[206giff]

Have been original MaxSea user with OS 9 for 10 years. Have resisted upgrading (if it aint broke, don't fix it), but now it's time. Should I expect any problems making MacENC work with this combination?
-GARMIN 492 GPSMap
-Belkin Serial (to USB) Adapter for Mac
-RayMarine E85001 Interface box
-AutoHelm AH7000 autopilot and instruments
-PowerBook G4
Can I couple my autopilot to follow a TRACK established in MacENC?

Thanks for your advice.

[GPSNavX]

While MacENC will run on your older slower Powerbook G4, I really recommend a Macbook[pro] for MacENC. You can try out the MacENC demo version on your Mac (requires OS X 10.4 or later).

Both GPSNavX and MacENC can send the NMEA data to an autopilot to navigate to the active waypoint. So GPSNavX might be a better solution if you choose to stick with your Powerbook G4.

Make sure Belkin offers an OS X driver for the serial adapter you have. Generally I recommend the Keyspan adapter for Mac OS X.

[206giff]

Your post#5155 was helpful. Have downloaded and tried DEMO versions of both MacENC & GPSnavX on my older PowerBook G4.

The GPSNavX is simple and easy. Does it give seamless chart transitions? If so, this seems a very adequate program for me.

Using MacENC gives me the spinning beachball when rendering charts, but I'm sailing a 7 kt boat and the slowness seems acceptable. Any other warnings I should be aware of?

I could not find an OS X driver for my Belkin serial adapter. Once I convert to Keyspan, will my RayMarine E85001 interface OK with the rest of my equipment?

Thanks for the advice.

[GPSNavX]

GPSNavX does not stitch charts together like MacENC does with vector charts (ENCs or Navionics), but will automatically open raster charts as you sail along.

Yes you can use the Raymarine PC-SeaTalk-NMEA Interface Box with either GPSNaVX or MacENC. Typically one uses the Keyspan and this data cable..

http://www.gpsnavx.com/html/datacable.html

[ReeferJon]

I've been using a Raymarine E58001 Seatalk to NMEA convertor with MacENC and GPSNavX for about 4 years now. Both work absolutely fine.

[rirvine]

I have been using a G4 Powerbook and the Keyspan / Raymarine E58001 Seatalk to NMEA convertor combination for a number of years with great success. Yes, it takes a while to render the first chart but after than it can keep up with sailing along at 7 knots. The only issue with the E58001 is that it does not convert all the fields in some navigation NMEA sentences. I use two NEMA connections – one for the instrument data and one for the navigation / AIS data. Also if you send data from the Powerbook to Seatalk, it can confuse the ST4000 autopilot – gets it into a state that requires a power off to recover from.

Diagram here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/crews_nest/549486483/

Ray

[GPSNavX]

One thing I have done to speed up chart loading is to use a flash USB drive to store the charts. If I put the ENCs on the flash drive, charts load in about 75% of the typical time.

[206giff]

Hey, thanks to all of you for your replies to my original, "New MacENC Installation" query. I particularly appreciate the benefit of your wiring diagram, rirvine. Re: the intitial slow rendering, are you using GPSNavX? Or is this with MacENC?

One reason I'm trying to stay with the (older, slower) G4 is so I can continue to plug it directly into my 12 volt system and not have to invert up to 110VAC which I'm assuming my Macbook Pro 17" would need; am I right? I've heard of using a small dedicated plug-in inverter to do this job, but resorting to AC voltage just offends my sense of keeping it simple.

[GPSNavX]

There are 12V adapters for Macbook[pro] ..

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20W...ADPTMSC85/

[206giff]

Am prepping for my new Keyspan 19HS and have some grounding Qs about wiring the 9 pin serial adapter cable:
1. Should I ground the screen/shield?
2. If yes, should I wire it directly to the same ground bus as the GPS ground?
3. Do you have a FAQ on the subject?
I recall reading somewhere about avoiding DC negative ground loops; ie, grounding only one end of a shield...?

Thanks! Giff

[rirvine]

I have always used MacENC. Ground only one end of the shield.

[206giff]

Thanks for the tips rirvine. I wound up getting the GPSNavX instead of MacENC only because of the specified minimum requirements: G5 and a gigabyte or more of RAM for the ENC software. My poor old G4 only has 768 MB. I know you're using a G4 also, but have you bumped up the RAM to at least a gig? If you're running OK on less, I'd be tempted to go ahead and upgrade to the ENC right away.