I've kinda sat back and watched this discussion unfold. Everyone has pretty much been making the observations which I also made when considering a new MFD. As a result I have not purchased a new MFD!
Someone else on the list got me turned on to OpenPlotter. They also put together Navigatrix. Both seek to capitalize on open source solutions that can be installed on your choice of hardware. OpenPlotter is more of a headless solution that will have and create interoperability with all of your existing hardware. The developer community is creating some amazing inroads. I've already put together a Raspberry Pi B+ with OpenPlotter and a microUPS. The sailing season started and I never got it installed on the boat. This winter I plan to get the latest version installed with the new Raspberry Pi 3 and a new microUPS. I don't have NMEA2000 so I don't know how well that software solution works (IIRC - CanBUS?) but the rest of the software package seems to work really well. I've been "burning it in" during the summer. It is always on and always working. It is broadcasting SignalK, Wifi hotspot, and remote login services all while multiplexing the NMEA 0183 inputs. It is running headlessly but can be attached to any HDMI display and has USB so it will support a touchscreen. Any internet ready device can attach to the system and act as a head-unit or simply a display. My thought is that any of the existing MFDs are better weatherproofed so integrating an older (cheaper) MFD as the head made be a better option than trying to weatherproof and mount a tablet. Anyway, this is all part of the reason I'm clinging to my old NMEA 0183 instrument, Autopilot, and venerable Garmin 182C chartplotter. Josh Muckley S/V Sea Hawk 1989 C&C 37+ Solomons, MD On Sep 20, 2016 9:47 AM, "Dave S via CnC-List" <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > OK, my cheeky tabloid headline was more provocative than I expected! > > This locked down approach is indeed the historic norm, but today it is not > industry-wide, and it is changing fast. Another example of disruptive > technologies reshaping an industry, and the industry trying to (or trying > not to) adapt.. <insert lengthy discussion about industry "standards"> > For my part, I am far more fascinated than I am angry, its interesting, > and a moment in time in an industry. > > Will check Furuno later, (might have been ICOM), I did this quickly and > did not save what I found. Navico I already posted - needs a cable, > software, PC, and Garmin looks like it needs a chartplotter. > > Compared to my '80s B&G hunter stuff, my Raymarine i70 multifunction > instrument is amazing. I'm starting to realize though, that it > is simply a dumbed-down ruggedized ipod touch with a senior-friendly user > interface that can run only one app. Forever. ;-) Ooops, provocative > again! > > All playfulness and side debates aside, if the new normal is that software > updates are part of ownership, hardware ownership should not come with > undisclosed hidden costs. > > Dave > > Message: 2 > Date: Tue, 20 Sep 2016 07:05:37 -0500 > From: Frederick G Street <f...@postaudio.net> > To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com > Subject: Re: Stus-List Raymarine exits the instrument, vhf and > autopilot business! > Message-ID: <329cad61-d4a1-44ec-9b6e-c43be1b65...@postaudio.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Dave and all: what ?announcement? is this, exactly? I still get > dealer-only emails from Raymarine, and I haven?t received any announcements > like the one you reference. And as Graham mentioned, Raymarine is NOT the > only one who uses their MFDs to update other system software. Simrad, B&G > and others do exactly the same thing. > > Can anyone on the list with a Garmin autopilot update its software with an > SD card, without having a Garmin MFD on the network? How about upgrading > your Furuno instruments? > > Getting angry about this doesn?t make much sense to me. It?s > industry-wide. > > Fred Street -- Minneapolis > S/V Oceanis (1979 C&C Landfall 38) -- Bayfield, WI > > > On Sep 20, 2016, at 12:44 AM, RANDY via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> > wrote: > > > > Given Raymarine's announcement, maybe I made a lucky choice. :) > > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: <http://cnc-list.com/pipermail/cnc-list_cnc-list.com/ > attachments/20160920/45e51b60/attachment-0001.html> > > > _______________________________________________ > > This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If you > like what we do, please help us pay for our costs by donating. All > Contributions are greatly appreciated! > >
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