mini-map

[Gaetan Trudel]

Hi
The LX web site says that I can use the MIni-map kb with my LX 5000.
It is somewhat pricey at $ 1600 with Seeyou mobile at twice the price
of a OUDIE who is not really readable in the sun.
Anyone has use it and care to comment.
Regards
S6

[Darryl Ramm]

On Nov 20, 1:04*pm, Gaetan Trudel > wrote:
> Hi
> The LX web site says that I can use the MIni-map kb with my LX 5000.
> It is somewhat pricey at $ 1600 with Seeyou mobile at twice the price
> of a OUDIE who is not really readable in the sun.
> Anyone has use it and care to comment.
> Regards
> S6

I played with a demo unit outside in the sun recently and was
impressed. Daylight readable with touchscreen. Whole different league
of daylight visibility than the Oudie. High resolution but smallish
and the touchscreen means it probably needs to be on a mount close to
you. I think the factory metal mount looks a bit agricultural but no
doubt works. The screen is glossy but did not seem to be a problem.

I have a strong bias that the modular/open approach with ability to
mix and match display, soaring software and back-end GPS/air data etc.
Is the right way to go.

Darryl

[Max Kellermann]

Gaetan Trudel > wrote:
> The LX web site says that I can use the MIni-map kb with my LX 5000.
> It is somewhat pricey at $ 1600 with Seeyou mobile at twice the price
> of a OUDIE who is not really readable in the sun.
> Anyone has use it and care to comment.

I saw the LX Mini Map yesterday at a conference, and I compared it to
my Altair (which Triadis donated to me for XCSoar development) - the
Altair has the brightest display I had seen so far, which makes it a
good reference.

LX Navigation Germany showed it side-by-side with an old iPaq, but
they configured a low brightness on the iPaq, which seemed like an
unfair trick to misguide potential customers.

Initially, the LX Mini Map looked a lot brighter than my Altair, but
it turned out the Altair dims down when its light sensor reports low
environment brightness, while the LX Mini Map was always at 100%. May
be another trick to get potential customers to say "wow". After we
pointed a flashlight at Altair's sensor, it became a lot brighter, and
in the end, both looked the same. There was no direct sunlight in the
hall, but it is safe to assume that the LX does as well as the Altair.

The Altair's screen resolution is 320x240, while the LX has 800x480.
Naturally, the LX can show more details, which is very convenient.
And it has a touch screen, something the Altair lacks.

Technically, the LX is just a PDA with a better display (very bright
LED backlight).

After I inserted my own SD card, I could launch XCSoar 6.0, works like
any other PDA/PNA, as expected.

Max

[Darryl Ramm]

On Nov 22, 4:29*am, Max Kellermann > wrote:
> Gaetan Trudel > wrote:
> > The LX web site says that I can use the MIni-map kb with my LX 5000.
> > It is somewhat pricey at $ 1600 with Seeyou mobile at twice the price
> > of a OUDIE who is not really readable in the sun.
> > Anyone has use it and care to comment.
>
> I saw the LX Mini Map yesterday at a conference, and I compared it to
> my Altair (which Triadis donated to me for XCSoar development) - the
> Altair has the brightest display I had seen so far, which makes it a
> good reference.
>
> LX Navigation Germany showed it side-by-side with an old iPaq, but
> they configured a low brightness on the iPaq, which seemed like an
> unfair trick to misguide potential customers.
>
> Initially, the LX Mini Map looked a lot brighter than my Altair, but
> it turned out the Altair dims down when its light sensor reports low
> environment brightness, while the LX Mini Map was always at 100%. *May
> be another trick to get potential customers to say "wow". *After we
> pointed a flashlight at Altair's sensor, it became a lot brighter, and
> in the end, both looked the same. *There was no direct sunlight in the
> hall, but it is safe to assume that the LX does as well as the Altair.
>
> The Altair's screen resolution is 320x240, while the LX has 800x480.
> Naturally, the LX can show more details, which is very convenient.
> And it has a touch screen, something the Altair lacks.
>
> Technically, the LX is just a PDA with a better display (very bright
> LED backlight).
>
> After I inserted my own SD card, I could launch XCSoar 6.0, works like
> any other PDA/PNA, as expected.
>
> Max

Comparing "daylight" readable displays inside may just not be an
interesting comparison. The human eye will significantly reduce the
apparent differences and other things like resolution, color
temperature of the back-light etc. can skew the apparent results. I'm
reminded of how much better the iPAQ 310 often looks indoors next to a
iPAQ 4700 but in direct sunlight they are really close. Glossy screen/
anti-reflective coatings don't get judged either. Which is why several
of us at a recent seminar I was at asked to see the Mini Map outside
and Richard from Craggy Aero promptly walked outside with us with his
demo unit and a battery and we played with it in the parking lot. I'd
be interested in feedback from people who are flying with one today.

Lack of touch screen and low-resolution would make the Altair a non-
starter for me, so the question is is there a better daylight
readable, touchscreen display able to run popular soaring software?

Darryl

[Richard[_9_]]

On Nov 22, 4:29*am, Max Kellermann > wrote:
> Gaetan Trudel > wrote:
> > The LX web site says that I can use the MIni-map kb with my LX 5000.
> > It is somewhat pricey at $ 1600 with Seeyou mobile at twice the price
> > of a OUDIE who is not really readable in the sun.
> > Anyone has use it and care to comment.
>
> I saw the LX Mini Map yesterday at a conference, and I compared it to
> my Altair (which Triadis donated to me for XCSoar development) - the
> Altair has the brightest display I had seen so far, which makes it a
> good reference.
>
> LX Navigation Germany showed it side-by-side with an old iPaq, but
> they configured a low brightness on the iPaq, which seemed like an
> unfair trick to misguide potential customers.
>
> Initially, the LX Mini Map looked a lot brighter than my Altair, but
> it turned out the Altair dims down when its light sensor reports low
> environment brightness, while the LX Mini Map was always at 100%. *May
> be another trick to get potential customers to say "wow". *After we
> pointed a flashlight at Altair's sensor, it became a lot brighter, and
> in the end, both looked the same. *There was no direct sunlight in the
> hall, but it is safe to assume that the LX does as well as the Altair.
>
> The Altair's screen resolution is 320x240, while the LX has 800x480.
> Naturally, the LX can show more details, which is very convenient.
> And it has a touch screen, something the Altair lacks.
>
> Technically, the LX is just a PDA with a better display (very bright
> LED backlight).
>
> After I inserted my own SD card, I could launch XCSoar 6.0, works like
> any other PDA/PNA, as expected.
>
> Max

Max,

Sunlight readabilty of displays has less to do with brightness (nits)
than other factors.
The more important factors are coatings (two different are required
for excellent sun readability), contrast ratio, touch overlay or lack
of, size and screen resolution.

I have seen the following displays and made comparisons in direct
sunlight IMHO the viewabiltiy from best to least below:

Craggy Aero Ultimate
LX9000
ClearNav
Altair
LX8000
LX MiniMap
Oudie
HP4700
HP 310
Ipaqs

You will notice that the displays without touch screen overlays are
all on the top of the list.

The Ultimate is the most viewable as it has 2 coatings, no touch
overlay, high contrast ratio, vga resolution, largest screen size and
the brightest backlight (nits).

Richard
www.craggyaero.com