oakleyb
Well-Known Member
Which do you prefer and why ?
open cpn or sea clear
- Thread starter oakleyb
- Start date
MoonSailor
New Member
I prefer MXMariner on my Android tablet, with in app purchased UK charts and converted BSB/KAP raster charts via MXCart. It has low power consumption and can be used in the cockpit.
On the laptop I use OpenCPN due to ability to use old worldwide CMap93 vector charts and the active system development. It can also be used on Linux as well as Windows.
Seaclear is only used for converting scanned in paper charts to BSB/KAP charts for the above two, as it has been overtaken by OpenCPN in features.
On the laptop I use OpenCPN due to ability to use old worldwide CMap93 vector charts and the active system development. It can also be used on Linux as well as Windows.
Seaclear is only used for converting scanned in paper charts to BSB/KAP charts for the above two, as it has been overtaken by OpenCPN in features.
DaveS
Well-Known Member
Bump.
I'm also interested in this.
I'm also interested in this.
Pearldiver
New Member
I've only used them a bit, but find Open CPN seems easier to use - better zooming in and out, crosses from one chart to another easily, and was easier to set up the USB GPS and AIS that I connected. I don't have the Visit My Harbour charts for Open CPN yet, but plan on getting them for next season.
david_bagshaw
Well-Known Member
Better display of ais info & CPA
easier to use with the visit my harbour BA charts, along with the free dutch charts from the cloggy equiv of BA. (the reason I started using OCPN some years ago)
Much easier connections to and from and the ability to broadcast the nmea data to other devices in network.
easier to use with the visit my harbour BA charts, along with the free dutch charts from the cloggy equiv of BA. (the reason I started using OCPN some years ago)
Much easier connections to and from and the ability to broadcast the nmea data to other devices in network.
laika
Well-Known Member
+1
Actually +2. unicast and multicast
Is seaclear under active development? Looks not to have been updated for 4 years
charles_reed
Well-Known Member
Open CPN - under constant development - runs under all OS (so you don't have to put up with MS) - can be interfaced with AIS, tidal stream and GRIB info. far superior connectivity with a number of other instruments.
fergie_mac66
Well-Known Member
with a bit of thought you can scan chart straight of a computer for personal use only with sea clear and calibrate them
bluerm166
Well-Known Member
I also scan my charts for use in Seaclear which gives me the benefit of being able to print specific A4 'sacrificial' copies in high resolution to sleeve and use in the cockpit.Having the bitmap/WCI also means that you can make make particularly significant edits based on the NTMs,using a graphics editor.
As I'm lucky to have an up to A1 plotter I can also combine the bitmaps accurately and print work-over paper copies for longer crossings. e.g. at varying tide states.I also use OPEN CPN with CM93 but the lack of drying heights is not particularly helpful on the East Coast.I appreciate there's a proper route now for using updated charts with CPN.
Seaclear is useful if you already have a scanner setup, and particularly so for your local area where you can keep on top of NTMs and will repeat the same outgoing routes.You can also introduce inserts of any scale,calibrated accordingly and I find it moves flawlessly from A4 to A4.
If you're not or cease to be an enthusiast for file handling then there's also the useful offerings from Visit My Harbour.
As I'm lucky to have an up to A1 plotter I can also combine the bitmaps accurately and print work-over paper copies for longer crossings. e.g. at varying tide states.I also use OPEN CPN with CM93 but the lack of drying heights is not particularly helpful on the East Coast.I appreciate there's a proper route now for using updated charts with CPN.
Seaclear is useful if you already have a scanner setup, and particularly so for your local area where you can keep on top of NTMs and will repeat the same outgoing routes.You can also introduce inserts of any scale,calibrated accordingly and I find it moves flawlessly from A4 to A4.
If you're not or cease to be an enthusiast for file handling then there's also the useful offerings from Visit My Harbour.
horatio_nelson
Well-Known Member
Amulet
Well-Known Member
I use SeaClear. I'm a refugee from Maptech Offshore Navigator. Switched in desperation as Maptech have given up doing UK charts. Cannot compare Seaclear with Open CPN, but can with a lot of other packages. I won't stick with it in the long run. It is a very simple piece of software with a number of pointless restrictions not present in other packages. It's route editor is infuriating (but most are in one way or another). Since it sticks new waypoints in the nearest part of the route, doing anything tortuous you have to spend your time constantly tricking it by putting waypoints in the wrong place and then dragging them to where you want them.
Having said that, in some senses its simplicity is a virtue, and it is easy to use within its limitations.
Do not be persuaded to buy the "Seaclear Unleashed" book. Its is a formulaic rote enunciation of the obvious and a pointless listing of commands, and is shoddily produced. I have found it of no value whatsoever.
The killer for me is the failure to provide an easy way of exchanging route data with my Garmin GPS, which is something I do all the time. (Yes I know it can be done visa G7toWin - provided your route has less than 50 waypoints, but it was a couple of clicks in my old software.)
The other thing I miss is live tidal diamonds right there on the chart that can be played forwards in time to show exactly what is happening, but I haven't found anything I like as much as the Maptech package for this.
Lest you think I'm an Offshore Navigator obsessive - I should say that I'd be looking for an alternative anyway as it doesn't support AIS input and display.
Having said that, in some senses its simplicity is a virtue, and it is easy to use within its limitations.
Do not be persuaded to buy the "Seaclear Unleashed" book. Its is a formulaic rote enunciation of the obvious and a pointless listing of commands, and is shoddily produced. I have found it of no value whatsoever.
The killer for me is the failure to provide an easy way of exchanging route data with my Garmin GPS, which is something I do all the time. (Yes I know it can be done visa G7toWin - provided your route has less than 50 waypoints, but it was a couple of clicks in my old software.)
The other thing I miss is live tidal diamonds right there on the chart that can be played forwards in time to show exactly what is happening, but I haven't found anything I like as much as the Maptech package for this.
Lest you think I'm an Offshore Navigator obsessive - I should say that I'd be looking for an alternative anyway as it doesn't support AIS input and display.
Hoolie
Well-Known Member
AFAIK the latest version of Seaclear is at least 5 years old.
OpenCPN is under continual development - with regular releases of stable versions. Its functionality, together with numerous plug-ins far exceeds Seaclear, and quite a few commercial software packages. It will of course use any Seaclear charts and is now compatible with commercial vector charts (S63 plug-in).
It's free, so give it a go!
OpenCPN is under continual development - with regular releases of stable versions. Its functionality, together with numerous plug-ins far exceeds Seaclear, and quite a few commercial software packages. It will of course use any Seaclear charts and is now compatible with commercial vector charts (S63 plug-in).
It's free, so give it a go!