bumblefish
Well-Known Member
I recently bought the Admiralty SC5605 folio and would like to use the charts with the linux verison of Barco Seafarer. Is it legal, difficult, possible?
Scanning charts for Seafarer Linux.
- Thread starter bumblefish
- Start date
earlybird
Well-Known Member
I've scanned a number of Admiralty charts for Ozi-Explorer. Have a look on the "information" page of that web-site for advice. I've not considered the legalities, but if it's for your own use then why not? It's tedious rather than difficult. I used an A4 scanner from which the lid could be completely removed. A3 would be better. For stitching the images together, I used Paint-Shop Pro, although I'm sure there are many others. Despite ultra care, I found exact alignment of the images next to impossible, but results were fully useable.
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Danny
Well-Known Member
I've been through the same excercise several times. As you say the stitching of the four scanned quarters of the folio chart is the difficult part. It helps if the scanner has a raised straight edge around the scanning surface against which you can register the side of the folio. If the graphics program can zoom in to pixel level while adjusting the stitch registration that is also a great help. I've found Arcsoft Photostudio a good s/w to use for this.
It's a good passtime for those long winter evenings somewhat akin to rug making or jigsaws
VMALLOWS
Well-Known Member
I've also spent many 'happy' hours scanning charts into SeaClear but can't say |I ever really managed a really good stitch. And of course you do still actually need to have access to the paper charts in the first place!
Currently you can get the complete IMRAY digital folio for South Coast/Channel/Northern France for under £30 (including chartplotter software) which seems a real bargain.
I'm still getting used to the plotter software, and haven't yet tried it with AIS, but no complaints so far and my position accuracy on the chart is far better than I ever achieved with my own scanned charts.
Vic
Currently you can get the complete IMRAY digital folio for South Coast/Channel/Northern France for under £30 (including chartplotter software) which seems a real bargain.
I'm still getting used to the plotter software, and haven't yet tried it with AIS, but no complaints so far and my position accuracy on the chart is far better than I ever achieved with my own scanned charts.
Vic
Aeolus_IV
Well-Known Member
I know this is going to sound like a daft question...
... but ...
My understanding of these type of packages where you can import your own images as charts is that you need to introduce/register them with the package (ie give it reference points on the chart so it know the lat/long and scale etc).
So .. rather than gluing together four scanned pieces of a large chart together with the associated error that will introduce, why not simply register the four corner sections as charts x-NW, x-NE, x-SE and x-SW? Then the software can do the clever stuff as required.
I suppose my assumption is that the packages allow a number of charts to be used at the same time. If the software doesn't, then a quarter of a chart is limiting.
Jeff.
... but ...
My understanding of these type of packages where you can import your own images as charts is that you need to introduce/register them with the package (ie give it reference points on the chart so it know the lat/long and scale etc).
So .. rather than gluing together four scanned pieces of a large chart together with the associated error that will introduce, why not simply register the four corner sections as charts x-NW, x-NE, x-SE and x-SW? Then the software can do the clever stuff as required.
I suppose my assumption is that the packages allow a number of charts to be used at the same time. If the software doesn't, then a quarter of a chart is limiting.
Jeff.
VMALLOWS
Well-Known Member
Yes, I agree, and SeaClear will certainly automatically switch to next appropriate chart if you have done all the set-up correctly. However you can't readilly zoom in and out to get a good perspective of your entire route. Probably acceptable for small scale passage charts but not great for more detailed large scale work.
Vic
Vic
monkey_trousers
Well-Known Member
will the linux version of barco seafarer open hdr charts or mapmedia charts out of interest?
fishermantwo
Well-Known Member
Vic I use Seaclear on my professional fishing vessel. I have digital Admiralty charts and made working charts for the area I operate, make them as high detailed as you like. Seaclear zooms 400%, so I have one chart that fully zoomed in I can have a depth number that fills a 17 inch screen. Switch to the same chart full size I have several hundred miles. Its just a matter of using a picture programme to resize charts. With digital its easy.
elton
Well-Known Member
I use scanned paper charts with SeaClear running under Wine on my Linux (Xandros) eeePC. I plug in a Garmin GPS72 (via a USB to RS232 converter) to upload/download waypoints, and a USB GPS 'dongle' for navigation with SeaClear.
If you've got an A4 scanner, it's easier to let SeaClear switch chart pages rather than trying to stitch all the pieces together into one image.
If you've got an A4 scanner, it's easier to let SeaClear switch chart pages rather than trying to stitch all the pieces together into one image.
mikedw
Active Member
I use http://www.memory-map.co.uk/ software and scan on an A4 scanner. I calibrate each scan within Memory Map and can then Merge one map with the next, and so on within Memory map until I have the whole chart scanned. There is never a problem with the joins.
st599
Well-Known Member
jason -and the arguenauts
Well-Known Member
No it isnt legal but will you get caught? Will they prosecute if you do?
elton
Well-Known Member
I wonder about that. Surely, if you've bought the charts and scanned them for your own use that would be completely legal. If it's not then it should be.
st599
Well-Known Member
I think you've bought a licence to use the charts as supplied (i.e. in paper format). Same as if you buy a CD and transfer it to an iPod, you've technically broken the law by changing format.
jason -and the arguenauts
Well-Known Member
not only that but they are crown copyright which is far more onerous than ordinary copyright.
after all, most of the data oin thew charts is ages old and simply repeated every printing. if one purchase would secure everlasting rights to do what you want with it, how would they ever sell another chart?
after all, most of the data oin thew charts is ages old and simply repeated every printing. if one purchase would secure everlasting rights to do what you want with it, how would they ever sell another chart?
