BMEA

Actisense are pleased to announce a collaboration with Canadian software developer, Avia Design, to enhance its innovative PC based vessel monitoring software with NMEA 2000 interfacing capability.

The ‘Avia Onboard’ software is now able to display NMEA 2000 data by using the Actisense NGT-1 to interface between the PC and the NMEA 2000 bus.

The NGT-1 PC Interface is a fully NMEA 2000 certified device allowing for the transmission of data on and off an NMEA 2000 bus. It is able to precisely transfer messages while enforcing the NMEA 2000 rules, maintaining the integrity of the NMEA 2000 bus and preventing any illegal operations.

The Actisense team has been working with Avia Design since summer 2009 to integrate the NGT with the Avia software. By providing the Actisense NGT-1 Software Development Kit (SDK), Actisense were able to greatly reduce the development time for Avia, enabling them to bring their product quickly to market
across the world.

The Application Programming Interface (API) is provided by Actisense as a Dynamic-Link Library (DLL). It allows quick and easy integration into existing software systems. Avia were able to work with the DLL straight away and within six months had a fully tested product.

Phil Whitehurst, Managing Director of Active Research said “ The simulator and instrument packages available from Avia Design each need an Actisense NGT-1-USB NMEA 2000 PC Interface to connect the NMEA 2000 bus to the USB port on the PC. The Actisense units will be provided as part of the package
from Avia.

“We are delighted with this collaboration which demonstrates that by using the NGT-1, software manufacturers can bring their NMEA 2000 software products to market quickly whilst keeping costs down. By using the NGT-1, software manufacturers can introduce the NMEA 2000 compatible software their customers want.

“We hope that this collaboration with Avia will be the first of many and wish them every success in the launch of Avia Onboard”.

Avia Onboard is an NMEA 2000 instrument package with screens for monitoring sailing, motoring, weather, tanks, AC and DC power. The program can be configured to choose which screens are displayed. Additionally a choice of backgrounds and fonts enables a customised appearance. Grahame Shannon, President, Avia Design Group commented “Actisense support was amazingly prompt and all issues during development were dealt with in careful detail. We are delighted to be associated with such a professional and effective supplier. Without Actisense our product would not be possible.”