YES - we are regularly releasing Firmware updates for our iNavConnect product and Tech Note 00031-2012 tells you how to do this.

YES - our AIT2000 Class B Transponder is fully Mac compatible and can be configured on the Mac using the included proAIS2 software (see Tech Note 00032-2012 for details) and then our AIT2000 can be used with the popular MacENC navigation software to provide AIS and GPS information to the Mac through one USB connection (see Tech Note 00033-2012 for details). 

We currently support English, Italian, French, German, Spanish, Norwegian, Greek, Finnish, Danish and Polish. We will be working on a Swedish version soon. The unit software can easily be updated and so any translation added in the future can be installed with a simple software update.

There is a function to centre the boat on the chart, but the plotter will offset the boat from the actual centre of the screen (based on the current COG value) to optimise the amount of chart displayed in front of the vessel. On a small screen plotter, particularly at high speed, we felt that it made more sense to operate the unit in this manner.

Test the cartridge using the System Test function – see the User Manual page 92 (section 8.1.3) for info on this. The C-Card Connector test is also useful for this, as it will give you a good idea if there is an intermittent connector problem – when the plotter cannot detect the cartridge, it displays an incremental count and as soon as it communicates correctly with the cartridge it stops the count.

If you have the PC Planner accessory for the SC500 then it is possible to download the firmware updates to the cartridge, and then the plotter will update once the cartridge is inserted.

If you do not have the PC Planner accessory, then you will have to send it to us, to get it updated with the latest firmware.

The C-Weather feature, which is a free service, does require the purchase of the Jeppesen (C-Map) PC-Planner software (£99) and a 2MB User Card to transfer the data (£30). Basically, you run the PC-Planner software, select and download the C-Weather data (requires internet connection) and then store it on the User Card. You take the User Card to the boat and load the data in to the Plotter, where it can then be overlaid on the electronic charts. C-Weather is a five day weather forecast and includes; Wind, Waves, Temp, Weather type, etc.

You can download the C-Weather data (from the Jeppesen web server) as many times as you like and there are absolutely no on-going charges.

You can store lots of individual Marks during your passage planning or whilst sailing and these can effectively become your bank of waypoints. To store a Mark at the boat's position, press "Clear" to centre the boat (and cursor) on the screen and then press "Enter", using the up/down cursor pad select MARK and press "Enter".

If you want to store a Mark at the current cursor position just place the cursor on the place on the chart you wish to mark and press "Enter", using the up/down cursor pad select MARK and press "Enter".

To create a route using some of the previously stored Marks, simply place the cursor on one of the Marks and press "Enter", using the up/down cursor pad select WAYPOINT and press "Enter". The SmarterChart 500 will assume you want to use the selected Mark in the route and create a waypoint out of it. If you later delete the route, the Mark will not be deleted.

If the cursor is not on a mark when you select WAYPOINT, it will simply create a waypoint that is unique to that route. If you later delete the route the waypoints unique to that route will be deleted.

A normal hard drive on a PC consists of several moving parts.  Not only do these consume more power to run, but they are very sensitive to motion as all the parts must work in exact synchronisation in order for the data to be read, meaning a hard drive is not ideally suited for use on a pitching boat in heavy seas. A solid-state drive has no moving parts at all - data is stored in Flash memory.  As there are no moving parts, a solid-state drive consumes less power and performs well under all sea conditions.

Yes it has support one Analogue (VGA) output and one Digital (DVI-D or HDMI) output, both of which are independent of each other and can either be setup as extended desktop or for the two monitors to Mirror each other. This is done through the normal Windows 7 display settings.

Unfortunately, due to space limitation, there is not enough room for us to install both of these devices inside an Aqua PC, so we would recommend using one of our external WL series as a good alternative.

For sharing the WiFi Adaptor Connection on a MAC, please see Tech Note 00004-2010 on our website.

Unfortunately, Microsoft has discontinued this OS as part of their Windows 7 push. We can supply Windows XP Home Edition, as this is still available, but only while stocks last.

The Aqua PC uses a special power supply designed for commercial lorries that senses when the ignition switch is turned on/off and then powers up/down the PC. We have used this feature to allow our customers to fit a remote power switch (replicating the switch on the front of the PC) which is useful on a boat when the PC system unit is buried away somewhere safe (but difficult to access).

When 12v is detected on the white wire, the PC will power up, as if you pressed the push switch on the front of the PC. When the 12v is removed from the white wire the PC will start its power down sequence. The power board will keep supplying power to the Aqua PC during the power down cycle but after 2 minutes, the voltage will be cut and the Aqua PC will be in a very low power <5mA state rather than the normal standby state that most normal PCs go to after shut down that continuously consumes 0.15 Amps.

So, to fit a remote power switch simply connect a conventional On/Off switch; either toggle on/off type or a push on/off switch (not momentary type) between the white wire and red wire (boat’s 12v or 24v supply voltage).

I have bought one of your Aqua PCs running Windows 7, but I am having trouble with installing Software on Board, any ideas?

You will need a USB to audio adaptor for your Aqua PC to allow it to decode the SSB transmissions. It is a device that plugs in to a USB port and then connects to the SSB via a normal 3.5mm stereo jack plug.

In some circumstances, Windows will detect the NMEA data as a Serial Mouse, this results in your cursor acting oddly, for information on how to resolve this, please see Tech Note 00005-2010 on our website.

Unfortunately, Microsoft has discontinued this OS as part of their Windows 7 push. We can supply Windows XP Home Edition, as this is still available, but only while stocks last.

If your Aqua Media PC powers up but nothing is shown on the VGA display, please refer to Tech Note 00007-2010 on our website.

The Aqua PC range uses a 10-30v DC system only so if you want to run at home you will need a 220v AC to 12v DC adaptor. These should be available at any electrical supplier. Depending upon the model of Aqua PC you have, you will need a power supply that can provide up to 5 Amps of current at 12v.

For using our WL400 WiFi Adaptor on a MAC with Snow Leopard, please see Tech Note 00002-2010 on our website.