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sailingharry · 28-10-2023, 08:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by hans-martijn

It actually works very well, with loads of screens you can use. If you have a signalk-server, this is a really nice extra, although very tiny.

-Hans

I'm more than a little confused. You have shown what looks to be a fairly robust display device. In your earlier post, you say they are fairly inexpensive. But the link takes me to a github developer site.
How does one buy this thing? And for how much?

What cabling does it require? Your pics show a single wire, is that just power or is it along the lines of ST or N2K, where it is a combined power/data cable?
Is it bulkhead mountable (along the lines of a ST60 device, with the cable out the back)?
Is there a decent selection of built-in display screens (or easily customizable ones)? My Triton displays on my old boat had a single graphic screen that shows true and apparent wind direction (two arrows) with true and apparent wind speed, all in one graphic. This would be killer! And another screen, which I had configured for 9 values (3x3 grid) which sounds busy but was remarkably easy to use.

hans-martijn · 28-10-2023, 08:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailingharry

I'm more than a little confused. You have shown what looks to be a fairly robust display device. In your earlier post, you say they are fairly inexpensive. But the link takes me to a github developer site.
How does one buy this thing? And for how much?

What cabling does it require? Your pics show a single wire, is that just power or is it along the lines of ST or N2K, where it is a combined power/data cable?
Is it bulkhead mountable (along the lines of a ST60 device, with the cable out the back)?
Is there a decent selection of built-in display screens (or easily customizable ones)? My Triton displays on my old boat had a single graphic screen that shows true and apparent wind direction (two arrows) with true and apparent wind speed, all in one graphic. This would be killer! And another screen, which I had configured for 9 values (3x3 grid) which sounds busy but was remarkably easy to use.

Sorry, the devices are from m5ststack.com (https://shop.m5stack.com/products/m5stack-tough-esp32-iot-development-board-kit), for $50. They have touch-screens, with several different options to view, by simply swiping left or right. Power comes over a single usb-a cord, which you also need for programming or updating the device.

The screens you actually see on the GitHub page are the ones currently available, others will probably be added. I’m actually impressed by all possibilities.

-Hans

sailingharry · 28-10-2023, 08:47

I found the GitHub screen shots.
It has a nearly perfect wind display -- awesome! Might suggest some tweaks, but if I had to use it as-is I wouldn't complain!
The tank screen is perhaps the most enticing. The "industrial" nature of the device would be OK if you hid it below decks someplace. But this device probably doesn't create the data, only display it. How expensive/difficult is it to get tank data into the data stream? My current tanks are all the old Profile capacitive sensors, and water works great but wastewater is horrible.
The unit is small and industrial. I wouldn't want to mount 4 of them on my cabin side -- the mounts and cables would be ugly and I don't think I could read it from 6 feet away at the helm. But the price is awesome! Do you anticipate some refinement? Going to 4 or 5 inch displays, under 1" thick, and appropriately bulkhead mount with a back-side cable? Where/how do you envision one (the one you have) in use on a sailboat?
Is it possible to change screens on-the-fly, or does it require using a phone or something to change from say speed to depth?

Franziska · 28-10-2023, 08:59

Careful, btw, there are M5 stack and M5 stack tough. The latter one is the outdoor one.

Franziska · 28-10-2023, 09:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailingharry

I found the GitHub screen shots.
It has a nearly perfect wind display -- awesome! Might suggest some tweaks, but if I had to use it as-is I wouldn't complain!
The tank screen is perhaps the most enticing. The "industrial" nature of the device would be OK if you hid it below decks someplace. But this device probably doesn't create the data, only display it. How expensive/difficult is it to get tank data into the data stream? My current tanks are all the old Profile capacitive sensors, and water works great but wastewater is horrible.
The unit is small and industrial. I wouldn't want to mount 4 of them on my cabin side -- the mounts and cables would be ugly and I don't think I could read it from 6 feet away at the helm. But the price is awesome! Do you anticipate some refinement? Going to 4 or 5 inch displays, under 1" thick, and appropriately bulkhead mount with a back-side cable? Where/how do you envision one (the one you have) in use on a sailboat?
Is it possible to change screens on-the-fly, or does it require using a phone or something to change from say speed to depth?

Say one creates a little fairing box from foam and glass, one could surely mount several side by side in it.

Can they be configured to only show one maximum size value per M5 stack screen? How tall would those letters then be?

Than configure several pages, so that if you want, you can swipe to a different screen if you want.

Do they have a night time illumination, preferably in red?

sailingharry · 28-10-2023, 09:28

I asked up-thread about tank data. While it won't solve my waste tank problem (and not even my water tanks, since they are capacitive), I did find this nifty device:
https://www.amazon.com/MarineNow-Ana.../dp/B09XLQ5LDV
$95 gets you analog-to-N2K for 2 water tanks, 2 fuel tanks, 2 waste tanks, engine temp, engine oil pressur, tach (all for 2 engines), rudder angle, and volts. If it works, that's an awesome deal! Just don't look at the reviews.....LOL (although I wonder if the reviews say more about the installer than the device).

Franziska · 28-10-2023, 11:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailingharry

I asked up-thread about tank data. While it won't solve my waste tank problem (and not even my water tanks, since they are capacitive), I did find this nifty device:
https://www.amazon.com/MarineNow-Ana.../dp/B09XLQ5LDV
$95 gets you analog-to-N2K for 2 water tanks, 2 fuel tanks, 2 waste tanks, engine temp, engine oil pressur, tach (all for 2 engines), rudder angle, and volts. If it works, that's an awesome deal! Just don't look at the reviews.....LOL (although I wonder if the reviews say more about the installer than the device).

The Amazon reviews are pretty terrible though...