Opencpn to Raymarine eS78 plotter

[Sea Devil]

Is there any way of transferring routes and waypoints by wifi from Opencpn to Raymarine eS78 plotter.
Do not really understand wifi function on the plotter but according to the manuel it has it

Thanks

 

[Refueler]

The problem usually comes down to the format of the route / waypoint files - even if you get one talking to other. So before you waste time playing with WiFi ... do a little checking on what file formats they both use.

Second the communication streams may not be capable of talking to each other ... think of it like having two PC's on your desk - without a router to link to - those two PC's cannot talk direct ... they must pass through a router.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Is there any way of transferring routes and waypoints by wifi from Opencpn to Raymarine eS78 plotter.
Do not really understand wifi function on the plotter but according to the manuel it has it

Thanks

Not tried this with Raymarine, but here's how i do it with OpenCPN from the oboard PC to my Garmin plotter.

Laptop has internet connectivity.
My phone also has internet connectivity and has the Garmin Active Captain app' installed.
The Garmin app' is set to sync user data between the phone and the plotter.

Create route in OpenCPN.
Export route as .GPX file.
Email .GPX file to myself.
Open the email on my phone.
Tap the .GPX file.
The Garmin app; recognises the app file type and automatically imports it, whilst syncing with the plotter.
Note, the plotter obviously has to be turned on.

It's not as complicated as the above might suggest.

If this isn't possible with the Raymarine app', you could simple export the .GPX file from OpenCPN onto a memory card and insert the card into the plotter.

 

[PaulRainbow]

The problem usually comes down to the format of the route / waypoint files - even if you get one talking to other. So before you waste time playing with WiFi ... do a little checking on what file formats they both use.

Second the communication streams may not be capable of talking to each other ... think of it like having two PC's on your desk - without a router to link to - those two PC's cannot talk direct ... they must pass through a router.

They both use .GPX file format.

 

[Refueler]

They both use .GPX file format.

Fine ... so my first suggestion is answered.

Next is to determine if they can actually talk to each other. Judging by your next post - its likely as I suspected .... it needs an intermediate 'router' simulated setup - ie the phone.

I know with my Lowrance gear - I could fluff about getting NMEA2k sorted ... but in the end an SD card is much easier ! In fact because I also create vector maps of lakes / rivers etc. - the SD card route is best route.

 

[PaulRainbow]

They won't "talk" to each other. Even if the PC has wifi, there isn't an established protocol that either piece of software uses. But, if the app' syncs with the plotter, all you need to do is to get the data to the app'. With Garmin, it works as above.

N2K is a red herring. I have a complete N2K network, but OpenCPN doesn't work over N2K. It is possible to pass data back and forth between a N2K network and a PC running OpenCPN, by using a bi-directional converter, but this still doesn't help, as the plotters don't share user data across N2K. Data can be shared between multiple MFD's via Ethernet (or whatever the particular MFD manufacturer is calling it), but even that doesn't help.

 

[Refueler]

They won't "talk" to each other. Even if the PC has wifi, there isn't an established protocol that either piece of software uses. But, if the app' syncs with the plotter, all you need to do is to get the data to the app'. With Garmin, it works as above.

N2K is a red herring. I have a complete N2K network, but OpenCPN doesn't work over N2K. It is possible to pass data back and forth between a N2K network and a PC running OpenCPN, by using a bi-directional converter, but this still doesn't help, as the plotters don't share user data across N2K. Data can be shared between multiple MFD's via Ethernet (or whatever the particular MFD manufacturer is calling it), but even that doesn't help.

I know you don't like me PR ... and that is evident from your 'tone' ... but all you wrote so far has only confirmed what I was trying to get OP to look at and find out. a) file format ... b) need for router protocol to generate Link Code / ID, without = preventing comms between the two direct.

As to NMEA2k .... I totally agree - it may have better data speed and packet stability - but the old NMEA was much easier to work with. and talks to more.

I know it sounds strange - but I'm a great believer in not only providing a path to look down - but also to try and get person to search and learn. That way knowledge embeds more than just telling answers.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I know you don't like me PR ... and that is evident from your 'tone' ... but all you wrote so far has only confirmed what I was trying to get OP to look at and find out. a) file format ... b) need for router protocol to generate Link Code / ID, without = preventing comms between the two direct.

I don't know you, so i neither like or dislike you.

Reading back through my replies, i see nothing to suggest a "tone", i'm simply sharing some information.

As to NMEA2k .... I totally agree - it may have better data speed and packet stability - but the old NMEA was much easier to work with. and talks to more.

I meant that N2K was a red Herring in terms of sharing user data between MFDs or an MFD and a laptop. As far as networks go, it's vastly better than 0183.

I know it sounds strange - but I'm a great believer in not only providing a path to look down - but also to try and get person to search and learn. That way knowledge embeds more than just telling answers.

People are already searching when they post here, no doubt they spent time searching before they even got here. So i find it's best to just answer the question, although that does of course mean that you need to know the answer

 

[Sea Devil]

Not tried this with Raymarine, but here's how i do it with OpenCPN from the oboard PC to my Garmin plotter.
o
Laptop has internet connectivity.
My phone also has internet connectivity and has the Garmin Active Captain app' installed.
The Garmin app' is set to sync user data between the phone and the plotter.

Create route in OpenCPN.
Export route as .GPX file.
Email .GPX file to myself.
Open the email on my phone.
Tap the .GPX file.
The Garmin app; recognises the app file type and automatically imports it, whilst syncing with the plotter.
Note, the plotter obviously has to be turned on.

It's not as complicated as the above might suggest.

If this isn't possible with the Raymarine app', you could simple export the .GPX file from OpenCPN onto a memory card and insert the card into the plotter.

`
Thanks- this is all roughly at my technical limit.... and doable... I will try the phone solution first although I have yet to link my phone to the plotter but got the manual downloaded... If not can see that putting the file on a mini memory card then sticking that into the spare slot must work... Most grateful.. Off to read the manual about wifi!

 

[ShinyShoe]

Can you access:

Internet (like a web browser on they Raymarine)

Anything resembling a file structure?

If both a no - your best hope would be a SD card?

 

[RichardS]

I know it sounds strange - but I'm a great believer in not only providing a path to look down - but also to try and get person to search and learn. That way knowledge embeds more than just telling answers.

It's a feature of this forum that if one does not know the specific detailed answer to a question then some of use often find it helpful to give a more generic response as to the nature of the answer or the multiple possibilities then and steer the questioner to sources such as manuals, the web etc where a more specific answer can be found within the guidelines we've already set out.

What commonly happens then is that another forumite, and there are several forumites who are guilty of it, who knows the more detailed answer from their own experience or because they have searched online themselves for the manuals/diagrams etc comes along and rather than just post the answer to the question, will quote or refer back to your more generic answer in a way that appears to belittle, dismiss or undermine your efforts to help the questioner.

It can be a difficult line to tread but my advice is that, if you know the definitive answer to a problem, then just post it without referring back to what others have said unless you are building constructively on what someone else has posted, it which case quote them in a positive and respectful way.

At the end of the day it's up to the questioner to consider the different responses and decide what to accept or ask further questions if they do not feel confident.

Richard

 

[Refueler]

Different folks ... different strokes .....

Makes the world more interesting.

 

[Little Dorrit]

Is there any way of transferring routes and waypoints by wifi from Opencpn to Raymarine eS78 plotter.
Do not really understand wifi function on the plotter but according to the manuel it has it

Thanks

Does raymarine have something similar to Home Port i.e a Win 10 PC programme/app ? Via Garmin Home Port I can import from Opencpn then export the waypoints onto an SD card which can then be imported to my plotter. The advantage of doing it this way is you can manipulate the waypoints (change descriptions, icons etc) easily and also choose a custom directory to save them to if required. But this is with Garmin so you'll need to check what's possible with your plotter.

 

[Sea Devil]

Does raymarine have something similar to Home Port i.e a Win 10 PC programme/app ? Via Garmin Home Port I can import from Opencpn then export the waypoints onto an SD card which can then be imported to my plotter. The advantage of doing it this way is you can manipulate the waypoints (change descriptions, icons etc) easily and also choose a custom directory to save them to if required. But this is with Garmin so you'll need to check what's possible with your plotter.

I really like Garmin software. I don´t think on my new Raymarine eS78 plotter I can display Bearing to WP, actual course, ETA and speed over the ground all at the same time... Once in the Channel off shore all I want to know is that info but as I read the manual the plotter does not want to offer me that basic info permanently on the screen... Thinking of getting a little HH Garmin with basic chart and micro sim card slot to do this...