RaspPi - Canadian Charts

[Foeboat]

Hi,

I am loving my Rasperry Pi3 + OpenCPN chart plotter. My goal this summer is a cruise to Newfoundland and I will need Canadian Charts from a CHS distributer. As I understand it, these electronic charts have encryption that is designed to work for one computer system only. The beauty of the RaspPi approach is that the entire computer can be replaced with a spare for around $35.00 but this low cost RPi advantage would be dwarfed by the cost of a full set of replacement CHS charts. My question is, if I clone my SD card for my existing Pi, will the CHS charts on the clone be functional?

Best,

David

[houlejm]

David

It is my understanding that the BSBv4 charts you will get need a plug-in to be usable and that plug-in is only available for Windows.

I would like to be corrected if I am wrong.

Jean-Marie

[Foeboat]

Thanks Jean-Marie, if it is true that Canadian CHS charts can't be read by OpenCPN running on RaspberryPi, it would be a disappointment but you will have saved me quite a bit of grief!

[rooiedirk]

Yes confirmative. The BSB4 plugin is windows only. This is because the decryping part is coming from an external company, that delivers the decryption only for windhose.

[vincycle]

Outside the BBSv4 conversation.

This is my experience purchasing from CHS

I just recently downloaded 2 Vector charts from CHS. I had to physically go to a vendor in my area and purchase a registration code at the counter. $25 each map (BC). I then had to open an account with CHS and proceed to register my product. I did note that I do have a download limit of 10 from the CHS server. So I could potentially place the maps on 10 devices. I have had no issue using them on my macbook. I also bought the Android app version for my Galaxy phone, the map files work on that system as well. I simply copied and pasted to my android storage, I am not sure if I circumvented any limits by copy-paste. As for Raspberry Pi I would hope the results would be the same for this type of map.

The CHS website has a warning that the BBSv4 is not GIS compatible. Sadly I do not yet know what that means. I will assume that is where the Plug-ins mentioned in previous posts come in to play.

I am brand new to all of this chart plotting, and system builds. I offer only my experience to date. I have been using OpenCPN for 2 weeks now, this is my first ever experience with any chart plotter.
I just found the forums this week. I am here researching the Raspberry Pi builds and plan to build one this summer.

I hope this is another perspective and not way off topic.
cheers

[Foeboat]

Thanks Vincycle,

Question/clarification: So you using OpenCPN on your Mac and on your Android and are they both able to read the CHS charts?

Thanks! David

[vincycle]

So Far YES.

I do not know Ras...Pi so I can not assist with the issues regarding what types of maps can be used....yet.

More clarificaton:
I downloaded the ENC S-57 Vector charts from CHS ($25+tax each). I have used them on both Macbook and Android OpenCPN versions.
Also downloaded digital RNC in BSB format from NOAA (free) and it seems to work and look the same on both platforms. No additional plug-ins
I am on OpenCPN 4.4.0 updated last night to 4.6.0

I have not used the RNC BSBv4 from CHS that are in question.

CHS website information on the difference between Raster and Vector
CHS - What is the difference between a raster chart and a vector chart

note the warning on the bottom about BSBv4 and the link to options if you require BSB format. (took me to not many answers...see below)


Curiously I am on the CHS site browsing charts and they are pricing BSBv3 formats and S-57 maps at $50/per....more confusion. Odd that I MUST see a retailer to purchase charts and that they are discounting them. Probably better that I do considering the conflicting information. Still $25 from my retailer to experiment with a vector copy ten times seems reasonable.

I may even buy a BSBv? from CHS just to see if it will work on the macbook. I am so very curious to know if it is just the CHS digital raster that will not work for whatever reason.

cheers