Navigation apps on Windows 8 tablet - a solution

[barnakiel]

Hey guys:

I am reading and re-reading some posts above and something tells me not everybody understands that Win RT is NOT Win 8.

There are tablets with RT and then there are tablets with 8 and one does not log into any store to check if their fave Win 7 (or XP) apps will work on Win 8: they are promised by Microsoft to work on Win 8. (NOT on Windows RT).

And Win 8 tablets DO READ COM ports. And this applies at least to the more expensive of Asus pads (yes, it is NOT an RT pad, it is the expensive 'Pro' one). I will jump to the conclusion that any Win 8 tablet will use COM ports and you can connect your GPS and other stuff, as long as your drivers work on Win 8.

Now RT is out there too and RT tablets are not going to work with most of your XP and Win 7 stuff - and especially the non-MS stuff.

And it is very easy to tell the difference because 8 devices cost twice as much as RT devices. (And RT devices tend to cost at least twice as much as comparable Android devices).

So I hope this adds to, rather that detracts from, our to COM or not to COM thread.

Cheers,
b.

[Twisticles]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Now RT is out there too and RT tablets are not going to work with most of your XP and Win 7 stuff - and especially the non-MS stuff.

.

RT won't work with ANY XP or Win7 stuff, you can't install .exe files (i.e. PROGRAMS) on RT, only APPS from the Windows Store.

[hellosailor]

This kind of stuff just reminds me of the old days when Windows NT (Windows 2000, XP, 7, 8, are all versions of Windows NT) was the underdog and folks switching over to it just oftan didn't realize that if a 'windows' application wasn't on the certified Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) it could be expected to fail.

Yes, there's one for Win8 too. The rules haven't changed, if the vendor hasn't spent a gob of money getting their app certified and placed on the HCL, there's no reason to think it will run under that OS.

Nice that there's a workaround, but one should still remember, every time an OS changes, there's no reason to expect older apps to work under a new OS.

[sinbad7]

I think for the time being,the best solution is to bring along your old laptop,which after all carries all your collected marine applications and programs,keeping it safely down below while pairing it by wi-fi to your Android Tablet in the cockpit using using TeamViewer or similar. Using ´AppGeysir´ you can also convert all your Windows on-line connections to Android apps you can run direct from your Tablet. I must have converted more than 30 apps already to the .apk format.

I also use a Bluetooth mouse via a USB dongle and can select all as if I were using my laptop.

See some of the samples below from my usual navigation programs and utilities.

Tore

[firecash90]

it works properly (it creates virtual com port)

FichierLoad.fr

[mjfletch]

It appears from you comments that you have developed an app that will allow the gps in a windows tablet to work with existing navigation software. Can you advise where this could be obtained?

[VegasGuy]

Originally Posted by mjfletch

It appears from you comments that you have developed an app that will allow the gps in a windows tablet to work with existing navigation software. Can you advise where this could be obtained?

Centrafuse Localizer is a utility designed to allow you to use standard desktop navigation programs on your GPS-equipped Windows 8 tablet.

Most (if not all) Windows 8 tablets that contain an onboard GPS/GNSS chipset DO NOT expose the sensor as a standard com port. So navigation programs have nothing to connect to.

Localizer attaches DIRECTLY to the GPS/GNSS driver and does two things:
1. It extracts (or creates, if necessary) standard NMEA 0183 strings from the GPS/GNSS sensor.
2. It allows your to create a virtual com port that can be used by ANY standard desktop navigation application.

Requirements:
1. A tablet running a full version of Windows 8 (not RT).
2. A tablet that has a built-in GPS/GNSS sensor. You can check device manager and it should show up under sensors.

That's it. Centrafuse Localizer is designed to address this specific problem, and that's all it does. It minimizes to your task bar, is fully touchscreen-enabled, supports English and 5 other languages, Imperial or metric output and you get automatic updates whenever they are available.

Please do a Google search on Centrafuse Localizer as I don't want to violate the forum's policy on commercial links.

Cheers!

[S/V Alchemy]

I run Win 7 on an ASUS netbook (an eeePC 1215N with some extra RAM) and I use a fairly stock GPS puck and OpenCPN. Took a bit of fiddling with the COM settings, but it's fine and works a charm. By the time we push off in a couple of years, I was looking at the ASUS Transformer series...actually, I like the newest one, which I believe is the T100TA (Hands-On: ASUS Transformer Book T100TA Windows 8.1 Bay Trail Tablet - HotHardware).

Anyway, this could make that device, or its successors, very much more useful. Thanks.