best places to get fuel along your passage (a list of routes) spanning the next month of travel? And of course as new prices get updated, the "best places" might change - if one shows up within X nm of your location, you're alerted.

Those are 3 examples. There are about a dozen things like that - we've been making lists for a few years based on our own "wouldn't it be great if" discussions while cruising and listening to the thousands of suggestions we receive.

There are also some things that don't involve ActiveCaptain data that I'm surprised haven't been done yet. Weather is a great example. It used to be that you'd sit back and listen to NOAA weather for hours at a time. I know people who have a second VHF just to keep tuned in. Then internet access happened and many people go directly to NOAA to get the latest forecast. At times now in changing weather conditions, I find myself "refreshing" the NOAA forecast over and over to grab the next update when it comes out. That's crazy.

Given a route that I'm on (or one that's planned), the software should go out and ping the NOAA site for me and let me know when there's a new forecast along my route and grab it so it's waiting for me. It'll give an indication of this so I can concentrate more on piloting instead of watching for that update. Obviously if there's a severe weather warning, there will be options to set off an alarm to give me instant notification of it.

I look at this next phase as turning ActiveCaptain into a chartplotter companion. It isn't for primary piloting navigation - that's what your chartplotter is best for - integrated to radar, autopilot, instruments, etc. I'm developing it for laptops and slates (Windows, Mac, Linux), phones and tablets (iOS, Android), and SmartTV (new TV capabilities that allow apps to be loaded) - these are the major platforms in my mind right now. WP7, BB Playbook, and webOS devices are on my radar too. I intend to release it on all major system platforms at the same time.

What I find is that when I'm cruising along, I really don't need my iPhone, iPad, and Samsung tab acting like another chartplotter. Don't get me wrong - I want them to be chartplotter backups and route planning tools - they are excellent for that. But what I'd really like while underway is to use all of these extra screens onboard to do more work for me and provide new information that works alongside my chartplotters.

This product doesn't even have a name yet. It's a platform more than a product where new tools can be added one-at-a-time to provide new functions (hazard warnings, bridge assistant, fuel manager, weather scout, etc). The current schedule has the first version being released this year. We intend to make it free on all laptops and devices. Many of these advanced functions will also be server based and we'll provide the capabilities to our third-party developers to add them into their product if they'd like.

In the short term, ActiveCaptain is all about routes. We currently allow you to import, create, and edit them. Route sharing is about to be turned on allowing you to see the full database of everyone's routes to copy. A lot of people don't understand why we've been pushing the idea of creating, storing, and sharing routes. The reason is because they are the gateway to merging the POI data to provide the accessory/companion functionality that's coming next.

[capngeo]

There's also a bug with markers and skewed charts. It's just a bug and he's got a handle on fixing it.

By this do you mean the AC markers being off station? I've noticed many that are off by quite a bit, yet display accurately in other charting programs.

[ActiveCaptain]

Originally Posted by capngeo

By this do you mean the AC markers being off station? I've noticed many that are off by quite a bit, yet display accurately in other charting programs.

Yeah, and some other things with skewed charts. Since I'm in Maine, I didn't think of checking it myself when I was testing it - there are no skewed charts here. He's well aware of the problem now.

[57guy]

Jeff
Did the Jeppesen VP indicate when the App would be released?
Who do we contact to tell them we want AC included?
Thanks

[ActiveCaptain]

Originally Posted by 57guy

Did the Jeppesen VP indicate when the App would be released?
Who do we contact to tell them we want AC included?

I honestly don't know release plans. I'd never believe the date from a software developer (myself included) anyway.

Contact emails are:
us-customersupport@jeppesen.com
-and-
eu-customersupport@jeppesen.com

[ActiveCaptain]

I just tested an update to eSeaChart this morning - the skewed problem is gone and there are more markers displayed now. He'll probably release it to Apple in a day or two and it'll be available soon.

There's a hard-to-reproduce animation thing that he hadn't noticed. It doesn't do anything wrong but it looks funny. I think he might fix that too.

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by ActiveCaptain

I just tested an update to eSeaChart this morning - the skewed problem is gone and there are more markers displayed now.

You da MAN! I'll check it out ASAP. If there's a problem, New Jersey charts will drag it out... ;-)

[ActiveCaptain]

Originally Posted by Christian Van H

You da MAN! I'll check it out ASAP. If there's a problem, New Jersey charts will drag it out... ;-)

My testing was done on Cape May which has a nice skewed chart.

Note that you need to wait until Apple approves the update - it isn't out yet. I get it around the App Store from the developer for testing.

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by ActiveCaptain

My testing was done on Cape May which has a nice skewed chart.

That's because we are a skewed State... ;-)

[eSeaChart]

Originally Posted by capngeo

By this do you mean the AC markers being off station? I've noticed many that are off by quite a bit, yet display accurately in other charting programs.

Markers should definitely not be "off station" - this is not something I've seen in testing. Do you have a specific chart/marker combination that reproduces this?

I've submitted 1.2.1 to Apple which fixes the missing/partial markers on skewed charts - hopefully the update will be released this week.

//Kalle

[Safari38LH]

Originally Posted by 57guy

I used the iPad and iNavx for 5 Months this year cursing the Bahamas. I have the program on both my iPad and Macbook.
Love the app but don't like the Navionics maps. We (I was traveling with two other boats) found many errors.
I'm told that Explorer Charts are the gold standard for the Bahamas and that Jeppensen is coming out with a new iPad app that uses the Explorer Charts this year.

Jeff, I love ActiveCaptain, so I hope you contact Jeppensen and have it included in their App. That way I will have everything I want in one package.
GP

I am with 57guy. I found many Navionics errors in the Bahamas.

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by eSeaChart

I've submitted 1.2.1 to Apple which fixes the missing/partial markers on skewed charts - hopefully the update will be released this week.

Whooooo Hoooooooo! Works like a charm! Now this program is a great ActiveCaptain viewer as well as a Raster plotter. Thank you for listening, and for a fine product, Chris

[Dragon Lady]

Finally received my iPad today, does anyone have any experience with the Australian charts?
There seems to be a bit of a debate on who has the best software and they all seem to be updating fast.
Jeffery does Active Captain cover Australia?
Is there an iPad for dummies thread?

[Dragon Lady]

OK sorry just joined Active Captain which does cover Australia, thank you.

[ActiveCaptain]

Originally Posted by Dragon Lady

OK sorry just joined Active Captain which does cover Australia, thank you.

Yeah, we do, but we sure could use more cruising data there. I don't even think we have many marinas documented - I know a bunch are but not nearly enough. We'd love to mail an ActiveCaptain hat Down Under!