Tablet no chart plotter?

[Pelagic]

Again, I think of it as a MFD, not just a plotter.

Linked to any other device, or sensor, it will display and control whatever you like.

This interface link explains better than I could.
http://www.navnet.com/tzt2/en/features/interface.html

It is definitely pricey, but my cruising between Phuket to the Philippines is in fairly busy waters with mostly overnight passages and frequent squalls.


For me, that single MFD display, with back up instruments in the cockpit and a remote keypad, if the touch screen gets wet, is worth it.

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[conachair]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Again, I think of it as a MFD, not just a plotter.

Linked to any other device, or sensor, it will display and control whatever you like.

This interface link explains better than I could.
User Interface | Features | FURUNO NavNet TZtouch2

It is definitely pricey, but my cruising between Phuket to the Philippines is in fairly busy waters with mostly overnight passages and frequent squalls.


For me, that single MFD display, with back up instruments in the cockpit and a remote keypad, if the touch screen gets wet, is worth it.

Attachment 166756

Does look great. Didn't see any mention of signalk though, how do you get the 'any' sensor data in there - wifi? Boat sensors is an area opening right up with accurate data being available for little outlay and low power, but wrestled out of the grasp of expensive limited NMEA. One are where tablets/laptops definitely have a big edge over MFD. Means installing a server though, but then a raspberry pi isn't much outlay and little power.


Can you make your own satellite chart files? Can be a godsend cruising where chats are not that reliable.

[IdoraKeeper]

There is one factor I have not seen mentioned in this excellent thread. If you choose to only use tablets you have repurposed a device that is designed for use during the time available based on it's State of charge. If you're cruising style requires an always on device, a tablet will fail. They are not designed to operate under load, plugged in to a power source. The thermal limits of the battery and charging circuit are easily exceeded . This will result in early failure of the device. I wrecked a Nexus 7 in exactly this manner. Likely, Sailor Chic is having the same experience with her device. Tablets are great but their limits must be respected or an inconvenient failure can occur. Just saying.

[OrinocoFlo]

Originally Posted by IdoraKeeper

There is one factor I have not seen mentioned in this excellent thread. If you choose to only use tablets you have repurposed a device that is designed for use during the time available based on it's State of charge. If you're cruising style requires an always on device, a tablet will fail. They are not designed to operate under load, plugged in to a power source. The thermal limits of the battery and charging circuit are easily exceeded . This will result in early failure of the device. I wrecked a Nexus 7 in exactly this manner. Likely, Sailor Chic is having the same experience with her device. Tablets are great but their limits must be respected or an inconvenient failure can occur. Just saying.

These battery backup packs will keep an iPad working continuously all day, we have several at about $19 each. They’ll recharge an iPhone four times. One is plugged in charging while another is used on the iPad, or we utilize the screen sleep mode on the iPad when not in use.

[IdoraKeeper]

Originally Posted by OrinocoFlo

These battery backup packs will keep an iPad working continuously all day, we have several at about $19 each. They’ll recharge an iPhone four times. One is plugged in charging while another is used on the iPad, or we utilize the screen sleep mode on the iPad when not in use.

You are correct, I use an iPad pro in the cockpit at work. On occasion it is required to plug it in to keep it operational. It does not overheat. iPad seems to perform more like a laptop in that way. There are other issues with iPad that deter my adoption of Apple that are more or less in line with what DH has outlined. My post should have been more specific to related to cheap Android tablets. The flexibility one gains using Android is offset by the hardware limits that I have experienced.

[davil]

Just downloaded marineways
Amazing
Thanks

[jkindredpdx]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Hey Dockhead, as I am about to get an Active Tab as well. Do you know of any HARDcase which is waterproof and would fit?

I would like a second layer of waterproofing and ruggedness.

Had a Sony Z2 Tab before as well, was never really happy, it had charging issues and the ports seem not reliable enough in a marine environment.

Thanks,

Franziska

I bought a two pack of clear waterproof pouches, one for a phone and one for a tablet from AAA for less than $10. I can use the touchscreens through the pouch. I could find the exact brand, but here is a link with many of them... https://ebookfriendly.com/waterproof...ereader-cases/

[Franziska]

Thanks JKind,

I've seen those pouches but personally I prefer the hardcases.
Still I may end up with a pouch too as I could not find a hardcase.

Had a good and well priced one from Arctic for the Miix 2 but the Active Tab will not fit....

[Franziska]

@Dockhead

Here is a waterproof hardcase for the Active Tab 2.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F372247921442

Have not bought it as I have not bought the tablet yet.

Still, its the only waterproof case I could find which lists the Active Tab 2 expressivly and says it fits.

If I buy it, I'll also get a Qi Charger for it.

[sailorcherry]

Anyone have a recommendation for a waterproof hard case that will fit the Surface Pro 1?

[ZULU40]

of course a Panasonic Toughbook would fit the criteria of many, but then you are dealing with pre-historic OS (but unlike IOS it wont decide for you now is the time to update), and the prices even s/h arent favourable, which was always my contention. Still ...

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Franziska

@Dockhead

Here is a waterproof hardcase for the Active Tab 2.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F372247921442

Have not bought it as I have not bought the tablet yet.

Still, its the only waterproof case I could find which lists the Active Tab 2 expressivly and says it fits.

If I buy it, I'll also get a Qi Charger for it.

Thanks for that. A big clunky but maybe still worth considering.

To encourage you about your anticipated purchase -- I am very pleased with the Tab Active after a few week of using it. I have even used it for investor presentations!! It is a real quality, professional-feeling device, and it works very well indeed. Has excellent battery life on top of everything else, about double I think what the Sony Xperia had. I love that it goes in a pocket, which makes it far handier than the larger tablet. I've put a 64 gig SD card in it, so now have enough storage for hundreds of books and other content.

[nwdiver]

A friend lost his pair of 12 inch chartplotters to a lighting strike, after allot of thought he replaced them with a 7 inch plotter at the nav station and wifi to an iPad Pro which he already owned at the helm, he also got a second iPad Pro, he's very happy with the system, his sonar, radar and AP were not fried so they all run to the little plotter, he upgraded radios also as they were lost.........he then bought a second "on sale, at 1/2 price" matching 7 plotter as backup, all in less than 1/3 the price of 2 new 12 inch plotters and more redundancy..........

[Franziska]

One more hardcase for the Samsung Galaxy Active Tab 2.

Internal size.
aiShell Air: 24,3 x 17 cm (HxB)

Source:
http://www.andres-industries.de/

Its pretty expensive 199€ and made for the iPad Air but the Active Tab 2 fits, reasonably good.
Pretty robust. I think I would rather get the one I mentioned a couple of posts above as the price is better and the case if the Active Tab 2 its a second layer of protection anyway.

By the way there is also the Panasonic Toughpad FZ-A2 which runs Android 6 and has an outdoor screen.
Alternativly they do a number if fully ruggedized Windows tablets up to 20".
Hefty price tags though. A refurbished Toughbook is way cheaper.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by nwdiver

A friend lost his pair of 12 inch chartplotters to a lighting strike, after allot of thought he replaced them with a 7 inch plotter at the nav station and wifi to an iPad Pro which he already owned at the helm, he also got a second iPad Pro, he's very happy with the system, his sonar, radar and AP were not fried so they all run to the little plotter, he upgraded radios also as they were lost.........he then bought a second "on sale, at 1/2 price" matching 7 plotter as backup, all in less than 1/3 the price of 2 new 12 inch plotters and more redundancy..........

This is very similar to the approach on my boat.

It's important to understand that chart plotters have two completely different functions --

1. real time plotting, for pilotage

2. passage planning and navigation, as a substitute (or enhancement to) paper

Having a plotter at the helm for pilotage vastly simplifies the process, reduces workload, increases safety. I would never go back to not having that. You don't need a big screen for that, but you do need for whatever device you use for that to be reliable, rugged and usable in all kinds of conditions.

If you use radar, you also need a way to display that.

In my opinion, a tablet or other article of consumer electronics is not really very well suited to that. A small marine MFD is perfect. If you're not using radar, 7" is fine. I use an 8" Zeus at the helm because radar is extremely important for the way I cruise (lots of night, bad weather, heavy traffic, dodgy charts, etc.).

But marine chart plotters, even 12" ones, are just no good for passage planning, for reasons we've discussed in other threads. For that I use a fixed mount low power 12v computer and a large high resolution monitor. A big chart plotter would be ok I guess to give you better view for better orientation, but it's not a substitute for either paper or OpenCPN with a proper raster chart, and so I've never felt any big urge for a chart plotter bigger than 8", nor do I have room anywhere for a 12" plotter.

I have a second 8" Zeus at my nav table specifically for radar (and remote control of the autopilot,etc.), but that is specific to my way of working where we often divide visual watch on deck combined with helming, from radar, AIS watch, and navigation at the nav table.

Tablets for when you don't stand behind the helm, but rather hide (from rain or whatever) under the spray hood. Or for anchor watch, or keeping an eye on things from some other place in the boat. Tablets are great for that.

So for many people I think it's not either/or, but a combination, which will give an optimum solution.


@Conachair: you talk about "sensors" as if battery monitors and temperature sensors are on the same level as real marine sensors like wind, depth, STW, etc. I understand you're promoting Raspberry Pi's, which are great, but this is a distortion, and I think you understand perfectly well what Pelagic is talking about. I have an elaborate network on my boat with all kinds of sensors, so I like what the Pi can do, and might experiment with it myself, but the first job is handling primary marine sensor data like wind, depth, STW, etc. Like chart plotting for pilotage, this is far better handled with real marine instruments, and your real marine chart plotter is an excellent secondary display for this primary data. Nothing against Raspberry Pi's or SignalK, but I would not in a million years turn this kind of primary data into this kind of science experiment. You might manage with pilotage if your IPad gets splashed or overheats or gets dropped or the battery runs down, but depth? No way.