GPSMAPS 1242/Livescope - and IPAD screen for Buddy in Back of Boat...Will this work?

[adventurejack]

So I have the GPSMAPS 1242 with Livescope only. Everything else is Lowrance (Sonar, DI, SI). That being said, I have noticed it's a little difficult for the person in the back of the boat to crappie fish with me and not see a screen with Livescope. I sit down so it's hard for them to stand all day behind me just to see their jig fall.

So....I'd rather not drop another 1000.00 for a 2nd screen just for my buddies convenience (for now anyway). So I got to thinking...Could I rig up some sort of mount on my console that would hold my IPAD and then open Active Captain and they use that to mirror the front screen for fishing? I haven't used Active Captain yet for anything so I'm just asking questions and brainstorming ideas.

Any suggestions for solutions to my problem would be welcomed...

[fishin couillon]

I think the issue you will run into is your partner being able to see the Ipad screen in the sunlight.

[CowboyRulz]

Depending on the 1242 (touch vs non-touch) you have, it may have an HDMI out port on the back. With this you could run a cable to have a monitor for the back of the boat. I was actually considering getting a 1242 so I could get a nice big screen (20" or more) for my LS. There are outdoor monitors available to avoid screen glare.

[BigBry]

I’ve been entertaining this idea for a while. Some things to consider. You say “IPad”. That’s IOS and my experience ( I can tell you all about off-roading yesterday) is IOS and Garmin don’t play well together. I’ve heard Garmin is friendlier with Android. Screen brightness will reduce glare BUT to get a minimum of 1000 nits costs a bunch. The new IPad Pro to be released this week may get close to 1000 nits with the new mini led display but an 11” will be pushing a grand. Weather Proof it and your “Anti Reflective” screen properties go bye bye. Those nits won’t mean a thing. There are tablets marketed to construction/pilots/ drones that fit the bill but they are pricey and some are proprietary. Some new Android Tabs have very bright (I’ve heard 1400 nits) but they are OLED which has a history of screen retention ( though the claim is these new screens are not as retentive).

iIt all comes down to whether you want to pay for a new 1242/data cable for 1899 so you can plug and play or deal with the hurdles of a tablet.

[adventurejack]

So my gpsmap 1242 in non touch. On the back it has 2 ethernet ports as well as a nmea 2000 port. I want to go the least expensive option i can. So is there a weatherproof monitor or less expensive garmin unit that can be used as a second screen that will connect with my 1242 either by ethernet or nmea 2000 to view the livescope images from my 1242 up front? This is all new to me.

[BigBry]

You will have to stick with the “GPSMAP” line up if you go with another head unit. I do not know this as fact but using a tablet is basically “mirroring” the image from the 1242. You may or may not get a distorted image due to size/resolution differences. There aren’t a whole lot of people that have done it that I can surmise so that is a clue. I can say that I had a 1042 and hated the shape of the screen. Long and skinny. If you for another GPSMAP, look at the 942/943. I think it’s the same height as the 1042 and cheaper. If you’re dropping on brush, width does you no good. Height Trumps width on up and down.

[CowboyRulz]

Cheapest, most fun, option: GoPro Hero7 Black with an HDMI out cable to a monitor. Affix the camera to watch your screen or use a chest strap to film all the fishing action from your vantage point...just like the pros and their YouTube channels. A GoPro can be setup to run from a USB cable so no batteries to worry about. These suckers do 4k video and you can just have it send to the monitor without recording. The option is there to have it record when a fish bites. Guessing they also have a setting for loop recording like a dash cam...it keeps recording until it runs out of memory and then writes over it unless you protect the footage.
Camera is going for $250 and monitor can be $100-?...whole lot less than a new head unit.

Best part...your partner keeps it until you use it again. Win-Win!

[Reelcrazy]

I believe only the GPSMAP series and maybe the 1243 have the capability of doing video out. You are out of luck if your unit does not have video out. Ethernet and nmea will not do anything to mirror to a stand alone screen.

[Reelcrazy]

The 942 and 943 are not capable of video output.

[adventurejack]

So what's the difference between the 942 and the 942 plus?

[BigBry]

The 942 and 943 are not capable of video output.

OP has a 1242 so that’s irrelevant. He CAN network to them though.......