XCSoar or LK8000?

I've had a couple of flights using XCSoar on a Mio but the season
essentially over and I don't have much of an opinion yet. I've since
upgraded to a Samsung Galaxy Player running Android and connected via
Bluetooth to the CAI-302 and have spent quite a few hours playing with the
SIM mode and planning for my first 1,000K attempt next summer. I'm quite
impressed with how XCSoar works!

Now I'm looking at LK8000 and like the look of the displays so I think I'll
download, install, and play with it just to see how it works.

Has anyone here used both? What are your opinions? Who knows - I may try
running both simultaneously and comparing the results.

The runway at Moriarty, NM has been plowed but the taxiways are still choked
with snow and ice... Three more months...

Hmmmmmmmmm... Further research indicates there's currently no Android
version of LK8000...

I guess I'll have a look on the laptop and see if I think it's worth
downloading if it's ever ready for Android.


"Dan Marotta" wrote in message
...
I've had a couple of flights using XCSoar on a Mio but the season
essentially over and I don't have much of an opinion yet. I've since
upgraded to a Samsung Galaxy Player running Android and connected via
Bluetooth to the CAI-302 and have spent quite a few hours playing with the
SIM mode and planning for my first 1,000K attempt next summer. I'm quite
impressed with how XCSoar works!

Now I'm looking at LK8000 and like the look of the displays so I think
I'll download, install, and play with it just to see how it works.

Has anyone here used both? What are your opinions? Who knows - I may try
running both simultaneously and comparing the results.

The runway at Moriarty, NM has been plowed but the taxiways are still
choked with snow and ice... Three more months...

On Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:44:09 -0700, "Dan Marotta"
wrote:
Has anyone here used both? What are your opinions? Who knows - I
may try

The most significant difference between these two is not their
interfaces or feature list. It is the philosophy of their respective
developers. XCsoar developers encourage teamwork and input from all
interested parties. LK8000 is developed mainly by one individual who
does not encourage cooperative development to the extent that the
rights of the (XCsoar) developers who's code was used in the original
version of LK8000 were infringed for a period.

In the long run, with cooperative development XCsoar will achieve
more than LK8000 and many equivalent commercial products.

Perhaps that is why Xcsoar already runs on Android devices like this
Dell Streak which has the best sunlight readable screen on any
consumer grade PDA and supports ioio hardware which allows Androids
to interface with serial ports on gliding loggers etc and can
simultaneously read NMEA data from Flarm and a gliding computer.

Ie Flarm radar and real time wind data on a screen you can read with
your sunglasses on - available right now!

Ian

Ian,

Currently I'm running LK8000 on a iPAQ hx 4700. I have it configured to
bring the NMEA data from my GPS on device 1 using the iPAQ's serial port.
Device 2 is configured for the iPAQ's Bluetooth port. I have connected a
K-6 BT Bluetooth interface to my Borgelt B-50. This configuration works
great. When I finally receive my PowerFLARM it will replace the GPS as
Device 1. I have no reason to believe that this will not work.

For those who fly contests, the tasking section of XCSoar is definitely
superior to the current version of LK8000. However, for guys like me who
primarily fly cross country, the touch interface and the expanded ability to
customize LK8000 to meet personal need places it in first place. I
especially like screens 2.1 thru 2.4 which provide data relating to all
alternates, not just the ones visible on the screen.

I find the maps on both XCSoar and LK8000 adequate. For me, the difference
in the quality of a map isn't a deal breaker.

The fact that both programs are free allows me to monitor the progress of
LK8000 on my PDA and XCSoar on my Android based phone. If I find new
versions of XCSoar a better fit, I'll switch back to it.

Thank you for tolerating my rambling.

Wayne
http://www.soaridaho.com/




"Ian" wrote in message
...

On Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:44:09 -0700, "Dan Marotta"
wrote:
Has anyone here used both? What are your opinions? Who knows - I
may try

The most significant difference between these two is not their
interfaces or feature list. It is the philosophy of their respective
developers. XCsoar developers encourage teamwork and input from all
interested parties. LK8000 is developed mainly by one individual who
does not encourage cooperative development to the extent that the
rights of the (XCsoar) developers who's code was used in the original
version of LK8000 were infringed for a period.

In the long run, with cooperative development XCsoar will achieve
more than LK8000 and many equivalent commercial products.

Perhaps that is why Xcsoar already runs on Android devices like this
Dell Streak which has the best sunlight readable screen on any
consumer grade PDA and supports ioio hardware which allows Androids
to interface with serial ports on gliding loggers etc and can
simultaneously read NMEA data from Flarm and a gliding computer.

Ie Flarm radar and real time wind data on a screen you can read with
your sunglasses on - available right now!

Ian

At 01:07 29 December 2011, Wayne Paul wrote:
Ian,

Currently I'm running LK8000 on a iPAQ hx 4700. I have it configured to
bring the NMEA data from my GPS on device 1 using the iPAQ's serial port.

Device 2 is configured for the iPAQ's Bluetooth port. I have connected a

K-6 BT Bluetooth interface to my Borgelt B-50. This configuration works
great. When I finally receive my PowerFLARM it will replace the GPS as
Device 1. I have no reason to believe that this will not work.

For those who fly contests, the tasking section of XCSoar is definitely
superior to the current version of LK8000. However, for guys like me who

primarily fly cross country, the touch interface and the expanded ability
to
customize LK8000 to meet personal need places it in first place. I
especially like screens 2.1 thru 2.4 which provide data relating to all
alternates, not just the ones visible on the screen.

I find the maps on both XCSoar and LK8000 adequate. For me, the
difference

in the quality of a map isn't a deal breaker.

The fact that both programs are free allows me to monitor the progress of

LK8000 on my PDA and XCSoar on my Android based phone. If I find new
versions of XCSoar a better fit, I'll switch back to it.

Thank you for tolerating my rambling.

Wayne
http://www.soaridaho.com/




"Ian" wrote in message
...

On Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:44:09 -0700, "Dan Marotta"
wrote:
Has anyone here used both? What are your opinions? Who knows - I
may try

The most significant difference between these two is not their
interfaces or feature list. It is the philosophy of their respective
developers. XCsoar developers encourage teamwork and input from all
interested parties. LK8000 is developed mainly by one individual who
does not encourage cooperative development to the extent that the
rights of the (XCsoar) developers who's code was used in the original
version of LK8000 were infringed for a period.

In the long run, with cooperative development XCsoar will achieve
more than LK8000 and many equivalent commercial products.

Perhaps that is why Xcsoar already runs on Android devices like this
Dell Streak which has the best sunlight readable screen on any
consumer grade PDA and supports ioio hardware which allows Androids
to interface with serial ports on gliding loggers etc and can
simultaneously read NMEA data from Flarm and a gliding computer.

Ie Flarm radar and real time wind data on a screen you can read with
your sunglasses on - available right now!

Ian



Just like the previous thread, this is very much a matter of personal
taste. I go back with XCSoar to when it was first brought out by a group
in the UK, then a bit later by the Australian headed group. I changed to
LK8000 when it came out, because it was designed for the better visible car
navigators.
I keep up with XCSoar developments, but so far have seen nothing to make me
consider changing back, I much prefer the interface, and range of features
in LK8000.
Whilst it is fair to say that LK8000 was initially developed by one man,
who had been a developer with XCSoar, this did result in very rapid
development, the best committee being that consisting of one member. Paolo
has though, gathered an international group of other developers and
testers. He also was, and still is, very quick to react to suggestions and
problems, sometimes in hours, I don't know when he sleeps!
The gliding community owes a big debt of gratitude to both these groups,
who have provided us with two fantastic navigation programs, and both are
free.
Dave

On Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:54:09 +0000, David Salmon wrote:

Just like the previous thread, this is very much a matter of personal
taste. I go back with XCSoar to when it was first brought out by a
group in the UK, then a bit later by the Australian headed group. I
changed to LK8000 when it came out, because it was designed for the
better visible car navigators.
I keep up with XCSoar developments, but so far have seen nothing to make
me consider changing back, I much prefer the interface, and range of
features in LK8000.
Whilst it is fair to say that LK8000 was initially developed by one man,
who had been a developer with XCSoar, this did result in very rapid
development, the best committee being that consisting of one member.
Paolo has though, gathered an international group of other developers
and testers. He also was, and still is, very quick to react to
suggestions and problems, sometimes in hours, I don't know when he
sleeps!
The gliding community owes a big debt of gratitude to both these groups,
who have provided us with two fantastic navigation programs, and both
are free.
Dave

Dave's experience with these two programs, views on LK8000 vs. XCSoar and
reasons for preferring LK8000 are very similar to my own position.

I'm an XC pilot rather than a racer and use my PNA as a navigation tool,
final glide computer and wind info source. I get the rest, i.e. climb
rates and STF from my vario and ignore what the PNA has to say about
those subjects. I would use my SDI C4 for final glide and wind if I
could get NMEA sentences including those dealing with the current task
out of the PNA, but its only a cheap Binatone and doesn't do outputs.

I prefer having the maximum map space on the PNA, so prefer LK8000's
ability to overlay information over the map to XCSoar's use of infoboxes.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

I have several either factory refurbished or very good used HP 310's
starting at $150.00 complete that appear to be perfectly suited for LK8000.
The HP310 has built in GPS and internal battery and also comes with a
suitable modifiable mount, 12VDC Cables and PC Cables. With LK8000 as a free
software for soaring pilots the HP 310 makes just about the lowest cost
flight navigation and flight computer available.
Anyone interested in these HP310's can contact me from here or my website
regards
Tim Mara
Please visit the Wings & Wheels website at www.wingsandwheels.com

"Wayne Paul" wrote in message
m...
Ian,

Currently I'm running LK8000 on a iPAQ hx 4700. I have it configured to
bring the NMEA data from my GPS on device 1 using the iPAQ's serial port.
Device 2 is configured for the iPAQ's Bluetooth port. I have connected a
K-6 BT Bluetooth interface to my Borgelt B-50. This configuration works
great. When I finally receive my PowerFLARM it will replace the GPS as
Device 1. I have no reason to believe that this will not work.

For those who fly contests, the tasking section of XCSoar is definitely
superior to the current version of LK8000. However, for guys like me who
primarily fly cross country, the touch interface and the expanded ability
to customize LK8000 to meet personal need places it in first place. I
especially like screens 2.1 thru 2.4 which provide data relating to all
alternates, not just the ones visible on the screen.

I find the maps on both XCSoar and LK8000 adequate. For me, the
difference in the quality of a map isn't a deal breaker.

The fact that both programs are free allows me to monitor the progress of
LK8000 on my PDA and XCSoar on my Android based phone. If I find new
versions of XCSoar a better fit, I'll switch back to it.

Thank you for tolerating my rambling.

Wayne
http://www.soaridaho.com/




"Ian" wrote in message
...

On Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:44:09 -0700, "Dan Marotta"
wrote:
Has anyone here used both? What are your opinions? Who knows - I
may try

The most significant difference between these two is not their
interfaces or feature list. It is the philosophy of their respective
developers. XCsoar developers encourage teamwork and input from all
interested parties. LK8000 is developed mainly by one individual who
does not encourage cooperative development to the extent that the
rights of the (XCsoar) developers who's code was used in the original
version of LK8000 were infringed for a period.

In the long run, with cooperative development XCsoar will achieve
more than LK8000 and many equivalent commercial products.

Perhaps that is why Xcsoar already runs on Android devices like this
Dell Streak which has the best sunlight readable screen on any
consumer grade PDA and supports ioio hardware which allows Androids
to interface with serial ports on gliding loggers etc and can
simultaneously read NMEA data from Flarm and a gliding computer.

Ie Flarm radar and real time wind data on a screen you can read with
your sunglasses on - available right now!

Ian



__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus
signature database 6752 (20111229) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com






__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 6752 (20111229) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com

On Dec 29, 9:41*am, "Tim Mara" wrote:
I have several either factory refurbished or very good used HP 310's
starting at $150.00 complete that appear to be perfectly suited for LK8000.

On Dec 29, 7:40*pm, Andy wrote:
On Dec 29, 9:41*am, "Tim Mara" wrote:

I have several either factory refurbished or very good used HP 310's
starting at $150.00 complete that appear to be perfectly suited for LK8000.

On 12/29/2011 5:40 PM, Andy wrote:
On Dec 29, 9:41 am, "Tim wrote:
I have several either factory refurbished or very good used HP 310's
starting at $150.00 complete that appear to be perfectly suited for LK8000.
The HP310 has built in GPS and internal battery and also comes with a
suitable modifiable mount, 12VDC Cables and PC Cables.

While I'm not knocking the HP310 - I use one - anyone considering
buying one because it has an integrated GPS should be aware that the
GPS has update characteristics that make it incapable of providing an
accurate circling wind estimate (unless you make very shallow slow
turns).

This has been discussed at length in various forums but I was not
aware it it when I bought mine.

Andy (GY)

I have an HP310 and have found the unique USB power annoying and if the
310 is in our AZ sun too long, the battery swells up causing the back
cover to bow out and the switch opens and the unit shuts down.

Tom