Need: Cheap, Daylight-Viewable Monitor

[seandepagnier]

I never put my monitor in direct sunlight.

What is the reason for daylight visible screens?

[bcn]

Using them in the cockpit - like the chart plotters and instruments you find from the yacht manufactures.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

I never put my monitor in direct sunlight.

What is the reason for daylight visible screens?

I put my plotter screen in the cockpit and that's in sunlight. When entering a harbor with a complex channel, crossing channels, etc or up the ICW with twisty/turny sections it's very handy to have a plotter in front of you and if it isn't daylight bright it's useless.

[denverd0n]

Interesting to me that this thread was started seven years ago, and here we are still searching for a truly daylight viewable monitor (~1000 nits) at a reasonable price.

[sparrowhawk1]

Maybe not the perfect solution. But something to consider. I also made one for my iPhone that would block out all light. They also make hoods for virtual reality using smartphones. I wonder how they would work for navigation

[Delfin]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

Interesting to me that this thread was started seven years ago, and here we are still searching for a truly daylight viewable monitor (~1000 nits) at a reasonable price.

I replaced a Big Bay, $2500 high nits monitor with one of these....

It is brighter than the Big Bay and works wonderfully.

[seandepagnier]

I read it's possible to convert any screen by just using a more powerful backlight. You can buy LEDS of the right type, and install them to greatly increase backlight power.

I think this will use a lot of power. The only alternative is transreflective?? This cost a lot.

I think I will keep the screen inside the boat and not worry about it. Maybe it's too far away on a bigger boat, but for me, I can see the inside screen fine sitting outside. I'm too worried about waves splashing it anyway.

[verkerkbr]

The Faytech IP65 10" has daylicht backlight and touch screen.

Here it is mounted on the chart table with the sturdy RAM mount.

The image is with the short arm. I have replaced the short arm with a longer one and add the short arm to the long arm. So I can easely see the screen from the cockpit. The RAM mount is swiveling on balls and can be moved in every position.

It is running on an RPI B3+ with OpenPlotter and OpenGL on.

On the second image you see the RPI with an All Well isolated stabilized power supply. Connection tot the Ais transponder is via an Actisense optical isolation unit.

Power consumption the RPI and the Faytech is around 12 Watts.


Bram

[hellosailor]

Delfin-
Your choice says "Brightness 300(cd/m2)(Typical)
LED Backlight Lifetime: 15,000 hours (Brightness Declines 50%)"

which means no matter how you like the one you got, it is not much brighter than many five year old laptops, and it can be expected to dim out to 50% brightness before you expect it to.

Flat screen technology is pretty well documented. LED, OLED, AMOLED, all have their limits and their prices. Right now, probably for 4-5 years now, AMOLED has led the pack but it is also the most expensive technology and subject to burn-in if the image isn't shifted.

Anything over 300 nits is going to be unusual. Anything over 500 scarce. And anything at 1000 is going to be sold to the niche market that NEEDS daylight visibility, like Panasonic Toughbooks/ToughPads sold to utility companies for their field crews.

Those are readily available, but usually two generations behind on general technology and three times the cost of comparable products. The ones available used, are usually already fading because they have a limited screen life too.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Delfin

I replaced a Big Bay, $2500 high nits monitor with one of these....

It is brighter than the Big Bay and works wonderfully.

.
Thanks for the heads up that 300 is bright enough.
Was concerned it wouldn't be because my viewsonic monitor is 250 and is pretty dull but it is 10+ years old so I'm guessing its gradually washed out to where it is now and a new version of same or similar would be night and day.

Looking at this
21.5 inch and 250 but only $99
https://www.umart.com.au/Benq-GW2270...SA_34460G.html

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Thanks for the heads up that 300 is bright enough.

I think you're going to find that it is really not. Typical, cheap, color chartplotters have a screen that specs out at 750 nits as a minimum; usually closer to 1000 nits.


Can you "make do" with a 300 or 500 nit screen? Sure. That's about usual for a decent phone screen, and they work reasonably well in sunlight. But compare the screen on your phone to one on even a very cheap chartplotter and you will clearly see a significant difference.


When the fit hits the shan in a narrow channel, or close to a rocky shore, and my hands are full just trying to handle the boat, I don't want to have to be squinting at my chartplotter, or trying to shade it with my hand, so that I can see what I need to see. I want it bright and clear, right in front of me.


You're just never going to get that without at least a 750 nit screen.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

.
Thanks for the heads up that 300 is bright enough.

I have experimented with a few laptops and screens and my experience, 300 is not usable at all in direct sunlight. Under a well shaded dodger or inside it can be enough but in an open cockpit or flybridge I don't think you will be able to use it at all in daylight.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by skipmac

I have experimented with a few laptops and screens and my experience, 300 is not usable at all in direct sunlight. Under a well shaded dodger or inside it can be enough but in an open cockpit or flybridge I don't think you will be able to use it at all in daylight.

Originally Posted by denverd0n

I think you're going to find that it is really not. Typical, cheap, color chartplotters have a screen that specs out at 750 nits as a minimum; usually closer to 1000 nits.
.

Delfin and I both have trawlers with enclosed wheelhouse
If 300 is bright enough for him it will be for me.

[hellosailor]

Delfin may have younger better eyes than you have. As you age, even if there are no "problems", you need more light to see things clearly.

I'd most seriously suggest that before you buy anything at 300 nit, you take something similar (monitor, cell phone, whatever) and actually try it out with plotting software on it, in your enclosed pilothouse or actually out in direct sunlight.

You might be happy with it. Or not. 300 is considered more typical for office environments than for any outdoor use.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Delfin may have younger better eyes than you have. As you age, even if there are no "problems", you need more light to see things clearly.

I'd most seriously suggest that before you buy anything at 300 nit, you take something similar (monitor, cell phone, whatever) and actually try it out with plotting software on it, in your enclosed pilothouse or actually out in direct sunlight.

You might be happy with it. Or not. 300 is considered more typical for office environments than for any outdoor use.

I agree. As my eyes (and the rest of me) get older it's harder to see things in dim light. Brighter is definitely better. Plus if you have the sun low and shining through a window onto the screen that 300 might not be quite as visible as it is without the glare.