Software

[jimisbell]

Looking for software for a laptop that will take inputs from the USB port and display instruments on the screen. There is lots of it for cars. Do they make similar for boats??

 

[Airstream345]

Not USB but there are devices that convert engine management data (or convert analog on older engines) for MFD display over NMEA 2000 networks.

For example, this Google Search brings up some options (no affiliation).

Of course whatever device, PC software, MFD needs to be able to read and display this data.

Interesting article here: https://www.marineelectronicsjournal.com/content/newsm/news.asp?show=VIEW&a=198

 

[jimisbell]

Thanks, but my instrumentation desire is not engine, but is depth gauge, GPS, compass, wheel position, clock, and speed. The Depth and Wheel position are the hard ones. The rest comes with almost any GPS package.

 

[Arthurc]

Hi, when you say over USB what protocol are you actually talking about? N0183, N2K or both? Also what are you using to convert it to USB?

There are several options out there but each has specific requirements, also budget is a consideration.
-Rosepoint Costal Explorer can do gauges and the Nemo device will display many of what you are looking for.
-Maretron has software as well as an iPad app, but requires their hardware.
-There are a few others both from highly limited to what equipment you have (Furuno) to open SignalK but you better have a strong tech background.

AC

 

[jimisbell]

OK, Sorry, I guess I asked on the wrong forum. I want software that will take analog data. I dont have a "protocol" I am a programmer and I dont work up in the stratosphere with "Protocols". Those are expensive pieces of metal/plastic boxes. I work with bits and bytes and I have analog data that I want to display on the computer. I just thought someone might have already done it.

 

[nautibeaver]

OK, Sorry, I guess I asked on the wrong forum. I want software that will take analog data. I dont have a "protocol" I am a programmer and I dont work up in the stratosphere with "Protocols". Those are expensive pieces of metal/plastic boxes. I work with bits and bytes and I have analog data that I want to display on the computer. I just thought someone might have already done it.

Look into signalK it uses output parsed by JSon strings. You can send many different things to it. There are many different ways of displaying (iOS, web, android).

Also can take output from NMEA 0183 and 2k. Can send data from raspberryPi and other small IoT devices and analog/digital sources with simple commands.

Also worth looking into iKommunicate as well for NMEA conversion.

 

[Arthurc]

Agreed on signalK, should do what you are looking for.
I’m still a bit confused by you saying you don’t work with protocols and what you mean my analog data (I don’t think gps can be anything but digital). If you mean you have somehow got analog inputs like resistance on your fuel gauges or wind instruments into digital form through usb you could easily just write a quick app to display that as dials, graphs, etc but will need to know exactly what the analog input means.
If you are saying you are parsing digital n0183 sentences through something like Maretron or Seatalk then some of the off the shelf solutions may work.

Either way super curious to learn more, I’m just starting to write some custom software for my boat to graph and correlate sensors over time? but hit a snag on my ability to easily read N2k data, way too many other projects to focus on but it’s on my list.

 

[jimisbell]

I am not looking to do GPS, thats already written a hundered time over. But, as you say, potentiometer outputs etc. Rudder position in particular, switch positions later. Easy to do a pot and then adjust the voltage range to match the computer needs. In the old days the parallel port or the serial port were the easy way. But laptops today dont have a parallel port, Everything is now USB. The old parallel port was nice because each pin could be a different switch. Lots of pins....LOL

 

[twistedtree]

I am not looking to do GPS, thats already written a hundered time over. But, as you say, potentiometer outputs etc. Rudder position in particular, switch positions later. Easy to do a pot and then adjust the voltage range to match the computer needs. In the old days the parallel port or the serial port were the easy way. But laptops today dont have a parallel port, Everything is now USB. The old parallel port was nice because each pin could be a different switch. Lots of pins....LOL

Ways to do this exist today on most all boats, so it will come down to the specifics of what you are trying to do. Lets take rudder position. Do you already have an autopilot with rudder position sensor? If so, the AP likely broadcasts the rudder position already, and it's just a matter of accessing and utilizing that data. How you get to it will further depend on how your boat electronics are currently set up.

If instead you are looking to create your own rudder position sensor, that's a whole other story.

The good news, perhaps, is that communications of instrumentation on boats is standardized, with a few exceptions. So there are lots of sensing devices to gather the physical data, standard forms of exchange of that data, and lots of devices and apps to display the data.

 

[jimisbell]

Thanks...