"Todd" wrote in message
...
I just want to say a big thanks to everyone on this group who
responded to my post last year regarding a wireless NMEA navigation
server. Based on your ideas and suggestions we've turned it into a
real product and are currently beta testing it with a number of boats:

http://www.marinewireless.us


Nice piece of marketing. Take an off-the-shelf product (Soekris Engineering
net4521 , ~ $200 including case), put your own label on it, load it with
linux and sell it for 4 times the price of the off-the-shelf product...

Pity though that this NMEA navigation server has no real NMEA
inputs/outputs. :-)

Meindert

Is it just me or is rec.boats.electronics becoming a playground for
the SPAMMERS?



On Fri, 7 Nov 2003 08:29:33 +0100, "Meindert Sprang"
wrote:

"Todd" wrote in message
m...
I just want to say a big thanks to everyone on this group who
responded to my post last year regarding a wireless NMEA navigation
server. Based on your ideas and suggestions we've turned it into a
real product and are currently beta testing it with a number of boats:

http://www.marinewireless.us


Nice piece of marketing. Take an off-the-shelf product (Soekris Engineering
net4521 , ~ $200 including case), put your own label on it, load it with
linux and sell it for 4 times the price of the off-the-shelf product...

Pity though that this NMEA navigation server has no real NMEA
inputs/outputs. :-)

Meindert




Larry W4CSC

"Very funny, Scotty! Now, BEAM ME MY CLOTHES! KIRK OUT!"

"Larry W4CSC" wrote in message
...
Is it just me or is rec.boats.electronics becoming a playground for
the SPAMMERS?

Who gave you that idea?? :-))

Meindert

"Meindert Sprang" wrote in message
Nice piece of marketing. Take an off-the-shelf product (Soekris Engineering
net4521 , ~ $200 including case), put your own label on it, load it with
linux and sell it for 4 times the price of the off-the-shelf product...

Pity though that this NMEA navigation server has no real NMEA
inputs/outputs. :-)

Meindert

Meindart,

Indeed, the soekris is a great unit and embedded linux was a natural
choice.

Our thinking regarding no real NMEA inputs/outputs was that we want to
support seatalk networks, seatalk/nmea networks, and straight nmea so
going with an external multiplexer (e.g. Noland, Brookhouse, Raymarine
NMEA bride, etc...) makes a lot more sense and quite frankly is a lot
easier at this early stage.

I would eventually like to integrate something like the Brookhouse
unit which does both NMEA and Seatalk and ultimately get the cost down
more but that only happens when you can start buying in some
significant volume.

I think you're oversimplifying regarding $200 for the soekris since
that's only a part of the equation. There's also 200mW senoa wireless
card, external antenna, internal storage, 12 volt connection wiring,
virtual serial port software, nmea navigation embedded server
software, a web based administration interface, etc... We're making
nowhere near the 4 times profit you suggest on this unit so it's not
as nice a piece of marketing as you give me credit for, although I
wish it were ;-)

Thanks for your feedback, it really is a big help to see which areas
folks are critical of so I can work on sorting those out for when we
begin actually selling the product to end users!

Cheers,
Todd

--
Marine Wireless
http://www.marinewireless.us

"Todd" wrote in message Meindart,

Indeed, the soekris is a great unit and embedded linux was a natural
choice.

And a good one too! Glad you didn't opt for a M$ product ;-)

Our thinking regarding no real NMEA inputs/outputs was that we want to
support seatalk networks, seatalk/nmea networks, and straight nmea so
going with an external multiplexer (e.g. Noland, Brookhouse, Raymarine
NMEA bride, etc...) makes a lot more sense and quite frankly is a lot
easier at this early stage.

I would eventually like to integrate something like the Brookhouse
unit which does both NMEA and Seatalk and ultimately get the cost down
more but that only happens when you can start buying in some
significant volume.

Mmm, might want to discuss this with you directly.

I think you're oversimplifying regarding $200 for the soekris since
that's only a part of the equation. There's also 200mW senoa wireless
card, external antenna, internal storage, 12 volt connection wiring,
virtual serial port software, nmea navigation embedded server
software, a web based administration interface, etc... We're making
nowhere near the 4 times profit you suggest on this unit so it's not
as nice a piece of marketing as you give me credit for, although I
wish it were ;-)

Ok, I was a bit overreacting :-) Indeed it takes a lot of effort to make it
a complete product. I remember when I had the first prototype of my
multiplexers ready and how long it took before it was a sellable product.
that took longer than to develop the first proto.

Thanks for your feedback, it really is a big help to see which areas
folks are critical of so I can work on sorting those out for when we
begin actually selling the product to end users!

You're welcome :-)

Cheer,
Meindert

Why do I keep dreaming of an 802.11g network interface on every piece
of electronics NMEA connects by wires, now? Hell, with broadband, I
could overlay the color radar display from the Raymarine right all the
computer screens aboard!

AND NO WIRES TO PULL THROUGH THE DAMNED BOAT!!.....(9C

TCP/IP all around.....


Larry W4CSC

"Very funny, Scotty! Now, BEAM ME MY CLOTHES! KIRK OUT!"

How true. It has taken so long for NEMA2000 to get settled and will be
even longer before it gets implemented by a significant number of
vendors that wires are going to be superfluous before it finds a market.

Network instruments will be the last thing installed on Rutu before I
add water.

Larry W4CSC wrote:
Why do I keep dreaming of an 802.11g network interface on every piece
of electronics NMEA connects by wires, now? Hell, with broadband, I
could overlay the color radar display from the Raymarine right all the
computer screens aboard!

AND NO WIRES TO PULL THROUGH THE DAMNED BOAT!!.....(9C

TCP/IP all around.....


Larry W4CSC

"Very funny, Scotty! Now, BEAM ME MY CLOTHES! KIRK OUT!"


--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

"Larry W4CSC" wrote in message
...
Why do I keep dreaming of an 802.11g network interface on every piece
of electronics NMEA connects by wires, now? Hell, with broadband, I
could overlay the color radar display from the Raymarine right all the
computer screens aboard!

Well, do "steel hull" or "aluminum hull" ring a bell? Apart from that, you
have to bring power to the electronics anyway, so whats wrong with an extra
pair for data?

Meindert

It's over a year later (and thanks to our beta testers that couragously
installed it on their boats and your ideas on this newsgroup) but we've
finally launched our 802.11 wireless NMEA server for the general
public.

http://www.marinewireless.us/

One of our more extravegant boats has numerous wireless laptops (1 at
the helm drives the autopilot and the others are display only) so that
the owner and guests can see the electronic chart and virtual
instruments anywhere on the boat.

I know our device is on the expensive side so if you're looking for a
less expensive alternative you should also checkout ShipModul's
Bluetooth MUX:

http://www.shipmodul.com/en/

-Todd

Todd wrote:
I just want to say a big thanks to everyone on this group who
responded to my post last year regarding a wireless NMEA navigation
server. Based on your ideas and suggestions we've turned it into a
real product and are currently beta testing it with a number of
boats:

http://www.marinewireless.us

Anyhow, thanks again for all the feedback and help in turning this
idea into reality. Now we'll just have to see if there is any real
market demand for wireless navigation ;-)

-Todd

thuss wrote:
It's over a year later (and thanks to our beta testers that
couragously installed it on their boats and your ideas on this
newsgroup) but we've finally launched our 802.11 wireless NMEA server
for the general public.

http://www.marinewireless.us/

One of our more extravegant boats has numerous wireless laptops (1 at
the helm drives the autopilot and the others are display only) so that
the owner and guests can see the electronic chart and virtual
instruments anywhere on the boat.

I know our device is on the expensive side so if you're looking for a
less expensive alternative you should also checkout ShipModul's
Bluetooth MUX:

http://www.shipmodul.com/en/

-Todd

Todd wrote:
I just want to say a big thanks to everyone on this group who
responded to my post last year regarding a wireless NMEA navigation
server. Based on your ideas and suggestions we've turned it into a
real product and are currently beta testing it with a number of
boats:

http://www.marinewireless.us

Anyhow, thanks again for all the feedback and help in turning this
idea into reality. Now we'll just have to see if there is any real
market demand for wireless navigation ;-)

-Todd

If the dollar contiues it's downward plunge, I'll soon be able to afford
one!

I think the 802.11b and Bluetooth will become a VHS vs. Betamax battle, with
Bluetooth well in the driving seat at present. Anyone disagree?

Remove "nospam" from return address.


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