iPad sunlight viewable screen

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Pagetslady

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Hi I use my iPad to navigate rather than my power hungry C120 plotter. I have tried a so called sunlight viewable screen cover but it does not work, please has anybody come across anything that does work?
Mike
 
Pagetslady said:
Hi I use my iPad to navigate rather than my power hungry C120 plotter. I have tried a so called sunlight viewable screen cover but it does not work, please has anybody come across anything that does work?
Click to expand...

When I have to use my laptop in bright sunshine for work, I have a kind of hood or tent made of thin black fabric over a wire frame, which shades the screen so it's easier to see.

Other than some form of shade, I can't see any sort of clip-on attachment working. (Part of) the reason your C120 is "power hungry" is to provide a bright enough screen to be clearly readable in sunlight.

Pete
 
This is the downside of using I pads and android tablets on the helm and no one has found a clear solution to market yet.Most people get by with what they have or as said above retro fit some form of cover for their device.
Not to difficult if you have the time and patience to make one up
 
I've been tinkering with tablets and laptops for navigation over the past couple of years. I've concluded (personal opinion) that tablets in the cockpit of an sailing yacht are not great. I tried some cheap tablets, they worked well enough but suffer from daylight view-ability, lack of water resistance and the need to be on charge. I also tried an expansive Samsung Galaxy Pro (£750), which is reasonable good in Sunlight, but still suffers the other issues, not to mention it costs as much as a proper chart plotter by the time you buy it and add charts.

The old C120 (great plotter in it's day and still does the job) was a power hungry beast, as were similar makes/models in the day. Modern chart plotter use little or no more power than a tablet/laptop. The new Raymarine Axiom 9" plotters and the Garmin 9" models use just under 1 amp !
 
Thank you for your replies, I have made a couple of small brackets which I have attached to the sun cover of the C120 which is mounted under the sprayhood I have a cigar lighter plug alongside so can plug my Ipad into that wifi connects to my AIS and other instruments with a VyachtWifi it all works very well. The Ipad is in a water proof case so is well protected. I wonder if there is a product to spray on the screen to prevent the sun reflection? The C120 has a coating on it, when I first had it the C120 the screen got very scratched apparently there was a fault with the coating so Raymarine replaced it free of charge. It was not perfect but it was much better in sunlight.
Mike
 
The last time I used my iPad in sunlight it switched itself off and whinged about the heat. It is not something I would wish to rely on.
 
To be sunlight readable you need a display of around 1000nits brightness. The most basic of chartplotters have this. Unfortunately tablets and most laptops, phones and other devices don't. You can however buy field monitors with this level of brightness, but they cost more than a decent chartplotter.
 
We had this problem, until we came into warmer climate and got used to sailing with the Bimini up. That solved the problem pretty well :)
 
I use an iPad Pro. The new screen is a massive improvement. I haven’t had any problems viewing it in sunlight.

It’s in a life proof case so no screen protector, but still waterproof.

The main chart plotter failed on day one of a two day sail. The iPad operated continuously night and day without a hitch. Then in head up mode, showed the way for pilotage...fantastic.
 
I find the Sony screens perfectly OK for use in full sun. I've used M4Aqua and now Xz2 really good with navionics and both are waterproof and cost under 200.
 
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