Remote touchscreen monitor for PC-based GPS nav

[tkanzler]

Has anyone ever used a small touchscreen remote monitor, mounted at the helm and connected to a notebook PC in the cabin? I've been using my old notebook with Mapquest GPS software, and it works quite well for my needs. But having the notebook under the dodger isn't always the best way to go. I've got the room at the helm of my H340 for a small remote monitor, allowing me to keep the notebook closed and strapped down at the nav station. But before investing in such a monitor, I was wondering if anyone has tried this. Sailing is fresh-water only, and I keep the helm covered when I'm not there. The monitor could be made removeable, though that may negate some of the benefits of having it in rough weather.Has anyone tried this?

 

[Maine Sail]

A few thoughts..

1) Most touch screen monitors, that are daylight viewable, are NOT affordable. You will not be able to view an inexpensive touch screen during the day! I own a brand new (read three weeks old) IBM tablet PC and it is "invisible" in broad daylight!2) A chart plotter is far more durable & reliable in the marine environment, uses far less current and also less expensive.My advice, if you want charts at the helm, is this. CHART PLOTTER !This is just my .02 after having experimented for three years with computers for navigation. They are unreliable in the marine environment and far more "buggy" than a dedicated chart plotter.

 

[Chuck Creel]

display at helm

something to think about is just another power drain from you battery bank.I have considered using laptop with Capn Voyager softwarebut the enviroment is not condusive to most laptops and the data MUST come from a GPS unit with NEMA outputs. " GPS ". There fore IMHO making this redundant and just another 12V power drain .I chose the chartplotter for these reasons. Since i pretty much know the area anyway, the admiral refers to it as a toy and not neccisary for 80 % of our voyages /sails.I have no regrets in choosing the chart plotter with larger screen for our jaunts along the coast and gulf of mexico.Best of luck and happy sailing.

 

[tkanzler]

Thanks for the input

My notebook uses a little USB GPS antenna, and the software is very nice and easy to use. The only other GPS I have is a little handheld, and it's really (REALLY) hard to use. I keep it, and some fresh batteries, just for emergencies - I can always pull the lat/longs off of it and radio out.I was hoping to use the PC with a remote screen, since the PC doesn't draw much power with the screen closed, though another (small) screen obviously will draw power. In a pinch, I can always place the PC on the companionway slider, and see it just fine from the helm. I even considered a remote screen on a moveable arm mount in the companionway (could double as a DVD screen), but the whole thing is just getting too expensive.I guess I'll have to start looking around for a chartplotter to flush mount in the helm. I was trying to get away cheaper, since I need other things just as much (or more), like a whisker pole. :~(

 

[Paul F]

messing with pc ideas

I have Memory-Map on my pc with a usb gps as you do. Was thinking of a wireless mouse to operate the pc. Your idea of a touch-screen may work better. But, I am starting to think a pc or large screen is to much "noise" at the helm. There is a small screen gps mounted at the helm now and the pc below is needed to change its chart regions on a long trip. Just conflicted about adding more larger screens - seems to take away from the sailing somehow. The small gps plotter handles the task well for me.

 

[sailaway78]

Is anyone using

The little notebooks that are on ebay fairly regularly. They are supposed to be preloaded with all coastal charts, GPS antenna and a touch screen. Supposedly mil. spec. stuff, that is waterproof. They usually go in the 150 buck range.

 

[paulj]

Re

After some trial and error with outdoor readable screens and some talking to vendors at the 2008 Seattle Boat show this is what I have.....Navman 4100 Bluetooth GPS receiverArgonaut Tflex G615XL monitorRemote PointRF Interlink ElectronicsRosepoint Beta softwareGateway laptop 6years oldKensington USB 2.020' monitor cableWent sailing Feb 20 2008 and everything works fine.My RAM Mounts are on backorder so I have not mounted the monitor to the pedistal.paulj

 

[Kevin3447]

Check out mp3car.com

Check out mp3car.com - mostly car guys, but there are threads in the forums for boats.Also, while I haven't used MapQuest GPS, I'd like to point out SeaClear: http://www.sping.com/seaclear/It's free, you can download free NOAA charts from http://www.freeboatingcharts.com/, and I think it works well.Kevin