Onboard computer with linix

[Conachair]

Who's got one then? Just fitted a low power motherboard and finally got puppy linux running
http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=69875

Open cpn working well if slow but what other software do you use?

Can't get jvcomm running with wine, hamfax and mmtty for weatherfax & rtty running but nowhere near as nice. Can't get nasa faxengine software up either.

What's everyone else use?

Dual boot?

 

[tomdmx]

Hi Conchair, cant help you with Linux but a question on what kind of radio areyou using to pickup the signal?

 

[electrosys]

Well, you've done better than I did ...

Out of curiosity I downloaded and burned a CD of SailPup - couldn't see OpenCPN anywhere - certainly wasn't in the Navigation Menu where I expected to see it. Had a quick look around, then gave up. Wine seemed to work ok - but then what's the advantage of that, when the genuine article is on the hard drive ? So - back to Windows it was, then.

'disappointed of Boston'

 

[Conachair]

Well, you've done better than I did ...

Out of curiosity I downloaded and burned a CD of SailPup - couldn't see OpenCPN anywhere - certainly wasn't in the Navigation Menu where I expected to see it. Had a quick look around, then gave up. Wine seemed to work ok - but then what's the advantage of that, when the genuine article is on the hard drive ? So - back to Windows it was, then.

'disappointed of Boston'

Was in there, the "nav" menu dissappered when I loaded the OS to hard drive, but prog is still there. VMware is good to test this stuff out on a virtual machine , play around as much as you like. Dual boot might be the way to go, as it's for nav onboard I'd like reliability of linux on there.

 

[BAtoo]

What's everyone else use?

WHy not Win XP with a decent amount of RAM??
KISS principal.
Avoids the need to dual boot, WINE & command line fiddling unless you are that way minded.

 

[Slycat]

I used Umbuntu

You can install it from within windows (!) and you end up with a dual boot system. Getting new software installed was a doddle with the 'app store' type approach Umbuntu has.

Only thing left for me to add is the GPS...

What are other people using.. blue tooth or a wired USB gps?

 

[Conachair]

WHy not Win XP with a decent amount of RAM??
KISS principal.
Avoids the need to dual boot, WINE & command line fiddling unless you are that way minded.

I've already lost an XP installation after a power loss, linux seems much more stable and less bothered about things like that. So far anyway. Given that it's a very useful thing to have running, though not vital, I want something a bit more robust. Offshore isn't a place to be fiddling.

This motherboard with 512mb ram and cf card hard drive.

 

[Conachair]

I used Umbuntu

You can install it from within windows (!) and you end up with a dual boot system. Getting new software installed was a doddle with the 'app store' type approach Umbuntu has.

Does that create seperate partitions? Wasn'y able to get lubuntu to install on mine.

Only thing left for me to add is the GPS...

What are other people using.. blue tooth or a wired USB gps?

GPS128 data out into com port on this installation. Worked first time. Laptop is with a serial/usb converter, needed a little fiddling because of the "crazy mouse" problem. And franson gps gate to split the data between chart software and google earth.

 

[Slycat]

To be honest I dont even know what it did with partitions. I'd started by trying to create the partitions myself and quickly gave up as I'd have to learn all the ins and outs of doing that.

I just downloaded unbuntu and followed the instructions for 'installing in windows' and it seemed to do everything itself.

 

[idpnd]

I got a zotac ion board - low powered intel atom with nvidia graphics chip, which permits playing HD video. I use it natively under ubuntu for opencpn, zygrib for gribs. I also have a 12v monitor at the helm, and a largeish LED-based monitor at the navstation running off it.

As a long-time linux user (10 years) I love the level of control and stability I get on it, especially for a critical application as a navbox.

I recommend using deb-based distributions such as ubuntu or its derivatives (xubuntu for low-power computers) or debian itself, updating and finding packages is much easier than for the rpm-based distros.

 

[testmonkey]

ready made linux distro for onboard computers - everything included and works very well... http://navigatrix.net/

 

[SailorBill]

idpnd, could I ask which version of ubuntu you're using please? I'm running 11.10 with unity 3D desktop and it looks slightly different.

 

[Conachair]

Hi Conchair, cant help you with Linux but a question on what kind of radio areyou using to pickup the signal?

Icom ic 7000 ham radio. First exam for ham license this weekend

But for a little standalone for weatherfax these are great - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DEGEN-DE1103-...71169?pt=Shortwave_Radios&hash=item335054ddc1

Should pick up german DWD rtty 10.1Mhz as well , similar to navtex but transmits fairly constantly.

 

[Conachair]

ready made linux distro for onboard computers - everything included and works very well... http://navigatrix.net/

Tried that - wouldn't run. Diagonal mess of lines across the screen. Same with lubuntu and some others I've tried. Another prob is only have usb 1.1 which won't boot from usb 2.0, so have to take the cf card out , load something onto that with laptop then try and boot with that. Blimmin nightmare so far

 

[idpnd]

idpnd, could I ask which version of ubuntu you're using please? I'm running 11.10 with unity 3D desktop and it looks slightly different.

Hello, I think it was 9.10 at the time (screenshot is from a 2010 channel crossing), now on 11.10 or whatever the current one is. I've installed gnome-shell to get traditional gnome though, I don't do that "unity" and 3D stuff

Conachair - I've got one of those Degen radios, but never managed to get it going.. I gather you sail a rustbucket too, do you put the radio outside of cabin to receive?

 

[Conachair]

Conachair - I've got one of those Degen radios, but never managed to get it going.. I gather you sail a rustbucket too, do you put the radio outside of cabin to receive?

Not great in a marina with all the other high stuff about but offshore from carib to UK I had weatherfax all the way, ext aerial jack croc clipped onto the FM radio antenna. Which, I now know, ain't the best antenna for those frequencies. Also worked with just it's own aerial sticking out of the hatch. Miles better than the nasa HF offering.

 

[SailorBill]

Hello, I think it was 9.10 at the time (screenshot is from a 2010 channel crossing), now on 11.10 or whatever the current one is. I've installed gnome-shell to get traditional gnome though, I don't do that "unity" and 3D stuff

Thank you. I've just about got used to unity 3D on my laptop but it means I feel a bit lost for a few minutes when switching to other machines. I'll give gnome shell a go.

 

[electrosys]

ready made linux distro for onboard computers - everything included and works very well... http://navigatrix.net/

Strewth - does anyone actually use that ? I fired up this version for the first time, and rather than a blank (or blank-ish) desktop - which I very much prefer - the desktop was crammed full of 'stuff': lots of little animated images displaying CPU usage, hard drive space, a clockface and gawd-knows what else ...
I've never seen such a 'busy' desktop - reminded me of the pilot's console of a 747. Talk about distracting - couldn't be doing with that on a boat

Had a quick look to see if this crazy stuff could easily be switched off - but couldn't see anything obvious - so that CD went straight on the fire - and I've never ever done that before.

 

[Conachair]

Tried that - wouldn't run. Diagonal mess of lines across the screen. Same with lubuntu and some others I've tried. Another prob is only have usb 1.1 which won't boot from usb 2.0, so have to take the cf card out , load something onto that with laptop then try and boot with that. Blimmin nightmare so far

DANCING IN THE STREETS!!!! What a runaround
Just spent months it seems trying to load software onto a machine with only usb 1.1. Bit the bullet today and got an internal dvd drive linked into internal ide. At last! PClinux up and running, found a copy of XP which seems to work on vmware so that's next. Oh happy days!

Just thought I'd share the joy


Plus between end of line and probably a balls up the drive was only 99P

 

[charles_reed]

Open CPN, Zygrib, Google Earth, LibreOffice (for excel spreadsheets, word docs), VLC (for videos, MP3 etc).

Only thing I can't get better than in MS os is Photoshop, Excel is marginally better than Calc.

4 computers - all dual boot into Suse 11.4-12.1, Win XP and/or Win7.

Linux gives <40% endurance than the Microsoft OS, is more stable, loads faster.

I'd agree that the rpm based distros are more difficult to load, but tend to be better servers.

If you're installing onto an existing MS box, you have 2 virtual machines set up each with their own partitions on the HDD. It's easy enough to visit both and swap things as and when you want. I've now dropped all *.doc files and use *.odt - longer to open, but take up 20-30% of the space.