Car Navigation Deck on Boat

jssailem · Mar 26, 2019

Mike, I would start by learning what type o file format is being used by the Alpine. It may be a proprietary format. Then you need to know how they update their car data system. Is it DVD or the SD drive. Then how they trigger the system to read the input source. Finally how they program the system to install and replace the existing data. That accomplished your pretty much home free. Oh and does the Alpine system have enough memory to hold chart files you want to use. As a start.

jssailem · Mar 26, 2019

It might be easier to see if the Garmin can drive a repeater display.

Davidasailor26 · Mar 26, 2019

I think you're going to have an uphill battle with that one. The micro SD card is probably your best bet, but who knows what kind of map formats the unit is able to parse. My guess is that there's no compatibility between the formats Alpine will read and charts from NOAA, Navionics, or any other marine vendor. You'd probably need a way to modify the OS, and that's not that easy to do on a unit like that.
I'll add that the car stereo probably isn't built for a marine environment, so it might not last long in salt air, and it might be more power hungry than something more purpose-built.

DayDreamer41 · Mar 26, 2019

Interesting thought but highly unlikely, unless you can figure out how to convert Garmins file formats (xml, gdb, mps, txt, gpi) to what is likely .gpx format of the Alpine system or some other proprietary file format.
https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/List_of_GPS_trace_file_formats

Will Gilmore · Mar 26, 2019

Mike, what are you looking to use it for? If you just want an idea of what an area looks like, you may be able to do something like installing Google offline maps via the SD card. If you want to actually navigate, it doesn't sound like offroad plotting is supported. Your system may get confused when it doesn't find a road to direct you on.

-Will (Dragonfly)

Jackdaw · Mar 26, 2019

Depending on age there are two bad possibilities. Both are related to the facts that 1) the mapping capabilities was designed for car/road use and 2) this can be life and death 3) we live in a very litigious society.

1) Older units rely on maps provided (usually on SD) from Navteq, now called HERE. Due to very complex licencing, the SW in the devices would ONLY read cartography containing an exact licencing key, let alone being programmed to decode the contents. This was designed to be unbreakable. EDIT - even if you managed to get a bootleg map loaded, the auto-centric app in the device would simply ignore map data and attributes (contour lines, ATONS etc) that it did not understand. Or crash.

2) Newer units use an app on a pair mobile device to provide car nav, and does so over a private wireless API.

Both schemes are designed to be private and un-hackable, and because they assume the unit is in a CAR, will try to show the user on a road. They really don't like you driving on water.

There was a time were dual-mode devices were available, but now the low cost of the technology has rendered these cumbersome and unmarketable.

If the unit has HDMI-IN, then might be your only option.

Project_Mayhem · Mar 26, 2019

You can also buy small 12 & 5 volt monitors for as little as $30-50 these days

capta · Mar 26, 2019

Good luck getting it working, but if you do, don't forget you will also need to install stop lights and turn indicators on your boat.

Head Sail · Mar 26, 2019

MightyMike said:
I am not looking to navigigate with it, I have a Garmin at the wheel. I am thinking it would be nice to have this as sort of a repeater in the cabin.

I know Raymarine has an app that repeats the chartplotter on a tablet or phone. I would bet that Garmin has a similar app. Save yourself a lot of head banging.

AaronD · Mar 26, 2019

capta said:
Good luck getting it working, but if you do, don't forget you will also need to install stop lights and turn indicators on your boat.

That part isn't so bad, but 5 mph bumpers will be a real pain, and getting it through DEQ might be a deal breaker.

Project_Mayhem · Mar 26, 2019

A car GPS saved this guy once upon a time...
http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/index.php?/topic/149798-sailing-around-the-world-in-a-san-juan-24/

Benny17441 · Mar 26, 2019

Just wondering why you do not trust the Alpine people when they tell you there is no way that you could load marine charts into it?

Captain Larry-DH · Mar 26, 2019

MightyMike said:
I should probably be more trusting, but i have spent too many hours listening to tech support saying something cant be done when I know damn well it can.

You can't see their problem with telling you it can be done, through some kind of MacGyver method? Your next question is "how?" Then they spend the next 3 hours or 3 weeks on phone calls and emails walking you through some frustrating experience for all involved, and no support from the engineers who designed it for some other specialized purpose.

Project_Mayhem · Mar 27, 2019

MightyMike said:
So, maybe charts on the gaps is too high a tree to climb. But it does have a video port for a backup camera. Maybe I could mount a camera on deck instead.

You might also be able to use a touchscreen overlay to control your computer/plotter

Jackdaw · Mar 27, 2019

Project_Mayhem said:
You might also be able to use a touchscreen overlay to control your computer/plotter

That's incredibly unlikely. While remote viewing via a slave screen might be possible, a return data channel that contains Input/screen institution from a remote device that the host most act on is really impossible, unless designed into the system. Even it it was, it is unlikely that information would be shared with 3rd parties, or users.

Meriachee · Mar 27, 2019

MightyMike said:
listening to tech support saying something cant be done when I know damn well it can.

Anything can be done, your technical skills at hacking embedded code that you don't have external access to, in closed platforms needs to be pretty good. There's a challenge that will likely cost, what, 5, 6 times the cost of a Garmin display, and certainly won't pass the Martha Stewart test. (not matchee matchee)