Calling All Mac Users!!!!!

[Greenman]

New board member chiming in.

PowerBook G4 titanium.
No dive computer, yet.

 

[Mr. Seahunt]

I bought a Smart Com a couple months ago (posted something on it). Great toy...uh...I mean great dive computer.

I have not found a way to sync it to my Mac (G4 powerbook). I tried an IRDA and driver I saw recommended on this thread without success. SystemProfiler shows the device, but I'm getting nothing in the way of connection (yes, even when touching). After following the device driver's installation instructions, I did not see the application running that the instructions said should be running. (Hmm, wonder where the problem is. ) Rinse, repeat, still no luck. So...

I since bought an old Palm device, but have not tried to play with it. Full-time work, night classes (exams the next couple weeks), and diving seem more important. Well, the diving at least. Part of my reasoning for the Palm was it cost less than some IRDA devices, plus (assuming I can get software loaded to it) it can travel with me more easily than a laptop, and I won't feel bad if it went overboard.

JTrak does run on my computer, no worries there.

Well, I'm in the same boat hardware-wise but found that the Palm software that is supposed to download the UWATEC dive info to my Mac during the sync does not do so. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong here... Since I'm also too busy to play with toys for too long, I've just been synchronizing my Palm to my PC at work, exporting the files to a flash drive and loading them to my Mac software. I think at this point it would be easier to spring for an IR interface for the Powerbook instead. Did you guys figure out which device would work? Also, have any of you noticed that the Mac interface does not give you as much information as the PC version? The workload is not graphed as it is on the PC side. Bummer!!!

 

[evil_xander]

Hi Dan!

I am still unable to find the right IR adapter for my JTrak. I've received several e-mails from the people who made that software. Here's the one directly from the main man himself - Dirk Frobese:



I hope this helps in your search. Let us know if you manage to get it to work.

...and welcome to the board!

So, they have support for Sigmatel 42xx models, but not for 4200 models, which I just found is the chipset in my USB IrDA.

Since MacBook has a remote control, therefore must also have IrDa of some sort anyway, does anybody know if it's possible to use that to syncronize with Aladin? I tried but Aladin doesn't see it.

I'm very new to the Mac world, but I guess there should be a way somehow to make it work. If it's a 'nix of some sort behind all that glossy GUI, then it should be pretty much doable, we just need somebody who knows both his shell and his Mac.

 

[CineDiver]

Since MacBook has a remote control, therefore must also have IrDa of some sort anyway, does anybody know if it's possible to use that to syncronize with Aladin?

Good luck on finding anyway to use the IR remote port other than the mac remote. I haven't dug deep, but I think its pretty useless. One would have thought they would make it more readily available for general use also... but this doesn't seem to be the case. Atleast when I first got mine which was version 2.

Keep me posted if you do find out a way.

Happy New Year Mac'rs!!!!

 

[blewington]

I have 3 Macs (PowerBook G4, MacBook Pro, xServe Server) and 5 Windows-based computers including 3 Servers.

After maintaining my logbooks for Suunto Solution, Aladin Air-X and the Aladin Nitrox-X I have kind of given up computer log books. Why? I rarely look dives up on the computer. The statistics are nice so you can see dives per years, etc. I still maintain a written log of every dive (yes, that is 8 books for about 680+ dives) otherwise I would not get the stickers after diving with my buddies.

If, the software was actually useful, then I would use it again. Not just a log book, but I would like to see the following:

1. Able to "attach" images to dive logs for trip to keep the photos attached.
2. Able to create a Trip Diary for a group of dives (sort of like iPhoto)
3. Able to enter a trip article and unlimited dive descriptions
4. Have it create a Blog so all this stuff is visable to others on the web

(Sort of iWeb for Divers)

And lastly, keep the software affordable, say $50 and able to import the majority of the dive computers from the big suppliers (i.e. a standard import routine).

Just my two cents,
Bill

 

[barebones]

Mac OS 10 will run windows XP. No need to buy a new computer IF you have a newer MAC.

barebones

 

[CineDiver]

Mac OS 10 will run windows XP. No need to buy a new computer IF you have a newer MAC.

barebones

This is a bit convoluted... YES! One can run XP on the Intel Macs, but...

1) You must purchase a copy of XP to install. Microsoft will not authorize your Installed XP from your Dell... they want you to buy another version for your Mac.

2) You literally have to shut down your Mac from OS X and reboot to the PC OS. IF you want to access anything on the Mac side, you have to REBOOT to the Mac OS. Not to mention the part of partitioning your hard drive to separate the Mac and PC OS's.

3) There is the possibility of running Parallels... I'm not too up on it other than it is more of a virtual machine that acts in the same way as Virtual PC did. This could have issues with drivers. Much better than Boot Camp because it runs in the native Mac OS X.

All of these choices may be very buggish or may not work at all... which means your atleast out of pocket for the XP OS if you had to buy it.

ALSO... for non Intel Macs there is still Virtual PC. But all above still applies.

 

[Diving Doc]

Hello my fellow 'scubians'

I am wanting to create an awareness for manufactures, which will let them know that the Mac Users are here and wanting support, just as the Windoz guys. Without this info, developers such as Mark Rosenstein with DiveLog http://www.macdivelog.com, are not getting support from companies such as Suunto.

Now I just dropped one hell of a chunk of change down on a new D9 from DiveTank.com and this would be my second Suunto. I've worn an X-Lander everyday as my primary watch for years. My thing is this... if companies such as Suunto are not going to program for Mac or even planning to release the software down the road, why wouldn't you give programmers such as Mark the info they need to release Apps for the Mac.

I challenge Suunto or any other Manufacture to give a logical response to this problem! I always find that friendly competition only means better results in all ways from Application to Support.

Virtual PC is NOT the answer!!!! Its clunky and XP sucks! (to be so frank)

Case example for GPS road & street navigation: "Route 66" really really sucks... but its the only game intown (or atleast when I was forced to buy it!)

Please List How many Macs you own (I've got 3 and #4 coming soon) and what you would like to have supported. We can then start to refer to this tread for awareness. Also list any equipment manufactures that do support Mac OSX users (OS9 is same boat as VPC). If companies don't support Mac Users, why should we support them?

P.S. If you have any great Mac & Scuba links please post also!!!

'Mac'ingly yours

-CineDiver, churning the waters

I got two macs and three downloadable cumputer. Scubapro, Uwatec and Oceanic. Never the three shall meet?

 

[k4man]

what about a group here on ScubaBoard for Mac users....keeping them (us) up to date on latest dive related software, etc and an overall support place??

(sorry, i haven't read completely through the thread yet to know if it's been suggested to mods or not)......too busy playing with iSight and iChat and ScubaBoard at the same time.

 

[Paco II]

Just to share, running Suunto's SDM via Parallels/WinXP on my Core Duo MBP. No problems whatsoever. Downloads from my D6 go without a hitch. No sluggishness at all. WinXP (via Parallels) on my MBP is faster than on my friends Dell laptop :thumbs_up:

3) There is the possibility of running Parallels... I'm not too up on it other than it is more of a virtual machine that acts in the same way as Virtual PC did. This could have issues with drivers. Much better than Boot Camp because it runs in the native Mac OS X.