Please recommend a chap tablet for just running navionics

TSB240 said:
Personally I find the Hudl screen is just too small. I would prefer a 10" screen having tested one out.
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The OP is after a ch(e)ap tablet. The Hudl fits the bill, yes you need a power cable, so does my iPhone and iPad when in constant use.
 
ghostlymoron said:
Do you really need a plotter display constantly on. Surely the way to go is only have it on when you need it.
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iPad mini displaying Tucabo Tides Planner and Hudl2 with Memory Map, on constantly.
The battery drain is negligible and much less than the Lowrance plotter in the cockpit, since it doesn't have its own battery.
Even the iPad was cheaper than most quality yachting instruments, the Hudl2 is a bargain :)
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nathanlee said:
It has GPS built in, however, I'm going to try to use the Standard Horizon GX2200e's NMEA out to give position information so I can turn GPS off to save battery. The only shortfall in this plan might be the chart plotting software as they're all a bit simple and might not accept an external position feed.

There's doesn't seem to be anybody out there doing grown up software for chart plotting, apart from perhaps openCPN, but then criminal licensing rules from UKHO mean it's impossible to legally buy charts for it. It's really quite annoying. OpenCPN would suit my needs perfectly, but it ain't any good without charts, and I can't seem to find any reasonably up to date ones to download. If UKHO insist on being greedy megalomaniacs then I care not one jot about ripping them off.
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Not a bad deal for Open cpn charts from here

http://www.visitmyharbour.com/charts-for-opencpn.asp
 
thanks for all the info. Really great.
I'm going for the Hudl. Had some Tesco club points, so got it for for well under £100 including the kids protective bumper, the screen protector and a waterproof case. At that price it's worth it to see. We have a fixed canopy that it can sit inside, if greenies get in there then protecting the hudl will be the least of my worries. CHarging it is not a worry and it's not a primary chart-plotter. It's just for back up and planning really. thanks again everyone
 
TSB240 said:
Not a bad deal for Open cpn charts from here

http://www.visitmyharbour.com/charts-for-opencpn.asp
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Very true. I forgot to mention that, cheers. Yeah, it's great value, and I'd be happy to pay, but it just doesn't quite cut the mustard for what I need. Bloomin' DRM again. If you used ripped off stuff this is all quite easy, but I'd rather not if I can help it, despite having a tantrum at the silliness of UKHO's policy on this stuff. If only Jeppesen would sort their heads out and get with the times. I'd happily pay going rates for c-map charts on linux based openCPN.

The visitmyharbour deal will only work on Windows. The plugin required for openCPN to read the encrypted chart format will only work on Windows due to licensing restrictions, and I need to run this on a Raspberry PI 2, so it's got to be both linux and ARM compatible. I've got an FTDI RS232 to USB cable wired up to the NMEA output of the standard horizon. The raspberry then grabs the serial feed and bungs it out over wifi so the tablet can get at it. I intended to have a low power fixed touch screen at the chart table ran off openCPN on the raspberry, then probably now navionics and a separate AIS app on the tablet.

Given the chart restrictions I'm having to do away with openCPN for the time being. Windows 10 IOT will have an ARM version, so that might be an option when it comes out, but given openCPN is open source, it'll probably take them an age to build in windows 10 support for that encrypted chart plugin. Shame the chart producers won't get onboard with it as it'd create a whole new market in Marine IT products and services. At the moment your only real option is full fat Windows (Belfield Software do some brilliant stuff), but for always-on that's just way too power hungry for small boats.

(sorry, getting a bit OT there)
 
nathanlee said:
Very true. I forgot to mention that, cheers. Yeah, it's great value, and I'd be happy to pay, but it just doesn't quite cut the mustard for what I need. Bloomin' DRM again. If you used ripped off stuff this is all quite easy, but I'd rather not if I can help it, despite having a tantrum at the silliness of UKHO's policy on this stuff. If only Jeppesen would sort their heads out and get with the times. I'd happily pay going rates for c-map charts on linux based openCPN.

The visitmyharbour deal will only work on Windows. The plugin required for openCPN to read the encrypted chart format will only work on Windows due to licensing restrictions, and I need to run this on a Raspberry PI 2, so it's got to be both linux and ARM compatible. I've got an FTDI RS232 to USB cable wired up to the NMEA output of the standard horizon. The raspberry then grabs the serial feed and bungs it out over wifi so the tablet can get at it. I intended to have a low power fixed touch screen at the chart table ran off openCPN on the raspberry, then probably now navionics and a separate AIS app on the tablet.

Given the chart restrictions I'm having to do away with openCPN for the time being. Windows 10 IOT will have an ARM version, so that might be an option when it comes out, but given openCPN is open source, it'll probably take them an age to build in windows 10 support for that encrypted chart plugin. Shame the chart producers won't get onboard with it as it'd create a whole new market in Marine IT products and services. At the moment your only real option is full fat Windows (Belfield Software do some brilliant stuff), but for always-on that's just way too power hungry for small boats.

(sorry, getting a bit OT there)[/QUOTE

I used to run Open Con in Linux but the chart restriction has forced me down the Windows route. Have you seen what these dual boot Pipos can do?.I think they are a better packaged option than Pi only draws 3w at tickover 6 if you push it.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271855436549
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The best cheap option is a 2nd hand basic tablet. Look at the price of an original nexus 7 on ebay.

About 40 quid and works really well with proven navionics
 
Hi Lisa

I run Navionics on a Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 which was £106 from ASDA.

The app and charts are downloaded from Google play store.

Works for me, simple usb type charger to 12V and tell the app not to allow the screen to shut off.

I only use it as a backup to the chart plotter, but it is quite useable for basic navigation.

Ian
 
ChattingLil said:
thanks for all the info. Really great.
I'm going for the Hudl. Had some Tesco club points, so got it for for well under £100 including the kids protective bumper, the screen protector and a waterproof case. At that price it's worth it to see. We have a fixed canopy that it can sit inside, if greenies get in there then protecting the hudl will be the least of my worries. CHarging it is not a worry and it's not a primary chart-plotter. It's just for back up and planning really. thanks again everyone
Click to expand...


Enjoy it and in Navionics learn how to edit charts so you can put local marks or race marks on it. These will reappear on other devices running Navionics when zoomed in. Can be very handy for buoy laying etc.
 
nathanlee said:
Windows 10 IOT will have an ARM version, so that might be an option when it comes out, but given openCPN is open source, it'll probably take them an age to build in windows 10 support for that encrypted chart plugin.
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This comment is wholly OT to this thread, and doesn't help the OP any, so most readers of this thread probably wish to skip the following.

The OpenCPN BSB4 plugin relies on "the Maptech DLLs provided with the chart folios as purchased on disc" (see first link below).

.dll's are compiled in the same way as executable (.exe) files are, so I think that Maptech would need to supply an ARM-compatible DLL in order for BSB4 to work on ARM Windows tablets.

 
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