Cheapest chartplotter that will mirror to an ipad

Gixer said:
Basically your points above is exactly where I am now. As I have a small cockpit, no spray hood and tiller steer I can get away with a small size plotter. I’ve mocked up the Raymarine Element S 7in and it would be perfect….. if it connected to my iPad, grrrr
Click to expand...

I know some will disagree with me - but bear with me a sec.

You want to mirror to an iPad ... OK. That I think is your biggest obstacle - not whether you use tablet or what plotter to get. Its this MIRROR requirement.
So lets consider another requirement you have - CHEAPEST plotter ... I realise you mean cheapest that can mirror. Not just cheapest plotter.

OK ... lets say you find a plotter than can mirror. Then I would suggest compare price to same size / brand that does not mirror and see what price difference is. Probably not a small amount.

Why do this ? If you have decided that a 7" plotter is suited to your boat. Then why not consider a different method. Save a small fortune by buying a budget 7" plotter that still uses your present chart card .... or using present plotter if still good order - feed to a plexor like the WiFi2NMEA / WiFi4NMEA ...... WiFi out to your tablet of choice which is running Navionics Boating and Lakes App. At basically 40 quid a year for chart subscription ... its not a bad deal .. even to me - a complete cheapskate!
You could in fact run OpenCPN on the tablet or any other free app that runs charting ...

I'm trying to think of a real reason why to mirror ... when its so easy to run another app on the tablet with feed from the plotter ??

Just remembering years ago ..... there used to be a brand of "Rugged tablet PC's" - liked by Land Surveyors etc. There were loads of posts about using them on boats ..... wonder what happened to them >>>
 
My original Lorenze plotter had a base station that it plugged into. When I bought it I also purchase an additional base station for installation down below. I put it on a back board that hooked on to the bulkhead, but with a long wandering lead from the chart table. Then I could just lay in bed & work on it. When ready I just transferred it to the helm position.
I do not know if Lorenze still do this, but there was no problem of trying to link ipads etc . It also worked with the AIS so if single handed & i wanted to go below for any length of time in a busy area I could take it below. It meant I had to turn it on again, but that was not an issue as it only took 100 secs. to reset.
The base station were only connected to a junction box in the electric cabinet to AIS & 12 V & it had an internal GPS. It was not connected to wind & depth as I do not like multi functions . One thing goes down & the lot collapses. I have wind, depth, speed, GPS repeater, on the bridge deck On individual 100mm displays
 
Daydream believer said:
My original Lorenze plotter had a base station that it plugged into. When I bought it I also purchase an additional base station for installation down below. I put it on a back board that hooked on to the bulkhead, but with a long wandering lead from the chart table. Then I could just lay in bed & work on it. When ready I just transferred it to the helm position.
I do not know if Lorenze still do this, but there was no problem of trying to link ipads etc . It also worked with the AIS so if single handed & i wanted to go below for any length of time in a busy area I could take it below. It meant I had to turn it on again, but that was not an issue as it only took 100 secs. to reset.
Click to expand...

Lorenze ? Interesting .....

With my old Lowrance working again ... I am looking at possible uses for it ... its the old Globalmap 3500C ... which I had drawn / georeferenced and formatted own charts for the river I live on to display on it. I may install to my Soviet Speedboat ....
Unfortunately I haven't managed so far to convert them for my Onwa ...... but have found that Navionics Boating and Lakes does cover all the river and greater detail on my tablet than I did.
 
Might as well update you guys.

I spent yesterday at SBS talking to all the manufacturers and trying the kit out. I’m going to go for a Raymarine Axiom, ok it’s just touch screen but if it is a problem I can get the remote for it. Just need to decide on the 7 or 9 inch ?
 
Gixer said:
Might as well update you guys.

I spent yesterday at SBS talking to all the manufacturers and trying the kit out. I’m going to go for a Raymarine Axiom, ok it’s just touch screen but if it is a problem I can get the remote for it. Just need to decide on the 7 or 9 inch ?
Click to expand...
The lady in my life told me that size was important.
 
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