Truly flat screen multifunction displays

gerry99

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 Sep 2002
Messages
461
Location
Berkshire
www.freedom.co.uk
Does anyone know of a multifunction display that can be surface mounted? I have looked at the main manufacturers and although the display screen itself may be flat they all seem to have chosen a physical design with connectors on the rear of the MFD panel, the result being that they require to be mounted a good few inches off the panel to accommodate the rear panel connector and cable bend radius. Ideally I would like to find a display that is surface mounted that I can connect to by side connectors, USB (to NMEA) interface or something similar.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Cheers
 
The only thing I can think of is a "black box" design, essentially a separate computer box and monitor(s) rather than an all-in-one. Simrad's top-of-the-range units are like this, and no doubt others, but the prices are eye-watering. All the normal "plotters" I know of are designed to be mounted either on a bracket or in a cutout.

Where are you trying to mount it?

Pete
 
YM did a roundup of MFDs in the summer 2016 issue (p. 70-76) and all except for (I think) the Furuno TTouch had sockets for connectors on the rear panel (which seems to be part of the problem as the connectors take up space?). The Furono had short cables/fly leads (about 6 inches long) coming out with connectors on the ends, this may alleviate the problem in part as the connector need not be directly behind the MFD thus you may be able to reduce the depth of the final fitting a bit.

I think this is probably a bit of a tough thing to be trying to achieve though without going to the very expensive seperate processor model as Pete points out. I surface mounted my Simrad NSS7 in the coaming but of course had to chop a hole in the GRP headliner of the galley below and beneath; and the back of the plotter thus projects an inch or two into the galley. Most owners settle for a solution like that in order to not be fitting ugly surface mounting boxes in the cockpit. I don't know of anything that would have 'side entry' ports of the sort you might be thinking of.

As Pete says it would help if we know where you want to put the MFD and what the space constraints are.
 
Where are you trying to mount it?

Pete
Hi Pete, I currently have an old (and now unsupported but working) Raymarine Radar with the screen mounted below decks on a U bracket aboce my chart table. It is afunctional but very basic and ugly fitting and at times gets in the way because it sticks out so far. Ideally, and I know I am aiming high, a flat screen display mounted on an adjacent bulkhead without the need for cutouts would be my ideal.
 
I have a newish Raymarine in the cockpit that transmits wifi. So I have a 12" tablet Android stuck to the wall at the chart table. Only connector is the power.

TudorSailor
 
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