Cheapest chartplotter that will mirror to an ipad
- Thread starter Gixer
- Start date
ryanroberts
Well-Known Member
The orca core - 350 quid for the sensor device only. Can act as it's own wifi or bind with existing. Takes NMEA2K (you can create custom instrument panels on an el cheapo android tablet rather than fork out for additional MFDs), featureset under rapid development and a very friendly dev team. App is free so you can try before you buy and you can pair 5 devices with the core. Modern UI. Does various neat tricks like AIS over 4G, remote monitoring etc. 100 a year subscription for all charts (no messing around with SD cards), first year free.
Orca | The Marine CoPilot - Your next chartplotter
Orca | The Marine CoPilot - Your next chartplotter
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salar
Well-Known Member
I have a Garmin GPSMap922 Plus in the wheelhouse and an iPad mounted in the cockpit. Using Garmin Active Captain on the iPad I can completely mirror and control the MFD from the iPad in the cockpit. This is very useful when fishing because I can adjust displays and plan routes to the next fishing spot while I'm still fishing. Plus, I have the charts on the iPad when I go home!
dougtate
New Member
I bought an Orca core as replacing our old c80 was out of budget this year. I've ended up really liking it, though I can't pretend to be an expert on chartplotters. One thing though, we found using an old ipad for the display isn't ideal, they aren't waterproof and can be hard to see in bright sunlight, plus the app is quite power hungry and the tablet can only just keep up if plugged in (or goes flat quickly if on battery). As I like the orca I've just bought the display that goes with it (yet to fit)
ashtead
Well-Known Member
Should you be night sailing having the iPad as a repeater under the sprayhood is much more comfortable /warmer etc than the more exposed stern etc- you could of course buy a cheap older iPad and put in a case and mount the plotter below which is another solution of course if screen size is an issue . Also means you can much cheaper navionics on iPad plus whatever the plotter runs which is a small fortune to update .
Neeves
Well-Known Member
To say you would not want a smaller chart plotter at the helm etc is not very useful to the OP.
With what size are people comfortable - a phone is small but you can have as big a chart plotter as you want (until it dominates the cockpit - and your wallet when you bought it.
We find 7" more than adequate, if its complicated we are not moving fast and you change the scale - simple stuff. I agree using a 7" chart plotter with split screen is not so useful, better with an overlay.
Jonathan
With what size are people comfortable - a phone is small but you can have as big a chart plotter as you want (until it dominates the cockpit - and your wallet when you bought it.
We find 7" more than adequate, if its complicated we are not moving fast and you change the scale - simple stuff. I agree using a 7" chart plotter with split screen is not so useful, better with an overlay.
Jonathan
ryanroberts
Well-Known Member
Yeah for an outside display they use a modified samsung active, can pick up older models quite cheaply. It's a shame they don't sell the power connector separately so I could get power to my outside helm.
There's also this 10 inch tablet which is allegedly designed for sailing, very high NIT screen SP10AS 10 inch Android rugged tablet - Sailproof shop. potential for e-ink instrument panels as there are android 11 e in tablets available now. (Bigme Android 11 color E-ink tablet hits Kickstarter). Making 3rd party hardware first class rather than trying to lock down the ecosystem like the big players opens up so many options, I really hope the Orca guys succeed.
I looked at upgrading from my c-70 era stuff and the price was terrifying (new RADAR etc). I don't find RADAR particularly useful solo even when caught in fog so am going to pair down to chart + AIS + wind + log + depth + autopilot.
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Gixer
Well-Known Member
This is the size I'm thinking of, I've printed out to scale images of the 7in plotters and taped them to the bulkhead, everything is perfectly readable from the helm. I have separate instruments for speed, wind, etc so just need something to visualise my course. I think I'm going to hang on until I can afford a plotter that works with a tablet.
Supertramp
Well-Known Member
I am a bit old school but I like having a Raymarine with C maps (?) and a tablet with Navionics running independently. Navionics is up to date and much easier for me to use for route planning, checking the passage and next port or anchorage. I am resisting integrated info as I have repeater displays in and out and a WiFi AIS system. I use the tablet outside but under the spray hood and move it inside to charge with the display off.
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
So, the only thing that is useful to the OP is your opinion ?
I think not. Pretty much everyones opinions and suggestions provide some useful information for the OP to make an informed choice.
You may well find 7" "more than adequate", but that is, once again, just your opinion/preference.
I have a 12" plotter at the flybridge helm, with a 10" tablet at the lower helm. We also have a "ships computer" providing navigation information over wifi to anyone with a wifi enabled device and to a 40" LED TV. That's my preference, but i wouldn't suggest that would suit the OPs boat.
Neeves
Well-Known Member
Paul
Exactly what does 'smaller' or 'larger' mean.
To say that 7" is too small - so what is a good size, what is the minimum that people are comfortable with - in inches - now that would be really useful.
Jonathan
Exactly what does 'smaller' or 'larger' mean.
To say that 7" is too small - so what is a good size, what is the minimum that people are comfortable with - in inches - now that would be really useful.
Jonathan
Refueler
Well-Known Member
The Onwa I have is 7" ..... and was a replacement for my 5" Lowrance.
TBH - that 5" served excellently .. despite it being only 5" - I could see enough from helm position ..... it was mounted inside companionway ...
You can just see it bottom left corner ...
Here cruising Swedish / Finnish Archipelago .. using Lowrance N Europe Charting ....
My mate catching a bit of kip crossing Baltic ... plotter can be seen on right (I forgot to select Night Screen) ..
The 7" even though only a small increase - the difference is worth it.
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
I didn't mention "smaller" or "larger", neither did i say that 7" is too small.
Stating a "minimum size that people are comfortable with" would be far from useful. One mans too big could be another mans too small.
We all choose the solution that suits us best. Post #27 is just you pushing your own choice and claiming that to suggest anything else is unhelpful to the OP.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
Just ordered a new Quad Core 8" Tablet with twin Sim / SD card expandability ... twin 4G .... Android 11 ..... 3G ram, 64G rom, up to 512G capable SD slot ... 118 euros incl shipping ....
Banggood .... HEADWOLF FPad 1 UNISOC T310 Quad Core 3GB RAM 64GB ROM 4G LTE 8 Inch Android 11 Tablet
Did consider the 10.1" version with Android 12 for 160 euros incl shipping ... but 8" is more than enough for the job. I have a couple of 10.1's and to be honest - often I find them not so handy at that size.
Will replace my excellent Nexus v2 ...... I can then clean up and dedicate the Nexus to my DJI Pro drone
Banggood .... HEADWOLF FPad 1 UNISOC T310 Quad Core 3GB RAM 64GB ROM 4G LTE 8 Inch Android 11 Tablet
Did consider the 10.1" version with Android 12 for 160 euros incl shipping ... but 8" is more than enough for the job. I have a couple of 10.1's and to be honest - often I find them not so handy at that size.
Will replace my excellent Nexus v2 ...... I can then clean up and dedicate the Nexus to my DJI Pro drone
Neeves
Well-Known Member
Sorry Paul, I think you have been getting out of the wrong side of the bed. I use a 7" Chartplotters and a 13" tablet, it seems I'm in good company, others use a 7" chart plotter, or smaller. I'm not pushing my choice I'm just one of a few who have defined what they use and confirm I (or we) are comfortable;e with our choice. The OP in his title for the thread said he wanted the 'cheapest' Chartplotter that also meets his technical requirements - when you come to 'cheapest' size matters - big screens cost more. All I and others have done is re-assure the OP that if he buys a 7" plotter (or even smaller) he will be in the company of others who made a similar choice, possibly for similar reasons, and that the choice of 7" (and smaller) is acceptable to many. The electronics of the 7" will be the same as a larger screen from the same family of Chartplotters - the difference is the screen size. Bigger is better, no doubts (dark night, tired etc etc) - but you need to pay more and it will no longer be the 'cheapest'.
If you have something constructive to add as to why I (or we) are wrong and are missing something, or you have access to a waterproof 13" screen that can be used at the helm that is cheaper than a 7" screen - please elaborate - we would all be interested.
You actually said this:
quote:
I do not subscribe to the "fit a tiny MFD at the helm" school of thought. IMO, the helm display is the primary source of data when sailing, so i'd want a decent size screen there. Adding a low cost tablet down below makes for a very cost effective second display.
unquote
This is your opinion which is not very useful given the OP said he wanted the cheapest. It also seems your opinion is not shared by everyone as a number of people follow the small is adequate school of thought.
Jonathan
If you have something constructive to add as to why I (or we) are wrong and are missing something, or you have access to a waterproof 13" screen that can be used at the helm that is cheaper than a 7" screen - please elaborate - we would all be interested.
You actually said this:
quote:
I do not subscribe to the "fit a tiny MFD at the helm" school of thought. IMO, the helm display is the primary source of data when sailing, so i'd want a decent size screen there. Adding a low cost tablet down below makes for a very cost effective second display.
unquote
This is your opinion which is not very useful given the OP said he wanted the cheapest. It also seems your opinion is not shared by everyone as a number of people follow the small is adequate school of thought.
Jonathan
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Chiara’s slave
Well-Known Member
The size of plotter you need is governed by how far from the helm it is, surely. That might not be the same as the one you can afford of course. Assuming you want the plotter as a usable display in the cockpit, ie what they are designed for. Many of the drawbacks of tablets have been pointed out. We find a tablet unsatisfactory for primary display use for many of those. Fragility is another, or perhaps that’s a tri thing, theres nowhere to put it down, mounting it anywhere useful is problematic. Hence our large plotter, and using a tablet when below. I just advise thinking it through, and doing what works. Having a pilot house would change everything, for instance. I’d expect to be familiar with the issues on any fairly sporty monohull though
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
I had a 7 inch chart plotter for a while & found it pretty much useless . I have AIS overlaid & the screen had to be expanded so much to find the targets that one saw little detail of one's position or lost the relationship twixt target & self. (yes I know info is displayed on the screen in tiny lettering)
I changed to a garmin Echomax 9 inch display which is better but i find myself scrolling all over the place & do not really like it. It is about the minimum I would recommend regardless of the above comments.
It is supposed to link to my latest apple Ipad, which I bought 12 months ago, but I have still not managed to get a useful link with the very poor Active Captain programme.
Perhaps I am too locked into charts, because a lot of the time -(If I do need to know & most of the time I do not need electronic aid) I find myself going below to look at my Yeoman Plotter. The Yeoman is so superior, apart from the lack of AIS overlay. At least I can see things like shipping lanes etc easily, which do not show up on the Garmin amongst all the other lines. Plus, one can see the big picture. For really accurate detail I have it linked to a Garmin GPS 152 with repeater on the bridgedeck. With that I can have a route to next wypt shown , which can be set from waypoints obtained from my Yeoman.
As for position. I have only one place to mount a plotter above deck & it actually suits, me behind the tiller, as my eyes can see the small display & I can reach it whilst helming. I could not either see or reach it on a bulkhead. Besides if I had a crew ( rarely I admit) you could be sure that they would want to sit in front of it
Here it is with the plotter removed for clarity. It swivels. The instrument below is for the autopilot
I changed to a garmin Echomax 9 inch display which is better but i find myself scrolling all over the place & do not really like it. It is about the minimum I would recommend regardless of the above comments.
It is supposed to link to my latest apple Ipad, which I bought 12 months ago, but I have still not managed to get a useful link with the very poor Active Captain programme.
Perhaps I am too locked into charts, because a lot of the time -(If I do need to know & most of the time I do not need electronic aid) I find myself going below to look at my Yeoman Plotter. The Yeoman is so superior, apart from the lack of AIS overlay. At least I can see things like shipping lanes etc easily, which do not show up on the Garmin amongst all the other lines. Plus, one can see the big picture. For really accurate detail I have it linked to a Garmin GPS 152 with repeater on the bridgedeck. With that I can have a route to next wypt shown , which can be set from waypoints obtained from my Yeoman.
As for position. I have only one place to mount a plotter above deck & it actually suits, me behind the tiller, as my eyes can see the small display & I can reach it whilst helming. I could not either see or reach it on a bulkhead. Besides if I had a crew ( rarely I admit) you could be sure that they would want to sit in front of it
Here it is with the plotter removed for clarity. It swivels. The instrument below is for the autopilot
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Gixer
Well-Known Member
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
Refueler
Well-Known Member
Interesting position ..... I admit I considered similar when I had just Plotter (Lowrance Globalmap without AIS) with not so many cables, but with the Onwa I have now ... its power / AIS antenna / NMEA cables to route and I hate installing cables !
But when I get my new Tablet ..... I can easily have it in a 'car mount' there with a 12v car adaptor. It will have own full GPS + WiFi fed AIS and other data to it from my 'Plexor.
As to plotter size ... my Onwa is not square screen - making the 7" more viewer friendly. My Lowrance 5" was square and I admit could cause difficulty in reading some details when data was overlaid.
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
I did not say you, or anyone else, is wrong. Of course my opinion isn't shared by everyone, that's the whole point of asking the question on a forum, to get a range of opinions and suggestions.
What gives you the right to say that my opinions is not useful, but yours is ? Arrogant beyond belief.
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