December 19, 2010 19:51
Hello there!
A few items here:
1. N2K support is definitely planned for PolarCOM, but likely won't be available in the next release (tentatively, in the release after the next)
2. Unlike NMEA 0183 which can be accessed from a computer through a standard serial port (or serial port 2 usb adapter), NMEA 2000 requires some sort of a converter. There are usually two conversion options - an adapter/interface and a translator.
3. An adapter, like Actisense NGT device (which is what we hope to support initially) essentially makes it possible to receive and send N2K sentences from a computer. It still requires software capable of processing N2K data.
4. A translator (like Actisense NGW and a few other devices out there) translates NMEA 2000 sentences into NMEA 0183 sentences (and, often, vice verca). This type of a device would work with any software product that currently supports NMEA 0183.
So, to evaluate your system, consider what your intended use and equipment would be. Generally speaking, my personal opinion is that for navigation use only a translator is quite appropriate. A good translator maps out data from one protocol to another with no loss of information, so really in terms of navigation data you are not missing anything when going that route.
There are potential advantages to an interface/adapter - such as potential for better integration with engine instrumentation, perhaps more stable transfer of routes/waypoints, and higher speed (though the latter is unlikely to be of much use to any recreational vessel considering usual operating speeds).
And of course either type of an adapter has a price. I just looked it up and Actisense devices sell for about $200 (NGT) and $160 (NGW).
A few items here:
1. N2K support is definitely planned for PolarCOM, but likely won't be available in the next release (tentatively, in the release after the next)
2. Unlike NMEA 0183 which can be accessed from a computer through a standard serial port (or serial port 2 usb adapter), NMEA 2000 requires some sort of a converter. There are usually two conversion options - an adapter/interface and a translator.
3. An adapter, like Actisense NGT device (which is what we hope to support initially) essentially makes it possible to receive and send N2K sentences from a computer. It still requires software capable of processing N2K data.
4. A translator (like Actisense NGW and a few other devices out there) translates NMEA 2000 sentences into NMEA 0183 sentences (and, often, vice verca). This type of a device would work with any software product that currently supports NMEA 0183.
So, to evaluate your system, consider what your intended use and equipment would be. Generally speaking, my personal opinion is that for navigation use only a translator is quite appropriate. A good translator maps out data from one protocol to another with no loss of information, so really in terms of navigation data you are not missing anything when going that route.
There are potential advantages to an interface/adapter - such as potential for better integration with engine instrumentation, perhaps more stable transfer of routes/waypoints, and higher speed (though the latter is unlikely to be of much use to any recreational vessel considering usual operating speeds).
And of course either type of an adapter has a price. I just looked it up and Actisense devices sell for about $200 (NGT) and $160 (NGW).