Cheap Tablet for Open CPN

[Ratty1978]

Years ago, not every tablet had GPS. You have a chartplotter, but getting it to connect to a cheap tablet might be a challenge. I made the opposite equipment choice. I have a rugged tablet (actually two -- the Windows one is my daily computer). I am happy with OpenCPN on a Samsung Galaxy Tab Active3 -- 8". It costs more than your budget, but it has GPS (and maybe they all do these days) and important on a boat, it is waterproof and drop resistant. Something like 1 meter underwater and 2 meters drop (don't quote me on that, read the specs.) My daily computer is a Dell 7220 rugged tablet with rugged keyboard. It is Windows 11 and has all the things I needed to run Zoom meetings when that was a new thing a couple of years ago. It was far from cheap, but I use it for work.

Originally Posted by Katapult Mike

I have been using Open CPN on my PC notebook and tried the free version of Navionics on my phone. I really like the seamless NOAA charts on OpenCPN, and in the fture I hope to get all my instruments talking ot each other on using OpenCPN.

I would like to get a tablet to run OpenCPN and keep in the cockpit for navigation as opposed to using the Raymarine chartplotter, whose interface and display don't impress me.

Looking to buy a tablet for this purpose. Prefer a screen maybe 8-10 inches and as bright as possible without breaking the bank so my old eyes can read the charts. Looking for recommendations. Like to avoid spending too much money, say $200 tops.

Any recomendations? Should I be looking for one running Android or Windows? My phone is an iPhone but the screen is too small for navigation for me, and I don't see any reason to pay more for an iPad.

Appreciate any ideas or user experiences.

Thanks!

[moseriw]

Look for oukitel tablets. They are water resistent upto 1m too! And < USD 200

[MJH]

Originally Posted by Katapult Mike

I have been using Open CPN on my PC notebook and tried the free version of Navionics on my phone. I really like the seamless NOAA charts on OpenCPN, and in the fture I hope to get all my instruments talking ot each other on using OpenCPN.

I would like to get a tablet to run OpenCPN and keep in the cockpit for navigation as opposed to using the Raymarine chartplotter, whose interface and display don't impress me.

Looking to buy a tablet for this purpose. Prefer a screen maybe 8-10 inches and as bright as possible without breaking the bank so my old eyes can read the charts. Looking for recommendations. Like to avoid spending too much money, say $200 tops.

Any recomendations? Should I be looking for one running Android or Windows? My phone is an iPhone but the screen is too small for navigation for me, and I don't see any reason to pay more for an iPad.

Appreciate any ideas or user experiences. Thanks!

I use a Windows 15" laptop with my charts at the nav station and a Garmin handheld at the helm. I plan with the laptop and transfer the route to the handheld...its a winning combination and tested to Alaska and roundtrip to Hawaii. Both the laptop and handheld are powered by the house battery system. Using the laptop I can update the charts and plan my routes for the trip at home ahead of time. Any route changes are made at the nav station where it is out of the weather. Remember that the size of the laptop screen has a big impact on the power consumed but I have never had a problem. On a long passage the laptop charts allow the off-duty crew to follow along with your progress.

Craigslist has many used laptops to choose from.

[cas206]

Originally Posted by Slainte1

Have a look at https://www.londonchartplotters.com/
He has excellent solutions

Thanks for that link. It's comforting to note that they are using the same tablet purchased off Ebay except it's the cellular version.

[merrydolphin]

Originally Posted by Katapult Mike

I have been using Open CPN on my PC notebook and tried the free version of Navionics on my phone. I really like the seamless NOAA charts on OpenCPN, and in the fture I hope to get all my instruments talking ot each other on using OpenCPN.

I would like to get a tablet to run OpenCPN and keep in the cockpit for navigation as opposed to using the Raymarine chartplotter, whose interface and display don't impress me.

Looking to buy a tablet for this purpose. Prefer a screen maybe 8-10 inches and as bright as possible without breaking the bank so my old eyes can read the charts. Looking for recommendations. Like to avoid spending too much money, say $200 tops.

Any recomendations? Should I be looking for one running Android or Windows? My phone is an iPhone but the screen is too small for navigation for me, and I don't see any reason to pay more for an iPad.

Appreciate any ideas or user experiences.

Thanks!

I don’t want to pay for an iPad either. But I want quality! So I but used iPads from reputable dealers. Have never regretted it. Whether it be boats, cars, motorhomes, etc. I have always bought high quality and always used. It works!! I am now driving a 300K dollar diesel moterhome (Newmar) that was 20 yrs old and like new. 30K. Have crossed continent 3 times and back now. Same with cars, (almost always Toyota). And tablets, iPad 3 yrs old 11 pro.
When you buy cheap stuff (brands) you get cheap stuff with cheap results.

I would by a Toyota Camry with 200+K mi over a near new: name it. Jeep Chrysler, Lincoln, Cadillac and many other trouble prone cars, with just 90K miles. just a few of the very trouble prone cars as they build up mileage that I would just consider broken in on a Toyota, and many Hondas. Tablets, same thing.

[col50]

Originally Posted by Katapult Mike

I have been using Open CPN on my PC notebook and tried the free version of Navionics on my phone. I really like the seamless NOAA charts on OpenCPN, and in the fture I hope to get all my instruments talking ot each other on using OpenCPN.

I would like to get a tablet to run OpenCPN and keep in the cockpit for navigation as opposed to using the Raymarine chartplotter, whose interface and display don't impress me.

Looking to buy a tablet for this purpose. Prefer a screen maybe 8-10 inches and as bright as possible without breaking the bank so my old eyes can read the charts. Looking for recommendations. Like to avoid spending too much money, say $200 tops.

Any recomendations? Should I be looking for one running Android or Windows? My phone is an iPhone but the screen is too small for navigation for me, and I don't see any reason to pay more for an iPad.

Appreciate any ideas or user experiences.

Thanks!

The Samsung Tab A8 (with GPS) is about $150 at Bestbuy and other places.

[jcapo]

I recently bought a Lenovo p11 pro gen 2 for use in the cockpit. I've never done that before so time will tell. It will connect to the boat WiFi providing AIS, GPS, and depth.

I chose the Lenovo for its bright OLED display and 11" screen that should be great for old eyes.

[ColIn Ferguson]

Another vote for the Oukitel range. I have the RT3, fully ruggedised and waterproof with an excellent daylight viewing screen. I also have a Samsung galaxy Tab Active2. it is much lighter, much less likely to survive immersion and the screen is less bright. Also it will not now run Navionics but does run Open CPN and I-Boating.

Also worth considering are the Ulephone range of waterproof phones - I have the Armor 5, again very robust.

I use them to run Navionics but also to access the Raspberry Pi which is the wireless hub for the boat and is wired to all the NMEA and Seatalk instruments as well as running Openplotter with AIS, engine temperature sensors, accelerometer, pressure sensor.

[Cloroxbottle]

Doing more research into that Blackview tablet, the battery tech stands out.


"The scale of the battery in the Active 8 Pro is easily its best feature. With 22000 mAh on tap, it can go for days or use without needing a recharge, almost irrespective of how it is being used. With frugal use of that power, it could last for weeks.
According to Blackview, the capacity of this tablet is enough for 120 hours of mobile calls, 160 hours of music playback or 24 hours of video playback. It also has a standby time of 1440 hours or sixty days.
If that wasn’t immensely useful enough, the USB-C port is OTG with reverse charging support, allowing it to charge other devices."

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by sv_pelagia

Purchased a "Blackview" tablet (lots of memory, Android 13) from Amazon... it is a Christmas present, so will not have info as to how it works for another week or so.

Got around yesterday to setting up Blackview Tab 80 10" display, including OpenCPN and some charts. So far, all good. GPS works normally with OpenCPN (after giving it initial time required to obtain first fix... quite normal when a tablet/phone gps moves a long distance).



Android 13 OS on Blackview seems typical for Android. NO problem installing and running apps from Play store.



Display is clear but not quite as high resolution as our two Samsung Tab S6 tablets. Perfectly good for OpenCPN. Side buttons are unusually placed at top of tablet.


This Blackview does not come with the bigger battery (and was not advertised to). It has a 7680 maH battery



Surprised the Blackview came included with case and screen protector - - these were not advertised by Amazon (and indeed, I purchased a case, still to arrive).



Oh, and Blackview has 2 4G SIM card slots (or 1 SIM and 1 microSD). I do not "plan" on installing SIM, but who knows.


Will know better with better testing after Christmas (tablet is a present for wife, as her Samsung is dying).

[Katapult Mike]

Originally Posted by merrydolphin

I don’t want to pay for an iPad either. But I want quality! So I but used iPads from reputable dealers. Have never regretted it. Whether it be boats, cars, motorhomes, etc. I have always bought high quality and always used. It works!! I am now driving a 300K dollar diesel moterhome (Newmar) that was 20 yrs old and like new. 30K. Have crossed continent 3 times and back now. Same with cars, (almost always Toyota). And tablets, iPad 3 yrs old 11 pro.
When you buy cheap stuff (brands) you get cheap stuff with cheap results.

I would by a Toyota Camry with 200+K mi over a near new: name it. Jeep Chrysler, Lincoln, Cadillac and many other trouble prone cars, with just 90K miles. just a few of the very trouble prone cars as they build up mileage that I would just consider broken in on a Toyota, and many Hondas. Tablets, same thing.

LOL. It’s not SOLELY a question of price. OpenCPN was written for Windows / Android. I understand there is supposed to be some sort of Beta version out there for iOS, but no question Windows / Android environments work better.

Merry Dolphin, are you running OpenCPN on your iPads?

[bdbcat]

All...
There is no active OCPN work toward an iOS version. There are no plans to support iOS, due to the following:


1. Apple prohibits distribution of apps licensed using the GPL on the Apple store due to some terms of the GPL license. This is an Apple business decision, not a technical issue. OpenCPN uses the GPL license.

2. IIRC, "side-loading" of apps on iPhone requires the device the be "jail-broken", something most users will not do, no matter how attractive the target app. Note that in Europe, this will soon change due to updates in the various EU local regulations. Coming soon to US? We can only hope.



Hope this clarifies the situation.


Dave

[Cloroxbottle]

Agreed that it is a question of quality and performance, not price. Its also a question of privacy and security. I usually download android's platform tools, unlock the bootloaders of these devices, gain root level access to them and strip out Google's and any OEM bloatware I find. That dramatically increases battery life, and device longevity and it isn't anything I can easily do on an iOS device.

But regardless. As of today, the battery technology that Blackview is using appears Superior to what Apple is using.

[col50]

Originally Posted by Cloroxbottle

Doing more research into that Blackview tablet, the battery tech stands out.


"The scale of the battery in the Active 8 Pro is easily its best feature. With 22000 mAh on tap, it can go for days or use without needing a recharge, almost irrespective of how it is being used. With frugal use of that power, it could last for weeks.
According to Blackview, the capacity of this tablet is enough for 120 hours of mobile calls, 160 hours of music playback or 24 hours of video playback. It also has a standby time of 1440 hours or sixty days.
If that wasn’t immensely useful enough, the USB-C port is OTG with reverse charging support, allowing it to charge other devices."

With 22,000 mAH capacity, that should come with as set of jumper cables for engine starting.

[Katapult Mike]

When I am searching for information, I often find threads that just sort of petered out, and I am left wondering what the OP did in the end. So for the benefit of anyone else thinking about this, or accessing it in the future, I wanted to provide a follow up.

I did buy the Samsung Active 2 with 8 inch screen, $50 used on eBay. There are still plenty available on eBay, might be able to get one for $45 now if you use "make an offer." Here is an example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/256224295451...Bk9SR5D_xOzHYw

This tablet runs Open CPN just fine. I paid the extra $10 for the "authorized' Android version. I can access NOAA vector charts for free. This purchase has worked out great for me. The interface is intuitive, charts are great, screen bright enough and I believe the table is very tough and supossed to be water resistant. Eventually, I hope to tie together my instruments, GPS, chartplotter and autopilot all on Open CPN. In the interim, the tablet is letting me get familiar with Open CPN, and it's coming in very handy for chart access and route planing in the cockpit. The biggest problem is that it is not built in, and as a couple of posters have mentioned, the cockpit is kind of a dangerous place for electronics to rattle around in. I plan to address that by adding a storage pouch for on the pedestal or a cockpit coaming or someplace. And if anything happens to it, it is not a huge investment.

All in all, well worth the $50. You can always upgrade later once you have tried it.