iPad Mini Question

[Stewartb]

Are the newest generation Mini screens better with polarized glass than my Mini 4? I can see my iPhone just fine with sunglasses on but the Mini disappears with my current scrip sunglasses on. I presume the newest iPads use a screen similar to the newest iPhones. Is that correct?

 

[RyanB]

Are the newest generation Mini screens better with polarized glass than my Mini 4? I can see my iPhone just fine with sunglasses on but the Mini disappears with my current scrip sunglasses on. I presume the newest iPads use a screen similar to the newest iPhones. Is that correct?

They do, the new Mini 6 is awesome. It does have the same screen as the latest iPhones.

 

[ChopAndDrop]

> I can see my iPhone just fine with sunglasses
....
> does have the same screen as the latest iPhones.​

going out on a limb here, but I gather that your iPhone might the OLED version screen which works better with polarized glasses, whereas other iPhones and iPad tablets are LCD screens (different technology from OLED) which rely heavily on Polarization filter at their output, and are thus mostly incompatible with polarized glasses.

 

[Racerx]

Ive accidentally brought my polarized sunglasses and would almost rather go without them rather than looking out the windscreen with them.

 

[Martin Pauly]

I know this wasn't your question, @Stewartb, but there are all sorts of avionics displays which are incompatible with polarized sunglasses. I would go as far as recommending against polarized sunglasses for any pilot - sooner or later you'll find yourself unable to read something in a cockpit.

- Martin

 

[Stewartb]

I’ve used polarized lenses for my 30 pilot years and never had a problem until these new glasses. Maui Jim scrips so worth more than the iPad. I’ll try a Mini 6.

 

[GaryP1007]

I’ve used polarized lenses for my 30 pilot years and never had a problem until these new glasses. Maui Jim scrips so worth more than the iPad. I’ll try a Mini 6.

MJ’s are tough. Usually they have a good wrap as well which can distort iPads. At least that has been my experience.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Stewartb]

Distort? Not any Maui Jims I’ve owned. They’re the best optics of any glasses I’ve ever worn. Apparently the Retina display resolves the iPad problem so I’ll pick up a new Mini tomorrow. I’ve got no other issues with digital instruments in my Cessna or the G3X in my Cub, or as stated, with my iPhone. My regular glasses use Transitions gray polarized tint and I don’t have any problem with them including with the iPad.

 

[GaryP1007]

Distort? Not any Maui Jims I’ve owned. They’re the best optics of any glasses I’ve ever worn. Apparently the Retina display resolves the iPad problem so I’ll pick up a new Mini tomorrow. I’ve got no other issues with digital instruments in my Cessna or the G3X in my Cub, or as stated, with my iPhone. My regular glasses use Transitions gray polarized tint and I don’t have any problem with them including with the iPad.

Sounds good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Stewartb]

Mini 6 pirep. The screen vis with polarized glasses is far, far better. Day and night, literally. Function is better, too, since this Mini has the latest iOS and the current GP version, neither of which were supported by the Mini 4. Screen and processor speeds are noticeably better.

I went with the 64g memory, plenty for GP, and did get the cell version for GPS but won’t connect it to cell. I’ve said I’ll never buy another Garmin aviation GPS, and this reinforces that opinion.

 

[Piperonca]

I’ve said I’ll never buy another Garmin aviation GPS, and this reinforces that opinion.

What's wrong with Garmin aviation GPS devices? I was thinking about a used Aera to play with.

 

[nj-pilot]

I know this wasn't your question, @Stewartb, but there are all sorts of avionics displays which are incompatible with polarized sunglasses. I would go as far as recommending against polarized sunglasses for any pilot - sooner or later you'll find yourself unable to read something in a cockpit.

- Martin

100% agree

 

[ChopAndDrop]

What's wrong with Garmin aviation GPS devices? I was thinking about a used Aera to play with.

I Have both Aera 660 and iPad with Foreflight. The iPad is great for pre-flight plannng and approach plates in flight, but too many times it’s overheated or just not visible against the sunlight (in AL / FL). Even in wintertime when heat is not a factor, the bright sunlight makes the iPad hard to see in some angles.
By contrast, our Aera 660 always clearly visible in any conditions. Newer iPads have better screens , but they are not specifically designed to be sunlight readable, like the Aera is.

 

[Piperonca]

I Have both Aera 660 and iPad with Foreflight. The iPad is great for pre-flight plannng and approach plates in flight, but too many times it’s overheated or just not visible against the sunlight (in AL / FL). Even in wintertime when heat is not a factor, the bright sunlight makes the iPad hard to see in some angles.
By contrast, our Aera 660 always clearly visible in any conditions. Newer iPads have better screens , but they are not specifically designed to be sunlight readable, like the Aera is.

How's the Aera on terrain avoidance, keeping out of restricted areas, and updating (compared to FF)? Also battery life if not plugged in.

 

[ChopAndDrop]

How's the Aera on terrain avoidance, keeping out of restricted areas, and updating (compared to FF)? Also battery life if not plugged in.

Mine is mounted to a dock in the instrument panel, so I can’t comment on handheld battery life.

I use it as an additional map display, and usually I leave it on Terrain / Weather (with traffic alerts) all the time. It seems good for terrain/obstacles and airspace, basically just like Garmin Pilot would be on a tablet. If/When my iPad overheats, I can still get airport info and approach/tower frequencies from the Aera. There is suppose to be a way to show restricted areas and airspace on the main map, but this doesn’t work for me when I have Terrain/Weather on also, so I have to switch over to the Sectional chart map to see them. (In reality I use my iPad or 430w to see nearby airspace).

The only thing I get on my tablet , that I can’t easily see on my Aera, is taxiway designations for complex airports. I can zoom-in on the Aera but it doesn’t show the letters/numbers of the taxiways like Foreflight does. The Aera is supposed to have “safe taxi” but either I don’t know how to use it, or maybe it is an extra subscription I don’t have.

Updated are done via WiFi, Need a subscription similar to Garmin Pilot or Navdata updates for any other Garmin navigator. If I had Garmin Pilot subscription it would make sense to combine all under a single update package price, would save some money on the NavData updates.

this info maybe incomplete because I don’t use the Aera as my “Main” EFB, it’s really just there in my panel as a screen for Terrain, Ads-b Weather and Traffic awareness fed from my GDL-50, and for that it works great.

one thing to add about terrain is that if you don’t have a flight plan / destination programmed in, and you start to land at some smaller place, the Aera sometimes doesn’t know that you are intending to meet the ground so it barks “terrain pull-up” warnings if it doesn’t see a destination airport nearby. My avionics shop added a serial-line so that the flight plan from my 430w is auto-filled to my Aera660 which is really nice.

 

[Stewartb]

Can you bundle Garmin Pilot with other flyGarmin data? I maintain a G3X data package on flyGarmin but I can't see how to bundle it with GP.

I live in Alaska. I've never had an iPad overheat, and with my velcro attachment under the glare shield? No direct sun issues. But, if needed, I can pull the iPad off the velcro and there's an Aera 500 in the panel underneath that turns on with the avionics bus, so I always have a backup. Too small to be very useful but it's available in a pinch.

 

[Piperonca]

Mine is mounted to a dock in the instrument panel, so I can’t comment on handheld battery life.

I use it as an additional map display, and usually I leave it on Terrain / Weather (with traffic alerts) all the time. It seems good for terrain/obstacles and airspace, basically just like Garmin Pilot would be on a tablet. If/When my iPad overheats, I can still get airport info and approach/tower frequencies from the Aera. There is suppose to be a way to show restricted areas and airspace on the main map, but this doesn’t work for me when I have Terrain/Weather on also, so I have to switch over to the Sectional chart map to see them. (In reality I use my iPad or 430w to see nearby airspace).

The only thing I get on my tablet , that I can’t easily see on my Aera, is taxiway designations for complex airports. I can zoom-in on the Aera but it doesn’t show the letters/numbers of the taxiways like Foreflight does. The Aera is supposed to have “safe taxi” but either I don’t know how to use it, or maybe it is an extra subscription I don’t have.

Updated are done via WiFi, Need a subscription similar to Garmin Pilot or Navdata updates for any other Garmin navigator. If I had Garmin Pilot subscription it would make sense to combine all under a single update package price, would save some money on the NavData updates.

this info maybe incomplete because I don’t use the Aera as my “Main” EFB, it’s really just there in my panel as a screen for Terrain, Ads-b Weather and Traffic awareness fed from my GDL-50, and for that it works great.

one thing to add about terrain is that if you don’t have a flight plan / destination programmed in, and you start to land at some smaller place, the Aera sometimes doesn’t know that you are intending to meet the ground so it barks “terrain pull-up” warnings if it doesn’t see a destination airport nearby. My avionics shop added a serial-line so that the flight plan from my 430w is auto-filled to my Aera660 which is really nice.

Excellent info—thanks!

 

[Feh]

Have one of the Mini 6’s and zero issues with polarized Oakleys.

I mount it on the bottom corner of the windshield with a Pivot case, and works pretty good.