Recommended Cockpit Platform

[s/v Jedi]

On the other hand you can install a good display with hdmi port and either connect any computer to that, or connect something like a Roku or AppleTV and use Airplay screen mirroring. I do something similar in our pilothouse.

[rgleason]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Rgleason,

I seem to have rubbed you the wrong way somehow. That was far from my intent. I apologize for any perceived criticism.

And you may well be correct that this opensource is not for me. Of course that means it is also not for a lot of other people as well. Perhaps some kind of paid support would help bridge the gap? But that is not for this conversation. I believe we have discussed this elsewhere already.

As to RM I have had early failures, brand new non-functional units shipped. And they would not stand by their product.

It is not I don’t “like” Android, I have had 2 OCPN crashes last week. They were not easily recovered while single handing into a new anchorage.

I can not log onto the Dave Register (BDB?) OCPN support forum. It appears to be some kind of security issue. Can not reset password. No clue what to do about it. Someone sent me a PM here about the issue, I tried to respond, but then the PM disappeared. I have no way to even ask for help.

Without an Android OCPN group to turn to I am seeking other alternatives.

No you have not, "rubbed me the wrong way." It is just that sometimes we have to set expectations otherwise there is an expectation of "commercial" software, (which we all know has its problems too, as you have learned). I used to have a Nav program by Raymarine many years ago, and it was without a doubt the slowest worst Nav program I ever used.

This is free software, created by a talented volunteer team that enjoys building and creating useful tools for Mariners. They very much would like others to use it and I see more user friendly things in the pipeline. Right now they are working hard on a new version and have no time available.

I am sure Dave "bdbcat" will respond to you eventually when the dust has settled, I have no idea when that will be, and it may take awhile. Perhaps you should try PM him from CF about the problem logging in for Android.

A little patience and understanding goes a long way in this forum. The community is strong, helpful and supportive, but it is all volunteers, helping others and learning together.

I know you'll get there, you are persistent. My suggestion is to perhaps go ahead and try BBN if you have the time, you'll learn a lot more.

[rgleason]

Most of all this is supposed to be fun, creating and helping others.

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

On the other hand you can install a good display with hdmi port and either connect any computer to that, or connect something like a Roku or AppleTV and use Airplay screen mirroring. I do something similar in our pilothouse.

Jedi,

You have me there. Our last TV went with our daughter to college. She is now 33. I did learn enough of the remote at my sons house to turn the damn thing off.

And we cook on a kerosene stove to boot.

LOL

[rgleason]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Jedi,

You have me there. Our last TV went with our daughter to college. She is now 33. I did learn enough of the remote at my sons house to turn the damn thing off.

And we cook on a kerosene stove to boot.

LOL

hpeer, It's like VNC, but different.

[hpeer]

I have the above suggested computer on order (dirt cheap from Digikey). And I adroitly figured out I needed to also buy a power supply and mouse/keyboard. Hopefully I will have some time this summer to get familiar.

I dabbled with PP1 in the mid 70’s, but then calculated the environmental cost of trees as I was burning through in punch cards, dreadful. Then in the 80’s I had a brush with Dbase and wrote a interesting little program that was very useful at work. But the hours upon hours of fixing syntax errors from my dreadful typing got me to swear off. I have had programmers work for me effecting concepts, but I can not do what they do.

There is no doubt the world has passed me by in this regard.

I do appreciate these community efforts and have had the pleasure of meeting Sean. It is truly remarkable what their enthusiasm produces.

But damn, the learning curve is steep and worse, my interest lies in the utility not the details.

I do hope that something occurs to make these efforts more accessible to we foggies. Do you remember Fugawi? I used that and was happy, I scanned in a tourist map of Belize and went on a GPS guided tour. But someone bought them out and tanked the company, a pity. I now see someone is trying to commercialize Sean’s AP by marrying it with the Pelagic ram. I have scavenged a CPT power box set up to achieve wheel steering. But I may be repeating myself. Again.

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by rgleason

hpeer, It's like VNC, but different.

Ah, more reading material. LOL

[rgleason]

hpeer,

Did Sean have his Crowther Tri when you saw him? I met with him last year in Dorchester Bay. He rowed me out in his kayak to show me his new rig. He did a lot of modifications, has a solar oven strapped to the port trampoline where he cooks fish.

I know and understand what you are saying, but you are not a Luddite, not from your history. It may be a little painful but you do it.

[hpeer]

He had the Tri, but I did not see it except in the distance. Nor did I realize it was a Crouther, that would have been interesting. It was a rainy day during Covid so we chatted in a gazebo. Somewhere in NC. Interesting guy. Lots of respect for his choices, they are not easy. A true idealist.

[s/v Jedi]

You can think of Airplay as a wireless screen that can be used by phones, tablets and computers that support it. At the display-end of things you need an Airplay receiver which is a little box or stick called Roku, AppleTV etc.
The nice thing is that every program works with it including Fugawi etc.

[hpeer]

Jedi,

Thankyou, that was helpful.

[Ratty1978]

Not so much a platform as a really durable bracket, TIDAL MOUNTS comes in two sizes. Disclaimer, I know the Captain who runs the business and wrote the patent for him. I also told him the machined aluminum on the larger size was impressive.



https://www.tidalmounts.com/

Originally Posted by hpeer

I am using OpenCPN on an Android phone, Samsung Galexy 10+.

It is OK but has some issues. Recently it has crashed a couple of times and it is also some of the controls are just too darn small.

I have been using PyPilot and parts of the interface either do not work or are so small that I can not use them except in perfect conditions.

I have a RayMarine C80 and a cut out for that. It is on the side of the cockpit, in the seat back. It would be nice if I could find a way to mount a replacement there. It is not a great spot but all that is available. It means I have to be able to view from an pretty good angle. And gives an idea of the space available.

It would be very desirable to have power and other connectors come from the back.

First and foremost it needs to be a solid platform for OpenCPN.

Finally I am most decidedly NOT a computer geek, it needs to be a pretty simple platform.

I know I am asking a lot and there may be nothing that fits all criteria. Still thought it might be worth asking.

Many thanks.

[edventuredad]

I AM a computer geek, and after all the messing around with trying to make OpenCPN work well, looking into waterproof displays that would take the beating of the boat life, the absolute need for reliability when everything else is going to hell, and all the other things, I finally decided to get a Raymarine MFD that was a retired model off e-bay for about $500. I'm so glad I did. I appreciate all the work that the open source folks are doing and I'm a big proponent of it, but for my navigation I needed something that just worked. Add the Navionics charting, frequent chart updates, and the ability for it to auto-route and it was money well spent. And, when I think about the amount of time that I spent on all of the monkeying around with trying to make Openplotter and OpenCPN work, it would have been a major cost savings to have just started with the purpose-built MFD.

I kept my "boat computer" going for various things, but found that it became unreliable... doing a little update to some software that then messed up the OpenPlotter engine and needing to debug that, issues with the screen not working consistently, etc. It was just a lot of time and trouble when what you need is something reliable and you want to sail. The promise of good things, customization, etc. is really appealing, but there's a reason the purpose-built devices cost what they do and that comes down to reliability in a harsh environment.

[rls8r]

Originally Posted by rgleason

hpeer, It's like VNC, but different.

Reminds me of an apocryphal anecdote where (supposedly) Einstein is explaining the difference between radio and telegraphy. He is supposed to have said something like ...

"Telegraphy is like a long, long cat that stretches from New York to Los Angeles. You pinch the cat's tail in New York and the cat meows in Los Angeles. Radio operates exactly the same way ... except there is no cat."

This has been an interesting discussion of OpenCPN platforms. I'm also trying to find a good solution where I can have Active Captain, Aqua Maps and OpenCPN running on the same machine - which will probably be an Android tablet since I've had no luck making the Windows 11 Android Simulator work.

Thanks to all who have worked (and continue to work) on OpenCPN. I use it running under Windows with a Dell Latitude "ruggedized" tablet, and it is a great resource.

[philiosophy]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Mgrouch,

The last 3 minutes of that video were helpful.

I don’t need all the bells and whistles. But a rock solid OCPN platform that can display radar.

I have PyPilot and have FINALLY got it to work, I think, but the controls are full of glitches.

I have a router that translates NEMA 0183, NEMA 2000, Seatalk and puts out Wifi to my phone apps.

My old RM C-80 is now pretty much regulated to Radar Display, but the display is crapping out.

I am pissed at RM for a variety of reasons and do NOT want to support them. So even though my radar works I may need to replace it to get something that connects via a digital standard.

Raymarine customer support in Sydney has supported me and my C80 as well as helping me with my selection of transducers by loaning me two different one for free. We can all be missed at the modernization and proprietary elements of modern technology, True. That said I have yet to hear of any Electronics company that has the support, especially on a 15 year old C80 chart plotter I bought at a swap meet. Just saying...