Typical NMEA2000 hookup on a new boat.
An Ideal Boat Computer to Build or Buy.
The ideal system will use a small 12 Volt PC, with a solid state hard drive and one or more monitors. For cockpit use a daylight readable touch screen is ideal. The cost will be less than a complete set of traditional instruments with an easier installation. For larger boats an AC powered system with an inverter makes sense, and the hardware is usually cheaper.
Avia software supports input from both NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000. For NMEA 2000 input, you just plug the included cable into the network, the attached "dongle" translates NMEA 2000 to USB format. You can mix both types of data on a single system.
You will need a way to connect your instruments or sensors to a cable with NMEA 0183 output. If you have Raymarine instruments the Sea-Talk network can output NMEA 0183 via their model 850001 multiplexer. There are others on the market. Airmar and others make sensors that output NMEA 0183 and or NMEA 2000 directly.
Newer PCS and laptops have no serial ports, just USB ports so you may need a Serial to USB converter, available cheaply at most computer stores or online.
For a new system, how about using Tack-Tick wireless sensors? They make a box that will turn the information into NMEA data we can use.
For use at the chart table, a laptop PC works great, and this may also work in the wheelhouse.
For outdoor use, you need a daylight readable screen.
For a single computer you run the server and the instrument application on the same computer. To add additional computers, you install just the instruments and link the computer via a wired network or wifi. The data inputs to the main computer are shared with any other computers on board.
Some sources for suitable computers and monitors:
AR Engineering (Recommended)
www.marinecomp.com
203 368-8168
Se Jung
Tech (Recommended)
South Korea
Phone: 011-407-3914
Email: jungell@hanmail.net
Information about NMEA 2000.