Screen brightness-MFD vs Tablet

[Franziska]

Originally Posted by bgytr

I have been using Samsung Galaxy Tab Active series tablets for navigation for a number of years now. Ruggendized, water resistant, swappable batteries. I run Navionics, and Sailgrib WR. Very powerful tool. With wifi onboard, instrument data can be accessed on the tablet. I do tactics and navigation in races on other people's boats, won Annapolis to Newport with it as my primary navigation tool- Saigrib WR is a real bargain for weather routing and navigation. On my own boat, with an old Raymarine ST60 era setup, I got a yakbitz wifi hookup for $69 with shipping from Australia to broadcast the instrument data to my tablet. So i have the capability on my portable ruggedized display to do full blown data display and weather routing wherever I am on the boat, which is really handy when shorthanded or singlehanded cruising.

And for a few hundred bucks for the tablet and less than 200 bucks for the software and yakbitz, I have capability that rivals instrument, computer, and software setups costing an order of magnitude more.

SailgribWR is awesome and I agree, a real bargain!

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by MJH

I would say your first problem is hard wiring whatever you settle on so that your not limited by the unit's internal battery. When I got my first GPS, a Garmin 45, I quickly set up a boat battery connection so that I would not have to be concerned about the batteries dying. First things first.

Good Luck.

I'd just like to explain one thing about why we want a tablet running off a battery:

The primary use if this device is to do navigation and support tactics during racing. One person on deck, the navigator, uses the tablet. They move around quite a bit and our deck is crowded. The tablet must be instantly accessible (hand held) so if a racing decision is needed the navigator can give an instant response. Connecting the tablet to a power cord makes things much more difficult because the cord can get tangled in people and things. The navigator is scrambling around and also has to keep the cord clear. We know this because our existing tablet runs out of battery after a few hours and then we do then plug in a power cord (so we do have that capability).

And with a bright screen we need even more power, so a big battery is useful.

When using the tablet to support piloting and navigation on longer legs or passages we can leave it in one spot and pick it up when needed. Then a power cord is OK.

I hope this makes it more clear why we were looking for such a specific solution.

We'll see how it all works when we get the new one and get it set up.

[BuenaOnda]

Originally Posted by Franziska

SailgribWR is awesome and I agree, a real bargain!

Yes, I love Sailgrib WR! Running it with my Sailproof tablet (Rugged, 1000 nits, wet and glove touch, anti-glare screen, 10,000 mah battery)

[mako]

Originally Posted by wingssail

Screen brightness (Sunlight viewable screen) seems like the hardest feature to find; my tablet is 1000Nits and it is unsatisfactory.

Wow, what a dream! My chartplotter/sounder was only 400 NITS. It was great at night, but that's about it.

[Sailmonkey]

Imagine trying to dissipate the heat from a true daylight readable tablet that’s stuck into a waterproof case!

[goboatingnow]

The OP has answered his own lament

Firstly the best outdoor lcds don’t rely on backlight at all. They use optical bonding and a trans reflective backing

These lcds are largely produced in 4” and under configurations as they are expensive. Hence larger panels are almost all TFT lcd.

The only way to make these TFT LCD screens readable is to out”sun” the sun . In bright direct sunlight this requires 1500 nits or more. This is impractical with battery powered devices and the heat buildup is very problematic as anyone leaving an iPhone out in the direct sun will realise.

Hence its a basic impossibility to get everything in one package. That’s always a compromise.

Garmin used trans reflective lcd in some of the smaller lcd plotters. The GMAP276 was a standard bearer in this regards and superb in direct sunlight getting shaper and clearer as the brightness of the sun increased.

[Redline452]

Originally Posted by wingssail

I'd just like to explain one thing about why we want a tablet running off a battery: [...] The navigator is scrambling around and also has to keep the cord clear. We know this because our existing tablet runs out of battery after a few hours and then we do then plug in a power cord (so we do have that capability).

Another approach - two (or three) tablets for racing, all with the same software etc. When the first's battery dies, go to the next. And so on.

Might actually be cheaper than the "ideal" tablet, if such exists.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Redline452

Another approach - two (or three) tablets for racing, all with the same software etc. When the first's battery dies, go to the next. And so on.

Might actually be cheaper than the "ideal" tablet, if such exists.

Thanks but, no thanks, aside from keeping them all syncronized, and placed where needed, we really want a brighter screen. Three dim ones don't cut it.

Plus, the ordinary daylight viewable rugged tablets are about $400-$500 dollars each, and the expensive one is $854, so the business case is not there.

But I like that you are thinking outside the box

[AKA-None]

Simply attach a larger battery to the back
They make them specifically for this purpose

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by AKA-None

Simply attach a larger battery to the back
They make them specifically for this purpose

Yes, I could see taping a bigger battery to the back. I'll ask my navigator how she feels scrambling around with a three pound tablet.

[wingssail]

Results for the new TRIPLTEK 8 Pro:

Well, LCD brightness is difficult for a battery powered screen. I think I've got the best I can for now with the TRIPLTEK. Not as good as a MFD running on ship's power but definitely easier to read than my older tablet. Also, the new device is lightning fast and rich in features.

I am happy with the new tablet.

[mgrouch]

Anyone tried Hugerock tablets?
Hugerock T101 or Hugerock R80?

Thanks

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by mgrouch

Anyone tried Hugerock tablets?
Hugerock T101 or Hugerock R80?

Thanks

I have not, but this is a large, heavy (3lb), tablet with 1000Nits screen. Could be good for under the dodger of Bimini but difficult to use in bright sunlight, I'd think. (but cheap enough)

The R80 looks exactly like the one I currently have and similar specs. smaller lighter than the T101. and only semi readable in the sunlight, see photo above.

[bgytr]

Originally Posted by wingssail

Results for the new TRIPLTEK 8 Pro:

Well, LCD brightness is difficult for a battery powered screen. I think I've got the best I can for now with the TRIPLTEK. Not as good as a MFD running on ship's power but definitely easier to read than my older tablet. Also, the new device is lightning fast and rich in features.

I am happy with the new tablet.

That tripltek looks good, looks like it will be my next tablet when I decide to upgrade.

[MJH]

Originally Posted by wingssail

I'd just like to explain one thing about why we want a tablet running off a battery:

The primary use if this device is to do navigation and support tactics during racing. One person on deck, the navigator, uses the tablet. They move around quite a bit and our deck is crowded. The tablet must be instantly accessible (hand held) so if a racing decision is needed the navigator can give an instant response. Connecting the tablet to a power cord makes things much more difficult because the cord can get tangled in people and things. The navigator is scrambling around and also has to keep the cord clear. We know this because our existing tablet runs out of battery after a few hours and then we do then plug in a power cord (so we do have that capability).

And with a bright screen we need even more power, so a big battery is useful.

When using the tablet to support piloting and navigation on longer legs or passages we can leave it in one spot and pick it up when needed. Then a power cord is OK.

I hope this makes it more clear why we were looking for such a specific solution.

We'll see how it all works when we get the new one and get it set up.

No need to reinvent the wheel. I would have my navigator research what other racers are doing for their navigation tasks that might be an answer that she could replicate. If nothing else it would add to her confidence in the way she is approaching the task.

Aside from the above perhaps there are possible changes in her operating procedures to the navigation task that could mitigate the limitations of available technology; humans have more capability to adapt than hardware.

I was a USAF navigator and while we all delt with the same operating procedures and equipment limitations we each had our own approach to getting the job done.

Good Luck.