Corsair 1 terabyte wifi drive for OCPN??

[sinbad7]

I recently came across the incredible Corsair Voyager 1 terabyte WIFI portable disk drive. View specs: Voyager Air Portable Wireless Drive

And I wondered if it is possible to create a stand alone Windows-OpenCPN environment on this drive for execution from ANY Android device over wifi. Or any other OCPN compatible operating system for that matter. I seem to remember an ´OpenCPN on a stick´ mentioned somewhere?

The new Windows 8 is able to run independently on an external drive.
Perhaps the answer? : hhttp://www.biztechmagazine.com/article/2012/12/windows-go-os-runs-usb-stickttp://

At only US$ 200.- I am definitely getting one......


Tore

[sinbad7]

Having made an inquiry as to the possibility of running OpenCPN under Windows 8 from the Corsair Voyager wifi drive,I received the following confirmation:

It certainly sounds like the Voyager Air would be an ideal solution to your needs. I can confirm that Voyager Air is accessible via ES File Explorer when connected via LAN to your existing network or as an independent wireless device, and can be accessed by up to multiple different devices simultaneously.


Regarding your last question, Voyager Air can be added to Windows 8 as a network drive, or connected by USB3 as a local hard disk drive - either method allows you to use it as a normal hard disk drive from within Windows, including the installation of programs to Voyager Air.


Kind Regards
Harry Butler
PR Specialist - Northern Europe
www.corsair.com

Windows 8 provides an extra,stand alone installation for external drives,booting directly from the drive.

Corsair offer a presently rather basic connection app via Google Play but you are better downloading the free ES File Explorer which provides connection via LAN,Bluetooth and Cloud drive. It can also connect direct via it´s own wifi net.

AT LAST a setup which will enable Android tablets and smartphones to directly run OpenCPN within it´s usual environment.


Tore

[monstads]

Maybe I missed something, but how does a storage device help you get OpenCPN on an android device? If you need somewhere to store you charts, this would work..

[sinbad7]

monstads..

The combination I mentioned will,according to Corsair,enable you to run OpenCPN direct from the Corsair Air drive via LAN or it´s own wifi,or via USB3.

Tore

[rgleason]

Sinbad7,

This looks to me like an interesting solution...a server with windows and opencpn on it, ...if that can work. As I understand it:

1. Voyage Air Portable Wireless Drive - with a stand alone Windows-OpenCPN environment on this drive for execution from ANY Android device over wifi.
2. An Android on deck using ES File Explorer

I am not sure that the response from Harry Butler confirms this can be done. Perhaps I misunderstand.

Rick

What is the power use? What CPU and memory would be used primarily?

[sinbad7]

Rick..

Well,according to the specialist at Corsair in the UK,it IS possible....
Contact him for further info:

harry.butler@corsair.com

After all,we are already doing it using TeamViewer over wifi/internet,so why not direct to the Voyager Air drive via it´s internal wifi setup?

Tore

[sinbad7]

Rick..

I think the last sentence in Harry Butler´s reply answers your doubt:

"including the installation of programs to Voyager Air."

What would be the point installing programs to the Voyager Air drive if you could´nt run them directly?

I hope and pray it will work,it´s what we all have been looking for,THE HOLY GRAIL!!

Tore

[rgleason]

Sinbad7
Thanks. I will contact him! Does this mean Opencpn would run on the Voyager Air, using CPU and Ram on that? with the Tablet basically being a terminal screen over wifi?

Might be the answer for my small cruiser.

Rick

[o_q]

All of this sounds far fetched and weird.

[monstads]

Originally Posted by sinbad7

Rick..

I think the last sentence in Harry Butler´s reply answers your doubt:

What would be the point installing programs to the Voyager Air drive if you could´nt run them directly?

I hope and pray it will work,it´s what we all have been looking for,THE HOLY GRAIL!!

Tore

I hope it works for you, but I would interpret his response differently. What I do know is that ES File Explorer does exactly that, explore file systems (including remote ones). As far as I know, it does not let you do any form of remote desktop (like Teamviewer). Also, if Windows 8, and it's WTG feature is part of the plan, note that it looks to only be available in the Enterprise edition (according to the article you linked to)

Don't get me wrong, I really would love for this to work. I just don't see how it could with the gear mentioned. For sure let us know how it goes!!

[sinbad7]

monstads..

Well,I can only go by what Corsair´s European office has told me,which you can also read in earlier postings in this thread. The Corsair Voyager Air wifi drive is NOT dependent on ES File Explorer for connection to Android devices,it has it´s own app which can be downloaded from Google Play but is somewhat basic in it´s early release,hence the suggestion of also using ES File Explorer.

Unfortunately,at the moment I can only read what the manufacturer states until I have aquired a drive and can check for myself. I hope in the meantime someone in this forum living in the US will get one and test it out for us. After all,it will not break the bank at $ 180-200.- and is well worth the money as a 1 TB wifi drive.

I also hope the Windows 8 external drive installer soon will be available also in the basic version.

Tore

[bubble777]

I don't think this is going to do what you want. It's a wireless Nas and isn't a x86 computer which would be required to execute opencpn . In about a year the new haswell atom processors should be coming out which is something that will do exactly what your after.

[sinbad7]

Upon further consultation with Corsair, I may have been too hopeful,although I am still not clear about how exactly the Windows 8 option to install and boot from an external drive is supposed to work.

In any case,the Corsair drive will be an ideal partner with programs like TeamViewer pairing your laptop running OpenCPN with an Android device in the cockpit over it´s own LAN,storing ALL your charts and nav. info on the 1 TB drive.

It would also be ideal for nav. apps like OruxMaps,accessing all charts and nav. info from the drive via LAN.

Also FINALLY a way to access large/powerful storage drives from smartphones and tablets over LAN,previously not possible from most Android devices via USB owing to the very limited power supply.

Sorry about the confusion,I suppose the search for the holy grail continues...


Tore

[hellosailor]

Tore, I think you have been confused by the phrase "external drive". WindowsToGo will not run from an external drive. It will run from an external bootable device. Emphasis on the word bootable, and what your computer can boot from will depend on the BIOS and the OS. In my limited knowledge there are no computers at all that can boot from a WiFi device, because no computer makes a WiFi connection prior to booting, when it needs to load the boot environment.

So for $200, buy a large USB memory stick, and you can still run from that. Assuming, of course, that your "computer" can in fact run the Windows8 OS. If you're trying to plug into something that can't do that--again, it just ain't gonna happen.

[SunDevil]

I have zero experience with OpenCPN, so if I am wrong, this is why. But, I would think that this software and other software tools would put a little effort into building a product that they can sell.

Or come up with a specific parts list and DIY instructions for a self contained, water-proof, no-internet version (except for yearly updates)...

It isn't that I couldn't figure out what to do, but it is more effective if tens of thousands don't have to reinvent the wheel each time they want to use this on their boat.