Laptop uses?

N

Nicholas123

N/A
Joined
1 Aug 2011
Messages
2,010
Location
Maybe in a boat next to you?
Visit site
I've bought a little Samsung NC10 Laptop I've mentioned before on here & I think it's a cracking little thing.It runs Windows 7 Professional though I'm not sure it's a legitimate copy (if it is then it's too good to be true) & I bought it to connect to the Internet but now I'm wondering what else I can do with it. I have already found out that I can read books with it & a kindle app I down loaded but I'm wondering about it's uses as a chart plotter & other stuff so I thought I'd canvass expert opinion from you lot.

Can you get free chart plotting type software & charts etc,what about this AIS business? I understand that you can get a GPS dongle type thing (the only other GPS I use is a little Garmin etrex) & I'll still be relying principally for navigation on paper charts but what else can I play around with?

All advice gratefully received.
 
You need a GPS dongle. I use one from Maplin (£30) - uses a USB so you will also need an extension cable so that you can mount it remotely. I have mine attached to the cabin side with a velcro patch. Works fine. You don't need AIS to run chart software, but if you want that you need a receiver such as the NASA engine. Huge choice of software and charts, some of which are free or very low cost. I use the Imray package from Meridian which is one of the more expensive ones, but good software and the same charts as the Imray paper charts. No doubt others will come along with other recommendations.

You will find some limitation with battery life and PCs are quite power hungry, so wiring into the domestic system on the boat with a 12v charger and leaving the battery out will give you lower power consumption.
 
AngusMcDoon said:
OpenCPN will run on it, as will other chart plotting packages. Yes, you can get a GPS dongle, or you could connect your existing Garmin to it via a data cable and a RS232/USB converter.
Click to expand...

Is Open CPN a free chart plotting package with charts attached,at least for the Solent/South coast so that I can evaluate it?
I have discovered an input type place at the top back of the etrex so a data cable would be convenient if I can find one on ebay but what's that RS232/USB converter thing? It sounds a bit complicated.
 
Tranona said:
You need a GPS dongle. I use one from Maplin (£30) - uses a USB so you will also need an extension cable so that you can mount it remotely. I have mine attached to the cabin side with a velcro patch. Works fine. You don't need AIS to run chart software, but if you want that you need a receiver such as the NASA engine. Huge choice of software and charts, some of which are free or very low cost. I use the Imray package from Meridian which is one of the more expensive ones, but good software and the same charts as the Imray paper charts. No doubt others will come along with other recommendations.

You will find some limitation with battery life and PCs are quite power hungry, so wiring into the domestic system on the boat with a 12v charger and leaving the battery out will give you lower power consumption.
Click to expand...

It sounds like you don't think the etrex can do the job.Obviously that would be most convenient so that I can keep all complexity to a minimum & I like the idea of using the etrex in a duel role.
This whole shooting match is going to need to be as simple & practical as possible if I'm going to stand any chance of being able to use it..........The simplest & most basic chart plotting package possible at least to start with.
Can you take a look at this Tranona & tell me what you think? It looks like it should be just the job for charging up the laptop but it mentions in the specifics 3.15 amps whereas my laptop says 2.1 amp (40W) on the back http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320944762390?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT I'm wondering if I buy that it will limit the versatility for charging other gadgets when compared to one of those inverta things that has been mentioned in the charging up an 18v drill thread?
 
Nicholas123 said:
It sounds like you don't think the etrex can do the job.Obviously that would be most convenient so that I can keep all complexity to a minimum & I like the idea of using the etrex in a duel role.
This whole shooting match is going to need to be as simple & practical as possible if I'm going to stand any chance of being able to use it..........The simplest & most basic chart plotting package possible at least to start with.
Can you take a look at this Tranona & tell me what you think? It looks like it should be just the job for charging up the laptop but it mentions in the specifics 3.15 amps whereas my laptop says 2.1 amp (40W) on the back http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320944762390?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT I'm wondering if I buy that it will limit the versatility for charging other gadgets when compared to one of those inverta things that has been mentioned in the charging up an 18v drill thread?
Click to expand...

Not familiar with your GPS, but it needs to have an output that will connect to your computer as Angus describes, but means that the GPS is no longer portable if you need its signal for the computer. That is the attraction of having a dedicated dongle - and the one Nigel suggests is probably better than mine (which is 5 years old!).

Don't know about the charger but it claims to be for your model computer. The one I use again from Maplins is a universal one which comes with a variety of tips to suit many different laptops. Be a bit careful with using a cigar lighter for power source as these often have low power fuses which the charger might blow on start up. I hard wired mine with its own fuse.
 
I think I've discovered that my little etrex cannot be used to supply the gps signal to a laptop.It seems that the data connexion is only to input waypoints into the etrex itself.I also can't see for the life of me where the RS232/USB converta comes in.It's not a complicated unit as I thought but would appear to be a simple conversion type cable (none of the ends of which look suitable to plug into the Garmin). Anyway,what I think I have discovered is the bigest ripoff in the history of electronic gubins. Just compare these two prices http://www.amazon.co.uk/USB-RS232-Converter-Cable/dp/B00077DJIQ &
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/usb-to-serial-9-pin-male-adapter-zp43w
 
Last edited:
I use my eTrex as a backup GPS, (I usually use a USB puck) and it works perfectly with my computer, garmin do their own USB lead (ridiculously overpriced At about £15). My Asus netbook running Win7 and OpenCPN, using a Maplins DC/DC converter (12 to 20V). Charts are CM93 and also with a NASA AIS engine using a stubby VHF aerial on the end of 5 mtres of cable.

I can download waypoints and routes from OCPN to the eTrex

It's a complete portable Navigation package with GPS backup that cost less than £400 and has seen me through about 30,000 miles
 
Nicholas123 said:
I think I've discovered that my little etrex cannot be used to supply the gps signal to a laptop.It seems that the data connexion is only to input waypoints into the etrex itself.I also can't see for the life of me where the RS232/USB converta comes in.It's not a complicated unit as I thought but would appear to be a simple conversion type cable (none of the ends of which look suitable to plug into the Garmin). Anyway,what I think I have discovered is the bigest ripoff in the history of electronic gubins. Just compare these two prices http://www.amazon.co.uk/USB-RS232-Converter-Cable/dp/B00077DJIQ &
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/usb-to-serial-9-pin-male-adapter-zp43w
Click to expand...

Not a simple cable. There is software in the converter as the RS32 uses a different kind of signal to a USB. The cheapo may or may not work and some equipment is very sensitive to the correct software. So, best to use the cables or converter provided by the equipment manufacturer.
 
I run Seaclear with my laptop below connected to a Garmin 72 in the cockpit where the helm can see it. This gives me live navigation on the computer. I can send routes to the G72 in the cockpit and customise the display to the helm - e.g., give VMG when beating or cross-track error when pilotage is complex. It also means that key nav info for the current trip is in the robust G72, so if someone spills their beer on the computer I have a reasonably safe solution while I set something else up. (Not that I'd ever drink beer at sea.)

I wouldn't particularly recommend SeaClear - it's just what I happen to be using just now and it's fine but not brilliant. I have used half a dozen other PC nav systems in my time. Although it's not difficult to prepare routes in SeaClear, I actually do that on an Xperia tablet running Navionics - usually in my sleeping bag over my morning tea. I then bluetooth them to the PC. From there I convert them to Seaclear and send them to the handheld GPS (using GPSU for both of these tasks).

Unless you are well endowed with other electronics I think its worth while spending a little over £100 on the G72 to give a multifunctional display in the cockpit.
 
I've given up trying to connect my etrex because the whole things so bloody complicated (& expensive).

Yesterday I saw a number of gps dongles for sale on ebay for about a tenner but the electronic data associated with them was way beyond me & now I can't even find them. :(

I still can't figure out what sort of converter would be suitable to run my laptop off the ships supply (my search of Maplins for a DC/DC converter (12 to 20V) turned up nothing).

I think I will have to put my round the world voyage on hold for now :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
I have gone mad & bought one of those 12 volt cigarette chargers that I mentioned previously & shall now either buy one of the gps dongles that I saw previously.This is a good example,what do the experts think? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281749386343?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT or maybe the higher priced one on a lead that so many people have mentioned but it dos'nt stop there oh no! How about one of these.Can I do without it? http://www.amazon.co.uk/KEEDOX®-RTL...sim_23_24?ie=UTF8&refRID=0BPQPWE7GXNE9SQWZPF7
 
Last edited:
I have found that those TV receivers only work when connected to a domestic standard aerial, i.e. at home, so you might as well watch the home telly. The little stub aerial doesn't work at all.
 
Nicholas123 said:
I have gone mad & bought one of those 12 volt cigarette chargers that I mentioned previously & shall now either buy one of the gps dongles that I saw previously.This is a good example,what do the experts think? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281749386343?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT or maybe the higher priced one on a lead that so many people have mentioned but it dos'nt stop there oh no! How about one of these.Can I do without it? http://www.amazon.co.uk/KEEDOX®-RTL...sim_23_24?ie=UTF8&refRID=0BPQPWE7GXNE9SQWZPF7
Click to expand...

The first dongle is potentially OK, but as it plugs direct into laptop you will likely find reception poor, so the cable will allow you to site it higher up in a place where it will get a better signal. No idea why you would want the second item as it seems unrelated to what you are trying to do.

Trying always to find the "cheapest" when you don't fully understand what you are buying is likely to end in tears when you find you can't get it to work.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top