orca navigation, anyone heard of it? any good?

[CaptainRivet]

Originally Posted by bstronger

I am sorry to say that I received a defective Core 2 - it
Is not providing any WiFi or Bluetooth.
Unfortunately Orca support has been difficult
In not providing timely return instructions.

You are sure it switches on?
Did you connect it via the provided NMEA power cable just to power and try if it works then?
It uses quiete some power and some NMEA networks are not up to the task if eg. at the end of it.

[kaz911]

I have Orca Gen 1 with a Display Gen 2. The below are my opinions..

I can wholeheartedly recommend the Orca Core "beige-box" but the Display 2 was outdated 2 years before it was released. If you have tried Orca on an iPad - going to the Android version feels like driving a Porsche vs an old clunky van. There are better Android rugged tables available cheaper with high brightness screens.

The ONLY issue I have had with the Orca Core 1 is that it sometimes will move your GPS position 30m away and then back again (Mounted topside with clear view of sky). That can give issues like anchor alarms. So I no longer have Orca as my main navigation GPS.

Orca is good at adding new features. But as "engineering" focused companies - they are not good at fixing bugs fast or "getting everything to work right". So they are good at adding new innovative features - but slow at getting them to work without issues.

But it is so far the best "integrated" routing function out there after Garmin. (Aka as in ease of use). Neither are good at colregs as in crossing shipping lanes etc. Dock to Dock autorouting is funky with Orca as it zig-zag you out of most harbours (Aka the "scenic route")

The Savvy Navvy routes are better quality than both Garmin and Orca. But it is not "fully" implemented with onboard electronics - and for me Weather in Savvy Navvy is glitching a lot.

So I have Orca setup for ease of use and control of Autopilot. And the family trained in using it. Training the family to use B&G or Raymarine "routing" was not viable as they are both absolute user unfriendly. Orca or Garmin are much easier to use.

[CaptainRivet]

@kaz911: i have orca 2 with network connection.
I agree with most you are stating.
The orca core2 is an absolute bargain what it delivers. And soon they have a nice surprise regarding chart coverage which is a bit their weak point and that news will make it the bargain on the market and fix a lot. I am not allowed to say more, i am one of their beta testers so i have lot of insides but i paid in full for my hardware...ok i paid 450 for core 2 instead 550 but it was official core price at that time when core 2 was not released and one of the first unit coming out of production.
But you are wrong in fixing bugs, they are very quick especially if the bug concerns operation. And lightyears fast compared to the big 5 chartplotter companies like B&G or raymarine.
Where they are bit slow fixing functionality thats out already like offline maps but the background info is thats a major re-engineering on the way they handle chart data in general so thats a huge effort for what seems a small change, thats why that takes long. But they released old way so they have this functionality avaliable while they already know its suboptimal but they had other priorities first. Thats what i really like about them, they think user first and give them as much as they can with resources available.

The 30m jumps in GPS seems to come from switching between BT and wifi connection, where in between orca seem to use the tablets GPS.
Report that best on FB orca owners club, there you get the fastest help and bugs get on their to fix list.
On the display2 i mostly agree and i told them its by far too expensive for what it does and can.

I have 3rd gen Ipad Pro 12.9 5g version and Samsung S7FE 4gb/64GB wifi only and with Samsung i don't get the jumps.
The S7FE is my absolute go to tablet for navigation apps as its 12.4" screen with matte screen protector its even readable in direct sunlight with a polorized sunglasses, it hardly heats up and has a very long battery life. The reason for that its quite scaled down on the hardware side but same battery and screen from the S7+ in the same body so has tons of cooling capacity and the scaled down hardware uses much less battery. Also no GPS inside which saves a lot battery too as thats always running, even in flightmode on all tablets with 5G/GPS chips.The scaled down hardware is fully ok for Orca, all other navigation and boat apps, internet browsing and also streaming 4k movies on Netflix. The only negative i have to say is the little magnet that holds the samsung pen as that can throw your magnetic compass off if too close.
And that for 450Euro plus you can extend memory with an SD card, where soon you can save all your offline maps with orca as well as other user data to save space on internal memory. I would buy the s7FE in a heartbeat again, maybe with 6gb and 128gb memory but 4GB/64GB is fully ok as pure navigation tablet what i use it for.

[kaz911]

The Jumps in GPS happens on the N2k network as well. Independent of anything connected to the Core via Wireless.

Bugs - I have reported quite a few that are still outstanding (we are counting 6+ months)
Support - hmm - supposed to be good but now rarely get an answer. A year ago they were responsive.

I have communicated with Kristian and Jorge direct plus used the "in app" request.

Honestly - there is a lot of great work put in - but as an EE with many years of product development (HW/SW) behind me - they are too focused on new features and not enough focus on making the features actually work well.

But that is my opinion.

The reason Display 2 is "bad" is in my opinion due to the use of an old Phone chipset as the basis for a tablet. Then add the horrendous Micro Sim (not NANO as is std now) and the uSD card in the same tray.

If you supply Micro Sim these days - you should include a Nano Sim adaptor. The advertised Speakers (with s) is a single really bad quality speaker.

If the device is connected to USB-C power - it can't be switched off. It will switch on again. The USB-C is not "fully" PD compatible - only partly.

Then the last issue - is the touch screen. It is really bad - it register touch before you actually touch the screen. So in rough seas where you support your hand trying to get close to the right thing to press - suddenly it will register a touch even before you have made physical contact.


[EDIT]
Almost forgot - Display 2 is bundled with lots of apps that cant be uninstalled (like Phone) that REQUIRE access to your location. So owning a Display 2 and plugging it into a network - you are telling Google where you are at all times with no limits. Many of the apps act the same way. It seems like it is a Samsung OEM board the tablet is based on - so I would think firmware is from Samsung - so Samsung gets the full data download as well.

It is NOT a "safe" device if you are privacy focused.

[CaptainRivet]

If the 30m jumps in GPS is on N2K too then most likely the nmea network or your ap has another gps location data set too, maybe even partly incorrect translated from NMEA0183. My S2G ap computer priorises first the direct connected connected GPS and puts that on the network too, then NMEA 0183 and then seatalk1. So i had to disconnect the direct connected GPS at ap as well as switch off the internal GPS in VHF and both chartplotters so only ORCAs GPS is there and then convert this from N2K to seatalk 1 and NMEA0183, so the identical and only GPS info is on all networks i have. Reason i must use orca is doppler radar Quantum2 need ROT 10HZ fast heading and orca is the only GPS source that delivers that.
The EV1 GPS from raymarine would have costed 1000bucks, thats the whole orca hardware plus 6 years subscription service.
The reason i got orca in first place and then discovered how good it is.
Suggest to check that and if best is to report that GPS bug on Facebook orca owners club, there you get the fastest help and its on their list.

Regarding safety the best is a VPN like surfshark that blocks that traffic. 2nd there are ways to delete these samsung apps and other OEM ones.
Well regarding privacy we are broadcasting our AIS, even pay a big chunk of money to install that AIS for saftey and "big brother watching" you marinetraffic puts that on the web, so you can be tracked by everyone that wanna know legally...privacy is long gone here.
And if you concerned about privacy first step buy wifi only tablets as the ones with 5G and GPS chip always braodcast, even in flightmode and when physically switched off SIM and in standby. The only way in apple to block that is to insert a deactivated SIM and not putting your PIN then they block all SIM network and GPS chip. And wifi only saves a lot of battery plus its cheaper.

[kaz911]

nope - I have logged the N2k GPS jumps and they are out of the Core 1. (With NGT-1 USB) I do have quite a bit of N2k/0183 experience from HW/SW perspective.

I tried with 3 GPS's connected - or only ORCA with no other N2k senders - and it was Orca that was jumping.

FB - sorry don't use FB apart from my "business" so my business account is approved for Orca forums but can't post or comment. Have not bothered to figure out why.

VPN - on Android VPN does not override telematics. And there might be ways to delete the apps but they apps should simply not be there in the first place as they are irrelevant for a navigation / tablet device.

You can "disable" the apps from reporting on location in the Orca Display 2. But it only last until you reboot - even on App's I have installed and asked NOT to track location will still revert to track location after a reboot.

[TPG]

Yep, heard of them, and it seems interesting. I'm not a fan of a monthly subscription for this type of application, I see too many problems with "service" issues.

I could see this as a backup or 2nd device, but not a primary. I'm all for startups and competition, but wouldn't use this as my stand-alone device my boat. I run Navionics on my B&G along with Aquamaps on a tablet and that works for me. (I can also run Open CPN if need be on a laptop for a 3rd unit)

[CaptainRivet]

Originally Posted by TPG

Yep, heard of them, and it seems interesting. I'm not a fan of a monthly subscription for this type of application, I see too many problems with "service" issues.

I could see this as a backup or 2nd device, but not a primary. I'm all for startups and competition, but wouldn't use this as my stand-alone device my boat. I run Navionics on my B&G along with Aquamaps on a tablet and that works for me. (I can also run Open CPN if need be on a laptop for a 3rd unit)

Its a yearly subscription of 119Euro, so 10Euro a month for orca service including worldwide maps, the core 2 blackbox (not needed that orca works but highly recommended) that also works with radars for 550 is also a 9 axis gyro GPS with 10HZ ROT for doppler and marpa radar (cheapest just for that) and ap head with already 1 year orca subscription.
You cannot avoid subscription anymore (ok yes open cpn as really only valid exception), i hate them to but thats the best package out there by far.

[TPG]

Originally Posted by CaptainRivet

Its a yearly subscription of 119Euro, so 10Euro a month for orca service including worldwide maps, the core 2 blackbox (not needed that orca works but highly recommended) that also works with radars for 550 is also a 9 axis gyro GPS with 10HZ ROT for doppler and marpa radar (cheapest just for that) and ap head with already 1 year orca subscription.
You cannot avoid subscription anymore (ok yes open cpn as really only valid exception), i hate them to but thats the best package out there by far.

To be fair, I pay $99/yr USD for my Navionics chart to be updated whenever I want, but I know quite a few people who don't update yearly (that's their choice). My only concern with Orca's approach is that if I don't make a payment, do I lose all access to my navigation? I did not see this concern get addressed here, would love to know if that's what would happen.

[bergius]

Originally Posted by TPG

To be fair, I pay $99/yr USD for my Navionics chart to be updated whenever I want, but I know quite a few people who don't update yearly (that's their choice). My only concern with Orca's approach is that if I don't make a payment, do I lose all access to my navigation? I did not see this concern get addressed here, would love to know if that's what would happen.

You may have missed it, but Navionics recently changed their terms&conditions. Now you don’t get chart access with expired subscription. And they limit the number of devices you can have, too!

Orca has pretty clear terms on what the “Premium” includes, and what’s available for free:

[CaptainRivet]

Thanks Bergius. So clear you can use downloaded maps later.

Just as an example my yearly supscription in Navionics being the roundtrip med-canary-cabo verde- Caribbean-Azores-portugal- med raised from 139Euro to 368Euro, cannot use downloaded charts after subscription expires and i cannot use 3 old ipads anymore (as only version 20 gets updated), can only use 2 devices parallel and basically all feature they add the last 5 years are for the bin...
Classic private equity...melk the cow ahm sailors, boaters, so you and me...very very pissed with navionics
On the chartplotter i have no joice and need to at least update for the most advanced region being med so i getvall the other features too but rest Isailor and Orca covers now. On navionics app i will very critically evaluate....first i download all i can on my 3 old ipads as they cannot block the downloaded chart here and that will work for a while before i would need new navionics maps here.

Orca is already worldwide (not really but major areas in and rest will come soon step by step) for 119Euro and and soon there will be a nice surprise on charts if all gets nailed as negotiated making it an absolute nobrainer.

[CRJ007]

Originally Posted by CaptainRivet

@kaz911: i have orca 2 with network connection.
I agree with most you are stating.
The orca core2 is an absolute bargain what it delivers. And soon they have a nice surprise regarding chart coverage which is a bit their weak point and that news will make it the bargain on the market and fix a lot. I am not allowed to say more, i am one of their beta testers so i have lot of insides but i paid in full for my hardware...ok i paid 450 for core 2 instead 550 but it was official core price at that time when core 2 was not released and one of the first unit coming out of production.
But you are wrong in fixing bugs, they are very quick especially if the bug concerns operation. And lightyears fast compared to the big 5 chartplotter companies like B&G or raymarine.
Where they are bit slow fixing functionality thats out already like offline maps but the background info is thats a major re-engineering on the way they handle chart data in general so thats a huge effort for what seems a small change, thats why that takes long. But they released old way so they have this functionality avaliable while they already know its suboptimal but they had other priorities first. Thats what i really like about them, they think user first and give them as much as they can with resources available.

The 30m jumps in GPS seems to come from switching between BT and wifi connection, where in between orca seem to use the tablets GPS.
Report that best on FB orca owners club, there you get the fastest help and bugs get on their to fix list.
On the display2 i mostly agree and i told them its by far too expensive for what it does and can.

I have 3rd gen Ipad Pro 12.9 5g version and Samsung S7FE 4gb/64GB wifi only and with Samsung i don't get the jumps.
The S7FE is my absolute go to tablet for navigation apps as its 12.4" screen with matte screen protector its even readable in direct sunlight with a polorized sunglasses, it hardly heats up and has a very long battery life. The reason for that its quite scaled down on the hardware side but same battery and screen from the S7+ in the same body so has tons of cooling capacity and the scaled down hardware uses much less battery. Also no GPS inside which saves a lot battery too as thats always running, even in flightmode on all tablets with 5G/GPS chips.The scaled down hardware is fully ok for Orca, all other navigation and boat apps, internet browsing and also streaming 4k movies on Netflix. The only negative i have to say is the little magnet that holds the samsung pen as that can throw your magnetic compass off if too close.
And that for 450Euro plus you can extend memory with an SD card, where soon you can save all your offline maps with orca as well as other user data to save space on internal memory. I would buy the s7FE in a heartbeat again, maybe with 6gb and 128gb memory but 4GB/64GB is fully ok as pure navigation tablet what i use it for.

How is the Samsung s7FE in bright sunlight and how does it handle the heat when in the sun?

I'm thinking of getting the Orca Display 2 but your options seems quite good. I have heard nightmares with the sun affecting the displays when outside and issues with overheating in ipads etc.

Thanks