em-trak AIS transponders - multiplexing between NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000 ports

[KompetentKrew]

Looks like em-trak have finally released the update they promised two years ago - I haven't tried it yet, but just got an update on my support ticket about 30 minutes ago.

Previous thread: Em-trak wifi multiplex

Promises from em-trak:

Currently any NMEA 0183 data received by the B900 Series will be multiplexed over Wi-Fi (as well as the other NMEA 0183 port). We are looking to extend that functionality so that a set of NMEA 2000 PGNs (including wind, speed, depth, etc) will be converted and multiplexed over NMEA 0183 and Wi-Fi. This feature will be added in a future software update, due for release in the coming weeks.​

And:

currently the B900 Series does not multiplex any data between the NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000 ports. However, it is a feature that we are looking to implement in the coming weeks as a software update. This will allow a set of commonly used data (heading, navigation data, etc) to be converted and output between the NMEA 0183 (and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth) and NMEA 2000 ports.​

Release B95x software, update to 150200.01.21.00: PCN 61 - B900 Series - Hardware / software update - NMEA Conversion

 

[Refueler]

Vela units have been doing that since first available ....

 

[PaulRainbow]

Vela units have been doing that since first available ....

vela ?

 

[Refueler]

vela ?

Nmea4Wifi

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Nmea4Wifi

lacking somewhat on the AIS front!

 

[PaulRainbow]

Nmea4Wifi

Security issues won't allow it to load here, on three browsers.

But, i get the gist of it. The Emtrak units are AIS transceivers that, when sold, did not have the multiplexing features that this new update creates. So, anyone who has one, basically gets a free N2K to 0183 multiplexer.

Not a bad deal, IMO.

 

[KompetentKrew]

… free N2K to 0183 multiplexer.

I believe it's bi-directional - my planned use it to bring the output of an NMEA 0183 transducer into the NMEA 2000 network, on which everything else will be.

 

[Refueler]

lacking somewhat on the AIS front!

OK .. but there are various AIS integrated units out there .. VHF / Plotters etc. - that the Vela unit is a bargain at the price ... please show another unit that competes at such price ...

My point is that for an expensive bit of kit as the em-trak ... I find it interesting its taken so long to bring 0182 and 2k together !!

 

[mrming]

Looks like em-trak have finally released the update they promised two years ago - I haven't tried it yet, but just got an update on my support ticket about 30 minutes ago.

Previous thread: Em-trak wifi multiplex

Promises from em-trak:

Currently any NMEA 0183 data received by the B900 Series will be multiplexed over Wi-Fi (as well as the other NMEA 0183 port). We are looking to extend that functionality so that a set of NMEA 2000 PGNs (including wind, speed, depth, etc) will be converted and multiplexed over NMEA 0183 and Wi-Fi. This feature will be added in a future software update, due for release in the coming weeks.​

And:

currently the B900 Series does not multiplex any data between the NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000 ports. However, it is a feature that we are looking to implement in the coming weeks as a software update. This will allow a set of commonly used data (heading, navigation data, etc) to be converted and output between the NMEA 0183 (and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth) and NMEA 2000 ports.​

Release B95x software, update to 150200.01.21.00: PCN 61 - B900 Series - Hardware / software update - NMEA Conversion

Thanks for this! Looking forward to giving it a try on mine.

 

[PaulRainbow]

OK .. but there are various AIS integrated units out there .. VHF / Plotters etc. - that the Vela unit is a bargain at the price ... please show another unit that competes at such price ...

What AIS capabilities does the Vela have ?

My point is that for an expensive bit of kit as the em-trak ... I find it interesting its taken so long to bring 0182 and 2k together !!

My plotter cost 3 or 4 times as much as the Em-trak, but it doesn't send or receive AIS, neither does it show radar (without another £2k of radome). My VHF doesn't do sonar or radar.

The Em-trak is an AIS tranceiver, one of the best you can buy. The parent company make the AIS units for a lot of the big names, at a much lower price. Compare the price of an Em-Trak against a Raymarine, for instance, both made by the same company.

The fact that they have invested time and effort (money) into implementing additional multiplexing capabilities is a bonus. It's now included in all new units at no extra cost. They have made the updates backward compatible and available to existing users, free of charge, a lot of the big names would not have done that, they would have wanted you to buy a new unit.

 

[Refueler]

What AIS capabilities does the Vela have ?

My plotter cost 3 or 4 times as much as the Em-trak, but it doesn't send or receive AIS, neither does it show radar (without another £2k of radome). My VHF doesn't do sonar or radar.

The Em-trak is an AIS tranceiver, one of the best you can buy. The parent company make the AIS units for a lot of the big names, at a much lower price. Compare the price of an Em-Trak against a Raymarine, for instance, both made by the same company.

The fact that they have invested time and effort (money) into implementing additional multiplexing capabilities is a bonus. It's now included in all new units at no extra cost. They have made the updates backward compatible and available to existing users, free of charge, a lot of the big names would not have done that, they would have wanted you to buy a new unit.

Just to be clear .. 1. I never said it has AIS itself ... 2. I posted clearly that there are units such as VHF / Plotters out there that have AIS Transducer combined and that feeds the Vela which then sends out in what form you want.

I agree that the em-trak is good kit - it ought to be for the price !! but my posts were based on it being long after its being on market - they wake up to 0183 to combine with 2K ...
Free or not ... given that 2K has been out there for decades .... why has it taken so long ??

 

[AngusMcDoon]

The fact that they have invested time and effort (money) into implementing additional multiplexing capabilities is a bonus.

And it is not a trivial or cheap task to do either. Software is a significant proportion of total cost in marine electronics devices with low volume of sales compared to other consumer electronic devices. It's not just paying the cost of the computer nerd to do it (I don't come cheap ), it then needs testing and verification, certification by the NMEA, documentation and packaging updates, dealer and helpline training, website updates, PC configuration software updates and testing, marketing and advertising updates etc. On one particular marine electronic devices that I have developed software for that you lot are sailing around with the software development cost alone was £90 per device for the expected lifetime sales.

I would imagine that one possible reason that it's only come out now is that it was originally intended as just an AIS device, but has the hardware for NMEA0183 and NMEA2000, and requests and feedback have come in from the dealer network and users requesting this additional functionality. Another possible reason is cashflow. Small companies have to get products on the market ASAP even if not all desired features are implemented yet to get income started. A company like Emtrak doesn't have thousands of software engineers and testers like Apple or Samsung - they maybe have only half a dozen developers for all their products. They do it when they can.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I agree that the em-trak is good kit - it ought to be for the price !! but my posts were based on it being long after its being on market - they wake up to 0183 to combine with 2K ...
Free or not ... given that 2K has been out there for decades .... why has it taken so long ??

Hard to understand how someone can be so negative about a free NMEA0183 to NMEA2000 multiplexer.

Emtrak didn't have to add it, neither did they have to do it at no cost to consumers.

When will Vela add AIS to their multiplexers, FOC ?

 

[Refueler]

Hard to understand how someone can be so negative about a free NMEA0183 to NMEA2000 multiplexer.

Emtrak didn't have to add it, neither did they have to do it at no cost to consumers.

When will Vela add AIS to their multiplexers, FOC ?

Paul - I know you are prodding - but that really is a post for nothing. Can you not accept that I consider such an expensive item to only now add such function as a bit 'interesting' ?? That I do not follow always your path ? As you don't follow mine ?

Anyway - why would Vela add AIS to their unit ... given that you can have the Vela and an AIS transducer equipped plotter together for significant lower cost than the em-trak ? Even if you don't use the plotters charts !! its still cheaper and has same Class B+ etc.

Enough - I only made a passing comment and now I'm being taken to 'jail' for it ??

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Hard to understand how someone can be so negative about a free NMEA0183 to NMEA2000 multiplexer.

Emtrak didn't have to add it, neither did they have to do it at no cost to consumers.

As we all know, Emtrak make AIS devices for the bigger marine electronics manufacturers. A third possible reason why they have done it now is that one of the companies they supply requested it and Emtrak had a contract that allowed them to include it in their own products that they sell direct. That's 3 possible reasons why it's appeared now, all of them interesting. Anyone for any more?

 

[KompetentKrew]

Paul - I know you are prodding - but that really is a post for nothing. Can you not accept that I consider such an expensive item to only now add such function as a bit 'interesting' ?? That I do not follow always your path ? As you don't follow mine ?

I don't understand why you're derailing this thread, @Refueler.

I made a new thread here, instead of posting to @Matwill's one of 2 years ago, because that one was already 3 pages long and it had drifted far off topic. Now, with your first reply, you've done the same thing here, and you're blaming @PaulRainbow for arguing!?

This thread could have been useful for owners of em-trak devices - to talk about their use cases, to discuss the feature, to confirm that it works and with what devices. Now, no-one's going to read past the 3rd or 4th reply.

This forum drives me potty sometimes. It needs an extra option next to the like button, for "unhelpful" - too many of those and the comment should be minimised or hidden.

 

[KevinV]

I don't understand why you're derailing this thread, @Refueler.

I made a new thread here, instead of posting to @Matwill 's one of 2 years ago, because that one was already 3 pages long and it had drifted far off topic. Now, with your first reply, you've done the same thing here, and you're blaming @PaulRainbow for arguing!?

This thread could have been useful for owners of em-trak devices - to talk about their use cases, to discuss the feature, to confirm that it works and with what devices. Now, no-one's going to read past the 3rd or 4th reply.

This forum drives me potty sometimes. It needs an extra option next to the like button, for "unhelpful" - too many of those and the comment should be minimised or hidden.

FWIW, I was grateful for the update on the situation - delighted they've finally put a much needed (and much missed) feature in an otherwise excellent piece of equipment.

 

[Refueler]

Welcome to the world of Forums ......

 

[Matwill]

great news, i ended up getting an emtrak and setting it up like this, with this update i need to work out how i can incorporate my nexus server data, i think i can directly connect my nexus to the emtrak which should multiplex the data to my router and out to the devices

 

[mrming]

Got a chance to get to the boat and update my em-trak b924 this morning. Software is now at the latest version. I can switch on "Enable GPS sentences" in the Connect-AIS app, open an app like iNavX, and see GPS sentences coming through via TCP/IP. All good.

I was hoping I might also see data from my Raymarine instruments (e7 plotter, i70 instruments,SeatalkNG) including depth, wind speed & direction etc. However that does not appear. Am wondering if that ever makes it onto the same data network as the b924. Am thinking the installer I used when I first got the boat might just have connected the AIS to the plotter via NMEA 0183. I'd like to see depth on my phone / tablet but am not sure I'm desperate enough to start re-wiring things.