Navionics

[wayneakp]

Hi all

I have just gone to update my Navionics chart card and even with their headline "50% off" they want over £100 to renew the subscription. So I downloaded the android app to my phone and for the same chart area is only £35.00!

I'm interested in what others are doing - seems to me the way forward is to keep the plotter solely for the radar and AIS and buy a tablet for the routing

cheers

Wayne

 

[BruceK]

Pretty much what I do for up to date charts, but still use the chart plotter for it's overall integration

 

[Hurricane]

I use OpenCPN and mostly, generate my own charts.
But OpenCPN now uses oeSENC Vector Charts.
Rather than update the boat's Navionics charts, I think I will get some of these oeSENC one for OpenCPN.
My OpenCPN runs on a PC with video at the helm but there are mobile versions of OpenCPN - not as good as the PC version though.
Most people use Navionics on iThingies though.

 

[Greg2]

We had a Platinum + card in the platter on the Sealine and the price to renew the annual subscription was the same as it cost to buy it in the first place! Needless to say we didn‘t renew it.

On the other hand I renewed my Navionics app on the phone / iPad for around £34 at the weekend

 

[wayneakp]

Semms like Navionics are trying to phase out the old Cards for plotters then - I get that the code may be different but 3 x the cost of the app update??

Anyway I guess the next question is which tablet is best in strong sunlight - in another life I use an ipad as a sound desk and its pretty useless for outside as I cant see a thing.

 

[Hurricane]

Semms like Navionics are trying to phase out the old Cards for plotters then - I get that the code may be different but 3 x the cost of the app update??

Anyway I guess the next question is which tablet is best in strong sunlight - in another life I use an ipad as a sound desk and its pretty useless for outside as I cant see a thing.

Yes - I think it is a matter of fact that to see a display in strong daylight, you need a powerful backlight display. And, of course this uses power. Power that a mobile/portable device doesn't have.
Well, it could do but the batteries wouldn't last very long.
Conversly, a dedicated plotter has virtually all the power it needs so a strong backlight is possible - driven from the power of the boats power systems.

I don't believe that Navionics are going to "phase out" the cards.
I think they are just "capitalising" on their market where those prices will be paid.
The mobile market won't stand those costs so they set those prices accordingly.
It is just marketing and at the end of the day, we pay.

 

[BruceK]

Cant speak for iPad but my android does just fine in sunlight. The trick if in direct sunlight is to simply down angle it 5 or so degrees. As for power consumption, whats wrong with simply plugging it in? Mine is permanently plugged in when navigating as seen in the pic.

 

[Hurricane]

Cant speak for iPad but my android does just fine in sunlight. The trick if in direct sunlight is to simply down angle it 5 or so degrees. As for power consumption, whats wrong with simply plugging it in? Mine is permanently plugged in when navigating as seen in the pic.

I think you missed my point.
Generally speaking mobile tablets are not as good in daylight as dedicated marine plotters.
I use both and have a particularly good Android tablet but the mobile devices are definitely not as good in direct sunlight as mobile tablets.
My point was that if there was enough power (like yo say - plugged in all the time) then the mobile device manufacturers could employ more powerful backlighting.
But because they are, essentially, mobile devices and not plugged in all the time, the mobile manufacturers don't build in that extra backlighting that makes a dedicated marine plotter a better device in direct sunlight.

 

[BruceK]

No one is going to ague that. However I stand by my comment. There has never been a time when I havent been able to see Navionics clearly on my android tablet. For specifics Galaxy Tab S2 which I have had for 4 years or so. Given that, it has to be what I'd call, good enough. Of course casually throwing it on the dash so it's pointing up at the sky is going to be a problem, so would be looking at it obliquely, a chart plotter is hands down winner there. As above, upright with a 5 degree or so incline in a secure bracket and it is perfectly adequate. I might add that in the screen brightness settings it goes to 100% on green then you can scroll further into red if that is any different to any others (I have only ever owned galaxy models) and when you plug it in it is visibly much brighter even by ambient daylight.

As my engines are analogue I find the number of useful boating apps etc I can run on the device far increases its usefulness over my regular chartplotter and these days with items like radar and depth, battery status etc now being accessible via wireless to your mobile device I find it is very much my goto device and the chartplotter is there, well, because removing it would leave a bloody big hole in the dash and switching it on is more habit than function.

Just my own experience. Everyone else YMMV

 

[Hurricane]

No one is going to ague that. However I stand by my comment. There has never been a time when I havent been able to see Navionics clearly on my android tablet. For specifics Galaxy Tab S2 which I have had for 4 years or so. Given that, it has to be what I'd call, good enough. Of course casually throwing it on the dash so it's pointing up at the sky is going to be a problem, so would be looking at it obliquely, a chart plotter is hands down winner there. As above, upright with a 5 degree or so incline in a secure bracket and it is perfectly adequate. I might add that in the screen brightness settings it goes to 100% on green then you can scroll further into red if that is any different to any others (I have only ever owned galaxy models) and when you plug it in it is visibly much brighter even by ambient daylight.

As my engines are analogue I find the number of useful boating apps etc I can run on the device far increases its usefulness over my regular chartplotter and these days with items like radar and depth, battery status etc now being accessible via wireless to your mobile device I find it is very much my goto device and the chartplotter is there, well, because removing it would leave a bloody big hole in the dash and switching it on is more habit than function.

Just my own experience. Everyone else YMMV

I didn't mean to offend you.
Have you tried OpenCPN on your S2?
It isn't quite as easy as the Navionics app but it is very cheap from the Play Store.
I had an S2 until the battery required replacing,
I replaced the battery myself - and that was the end of it.
I now have an S4 - these Samsung Tablets are much better value than any iPad.
Whoops - that has probably offended more people.

 

[BruceK]

Offended??!! Good god no. Your posts are anything but. I follow them with interest but I am in a different league and cant really comment much. I just thought you were perhaps being a bit harsh w.r.t. tablest v sunlight and battery life. Both of which in my experience are readily easily overcome and just put my 2 penny worth of counter point in. Tablets have a host of other issues the main one of course is never rely solely on a tablet as they are fragile and not exactly water proof. However mine has complimented my chartplotter for the last 4 years and as far as bang for buck just trounces the chartplotter. Horses for courses. Every time I look to upgrade my 7 year old chartplotter I look at the Tab and find better ways to spend my money.

I'll definitely have a look at OpenCPN, that's another thing my Tab can do which the chartplotter cant.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

...
I'll definitely have a look at OpenCPN, that's another thing my Tab can do which the chartplotter cant.

One forumite on here is an OpenCPN expert, I'll see if I can remember who it is...!

 

[Rappey]

The tablets dominate when it comes to screen resolution.. C-map embark is free to use, does auto routing and works as long as there is an internet connection, but what it really excells at is the clarity on a tablet... It seems far clearer than a dedicated plotter. the downside as mentioned, not being able to see a tablet screen so clearly in daylight..
I have noticed with embark, if you zoom right out and have the chart on your screen, then turn off the internet connection it still seems to show your position as you move

 

[Sticky Fingers]

The tablets dominate when it comes to screen resolution.. C-map embark is free to use, does auto routing and works as long as there is an internet connection, but what it really excells at is the clarity on a tablet... It seems far clearer than a dedicated plotter. the downside as mentioned, not being able to see a tablet screen so clearly in daylight..
I have noticed with embark, if you zoom right out and have the chart on your screen, then turn off the internet connection it still seems to show your position as you move

Seems to me that a tablet nav app that needs to be connected to the internet for use as a plotter is seriously sub optimal.

 

[Rappey]

Seems to me that a tablet nav app that needs to be connected to the internet for use as a plotter is seriously sub optimal.

A free premium nav app is sub optimal ? Do you prefer paying then ? I suggest you try embark and see its far clearer than cmap and navionics plotter offerings, and since you appear to not like free then subscribe and you wont need an internet connection

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Eh? When did I say that? It’s nothing to do with the cost.

 

[BruceK]

Eh? When did I say that? It’s nothing to do with the cost.

eh? You just bought a boat and if you are the same as every other man out there you spent it all on a boat then some. Besides, now that you have a boat anything free should be grabbed with both hands and teeth because you'll need the bucks. Ya! You cant hide and you cant lie

 

[Rappey]

Never said you did, I asked if you prefer paying as you stated a free premium app with autorouting and other great features is sub optimal because it needed internet.. For many that would be ok as they dont wander far offshore..
A forum member posted lots of screen shots of navionics and c-map as comparisons...I think Embark as an app on a mobile device is far better in terms of display, clarity and lack of clutter.

 

[BruceK]

tbh it was all going well until you mentioned internet. We get absolutely great signal then no signal then great then none and almost never from anchorage. If an app cant stand alone its a bit of a liability. However feel free to put the lash to Scala. We welcome the relief.

 

[Rappey]

. If an app cant stand alone its a bit of a liability.

I think you misunderstand... C map embark is a premium nav app, can download it and use it virtually anywhere there is an internet connection.. If you like it then you can buy the full stand alone version requiring no internet.