OpenCPN Legal up to date UK charts coming April

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Overner

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Know a lot of you are big fans of this free program, and also know the issues with pirated charts. Suffice to say if you can't get legal charts what do you do ?

A bit of Transatlantic co-operation may solve this problem (at least for UK/Ireland):

http://www.visitmyharbour.com/maptech-uk/ireland-boating-charts.asp

From April OpenCPN users with the BSB4 plugin will now have legal and up to date raster charts. For under £50.

Mac users, these charts also work with GPSNavX (for Macs)

Here at VMH we work hard to provide chart products that people will use at a good price.

Wishing all of you a great season.

Steve at VMH
 
Sounds awesome - but am I right in saying that the BSB4 plugin only works with Windows? And so is there any way us Linux users can take advantage of this..?
 
BSB4 compatibility

I don't think the BSB4 plugin for OpenCPN works with Linux or Macs. Maybe they could develop one as a lot of work is still going on with OpenCPN

We know this BSB4 format will work with Macs using a suitable program. The BSB4 charts lock themselves to your hard drive and are not locked to any particular program or system.

Regards all

Steve at VisitMyHarbour
 
Overner said:
I don't think the BSB4 plugin for OpenCPN works with Linux or Macs. Maybe they could develop one as a lot of work is still going on with OpenCPN

We know this BSB4 format will work with Macs using a suitable program. The BSB4 charts lock themselves to your hard drive and are not locked to any particular program or system.

Regards all

Steve at VisitMyHarbour
Click to expand...
Maptech don't have a Linux API and require a large license fee to publish details of the API. Linux users are unlikely, therefore, to be able to make use of these... :(
 
Thanks for the heads-up. Have had a look at Polar View - looks good (though, in fairness, it's not that I think it does anything that OpenCPN doesnt - except support BSB4 charts!).

That said, it's a commendable price.

With Polar Navy, what are the options regarding charts for the rest of Europe?
 
Overner said:
Know a lot of you are big fans of this free program, and also know the issues with pirated charts. Suffice to say if you can't get legal charts what do you do ?

A bit of Transatlantic co-operation may solve this problem (at least for UK/Ireland):

http://www.visitmyharbour.com/maptech-uk/ireland-boating-charts.asp

From April OpenCPN users with the BSB4 plugin will now have legal and up to date raster charts. For under £50.

Mac users, these charts also work with GPSNavX (for Macs)

Here at VMH we work hard to provide chart products that people will use at a good price.

Wishing all of you a great season.

Steve at VMH
Click to expand...

Good news... my Netbook doesn't have a permanent DVD/CD player - please tell me I don't need to leave the disk in to be able to use the product??? :cool:
 
Update on BSB4 UK/IRL charts for OpenCPN

Sorry for the delays releasing this chart pack. We have the Master disc in our hands right now..finally.

We now estimate 2 weeks before these will be on sale, at £49.50.

If using OpenCPN, you'll need the BSB4 plugin (windows only). These won't work with Mac and Linux versions of OpenCPN.

For Macs and Linux users, Polar Navy will work with these BSB4 charts.

The BSB4 format is about as universal as an electronic raster chart format gets, being useable in many differeing programs.

Steve at VisitMyHarbour
 
Overner said:
Sorry for the delays releasing this chart pack. We have the Master disc in our hands right now..finally.

We now estimate 2 weeks before these will be on sale, at £49.50.

If using OpenCPN, you'll need the BSB4 plugin (windows only). These won't work with Mac and Linux versions of OpenCPN.

For Macs and Linux users, Polar Navy will work with these BSB4 charts.

The BSB4 format is about as universal as an electronic raster chart format gets, being useable in many differeing programs.

Steve at VisitMyHarbour
Click to expand...

what does one get for the £49.50 pls
 
BSB4 chart package

For £49.50 you get a DVD that installs a set of standard official raster charts on your navigating computer. You are allowed 1 installation and 1 backup installation.

There are 800 odd charts on there, covering all the UK and Ireland at all scales. (Not France). This link gives samples and listings of the charts in the package... only the first 8 folios.

http://www.visitmyharbour.com/articles/?caturn=633

These are standard BSB4 charts, Maptech have mastered them, as BSB4 is their system. Charts are dated end Dec 2011, and are licensed "For Navigation".

Any program that can use Maptech charts can use these.

Steve
 
Overner said:
For £49.50 you get a DVD that installs a set of standard official raster charts on your navigating computer. You are allowed 1 installation and 1 backup installation.

There are 800 odd charts on there, covering all the UK and Ireland at all scales. (Not France). This link gives samples and listings of the charts in the package... only the first 8 folios.

http://www.visitmyharbour.com/articles/?caturn=633

These are standard BSB4 charts, Maptech have mastered them, as BSB4 is their system. Charts are dated end Dec 2011, and are licensed "For Navigation".

Any program that can use Maptech charts can use these.

Steve
Click to expand...

I'm very interested...

Two questions:

Do you need to leave the DVD in to be able to use the charts? I have a Netbook with an external DVD drive - this would be a show stopper if you say "yes"... :cool:

What happens if your system goes t*ts up and you've exceeded your allowable installations?
 
DVD drive

No, BSB4 charts are installed on your netbook. DVD drive is needed for the installlation only.

2 installations are allowed.

We'd recommend that you only install once on your navigation computer, and save the DVD and activation code securely. That way you'll have another activation available in case of destroying your original computer.

Steve at VMH
 
From memory, Maptech's BSB4 charts are installed with a bit of executable code that, assuming a valid key is present, will decrypt the chart in memory when viewed on a compatible viewer.

So, while Open CPN might be "free", you still have to pay £50-ish which is pretty much the same you would have paid for Memory Map and/or a few others including the same 800+ UK charts.
 
Overner said:
No, BSB4 charts are installed on your netbook. DVD drive is needed for the installlation only.

2 installations are allowed.

We'd recommend that you only install once on your navigation computer, and save the DVD and activation code securely. That way you'll have another activation available in case of destroying your original computer.

Steve at VMH
Click to expand...

Good stuff... thanks Steve..

I think the only thing that concerns me is the 2 installations rule - I know you need to protect your intellectual property from being lent and copied by multiple people.... but an understanding that a buyer can come back to you in the event of h/w problems to refresh the installation allowance would be a bit of a good thing...

I work in the computer line.... it's not unusual to have to do multiple rebuilds, but with this s/w protection I'm then buggered... if I buy Windows I can install it as many times as I like.... :rolleyes:
 
Why we are making these

We actually ALREADY make "Charts for SeaClear", same charts plus SeaClear program for £29.50. It's very popular.

The BSB4 charts are a different matter altogether, because they work across a whole range of programs from free ones to high end ones, like Coastal Explorer.

We're doing them at half the price they used to be, even though we can't prepare these in house, as the BSB4 technology is not ours to use, it needs licensing.

Steve at VisitMyHarbour
 
Overner said:
Know a lot of you are big fans of this free program, and also know the issues with pirated charts. Suffice to say if you can't get legal charts what do you do ?
Click to expand...

The CM93 charts for OpenCPN that are available to download are not pirated. The pirates are those who sell charts more than 30 years after their first publication and expect to have them protected by copyright. Updates do not provide legal right to extend the copyright.
 
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