Getting Down Low on GPS

[D-Trac]

For those that don’t want to invest a lot of money into a new sonar/GPS unit or like me already have decent sonar but no GPS here is a cheaper way out. I purchased a 7” tablet with GPS capabilities and up loaded a lake map app for just over $100.I studied many tablets and came to the conclusion that if it has GPS Glonass or similar then it will work without networks.I haven’t mounted this as of yet and might just keep it in a portable holder, however there are many option available.Besides the cost, another great thing is I don’t have to run wires to make it work!

[buster502]

Is it waterproof

[TMG]

Welcome aboard
The problem I have with my tablet is I can't see it in the sun.

[Riccochet]

Welcome aboard
The problem I have with my tablet is I can't see it in the sun.

Get one with a AMOLED screen. There is no polarizing filter on AMOLED screens, like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1. That's what I use in my boat along with a Raymarine Wi-Fish and the Navionics app. Put it in a Armor-X case that can be used with any RAM mount or their mount. Works perfectly.

[TMG]

Get one with a AMOLED screen. There is no polarizing filter on AMOLED screens, like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1. That's what I use in my boat along with a Raymarine Wi-Fish and the Navionics app. Put it in a Armor-X case that can be used with any RAM mount or their mount. Works perfectly.

Thanks I didn't know that

[BigEasy]

Get one with a AMOLED screen. There is no polarizing filter on AMOLED screens, like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1. That's what I use in my boat along with a Raymarine Wi-Fish and the Navionics app. Put it in a Armor-X case that can be used with any RAM mount or their mount. Works perfectly.

Are you doing this with a WiFi only tablet with no internet connection? Just the GPS receiver in the Tab 4?

[Riccochet]

Are you doing this with a WiFi only tablet with no internet connection? Just the GPS receiver in the Tab 4?

Yes. You can pre-download the maps for the lakes you plan on fishing. No need for an internet connection. In a pinch I can use my phone as a hotspot and tether the tablet via wifi for internet, but that's rare.

As for the S5's not doing good in sunlight, don't know what to tell you. My tablet is just as bright as my Humminbird sitting next to it. And with split screen I can have Navionics and Wi-Fish up at the same time. Leaves my HB for side imaging.

For under a grand I got down imaging/sonar, navigation with contour mapping, fishidy/fishbox/whatever app I want to have open. It's a great addition.

[Karma Got Me]

I'd be concerned about the durability of the tablet. GPS fish finders are made to take a beating.

[Covurt]

What app are you using? Can you push one button and drop a waypoint?

[Riccochet]

What app are you using? Can you push one button and drop a waypoint?

Navionics Boating USA HD. And, yes, you can drop waypoints with a touch of the screen, plot courses, zoom in/out on contours. It's just like using Navionics maps on a Lowrance or Humminbird.

[darrall]

Navionics Boating USA HD. And, yes, you can drop waypoints with a touch of the screen, plot courses, zoom in/out on contours. It's just like using Navionics maps on a Lowrance or Humminbird.

Yep, works great!

[Jewn.beef]

Ooh this sounds like good idea and you can ser the screen good in daylight
i no longer have money for two graphs so this could be good option for my mapping

[Riccochet]

If you have a recent Samsung Galaxy smartphone they use the same type of AMOLED screen. Crank up the brightness and go out in the sun. I have no problem seeing the screen in bright sunlight.

The problem with other tablets is they use standard TFT LCD displays which require a polarizing filter. So, once you get off-angle or in bright light it becomes washed out and faded looking.

[Rider99XX]

If you have a recent Samsung Galaxy smartphone they use the same type of AMOLED screen. Crank up the brightness and go out in the sun. I have no problem seeing the screen in bright sunlight.

The problem with other tablets is they use standard TFT LCD displays which require a polarizing filter. So, once you get off-angle or in bright light it becomes washed out and faded looking.

I have a Galaxy S5 and it is horrible in direct sunlight no matter where I set the brightness.

[vickwareagle]

I have a Galaxy S5 and it is horrible in direct sunlight no matter where I set the brightness.

My S5 is not good in the sun either.

[Jewn.beef]

So what samsung tablet would be best and cheapest you think i have never looked at them as i am apple guy for phones and tabs and comp and the ipad u see nothin in the sun

[Riccochet]

So what samsung tablet would be best and cheapest you think i have never looked at them as i am apple guy for phones and tabs and comp and the ipad u see nothin in the sun

Any of them with a AMOLED screen. You'll have to look at the specs. Don't go cheap as I think the cheaper Samsung's use a regular TFT LCD. BTW, AMOLED is a version of OLED.

Apple uses what they call "Retina" which is just a fancy name for IPS LCD.

[Go Loco]

Navionics is cool, but it doesn't contain any of the water I fish, so it's useless. I found tablets aren't much use without a wireless provider. Wifi don't cut it.

[Wayne P.]

I have the Boating HD app on 6 mobile devices and none of them are easily viewable in bright sunlight. The newest device I have is the Samsung Galaxy 5, it has AMOLED--don't want the Galaxy 6 since it does not have a card reader, it is not better than the others and is actually worse than an iPad.
I use the Vexilar Sonarphone as the sonar source for doing Sonar Charts Live.

[Riccochet]

Maybe because of how the tablet is mounted, vertical, it doesn't get sun washed as much as holding it in your hand facing up. I can see it just fine. The other point of AMOLED is no polarization. Take your standard smart phone with an LCD, throw on some polarized glasses and look at the phone. Now, rotate the phone and look at it from off-angles. The screen will go almost black due to your glasses and polarization filter on the screen essentially blocking up to 90% of the screen. AMOLED doesn't suffer from this. Which is great for boat use since you aren't always sitting down and looking at it from dead on.

Screen brightness will never be as high as a dedicated unit from HB, Lowrance, Garmin, etc. Those screens typically have 1300+ NITS of brightness, while your standard tablet has 500-800 NITS.

It is what it is. If you don't want to drop $2000+ on a 10" dedicated unit then this is a viable, cheaper alternative.