Raspberry Pi as Onboard Computer

[conachair]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Lots of good info. Thanks!

At first, I plan to bring in the NMEA Data from my GPS/AIS (Standard Horizon GX2200) for a better display. Are there kits available to lengthen the NMEA wires?

It looks like you use an RS422 / RS485 HAT for this.

Then I'd also like to either lengthen the cable on the Victron 75/15 Controller I have so I can monitor the solar info from that or setup maybe the Bluetooth for this which I think the Raspberry Pi can do as well

I've the GX2100 which is single ended NMEA, guess the 2200 is the same, just needs a rs232/usb adaptor, just add more wire to extend.

The Victron bluesolar app for signalk only accepts data from serial so far so you'll need a VE direct to USB adaptor from victron . Great having the data as signalk though, save it all to a database and plot the data.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by conachair

I've the GX2100 which is single ended NMEA, guess the 2200 is the same, just needs a rs232/usb adaptor, just add more wire to extend.

The Victron bluesolar app for signalk only accepts data from serial so far so you'll need a VE direct to USB adaptor from victron . Great having the data as signalk though, save it all to a database and plot the data.

The GX2200 has the six small wires coming out the back for NMEA 0183.

As I understand it, I'll just be using the four: yellow, brown, green, and white.

I have the adapter already for the Victron. I sometimes monitor it with my laptop (when I bring it down to the boat) but it's out in the Sun and hard to see. I want a better setup

[goeasy123]

thomm225, Just for the sake of a balanced view. Building Pi-stuff is time consuming and frustrating unless you enjoy a techie challenge. There are compromises and reliability issues.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by thomm225

The GX2200 has the six small wires coming out the back for NMEA 0183.

As I understand it, I'll just be using the four: yellow, brown, green, and white.

I have the adapter already for the Victron. I sometimes monitor it with my laptop (when I bring it down to the boat) but it's out in the Sun and hard to see. I want a better setup

Ooops, stand corrected - it is differential RS422 on yours, though says just +ve nmea should be fine. Probably get away with just blue for GPS into the radio and yellow from the radio into the Pi.



Graphing data is fantastic, and simple to setup in openplotter/signalk

[hpeer]

just to give an example of how backward I am, I have a question.

When talking here and online folks simply say " connect your computer..."

The dim light that is slowly glowing is that they are NOT talking about a Windows PC or laptop, but a laptop running some form of Linux????

I have a second, ancient laptop with some unix version, Navigatrix. Will THAT work???

I tried following the instructions in the link I quoted above and got on Step 2 because I can't open the .img file.

https://www.instructables.com/id/Con...USB-No-Mini-H/

(writing from a Burger King in St Maarten so I can get internet.)

[Singularity]

Originally Posted by Andy Todd

...There are...reliability issues.

I'm curious about the specific reliability issues to which you are referring. Could you give maybe a little list of specific reliability problems, or keywords to search?

[Reefmagnet]

No problem with reliability here. Mine's been almost continually in service for the last two years and only ever needed the occasional reboot. It also tends to get brutally switched off without being properly shut down on too regular a basis with no ill effects.



And, just in case failure cannot be tolerated, it's easy enough to clone an sd card and carry a spare pi onboard (which I do).

[Bill O]

We've been using the Pi/OCPN and Pypilot for awhile and fairly straight forward to set up.
Here are two of our write ups on how we set ours up to bring in AIS (from GX2200), Tacktick sensors and the pypilot hooked up to the controller for our below deck hydraulic controller.
1. Building the Nav.computer: Phoenix's Flight: Building a Marine Navigational Computer with OpenCPN and Raspberry Pi3
2. Pypilot:Phoenix's Flight: Pypilot Open-Source Marine Autopilot for Hydraulic Steering

Originally we compiled OCPN from source on the Pi for the nave. computer, but the much easier way is to down load OpenPlotter and save yourself a lot of techie stuff. OPlotter also has the latest pypilot and a good multiplexer to interface sensors.
The pypilot computer (Pi Zero W) easily interfaces via wifi to the nav. computer. Sean's pre-made pypilot computer comes w/ the pi zero w and a 9-axis IMU chip. While you could assemble your own, would highly recommend purchasing a pre-made one that has been personally QCed by Sean.


Bill O.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Andy Todd

thomm225, Just for the sake of a balanced view. Building Pi-stuff is time consuming and frustrating unless you enjoy a techie challenge. There are compromises and reliability issues.

Thanks for that input, but here's the deal.

I'm a manager of electronics/computer techs, and I've fallen behind a bit. I was a tech until 1995, and now things have changed ……. just a bit

I think I taught myself DOS 3.2 before I went into the office. I also had ancient programming classes in Pascal, Cobol, Basic, and Fortran

My guys will soon be required to have A+ or Security Plus to even touch the systems.

I've been so busy with personnel and reports, it's hard to stay up with the tech stuff even though I see all repair/pm paperwork and report it monthly.

Our last mainframe system is going offline this Spring and then all we'll have is ethernet "box" to "box" systems along with I/O (Phoenix), UPS (APC/Liebert), Visuals, motion (hydraulics) and control loading

I did the tech thing at first just to pay off boats and cars. Then I got married and so on and so forth.

I'm most excited about boats etc.

Now I see a way to tie in the computer/electronics techie stuff with boat stuff which to me is interesting. Plus I need things to do when at anchor are when sailing on nice days

[Reefmagnet]

Originally Posted by hpeer

just to give an example of how backward I am, I have a question.

When talking here and online folks simply say " connect your computer..."

The dim light that is slowly glowing is that they are NOT talking about a Windows PC or laptop, but a laptop running some form of Linux????

I have a second, ancient laptop with some unix version, Navigatrix. Will THAT work???

I tried following the instructions in the link I quoted above and got on Step 2 because I can't open the .img file.

https://www.instructables.com/id/Con...USB-No-Mini-H/

(writing from a Burger King in St Maarten so I can get internet.)

You may be looking at the wrong model of Pi. The ones typically used are the Pi 3 or Pi 4 models? These are a snack to install and run headlessly (i.e. via a remote connection from another PC, Windows or otherwise).

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by Reefmagnet

And, just in case failure cannot be tolerated, it's easy enough to clone an sd card and carry a spare pi onboard (which I do).

This is an excellent idea, which we do also. Never had to use it though. We also carry an extra Pi zero and other parts (just in case), but have never needed them. If we did, a swap out would be easy.
Will agree its a very robust system and the AP uses very little power even w/our large hydraulic pump.
The pypilot combined w/OCPN is a modern day AP and is much better than an older style point/shoot AP.


Bill O.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Andy Todd

thomm225, Just for the sake of a balanced view. Building Pi-stuff is time consuming and frustrating unless you enjoy a techie challenge. There are compromises and reliability issues.

When did you try openplotter last? Installing openplotter/signalk doesn't take long at all on a Pi, then if anything much easier to set up than a laptop, though wiring is wiring. All menus to set up.

Never had any reliability issues over many years running Pi's 24/7/365, maybe a duff SD card a few years ago - any links/description of problems you've had?

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Bill O

We've been using the Pi/OCPN and Pypilot for awhile and fairly straight forward to set up.
Here are two of our write ups on how we set ours up to bring in AIS (from GX2200), Tacktick sensors and the pypilot hooked up to the controller for our below deck hydraulic controller.
1. Building the Nav.computer: Phoenix's Flight: Building a Marine Navigational Computer with OpenCPN and Raspberry Pi3
2. Pypilot:Phoenix's Flight: Pypilot Open-Source Marine Autopilot for Hydraulic Steering

Originally we compiled OCPN from source on the Pi for the nave. computer, but the much easier way is to down load OpenPlotter and save yourself a lot of techie stuff. OPlotter also has the latest pypilot and a good multiplexer to interface sensors.
The pypilot computer (Pi Zero W) easily interfaces via wifi to the nav. computer. Sean's pre-made pypilot computer comes w/ the pi zero w and a 9-axis IMU chip. While you could assemble your own, would highly recommend purchasing a pre-made one that has been personally QCed by Sean.


Bill O.

Very nice!

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Thanks for that input, but here's the deal.

I'm a manager of electronics/computer techs, and I've fallen behind a bit. I was a tech until 1995, and now things have changed ……. just a bit

I think I taught myself DOS 3.2 before I went into the office.

My guys will soon be required to have A+ or Security Plus to even touch the systems.

I've been so busy with personnel and reports, it's hard to stay up with the tech stuff even though I see all repair/pm paperwork and report it monthly.

Our last mainframe system is going offline this Spring and then all we'll have is ethernet "box" to "box" systems along with I/O (Phoenix), UPS (APC/Liebert), Visuals, motion (hydraulics) and control loading

I did the tech thing at first just to pay off boats and cars. Then I got married and so on and so forth.

I'm most excited about boats etc.

Now I see a way to tie in the computer techie stuff with boat stuff which to me is interesting. Plus I need things to do when at anchor are when sailing on nice days

We aren't computer geeks at all and we could put it together, so w/your background should be no problem for you. A nice little winter project.

Look around CF the diy threads, there lots of info already up.


Bill O.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Bill O

We aren't computer geeks at all and we could put it together, so w/your background should be no problem for you. A nice little winter project.

Look around CF the diy threads, there lots of info already up.


Bill O.

Yep, should be fun/interesting. I just needed something to get me interested

Plus the price is nice.

I believe I paid $1,800 for my Windows 98 computer back when they first came out, and the one before that I have forgotten what I paid for it. It was command prompt/command line only

Btw, our Windows 98 systems are going offline this Spring also and the 80 year old software guy that uses them will finally be retiring!