Touchscreen Tablet / Computer for cockpit

[jbinbi]

Don't want to buy a MFD, would rather either run Navionics or OpenCpn as my chartplotter. But I need it in the cockpit where I can see it and use it. I want to mount it and be able to use its touchscreen.

What are current 'hardened' devices that can be used? There was an old thread about rugged computers for OpenCpn, but these are headless I would think.

Or should I just buy a MFD, given that they are a rugged touchscreen display w computer specifically built for marine use.

[ItDepends]

Some people will jump all over me, but I’ll give you my opinion anyway.

I have a tablet that I use for some navigation purposes, and for some things it is great. But as the sole navigation tool on an actively sailed boat it sucks. Totally.

You can’t see the display in full sun. In full sun it will over heat and shut down. Interacting with a touchscreen only interface is just about impossible in an active seaway, at least for me.

If I had to give up one or the other, the tablet would be gone in a heartbeat over the MFD.

I am not a fan OpenCPN. I have tried it a number of times over the years, but find the interface to be overly complex and fussy, but I appreciate that that’s a personal preference thing. The availability of good charts is a serious weakness for a world voyager. I use Navionics on the tablet, but would not want it as as the only navigation tool aboard. Just about any MFD will do a better job. At displaying more data in a more user friendly fashion.

[Muaddib1116]

I use Navionics on a Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 10.1" tablet that I bought 2.5 years ago. I have used it for two seasons now as my primary chartplotter. I have a Raymarine plotter at my helm that I also keep on when under way, but primarily use this for AIS and Radar, the tablet has a higher res screen with better touch screen. The Tab Active is Samsung's commercial tablet that is supposed to be used for various industrial applications, so it has more shock, dust, and water protection. It's not huge, but that's fine. I have a mount that puts it right above my helm. It's been fine in driving rain storms and large seas. I have a bimini, so I haven't had it in direct sunlight. I think even if I end up upgrading my helm plotter to a new axiom device that the tablet will be my go-to on a day to day basis.

[Spurs]

I looked into this a few years ago and the biggest problem was finding a screen with enough NITS, for a decent price. But if things have changed, then the rest is easy

[Muaddib1116]

I don't have any trouble with my screen brightness in the daytime, it's basically the same as my smartphone, which people use in direct sunlight all the time. That being said, having cockpit shade is great for more than just preventing sunburns. I would be more concerned about the tablet overheating in direct sunlight.

[Spurs]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

I don't have any trouble with my screen brightness in the daytime, it's basically the same as my smartphone, which people use in direct sunlight all the time. That being said, having cockpit shade is great for more than just preventing sunburns. I would be more concerned about the tablet overheating in direct sunlight.

What tablet are you using in direct sunlight? Could not find any bright enough a few years ago.

[Muaddib1116]

I mean, what phone do you use? All smart phones I've used for the past decade have been usable in direct sunlight. Tablets aren't really different.

[Spurs]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

I mean, what phone do you use? All smart phones I've used for the past decade have been usable in direct sunlight. Tablets aren't really different.

For the love of God, they are completely different... but I use a Samsung Flip 4 as a phone.
Now, let's try again: what sunlight readable tablet are you using?

[fourlyons]

Originally Posted by Spurs

For the love of God, they are completely different... but I use a Samsung Flip 4 as a phone.

Now, let's try again: what sunlight readable tablet are you using?

For the love of God, he answered this in his first post. Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 10.1.

[Muaddib1116]

For the love of god? ok...


I already said what tablet I use. I generally don't use it in direct sunlight, but haven't noticed a big problem when I do.


Try to relax a little.

[sailingunity]

We use a galaxy tab active pro - which is mil spec and seems to be quite tough. It still has the finnicky issues with using it in rain though, so it's not perfect. It replaced an old Furuno chartplotter that lost it's screen, but had outdated chart cards anyways.

We know cruisers who have circumnavigated with nothing but OpenCPN and an iPad with iNavX installed. I've also known someone who did without any electronic charts altogether. So I would say it depends on your cruising style more than anything - people have made do with far less for centuries / millennia.

There are advantages that a marine MFD has, such as it's fixed power supply (no charging needed), excellent screen brightness and are generally still usable in the rain. I find the interface and presentation to be overall much more usable and "professional" on chartplotters than in the tablet apps. Tablets can be more easily and cheaply replaced when technology advances (or when they break!), and you can more easily and cheaply get the charts - especially unconventional charts you might not find the MFD manufacturer supports.

[Muaddib1116]

Just double checked mine. Mine is also the Pro version. I have a relatively good dodger/bimini set up, so it has to be raining pretty hard to get it wet. Most of the time, I have a short usb cord connecting my tablet to a water resistant usb outlet in the helm pedestal. If it's getting really wet, I'll unplug that and cover up the usb outlet, the tablet has been fine with just the original samsung cover, no screen protector. I'm lucky enough that I don't need to choose between a tablet and a marine MFD/plotter, but if my tablet kicked it, I would probably get another, just because it is bigger and easier to use for detail coastal navigation, zooming in to see depths and obstacles.

[Spurs]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

For the love of god? ok...
I already said what tablet I use. I generally don't use it in direct sunlight, but haven't noticed a big problem when I do.
Try to relax a little.

Sorry if you feel offended and that was not my intention. But I got irritated when I asked about tablets and you started asking about my phone?
( a 10 inch tablet usually has 4x more pixels than a 5 inch phone so energy consumption quadruples, so a small phone can easily be brighter )

But according to specs that I found the Samsung Active has only 700 nits, but for it to be sunlight readable it has to be 1000 ( preferably 1100 nits )

[Muaddib1116]

If you say so.

[Spurs]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

If you say so.

Yes, and also:
https://www.microtipsusa.com/blog/su...able-displays/
https://tru-vumonitors.com/sunlight-readable-monitors/
https://teguar.com/sunlight-readable-lcd-explained/
Etc..
( but the amount of nits needed isn't completely straightforward)

But this is not the point. I assume the OP wanted a working replacement for Raymarine/BG/Lowrance and when I said the problem was finding a bright enough display, you recommended something you use as a "backup", not something you would want to rely upon when the **** hits the fan.