Equipment need for Lux Navalis

Computer

System where it works so and so

• a laptop in the boat / a desktop at "home"
• MIN.130 Mhz Pentium , 20 Mb memory / 300 Mb hard disk
• 640*400 *256 color display
• serial port
• parallel port
• CD-drive

Operation with this kind of equipment is not comfortable. Additional memory helps a lot (e.g. 64 - 128 MB)

Recommendable system:

• laptop in the boat and desktop elsewhere
• more than 233 Mhz pentium processor
• more than 64 Mb memory (routing needs additional 15 - 40 MB).
• more than 500 Mb free space on hard disk. The number of charts effects on the needed space (e.g. all basic maps installed need almost 6 GB)
• CD - drive
• serial port or USB-portto connect NMEA-devices
• parallel port  or USB-port for the "dongle"
• display resolution better than 800 * 600 * 32768,   10"-17":n display. Display should be set for min. 32768 colours to avoid rasterisation of color surfaces and mixing up with the color pallettes used by other programs, too.

A high-brightness TFT-display is recommendable for boat-usage. For night-navigation the display should be of a type which can be dimmed enough (so that the display is almost invisible in a darkened room when the screen is fully dimmed). Contrast in bright light should be high. The display of most computer models is too bright for night-navigation (like a bright lamp).

Operation systems where Lux Navalis has been tested to function in order starting from the most recommendable:

• Windows XP (Home or Professional)
• Windows 2000
• Windows NT 4.0 / SP 6
• Windows -ME
• Windows -98 (C-Map may not be installable)
• Windows NT 3.51 / SP 5 (not recommended)
• Windows -95 (C-Map not installable?)

Furthermore, the program runs in Mac´s with G3-processor through a windows-simulator. Test before deciding.

3D-display requires DirectX 8.0 or newer.

In the boat a recommendable device is a track-ball(e.g. TrackBall Pro).

You are recommended to get acquinted with the "Easy-to-use" settings (they are ment to help handicapped persons but it is often easy to use the computer in a rolling boat by using these special controls).

Remember to install the computer in the boat so that it gets enough cooling-air. A computer running too hot is unreliable. Direct sunshine is also dangerous due to overheating. 

NMEA-devices

Minimum setup

- a NMEA- compatitive gps-device with computer connection  (Garmin, Magnavox, Magellan, Ashtech jne)

Recommended additional devices:

- a differential receiver,  improves the accuracy to less than 10m.
- compas, sending the heading even while the boat does not move.
- echo-sounder
- thermometer (water)
- Autopilot
- Wind indicator
- NMEA-multiplexer, to connect several NMEA-devices at the same time. This device combines the NMEA-signals from each separate device into one RS-232 -signal. Enables higher traffic speed (9600 bps).
- NMEA-cable with optoisolaters: Earth-loops etc. can cause strange problems. It is good practise to electrically isolate different devices from each other.

Telematics devices

Lux Navalis becomes communicative when connected to LAN or to a telephone capable to SMS-mesages.

At the moment Lux Navalis can use the followin telephones:

Nokia: The following FBUS-based models have been tested: 3210, 3310, 3330, 51xx, 61xx, 6210, 7110, 81xx ja 8210. Nokian mobile phones need a DAU-9P - compatible cable..

Benefon: Q, Esc! and different versions of Track

The following devices can be used as stand-alone telematics devices:

Benefon: Esc! and Track-models

Garmin: NavTalk GSM, with some limitations so far.

Nokia: Communicator connected to a gps-device

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This page was translated into English by Jouko Mäki on 2003 12 14 and updated on   23.05.2004 

Copyright Hannu Säles Oy, Ltd.

 Computer

 NMEA-devices

 Telematics-devices

 Examples of connections