New Electronics - dual screens?

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zirkel13

New member
I have been searching forums, youtube, and google for a while trying to find a unit that will do what I am looking for, but haven't found any solutions. Here's what I am trying to do:

My new boat has no electronics besides a VHF radio. I won't be putting radar on it, at least not yet. I would like to try to spend about $800 on the initial setup including the chip. I would like to buy one unit that has GPS, fishfinder, sonar, and transducer. Something like the Simrad G07 XSE or Humminbird Helix 7 chirp.

Here's where I got stuck: I would like to connect my ipad 2 (no gps) or a cheaper Android tablet with GPS to the Fishfinder. I don't mind if the connection is bluetooth, wifi, or cord. I would like to be able to display a different screen on the tablet as the the main unit. i.e. Fish Finder on one and charts on the other.

I know one solution would be to download the Navionics maps onto an Android tablet with GPS and have two separate systems, but I would like to avoid that and have them connected if possible.

Any ideas on where I could look?
 
zirkel13":3gcczus4 said:
I have been searching forums, youtube, and google for a while trying to find a unit that will do what I am looking for, but haven't found any solutions. Here's what I am trying to do:

My new boat has no electronics besides a VHF radio. I won't be putting radar on it, at least not yet. I would like to try to spend about $800 on the initial setup including the chip. I would like to buy one unit that has GPS, fishfinder, sonar, and transducer. Something like the Simrad G07 XSE or Humminbird Helix 7 chirp.

Here's where I got stuck: I would like to connect my ipad 2 (no gps) or a cheaper Android tablet with GPS to the Fishfinder. I don't mind if the connection is bluetooth, wifi, or cord. I would like to be able to display a different screen on the tablet as the the main unit. i.e. Fish Finder on one and charts on the other.

I know one solution would be to download the Navionics maps onto an Android tablet with GPS and have two separate systems, but I would like to avoid that and have them connected if possible.

Any ideas on where I could look?
Click to expand...

This does not necessarily answer the Question but, from expensive trial & error, I would not ever again use Humminbird or Lowrance electronics. In my experience at 2-3 days a week of use, Garmin is the way to go for Non Commercial/Semi. Affordable electronics . YMMV.
Good luck in your adventures!! See ya out there :mrgreen: :thup.
 
I would suggest two separate units over a single unit but that is harder within a budget. The connected concept creates a dependency of one unit on another for maps or something else and that reduces the value of that second unit as a backup. For 800 bucks, I would consider something like this:

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/garmin-- ... ecordNum=2

Plus something like this:

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/garmin-- ... ecordNum=4

Then you have two units with maps and sonar and no dependencies. Run them at different zoom levels or one for sonar and one for maps. That helps you dodge the need for a bigger screen size. Split screens on a 7 inch unit are smaller than two 5 inch units for example.

Or you could pair one combo unit with a tablet for mapping only and use combo unit for sonar primarily.

That would be my basic approach before considering more details.

Greg
 
tsturm":197iibgl said:
... This does not necessarily answer the Question but, from expensive trial & error, I would not ever again use Humminbird or Lowrance electronics. In my experience at 2-3 days a week of use, Garmin is the way to go for Non Commercial/Semi. Affordable electronics . YMMV.
Good luck in your adventures!! See ya out there :mrgreen: :thup.
Click to expand...

I have the same opinion of Garmin.

I prefer my Humminbird unit to the Garmin units I had previously.
 
The Wifi/Bluetooth connections from chartplotters to tablets that I am aware of are to mirror the screen as a view only version of the chartplotter screen or a separate control to the main chartplotter screen. Unless you use the tablet with a separate mapping app, you cannot connect it to a chartplotter and show something different than the chartplotter is already showing.

Doing your mapping with a tablet is easy, but even a cheap Android tablet with 15 bucks worth of navionics would work much nicer with a built-in GPS receiver. Add a separate GPS device and you have two more points of failure and frustration over time. The cable or connection, and the second device with its own power needs.

Greg
 
Thanks for the responses. Guess it does make the most sense to do the two units. I think am going to get a mid-level 7" combo unit and add a tablet with the software.

The raycontrol software was pretty impressive compared to some of the others. I like the idea of being able to control from the ipad if necessary.
 
I've been impressed with how fast the world, especially electronics is changing. I bought the latest & greatest chart plotter/ depth sounder/ radar in 2012 and now they are out of date. I like the various tablets - i-pad or similar as you can download new stuff. With the change in Active Captain to Garmine last year there are lots of new chart products. This spring I downloaded charts that were not available last fall. Last month I was running up a river and used three different charts to keep track of what was happening around me. Two of those charts were freshly downloaded and one showed me a place to stay that I would have missed otherwise.

Redundancy is another need. Remember Murphy's law. On that same river trip my main chart plotter got too far from the coast and went blank = no coverage. I had forgotten to bring my "Inland Lakes and Waterways" chip. In addition to my main chart plotter I have an I pad running. I keep detail on the chart plotter and "over-view" on the I-pad. So I was able to zoom in and out and got by.

Greg's comments are good, but instead of a 2nd "marine" device, I'd go with some kind of tablet that has a "phone" so it has a GPS positioning. Then you can load all kinds of maps and charts.

Chuck
 
Greg's comments are good, but instead of a 2nd "marine" device, I'd go with some kind of tablet that has a "phone" so it has a GPS positioning. Then you can load all kinds of maps and charts.

Chuck[/quote]

The problem with the phone is in most of Alaska there is no signal once you leave the harbor.

Now, S/E (aka northern seattle) may have more coverage.

PWS & NGC & 1/2 K-bay zero cell signal
:wink:
 
I'm looking at my options for a future upgrade. My boat came complete with a 2005 era Raymarine C-80 Chart Plotter. It still works fine, but I also carry an iPad and a Garmin 62st handheld GPS. I know that I will have to update the C-80 someday in the future, but I am in no hurry yet. With technology changing so quickly, the longer I can hold off the better a unit I will get. If my plotter were to die today, I would consider the Raymarine Axiom series. I would like to have as few compatibility problems as possible, as I have Raymarine Radar and Auto Pilot installed. I like the idea of one multipurpose screen that handles chart plotter, radar, fish finder all together. Depending on my needs on a particular trip, I can configure the screen and functions as needed. If I don't go with the Raymarine, I would strongly consider the Garmin line, as I really like their products and the services that go with them.
 
Any device that needs a "phone" connection to fix your position very probably does not have an internal GPS. You may have to pay a bit more for a true GPS enabled device but it will be worth it.

I use a Samsung tablet with internal GPS frequently. It works well for positioning even when out of phone range. I also use a small Garmin that has both NAmerica street mapping and marine charting. It is stand alone for redundancy. My primary plotter is a RayMarine C120. Still works great. If it goes out, I have positioning redundancies, but then I would have to consider Garmin.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
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