Tablets - Sunlight Readability in the Cockpit

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yachtorion

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Does anyone have experience of using a tablet as a plotter in the cockpit please?

Was it bright and readable? Was there anything that helped like anti-glare screen protectors?
 
My only experience is with an old iPad 2 which is almost unreadable in sunlight with the brightness on maximum. It is just about OK in open shade.
 
I have the benefit of long sight. I clamp my 10" Motorola tablet to the saloon table and I can navigate from the cockpit in full sunlight.
( Also programme the same .gpx into my Garmin and Nasa cockpit repeater for redundancy)
Not suitable for on-deck use but a solution in a small yacht. Can need dimming on night passages-
2016-08-24 20.55.57.jpg
 
IPad mini used in the cockpit of my very small yacht - and readability is badly affected by sunlight. It is still great to have though. Also, as it's a portable device, you can choose the most shaded spot and I can always duck my head into the cabin with it when everywhere is bright.

Also interested to read of any anti glare solutions.
 
The very latest iPad Pro has a much improved, responsive, screen as far as reading in the sunlight goes.

IMO it's pretty good in bright sunlight - certainly my charts on my iSailor app are very readable .

Obviously it comes at a price. But if you use it for other business stuff it doesn't seem too expensive (but then I'm a Mac person).

HTH
johnalison said:
My only experience is with an old iPad 2 which is almost unreadable in sunlight with the brightness on maximum. It is just about OK in open shade.
Click to expand...
 
iPad Air 2, virtually unreadable in direct sunlight. Great at night time, which is when it helps the most anyway.

In future I'll probably mount a B&G plotter in the cockpit.
 
iPad Air attached to the forward cockpit bulkhead, generally fine to read apart from strong sunlight. Not sure that a plotter would be that much better in those conditions and easy to get around by moving to to under the spray hood (if up).

One issue I have experienced is the iPad getting too hot in the sunshine and shutting down until it has cooled. I get around this by leaving a cloth or cover over it when not in use.

I tend to only use the iPad as a plotter for short periods anyway, the rest of the time it is off.
 
I have IPad Pro and it's unusable in the cockpit unless in the shade, have chartplotter in cockpit though which allows iPad to remote control from chart table. Chart plotter never an issue even in full sun, also half price of IPad although charts cost more.
 
The latest iPad Pro came out 30th March this year - I've used this version in bright sunlight and it's streets ahead of earlier iPads in terms of screen performance.

If yours is the same then perhaps I'm more easily pleased!!

Daverw said:
I have IPad Pro and it's unusable in the cockpit unless in the shade, have chartplotter in cockpit though which allows iPad to remote control from chart table. Chart plotter never an issue even in full sun, also half price of IPad although charts cost more.
Click to expand...
 
Yes it's new last month, better than the old one it replaced but still not easy to see, I was looking at putting chart plotter down below and using iPad on deck but decided to save the hassle of getting case etc, also battery life at full brightness was not as good as I thought it would be.
 
Try polarised sunglasses and turning it into portrait mode.
Shades and anti glare shrouds are available but mostly cardboard.
In sunlight it's just not a viable option, you need it in some form of shade. Or in a wheelhouse :D
 
I have posted this before so i apologise for repeating myself , but was does make a significant improvement to both phone and tablet screens is this.
Media Devil matte clear screen protector ( anti glare) available from Amazon £4/5 for a phone and nearer £10 for a tablet.
You get 2 in a pack with the applicator etc, and they really do make a difference.I had one on my old iPad2 and I have one on my newer iPad.
There is a video on You Tube showing how to apply and the reduction in glare.
I have no association with the company but can recommend the product over several years use.
 
ditchcrawler said:
I have posted this before so i apologise for repeating myself , but was does make a significant improvement to both phone and tablet screens is this.
Media Devil matte clear screen protector ( anti glare) available from Amazon £4/5 for a phone and nearer £10 for a tablet.
You get 2 in a pack with the applicator etc, and they really do make a difference.I had one on my old iPad2 and I have one on my newer iPad.
There is a video on You Tube showing how to apply and the reduction in glare.
I have no association with the company but can recommend the product over several years use.
Click to expand...

How much difference does a matt protector mate? I couldn't find the video.
 
It would seem that small plane skippers have the same problem we do.

One housed a tablet inside a box with the innards painted black.

I'm thinking about it.
 
yachtorion said:
How much difference does a matt protector mate? I couldn't find the video.
Click to expand...

I had the same MediaDevil one on my ipad2 and while it improved things a lot the screen was pretty much unreadable in bright sun conditions. I'm going to install a 'proper' chartplotter when funds allow. The other problem with Ipads is the charging cable connection makes all but the most expensive waterproof cases non-waterproof.
 
I have been using an iPad 3 under the spray hood as a back up to my Raymarine plotter and have found it very good. Thinking back most of my sailing has been done in cloud ( and rain) but I have not been aware of any problems when the sun has been out. I actually prefer the iPad and Navionics to my plotter owing to the screen being a good bit bigger.
 
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