I am planning to install an E series display on our boat. I am also thinking about getting the RNS software to run on the laptop, which will be connected to the E-series display. According to the documentation, I should be able to use this config to do the normal tracking, planning, etc on the PC. In addition, I should be able to also show on the PC screen any info that is normally shown on the E-display, such as radar, speed/depth, fish finder, and charts. Using this config, it would be the same as me having and 2nd display, plus additional functions. I am wondering if anyone can give me any feedback on this config, and if it is any good or not, and if it is worth the cost. Thanks much. John
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RNS
JC, I have an E120 with a full compliment of instruments as well as Sirius weather and AIS and running RNS 6 on a pc. as a general statement it's true that the PC will act as another instrument. but it does have some short comings. neither weather or AIS are available at the PC. but most other functions are available at the PC including radar overlay and MARPA. routing can be transferred between the display and the PC and all nav instruments data, wind depth speed etc. are available. it also has a host of other functions not available on the standard E series system, such as data capture (for developing polars), lay lines to mark, racing functions and the like. I think the software is OK but it is still a bit "clunky" compared to other software I've used such as Capn and Max Sea. I bought the software in 06 at the newport boat show and as of this summer Raymarine had no upgrades available. I think their development team is more interested in getting the E series system to where the C series stuff is today and the RNS takes a back seat. I use my company PC on the boat so I had no cost for the PC so the software was a good price deal. If I had to purchase my own PC I'm not sure I'd buy it instead of a second display. Bryce
JC, I have an E120 with a full compliment of instruments as well as Sirius weather and AIS and running RNS 6 on a pc. as a general statement it's true that the PC will act as another instrument. but it does have some short comings. neither weather or AIS are available at the PC. but most other functions are available at the PC including radar overlay and MARPA. routing can be transferred between the display and the PC and all nav instruments data, wind depth speed etc. are available. it also has a host of other functions not available on the standard E series system, such as data capture (for developing polars), lay lines to mark, racing functions and the like. I think the software is OK but it is still a bit "clunky" compared to other software I've used such as Capn and Max Sea. I bought the software in 06 at the newport boat show and as of this summer Raymarine had no upgrades available. I think their development team is more interested in getting the E series system to where the C series stuff is today and the RNS takes a back seat. I use my company PC on the boat so I had no cost for the PC so the software was a good price deal. If I had to purchase my own PC I'm not sure I'd buy it instead of a second display. Bryce
Can you expand on that a bit more?
Terrific input. Thanks. I am a bit confused with your comment "I think their development team is more interested in getting the E series system to where the C series stuff is today and the RNS takes a back seat". Are you saying the C series has additional advantages that the E does not have yet? or the other way around? Since you already have the PC connected, how do you have it set up to get it all to work? Do you have the E's output going to a serial connector, then a serial-USB adapter, then into the PC, then install a special USB driver? I am not going to have weather or AIS, so it will not be a problem for me.
Terrific input. Thanks. I am a bit confused with your comment "I think their development team is more interested in getting the E series system to where the C series stuff is today and the RNS takes a back seat". Are you saying the C series has additional advantages that the E does not have yet? or the other way around? Since you already have the PC connected, how do you have it set up to get it all to work? Do you have the E's output going to a serial connector, then a serial-USB adapter, then into the PC, then install a special USB driver? I am not going to have weather or AIS, so it will not be a problem for me.
RNS
JC, the C series is the older of the raymarine systems and the software for it does stuff like allow you to use the sirius weather receiver for sirius radio as an example. I'm not really sure of all the added stuff the c series can do over the E series. but the C series can't be networked so that was a big tradeoff for me and the E series is sunlight visible display so since I have the display in the cockpit the higher visibility was important. in an e-mail from Ray marine tech support, they indicated that getting the E-series to the point of the C series was a high priority for their staff. to network the devices you'll need either a coupler or network switch as the E series uses an ethernet type interconnection. the coupler will only allow two displays or devices to communicate, so if you have any plans to add stuff like a sirius weather receiver or one of their new depth sounders/fishfinders, pay the extra bucks now for the network switch so you don't have to replace it in the future. the system uses a standard ethernet cable to communicate with everything. it's pretty straight forward. you can go to raymarines web site and download the install manuals etc. prior to buying it. overall I'm pretty happy with the system and hopefully newer software will be available soon. and btw the AIS stuff is pretty kewl. I sail out of the Boston area which has a large amount of commercial traffic and its pretty slick stuff. Bryce
JC, the C series is the older of the raymarine systems and the software for it does stuff like allow you to use the sirius weather receiver for sirius radio as an example. I'm not really sure of all the added stuff the c series can do over the E series. but the C series can't be networked so that was a big tradeoff for me and the E series is sunlight visible display so since I have the display in the cockpit the higher visibility was important. in an e-mail from Ray marine tech support, they indicated that getting the E-series to the point of the C series was a high priority for their staff. to network the devices you'll need either a coupler or network switch as the E series uses an ethernet type interconnection. the coupler will only allow two displays or devices to communicate, so if you have any plans to add stuff like a sirius weather receiver or one of their new depth sounders/fishfinders, pay the extra bucks now for the network switch so you don't have to replace it in the future. the system uses a standard ethernet cable to communicate with everything. it's pretty straight forward. you can go to raymarines web site and download the install manuals etc. prior to buying it. overall I'm pretty happy with the system and hopefully newer software will be available soon. and btw the AIS stuff is pretty kewl. I sail out of the Boston area which has a large amount of commercial traffic and its pretty slick stuff. Bryce
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