Axiom + v Axiom Pro

[Ian_Rob]

Will I be very disappointed by having an Axiom + at an exposed helm rather than an Axiom Pro? I appreciate that the Pro with it is control knob is easier to use with wet and cold fingers but is the Plus unusable in such circumstances?

Not withstanding where it can actually be mounted & the associated costs, I could always buy the controller later…….


PS: I have just noticed that this touches on the ‘GPS with gloves’ thread but I would appreciate any additional views.

 

[mrming]

Will I be very disappointed by having an Axiom + at an exposed helm rather than an Axiom Pro? I appreciate that the Pro with it is control knob is easier to use with wet and cold fingers but is the Plus unusable in such circumstances?

Not withstanding where it can actually be mounted & the associated costs, I could always buy the controller later…….


PS: I have just noticed that this touches on the ‘GPS with gloves’ thread but I would appreciate any additional views.

There’s a separate remote available (RMK-10) for the Axiom+ that provides the buttons. It’s not cheap but the price of both together is less than the Pro.

I bought the Axiom+ first (just fitted it). I’m going to see how I get on with a touch screen, and if needed I’ll add the remote with buttons later. Mine is mounted in the shelter of the sprayhood rather than the helm so I may not need it.

 

[Ceirwan]

Its worth pointing out that the remote uses a network connection (Raynet, but its just ethernet with a fancy plug), the Axion + only has one such connection, so if you are using it with another one at the chart table (to share the same chart card) or if you have a radar plugged into it as well, then you would need a network switch.

In terms of your question, I would say the physical controls are nice to have, but I've always been able to make the touch screen controls work for me, even in bad weather. The pro does come with two network connections rather than one, if that's a factor for you.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

As @mrming said, there is a separately available button add-on for the Axiom+

I've just bought an Axiom+ for the chart table and an Axiom 2 Pro for the helm, a couple of observtions which were not entirely clear to me when I bought them.

The Remote Keypad needs a RayNet (Ethernet), not a NMEA200 (SeatalkNG) connection to communicate with the plotter. The Axiom+ only has one RayNet connection so if you are already using this connection (e.g. for Radar) then you will need an additional switch which adds to the cost.


The Axiom+ also has it's card reader slot at the rear, so depending if you want access to the card, and how the plotter is installed, you may also need a remote card reader too which is USB and plugs into the rear accessory slot. ....



The Axiom 2 Pro has both buttons and the card reader on the front panel - and 2 network connections. So depending on your needs, the worst case scenario for an Axiom+ may mean you need a RayNet switch, an extra RayNet cable, a remote keypad, and a remote card reader .... which makes the price difference not so great.

PS: Beaten to it by @Ceirwan ... definitely look at the complete picture dependent on your needs, Axiom+ may end up being a false economy. Haven't used mine on the boat yet - install is in a few weeks - so can't comment on the usability of the touch screen, but the combination of hard-wired Radar, the number of RayNet devices I have, and concerns about a touch screen in the cockpit caused me to go down the Axiom 2 Pro route for the helm station.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Just one more general point about touch screens which comes from usability assessments done on their use in cars - part of my day job.

Handheld touch screens are easier to use in a moving environment than fixed touch screens. Fixed touch screens are fantastic for parking ticket machines, McDonalds ordering machines etc. because they don't move and neither does the user.

The reason a hand-held touch screen is easier is because your brain is very good at knowing where your extremities are in relation to each other - e.g. you can easily point to, and touch, the end of the fingers on your other hand with your eyes closed. When holding an item, your body has a reference to where the item is, making it easier to accurately use. If you remove this reference, by mounting the touch screen on a fixed surface instead of holding it, then using it becomes an eye-hand coordination exercise involving fine motor skills and is very dependent on the UI on the device and the relative movement or not of the screen and the user.

Because your body doesn't have a physical reference point, both the screen and the user need to remain still relative to each other in order to be effective. Start bouncing around and it becomes increasingly difficult to operate accurately.

This can be overcome to a certain extent by gripping the edge of the device or steadying the hand (obviously without touching the screen) and using a thumb or other digit to operate the screen - which is not always ideal. The occurrence of input failures rises with increased movement.

This is also a reason why hybrid touch/buttons is a good idea on a plotter. Touch is great if nothing is moving, but buttons come into their own when being tossed about as your body has a fixed reference to work with ... you can feel where your finger is without triggering an action, so the occurrence of triggering unintended actions is lower.

 

[jwilson]

I have an Axiom+, quite like it. Annoyed at the time though that it did not come with a cover for when panel-mounted, and had to buy the cover as an extra. I've had no difficulties with the touch-screen in wet conditions, but I don't own any gloves so can't comment on how it works with them.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Will I be very disappointed by having an Axiom + at an exposed helm rather than an Axiom Pro? I appreciate that the Pro with it is control knob is easier to use with wet and cold fingers but is the Plus unusable in such circumstances?

Not withstanding where it can actually be mounted & the associated costs, I could always buy the controller later…….


PS: I have just noticed that this touches on the ‘GPS with gloves’ thread but I would appreciate any additional views.

Axiom +12 owner.

No issues with cold wet fingers using it, ever. I also have the RayRemote App on my iPhone. The App is a bit crumby but that could be me and how I use it. Mine is trunnion mounted and thus I can take it down below when away from the boat, and I believe runs cooler than fitted inside a pod, but that is just an opinion. They get quite hot in the sun.
My experience suggests you would not be disappointed if you purchased the Axiom+, but no idea what floats your boat.

 

[Ian_Rob]

Thanks for the various replies. All very helpful. I minded to try one……

 

[Boathook]

The touch screen on my Raymarine eS9 packed up at the beginning of this year. Luckily it was a hybrid with the knobs, buttons, etc so I have managed to carry on using it.

I think I may have to replace it as it is now giving the odd beep with the touch screen locked.

 

[Greg2]

Just to add my experience - I installed an Axiom + in the wheelhouse at the chart table with an RMK-10 control at the helm, which is on the other side of the companionway and it works well as I don’t need to get up to use the plotter. Installed and Axiom+ on the flybridge with a view to seeing how we got on and adding an RMK-10 if we needed to. Three season on and I haven’t felt the need to add the remote controls.

 

[Blue Seas]

I think it has a lot to do with the type of sailing / motoring you intend to do. I have Axiom Pro x 3 at the helm and an Axiom + at the chart table and that decision was taken as a direct result of a couple of experiences with MFD's in prolonged bad weather. The experience was with our previous Simrad NSS's but the same principle applies i.e. Buttons or touch screen only. In short we struggled for 72 hours to operate the touch screens due to continuous light rain and heavy fog (causing moisture on screens). In 72 hours we went through all rolls from a 6-pack of the big blue rolls that we had on board just trying to keep the screens dry enough to recognise touch from wet hands (no gloves, no cold fingers). The hybrid, by comparison was a doddle.
So now we only buy hybrid for external use (even though it is a rip off) but if it were for internal use or fine weather day sailing then I would be happy with touch screen only - horses for courses etc.