Generic sunlight viewable displays???

I was reading the GPS thread and was just wondering if there are any companies out there making sunlight viewable displays that necessarily tagged with the "marine" label making them even more expensive. *What makes a "sunlight viewable" display and how does one know if it would work or how is it classified??? *I think I do remember a discussion on T&T....something about NITS.....and is anybody using "generic displays" at an outside steering station and how does it work for you in sunny daylight???

Anybody? Nobody?

Most PC displays will be around 250 to 270 nits, top of the line is around 300 nits. For true daylight readable displays you are paying for more nits...800 to 1000. The cheaper, generic monitors available at most stores will work just fine inside a pilothouse or lower steering station. I have been unable to find "generic" high brightness displays.

Thanks for the response Step. I guess that is ultimately the question...where do you find generic daylight viewable displays???

I was watching a Nascar race the other day and noticed the crew chiefs have quite an array of displays.....all fully exposed to whatever light...... sheltered only be a bimini....something to think about..............

Look at the "big ships" stuff , about 22 inches wide and built for daylight operation on a very bright bridge.

OR look at some of the better lap tops ,some are hardened and daylight useful.

http://www.bigbaytech.com/group.php?id=2

Up 10 1600 nits, weatherproof, even wireless. They have a line for indoor as well as outdoor.

Thanks Keith. I guess, ultimately the gist of my question was where we can find them that don't cost as much as the marine retailers. Are there any out there that other segments are using that may be usable on a boat without the "marine" price tag??? I do realize that there is a lot in that "marine" price tag. Just wondering if there are any cheapo monitors with a lot of NITs?

Or, you can just save your money Baker, and buy a smaller, daylight viewable, purpose built one with a much lower price tag, but which does everything the big ones do, but in a smaller space. I have a Lowrance GPS/sounder combination unit with only a 5 inch diagonal screen, yet it tells me all I want to know even when I use it split, with depth trace and Map up at once. I think if I was adding radar, which I really seldom would need where I go, but would love to play with, I'd get the new high def 7'' Lowrance GPS/Depth combo which is compatible with their new broadband radar, unit, and that would be perfectly adequate. Being bright enough is better than big (but have no more detail), and not bright enough, and the smaller units are brighter much more cheaply so to speak. Oh, and one other advantage. The smaller units are much easier to move around, and I have the one on the flybridge set in a bracket with plenty of cable slack which feeds back into a solar ventilated locker in under the flybridge where I swing the unit inside when at the marina, or at anchor if necessary, nice and safe out of the weather.

Baker
I have a $129 22 inch LG that is 300 nits, under the bimini top*I can see it all the time. I am not saying its 100%, I am sure if the sun was going down at my back it would be hard to see but overall I have been really impressed. I planned on making a Sunbrella sock to cover it or even an eisenglass sleeve to put over it. The laptop screen sucks outside but the monitor works great.

troy994719 wrote:

Baker
I have a $129 22 inch LG that is 300 nits, under the bimini top*I can see it all the time. I am not saying its 100%, I am sure if the sun was going down at my back it would be hard to see but overall I have been really impressed. I planned on making a Sunbrella sock to cover it or even an eisenglass sleeve to put over it. The laptop screen sucks outside but the monitor works great.

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Thanks Troy. *Now if we could get somewhere between a $130 300 nit display and a $2500 1000 nit display.......

*

John,

Here are a coupkle of websites that I've been looking at for the same thing. The 'CDM2' number is the same as 'nits' - the higher the number the brighter. Take a look at the Argonaut 10.2" display that's 1000 nits for $999!

http://www.argonautcomputer.com/tflex-G6-sunlight-readable-monitor.php

http://xenarc.com/product/1020tsv.html

Jim
@Home

Now were talkin'!!!! Thanks Jim!!!

Thank You from me too. I've not been highly actively looking for a slave screen but looking nonetheless. Xenarc has some reasonable options definetly worth considering.

Here is a 1000 NIT 7" monitor for $489

http://www.mitxpc.com/proddetail.asp?prod=702TSV

Joe B

I wonder if you could put it outside facing forward, split screen, red and green for a nav lgt.

Nice.

Has anyone looked into/used a Pixel Qi monitor for uper-helm area?

I recently went through exactly this exercise. To my surprise, I found the 'generic' waterproof/sunlight screens in the 15-17" mode were relatively expensive. I ended up buying on ebay a used Furuno MU15CC monitor for around $700. Waterproof, sunlight viewable, very robust, lots of inter-connection options. There is a 17" version too. These have now been superceded by Furuno's HD monitors (which are crazy expensive). Folks upgrading to Furuno HD or changing out to new Garmin or Raymarine gear sell these perfectly good monitors relatively cheaply.

I'll look into it - I was looking for a tough monitor that one could get, for say, less than $300.00. Stumbled across the Pixel Qi.

Aquabelle said:

I recently went through exactly this exercise. To my surprise, I found the 'generic' waterproof/sunlight screens in the 15-17" mode were relatively expensive. I ended up buying on ebay a used Furuno MU15CC monitor for around $700. Waterproof, sunlight viewable, very robust, lots of inter-connection options. There is a 17" version too. These have now been superceded by Furuno's HD monitors (which are crazy expensive). Folks upgrading to Furuno HD or changing out to new Garmin or Raymarine gear sell these perfectly good monitors relatively cheaply.

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That's a good idea; for that matter you could buy an old chart plotter with a video input and just use it as a monitor and potential back up. You got a fantastic deal on that Furuno, they were like 5 grand new.

With a little proper shading and a highly adjustable mount, such as a RAM, a matte screen 300nit monitor works pretty well. My Hatteras came with such a 19" Acer upstairs that worked great, over the years I thought about replacing it with something brighter but just never felt an urgent need. It folded down into a little cabinet with a tinted glass top to protect it from the elements, but not an errant Diet Coke which caused a corner of the screen to go bad. Fortunately you can adjust the data boxes on the Furuno to overcome that sort of faux pas. A big screen like that is really wonderful, getting harder to find in a 4:3 configuration and a non-glossy finish, though you can get glare protectors.



It could be pulled all the way out and up and angled toward the helm. Between the bimini and the cover and the adjustments, it is extremely rare that the sunlight is an issue.