Marine electronics manufacturers and the tablet phenomenon

A few days before the opening of the Nautic Paris boat show where, I remind him, I will be present on the stand iTabNav (Hall 2.1 – D31), An overview is in order. And precisely, in our immediate horizon we shall have, like every year, proximity to marine electronics manufacturers and their representatives.

At the previous edition of the boat show, I had noticed the reluctance – not to say hostility – of manufacturers towards the growing phenomenon of tablets and other smartphones on the navigation market. By dint of promoting these devices and their applications, I probably didn't just make friends in this business. However, Strong pressure from boat buyers, and therefore navigation electronics, has forced those manufacturers to integrate a minimum of interactivity between their own hardware and the mobile devices now owned by a majority of browsers.

This prompts me to take a quick look at the status of the applications provided and the progress of the proposed functions.

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Miniplex-2Wi and Setup Utility for Mac OS X [Update-2]

The company ShipModul website has made a Mac OS X version of the configuration utility MPX-Config configuration utility for the multiplexer Miniplex-2Wi (¹). It is now available in Downloads section of their website. This utility allows you to make the settings of the multiplexer without going through Windows.

[Update 2/11/2014] MPX-Config V.3.70.0 is compatible with OS 10.10 "Yosemite". He manages the firmware 3.30 and sup. of Miniplex-2Wi. You'll need to connect your Miniplex to a Mac (as Windows PC) with USB cord, after downloading and installing the latest version beforehand, as well as the latest USB driver provided on the ShipModul website (²). You must be connected to the Internet, or in WiFi, either in 3G/4G, in cellular connection sharing if necessary.

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With IsatHub, Inmarsat promises to connect - much - faster [Update]

After the announcement with great pump of the GO! by Iridium few month ago, but not yet available, Inmarsat has introduced IsatHub at CommunicAsia show which just closed its doors in Singapur. The competition is tough between the two industrial, but unlike Iridium more oriented towards mainstream users, Inmarsat is aimed primarily at a professional market.

IsatHub is a WiFi hotspot allowing to connect all mobile devices to Inmarsat satellite network. No need cellular towers, IsatHub provides aworldwide connectivity to your tablets and smartphones.
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AIS-Wi-Fi transponder less then 590 euros

Camino-108WTaiwanese society Alltek Marine Electronics, also known by the acronym AMEC, was specialized since 2006 in the design and device manufacturing AIS. In his presentation, AMEC Announcement to have was founded with the aim to provide the best Marine electronics for navigation, communication and Safety. In the pursuit of this goal, AMEC committed to provide AIS solutions to meet customer expectations for the quality, the Performance, values and Services. His solutions are aimed at to commercial vessels, fishing vessels and Pleasure boats. Read more …

Iridium GO! promises to connect you – nearly – anywhere

Iridium GO!Global satellite company aims at the consumer market with Iridium GO!™ : pack it for camping or world travel.

In all public places where you can wirelessly connect to the Internet today, Wi-Fi isn't ubiquitous yet. And if you are a boater, hiker, pilot, in a campervan or someone who spends a lot of time in nature, The chances of connecting to cyberspace in some remote locations is nearly impossible. It's not just about the data. Try making a cellular phone call in such places !

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3G/4G tethering [Update]

In coastal navigation, sometimes it's easier to connect to the 3G cellular network than to get a WiFi connection with a land-based hotspot. Cellular transmission antennas are becoming more and more numerous on the coast and on the islands. But as you follow my recommendations scrupulously (¹), I have no doubt about it, you have a WiFi+3G iPad without having taken out a subscription, i.e. without a SIM card, and you are quite right. So how do you do it ? Read more …

Mirror iPad screen… in the cabin. [Update]

Hey yes, this is the world upside down ! At the beginning of iPad use in a boat, the tablet was used to capture the screen of a PC fixed to a chart table for display applications such as MaxSea in the cockpit. The solution has been - and still is - widely used. But since I've been working with a few accomplices to demonstrate that the iPad is capable of providing a perfectly autonomous navigation solution (¹), These tablets are increasingly installed at a fixed position in the cockpit.

Once attached and connected to a waterproof power supply, on a wheel column or close to the tiller, disassembling the iPad may seem tedious for a few minutes to spend inside the cabin. The solution would it not mirror its screen to display on a single PC screen via WiFi, in order to monitor the progress of the boat on the electronic chart while we are active in the galley ?

[Update September 24/08/2020]

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Install a WiFi network onboard

Request more frequent from boat owners is for the installation of a WiFi reception onboard. The proliferation of computers, tablets and smartphones on boats incentive to maintain a connection with the Internet, even while sailing. Exchange emails, Follow social media, Receive weather files, and how many other reasons lead to an irrepressible addiction. C’est la vie !

I have already mentioned on my website, in chapter about means for receiving GRIB files, some available solutions : Read more …

iNAVConnect links iPhone or iPad to Raymarine chartplotters

inavconnectThe company Digital Yacht continues to offer new products for yachting (¹). One of them, iNAVConnect, allows to connect by WiFi iPad or iPhone, featured iNavX, Navionics Marine, or any other compatible application, to Raymarine MFDs C and E series. This allows waypoints and routes to be transferred from Raymarine systems to apps on iPad or iPhone, and vice versa.

It's a start, Digital Yacht hopes other manufacturers implement these transfer functions in the future. Read more …