OK. since you are talking about a performance processor you must have a
Hercules or Hydra
system. The system uses B&G's own bus Fastnet (h1000 uses Fastnet2) and can
not be converted
to NMEA with any "standard" magic box. In order to communicate with the
outside world you need
a NMEA FFD or, as you already said, a Performance processor. Most people
have one or the other,
as most systems are interfaced to a GPS. Throug the NMEA FFD you would be
able to interface to
a laptop. You might need a multiplexer also since the NMEA FFD's has one
input and one output, this
depends a little on your configuration.

A Performace processor is not just a NMEA interface to the system, it can
store the polars of your boat so that you will get optimum wind angle etc.
Throug the performance processor advanced calibration can be done. One can
even rename the texts that are displayed on the system, this is particulary
handy on the linear input 4 (of the main processor) that can take any linear
voltage between
0 and 6.5V and give a readout of -999 to 9999 (all of course user
definable).

Regards,
TomS


"Rich" rsmith @aloha.net wrote in message
...
Aloha folks,

First time in this group.

I race on a boat here in Hawaii and I've been trying to get the owner to
buy the Performance Processor for our otherwise top B&G system so we can
hook up a laptop to it.

He doesn't want to spend the money.

So I'm wondering if the brain trust he might know another way to get a
RS232 interface that would cost less?


Rich~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sailing the CyberSea~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~