So what setup are you all using for OpenCPN.

[Ceirwan]

I'm interested in seeing / hearing what sort of computer and chart table setups everyone is using for OpenCPN. After some inspiration.

I've got hold of a visit my harbour chart stick which is brilliant on my main laptop, but there's no way I'm taking that laptop into a boat environment!
I tried it on an older laptop but the performance was way to slow using raster charts so I'm kind of resigned to buying a new laptop.

But I've also seen some good setups with mini-PCs and TVs or Computer monitors but I'm concerned about power usage, so just wondering what setups people are going with, and the kind of current they're taking to run them.

 

[pvb]

I've always defied the trend and chosen a proper chartplotter - they're waterproof, work well, are visible in sunlight, and are designed to do the job.

 

[Ceirwan]

I've always defied the trend and chosen a proper chartplotter - they're waterproof, work well, are visible in sunlight, and are designed to do the job.

I had thought about this, but they're also expensive, generally have small screens and often don't run all to fast. We have 24" Furuno Navnet on the work boat which is fantastic, but probably a bit out of my reach for my personal boat!

 

[NickRobinson]

Power usage for PC's and laptops when not motoring can be an issue on a little yacht (like mine). Assume 2/3 amps for a laptop.
Despite this, I'm surprised your old laptop isn't up to the job, the requirements of charting s/ware is pretty low. I use a skip sourced Acer at least 10 yrs old. You may need to clean the startup/prefetch/cache etc.
I now use the VMH recommended Xoom 10" tablet underway after p/planning on the laptop and sending the route to the Garmin 128 and the tablet. The laptop is shut down.
The Xoom, high spec in its day, still works well, 1A on charge and up to 10hrs on its battery. Clamped to the saloon table its bright enough unless the sun is directly aft (so not a problem this summer.)
I'm running Memory Map FYI

 

[pvb]

I had thought about this, but they're also expensive, generally have small screens and often don't run all to fast.

The 12" Raymarine plotter on my last boat was perfectly adequate and, although mounted under the sprayhood, was clearly visible from the helm. As for speed, modern plotters are hugely capable.

 

[Ceirwan]

Power usage for PC's and laptops when not motoring can be an issue on a little yacht (like mine). Assume 2/3 amps for a laptop.
Despite this, I'm surprised your old laptop isn't up to the job, the requirements of charting s/ware is pretty low. I use a skip sourced Acer at least 10 yrs old. You may need to clean the startup/prefetch/cache etc.
I now use the VMH recommended Xoom 10" tablet underway after p/planning on the laptop and sending the route to the Garmin 128 and the tablet. The laptop is shut down.
The Xoom, high spec in its day, still works well, 1A on charge and up to 10hrs on its battery. Clamped to the saloon table its bright enough unless the sun is directly aft (so not a problem this summer.)
I'm running Memory Map FYI

I'm quite impatient, and to my mind the charts took a bit too long to redraw when panning the screen. The laptop has a clean installation and all correct drivers so should be good. Its probably about 10 years old.

2-3 amps sounds manageable to be honest.

Pvp, I do think they're great plotters, but they're expensive, and I like the fact the boat laptop / PC has a lot more expansion potential.

 

[pvb]

Pvp, I do think they're great plotters, but they're expensive, and I like the fact the boat laptop / PC has a lot more expansion potential.

A dedicated plotter will always do a better job than a cobbled-together laptop set-up. And it'll be waterproof. Or perhaps all your sailing is done in perfect conditions?

 

[MengWalton]

Its possible to build a good rig, infarct its possible to build a fantastic rig given the correct equipment and correct knowledge.
I'm in the process of putting one together myself, however I'm also trying to build in battery monitors and sensors from other things using arduino, thats the bit im struggling with.
Build a good mini pc shouldnt cost that much at all, then put a couple of monitors about the boat depending on the boat size this could be 1 or 100000 you get the idea, use a good GPS receiver and you can also add AIS and the weather thing aswell (sorry the name escapes me)
As for the power usage, I checked a few power supplies and also considered a laptop at one point, its in the range of around 1.5-1.8A for a laptop and a little more for a pc power supply depending on wattage. Pc's are very easy to build so don't worry about building one, also you may be able to pick up a decent second hand one and put in a small case.
Good luck!

As for the waterproofing - the PC is inside protected, the screens if one is wanted in the cockpit can be behind an acrylic sheet for protection

Ps- My power usage is for 220v not 12, and is at the max output... just to be clear

 

[NickRobinson]

A dedicated plotter will always do a better job than a cobbled-together laptop set-up. And it'll be waterproof. Or perhaps all your sailing is done in perfect conditions?

True, but more expensive. My setup is water safe unless the saloon table gets a dunk and I've got the w/proof NASA repeater outside too.
The setup has good redundancy (x4 with the phones onboard also running MMap) and they do R4 on Iplayer too....

 

[PaulRainbow]

I'm using OpenCPN with VMH charts installed. Laptop is a 3yr old Toshiba Satellite L855, which runs fine. The laptop also doubles up as a TV/DVD player, not that i use it for that much. I can use it stand alone with a USB GPS receiver :

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301923810916?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

but am also in the process of fitting a N2K to wifi adapter so i get AIS, depth, speed etc on the laptop.

As for power consumption, i'm using it connected to shore power mostly. I did have it plugged into 12v with a power converter (laptop is 19v), but my solar panels couldn't keep up. Rather than turn the battery charger on i plugged the laptop into the mains. For a trip out i wouldn't think it would be too disastrous.

 

[pvb]

True, but more expensive. My setup is water safe unless the saloon table gets a dunk and I've got the w/proof NASA repeater outside too.
The setup has good redundancy (x4 with the phones onboard also running MMap) and they do R4 on Iplayer too....

Plotters need to be in the cockpit; visible from the helm.

 

[Ceirwan]

A dedicated plotter will always do a better job than a cobbled-together laptop set-up. And it'll be waterproof. Or perhaps all your sailing is done in perfect conditions?

I get that your happy with your setup. And I've considered chart plotters and admit they can work well.

But I started this thread to have a discussion about PC based setups so if you're going to get confrontational just because I'm interested in a different setup to yourself then please don't bother replying.
And FWIW no I don't sail in perfect conditions only, quite the contrary, a laptop with an SSD should cope with rough weather no problem as long as its adequately secured. And while its helpful to be able to see it from the cockpit, its not essential.
I've coped fine with paper charts up until now and they never move from the chart table on my boat.

 

[NickRobinson]

Plotters need to be in the cockpit; visible from the helm.

I agree- my 10" saloon table setup is fully visible from the cockpit and controllable via a BT mouse, (I have good long sight.)

 

[PaulRainbow]

A dedicated plotter will always do a better job than a cobbled-together laptop set-up. And it'll be waterproof. Or perhaps all your sailing is done in perfect conditions?

My laptop is connected to the onboard systems via a Shipmodul bluetooth multiplexor, so it can display GPS and AIS. The depth and wind are both NASA so won't talk to anything else. I'm in the process of fitting a N2K network with wifi and a new triducer plus a Garmin GMi10 in the cockpit. I shall then have GPS, AIS, depth, SMG and water temp on the laptop and on a Lenovo tablet. All of that, minus the AIS will be visible on the cockpit instruments. I can plug a radome into it for Radar. I can add a multitude of other sensors, same as you could with a plotter. In fact, there is nothing that you can connect to a plotter that i won't be able to connect to this network.

The laptop also does :

Email and internet
TV via a wifi adapter, including recording.
DVD player.
Media center.
Admiralty tides and tidal streams.
and all the other usual PC stuff.

So i don't agree that a chart plotter will always do a better job than a laptop and i have had a few chart plotters on mobo's where power was not a consideration. On a sailboat, where power is an issue, big plotter screens use a lot of power. Plus, they are damned expensive, a good quality plotter, with charts, is best part of a grand, plus a fitting kit or a Navpod.

You are of course correct that it isn't waterproof and is hard to see in bright light. However, it's down below at the chart table. For outside i have a 10" Lenovo tablet (£89.99) which runs stand alone with Marine Navigator and VMH charts. With the N2K network and wifi adaptor the tablet will also have access to all the onboard data. It's easy enough to keep it dry but a bit of a pain keeping it out of bright sunlight though.

 

[pvb]

I get that your happy with your setup. And I've considered chart plotters and admit they can work well.

But I started this thread to have a discussion about PC based setups so if you're going to get confrontational just because I'm interested in a different setup to yourself then please don't bother replying.
And FWIW no I don't sail in perfect conditions only, quite the contrary, a laptop with an SSD should cope with rough weather no problem as long as its adequately secured. And while its helpful to be able to see it from the cockpit, its not essential.
I've coped fine with paper charts up until now and they never move from the chart table on my boat.

Ah, so you're not familiar with forums then?

 

[agurney]

I have at least three versions of OpenCPN availalble on my boat.
A couple on cheap Chinese Android phones, and at least one on Raspberry Pi (original & Pi 2), run OpenCPN with Antares and other charts. 12V 8" or 10" touchscreen monitor for the Pi, which also runs GRIB, wefax, AIS, ADS-B and whatever else I happen to be tinkering with at the time.

One of the Pis runs permanently with a webcam and sensor, which uploads a snapshot of the weather, temperature and pressure every 30 minutes over the marina's wifi. No shore power, just an aero4gen and a house battery.

I don't know about current, but it can't be much, and I've had no problems in that respect.

OK, I have lots of spaghetti lying around, but it gives me something to do when it rains.

 

[geoid96]

I have a Furuno plotter in the cockpit, however at the chart table I have a laptop running OpenCPN.

The Dell Latitude E7240 with SSD sits under the chart table lid with it's screen closed in a Dell E series docking station. On the chart table there is only an Asus MB168B+ LCD screen, plus small wireless keyboard with membrane cover and mouse. Power to docking station is via a standard Dell 12V power supply.

Main advantages of this setup are that the laptop is in a dry, protected environment, the VMH chart stick and other USB conectors are attached to the docking station where they are unlikely to get accidentally knocked, and there is no spagetti lying across the chart table.

 

[PaulRainbow]

On the subject of spagetti................

I'm currently using the NMEA 0183 setup with an independent USB GPS. The GPS, bluetooth dongle and an infrared sensor for a remote are all connected to a 4 port USB hub hidden under the chart table. This connects to a USB socket, also under the chart table. I just have a single USB cable going from that socket to the laptop.

When i fit the N2K network i'll be using a wifi adapter to get the data to the laptop, so no wires at all. I'll be leaving the existing wiring in place as a backup.

The TV is wireless too, but i do connect an audio lead to the stereo for better sound.

 

[Ceirwan]

On the subject of spagetti................

I'm currently using the NMEA 0183 setup with an independent USB GPS. The GPS, bluetooth dongle and an infrared sensor for a remote are all connected to a 4 port USB hub hidden under the chart table. This connects to a USB socket, also under the chart table. I just have a single USB cable going from that socket to the laptop.

When i fit the N2K network i'll be using a wifi adapter to get the data to the laptop, so no wires at all. I'll be leaving the existing wiring in place as a backup.

The TV is wireless too, but i do connect an audio lead to the stereo for better sound.

I was thinking of going along the wireless setup as well.
I envisaged a N2K setup feeding wirelessly into OpenCPN, that way I can have instrument data, AIS etc all available + I can connect a tablet too it forum cockpit viewing (especially at night) when required.

As a plus I can also put all my music on the laptop as well.

The other option I had considered but am veering away from at the moment due to price is the Raymarine E series plotter in the cockpit and controlling it remotely from below with the iPad. Unfortunately the 12" screen version is very expensive. The B&G plotters look great as well, but are also very very expensive.
I just can't justify the cost for the benefit I think i'll get.

 

[GHA]

I use Raspberry pi 3 running openplotter, fantastic. 0.1A with monitor turned off. Monitors engine temp as well and broadcasts the lot over wifi to a Xperia tablet in the cockpit. Downside for some would be not being able to use VMH charts as it's Linux.