Mac Software for Altitrack

[base_nz 0]

I wondering if any mac users out there had any suggestions for software for my alti track??? .....

.....And you thought Kiwis couldn't fly!!!!

[LouDiamond 1]

Your best bet is Paralog. It does everything a skydiver needs and then some.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[RandomLemming 0]

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Your best bet is Paralog. It does everything a skydiver needs and then some.

This is going to depend entirely on how your Altitrack communicates with the machine. I have an alt-2 neptune, which uses IR, so as a result it is useless with my Mac because there are no IR dongles available in the UK right now that work with the latest (Leopard) and previous (Tiger) versions of OS X.

I've got about 20 in my desk drawer at the moment. I'm trying to write a driver for one of them, but it looks like I have to implement the entire IR stack at the moment and I'm tempted to switch the development focus to Linux, where a stack already exists. Apple aren't being too helpful, and have rejected my support request as being a problem for the manufacturer of the device, despite having a premier ADC account.

[LouDiamond 1]

Have you tried contacting and or using the one recommended by Alti-2?

There is also some trouble shooting advise on it HERE

There is a forum for Paralog on Alti-2's website HERE that Klaus, the author of Paralog, frequents. he is usually very prompt at replying. Worse case you can always contact him direct: info AT paralog.com

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[VectorBoy 0]

I thought it was the neptune software itself that does not work with Mac os?!? I would love to upload neptune software revs in osx.

[LouDiamond 1]

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I thought it was the neptune software itself that does not work with Mac os?!? I would love to upload neptune software revs in osx.

If you are referring to the Neptune updater software/interface then you are correct, it does not support the Mac OS at this time.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[RandomLemming 0]

Quote

Have you tried contacting and or using the one recommended by Alti-2?

There is also some trouble shooting advise on it HERE

There is a forum for Paralog on Alti-2's website HERE that Klaus, the author of Paralog, frequents. he is usually very prompt at replying. Worse case you can always contact him direct: info AT paralog.com

I've gone down all of those paths. The recommended devices are either no longer available, or not supported on the last 2 revisions of Mac OS X.

The response from both Klaus and I think Peter from Alti-2 is that if you can get a supported IrDA dongle, it will just work. There-in lies the catch.

This is how I've ended up with about 300 quid worth of IrDA dongles in my desk drawer.

[RandomLemming 0]

The Neptune software flat out doesn't work on OS X, but I'm not too worried about that. On the odd occasion that I need to do a firmware update, I grab one of the 20 IrDA dongles from my drawer and visit a mate.

I'm trying to get something working that will let me download my jump logs. Paralog would be ideal, but there is no hardware support.

In my opinion, the major value of things like the neptune, the altitrack and the protrack is that they let you get your data off of them and store it.

I've contacted Alti-2 about getting the IR and data format spec from them, and I'm willing to agree to an NDA if required. At least then I'll be able to produce some software on Linux to get the data off and usable.

[LloydDobbler 2]

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The Neptune software flat out doesn't work on OS X, but I'm not too worried about that. On the odd occasion that I need to do a firmware update, I grab one of the 20 IrDA dongles from my drawer and visit a mate.

I'm trying to get something working that will let me download my jump logs. Paralog would be ideal, but there is no hardware support.

In my opinion, the major value of things like the neptune, the altitrack and the protrack is that they let you get your data off of them and store it.

I've contacted Alti-2 about getting the IR and data format spec from them, and I'm willing to agree to an NDA if required. At least then I'll be able to produce some software on Linux to get the data off and usable.

Dude, if you can do that, I'll be more than interested to hear about it.

I'm running a Mac, too, and use a friend's PC to upgrade my Neptune when necessary (ANOTHER topic - how crappy is the new Neptune 2 user interface?). Had I known when I bought the Neptune that I wouldn't be able to download my logs from it, I would've just bought a Protrack - because at least it offers a more-workable USB interface (and like someone said above, I'm sure that Klaus can tell you how to interface it with a Mac. I know a couple of people who do).

Regardless, with so many ways of coding cross-platform apps these days, I'm amazed that Alti-2 designed their product this way. Ugh.

Signatures are the new black.

[LouDiamond 1]

Quote

I've contacted Alti-2 about getting the IR and data format spec from them, and I'm willing to agree to an NDA if required. At least then I'll be able to produce some software on Linux to get the data off and usable.

I can save you some time an answer a few of these questions for you.

1.Alti-2 will not disclose the protocol to you. You are not the first person to ask to get the protocol from them so don't expect the offer to sign a NDA to convince them. They flat out do not give it out.

2. Paralog and Neptune work on Linux, so there is no reason for you to build something new.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[base_nz 0]

I'm trying to get something working that will let me download my jump logs. Paralog would be ideal, but there is no hardware support.



Hmmmm... Paralog sounds like the go, just connecting it to the mac?... could you use the leads that come with the jumptrack software?
And sorry for the ignorance but " Dongle???" WTF ?:)

.....And you thought Kiwis couldn't fly!!!!

[DSE 3]

Paralog can't communicate with the Alti-track...Protrack, yes. Altitrack, no
Otherwise, I'd switch. For the timebeing, I'm running JumpTrack on my MacBook under BootCamp.

[base_nz 0]

Thanks for that, I guess bootcamp was always going to be an inevitable purchase

Im sick software being a deciding factor.

.....And you thought Kiwis couldn't fly!!!!

[DSE 3]

I wrote to L&B a month or so ago, asking if they'd make the algorithms for the Altitrack available to Paralog, because I'd like to use Paralog for wingsuiting with my GPS.
Unfortunately L&B doesn't want to share that information. I personally prefer the Jumptrack interface, but it doesn't run on a Mac. Paralog has more options.
I'm not interested in jumping with anything but my Altitrack, until my WS times significantly improve. So...I'm stuck too. On the other side, I prefer many of my Windows apps to the Mac versions. Photoshop is much better on a PC than Apple currently. So, another great reason for Bootcamp.

[base_nz 0]

I think im going to have to eventually buy something a bit more powerful than my Macbook, Especially with the lack of upgrades for laptops.
Am going to the mac shop tomorrow to ask for ideas. Keeping in mind ill probably be using it a bit for editing later down the track.

.....And you thought Kiwis couldn't fly!!!!

[RandomLemming 0]

If it's working on Linux now, I'll give it another try. The Paralog website still shows a grayed out penguin for Neptune 2 support though.