Sunlight Readable I Pad - when?

WDD

WDD

Final Approach
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Vintage Snazzy (so my adult children say)
I am so tired of being on top of scattered clouds on a bright and sunny day and the I Pad is so washed out it is painful to read.

I'd consider a Garmin Aera except I'd need another $750 GDL 50 to get traffic and who knows how much annually to get up to date charts.

So to get sunlight readable with traffic it will cost around $2500, plus I get less than Fore Flight.

But wait, there's more - add another $1500 for a Flight Stream to have it talk to the GTN.

I might be back to trying to find a dark hood like the photographers in 1800's used. Shouldn't be distracting when configuring for an approach.


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WDD said:
I am so tired of being on top of scattered clouds on a bright and sunny day and the I Pad is so washed out it is painful to read.
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I don't think I would have used the word "painful", but otherwise I'm with you on that. Over 10 years of iPads now and always the same issue.

I have partially solved the problem, however, by flying shadier airplanes...

For example, the PA-46 series may seem like looking out from a military "pillbox", but it sure does help with the iPad readability.

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Just wait until the sun dims somewhat. Could be a few billion years.

Otherwise get an up to date Samsung and convince FF to get an android version out.

Hmm, we are boxed in! ;)

* Orest
 
Ifly has a device that's about 3x the brightness of the iPad. Unfortunately they still aren't talking to garmin avionics.

My current android tablet has the same 500nit rating as the new mini. At first it was unusable, but I got a matte anti-glare screen protector, and that solved it for me. I fly cherokees, so they may have less of an issue than planes with bigger windows.
 
I have the same problem with my iPad Mini in my Beech. I put an ArmorGlas anti-glare shield on the iPad and that helped a tiny bit, but it's still not nearly bright enough. I've been considering the iFly unit and would love to hear from anyone who's using one.

I'll probably download the iFly app onto my iPad (30 day free trial) and if I like it well enough then buy the hardware. I'm using a Stratus ESG + 3i and I think the iFly unit is compatible.
 
One would think that ForeFlight, being the provider of the premier aviation EFB, would want their product to run on hardware that’s more suitable for aviation, rather than something with a crappy dim screen and electronics that overheats in the cockpit. Doesn't make much sense to me.
 
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Half Fast said:
I've been considering the iFly unit and would love to hear from anyone who's using one.

I'll probably download the iFly app onto my iPad (30 day free trial) and if I like it well enough then buy the hardware.
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I have the iFly 740b and it works well in my bubble canopy airplane. 1100 nits of brightness makes it easy to read in sunlight and it doesn't overheat. Along with that I have the iFly app loaded on my iPhone 12.
 
Daleandee said:
I have the iFly 740b and it works well in my bubble canopy airplane. 1100 nits of brightness makes it easy to read in sunlight and it doesn't overheat. Along with that I have the iFly app loaded on my iPhone 12.
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Thanks. I may give it a try. From their comparison chart, it looks like the only thing I’d give up from FF would be the W&B function. Can I run a spreadsheet on the 740b?
 
Half Fast said:
Thanks. I may give it a try. From their comparison chart, it looks like the only thing I’d give up from FF would be the W&B function. Can I run a spreadsheet on the 740b?
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There is a scratch pad but I don't know of any provision for running a spreadsheet. You can email them or give than a call as they are extremely friendly and very customer service oriented.

They take consumer need/want requests and seek to integrate them into their software. I'd like to have a W&B function myself but for my simple plane the math is pretty quick and easy to do.
 
We have come a long way in the last 50 years....to complain about a dim screen on an EFB that has more capability than all the avionics we had in the 1970's.

I am addicted to FF...tried all other EFB platforms...not going to change, but it would be great if someone had a solution to the readability issue on my ipad.
 
Daleandee said:
I have the iFly 740b and it works well in my bubble canopy airplane. 1100 nits of brightness makes it easy to read in sunlight and it doesn't overheat. Along with that I have the iFly app loaded on my iPhone 12.
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Interesting - in the plane, I only need approach charts, weather/current metar, and moving map with traffic. The flight planning, W&B, NOTUM, weather, winds, etc. all would be done on the ground with F Flight. How hard / easy is it to read charts and whatnot on a 7 inch screen?
 
Doug Reid said:
We have come a long way in the last 50 years....to complain about a dim screen on an EFB that has more capability than all the avionics we had in the 1970's.

I am addicted to FF...tried all other EFB platforms...not going to change, but it would be great if someone had a solution to the readability issue on my ipad.
Click to expand...

Yes, this is a first class "1st world problem". I'm also addicted to F Flight, but fighting to read the washed out screen is distracting I'm finding.
 
WDD said:
Interesting - in the plane, I only need approach charts, weather/current metar, and moving map with traffic. The flight planning, W&B, NOTUM, weather, winds, etc. all would be done on the ground with F Flight. How hard / easy is it to read charts and whatnot on a 7 inch screen?
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Certainly I could do w&b, etc., on the ground with FF, but I’d prefer to only deal with one device and one subscription. If I can’t do w&b on the iFly hardware, I suppose I’d just do it on my phone, possibly using FltPlnGO.

My Beech can have the CG too far forward unless I’m careful in loading. Sometimes it takes a bit of fussing (do I add ballast in the luggage compartment or swap passengers between front and rear seats?) which is much quicker with an app.
 
WDD said:
I am so tired of being on top of scattered clouds on a bright and sunny day and the I Pad is so washed out it is painful to read.

I'd consider a Garmin Aera except I'd need another $750 GDL 50 to get traffic and who knows how much annually to get up to date charts.

So to get sunlight readable with traffic it will cost around $2500, plus I get less than Fore Flight.

But wait, there's more - add another $1500 for a Flight Stream to have it talk to the GTN.

I might be back to trying to find a dark hood like the photographers in 1800's used. Shouldn't be distracting when configuring for an approach.


View attachment 100664
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Paper charts or Long brimmed fishing hat.
 
WDD said:
How hard / easy is it to read charts and whatnot on a 7 inch screen?
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With or without the readers on? :D I have the app on my iPhone but I don't use it in flight. It's more for planning purposes. Easier to see on the big screen anyway.

I don't fly IFR (except when following railroads, rivers, or roads) so I can't comment on the ease of seeing those. I also have my weather planning done on the ground but weather changes and inflight weather on the iFly is nice to have.

I fly an experimental and have a uAvionix ECHO unit for ADSB in/out. Traffic & weather display on the iFly. It also has features to extend the runway(s) where you intend to land and will give the best runway option based on winds. I haven't used these features in flight as the wind sock is a "live and up to date" wind forecasting device that most airports have.
 
WDD said:
Yes, this is a first class "1st world problem". I'm also addicted to F Flight, but fighting to read the washed out screen is distracting I'm finding.
Click to expand...

The newest iPads supposedly have brighter screens.
 
WDD said:
I am so tired of being on top of scattered clouds on a bright and sunny day and the I Pad is so washed out it is painful to read.

I'd consider a Garmin Aera except I'd need another $750 GDL 50 to get traffic and who knows how much annually to get up to date charts.

So to get sunlight readable with traffic it will cost around $2500, plus I get less than Fore Flight.

But wait, there's more - add another $1500 for a Flight Stream to have it talk to the GTN.

I might be back to trying to find a dark hood like the photographers in 1800's used. Shouldn't be distracting when configuring for an approach.


View attachment 100664
Click to expand...

The regular IPAD's suck....
Have you read the specs? Buy the PRO series and it has a nice antiglare screen that is readable just fine in the direct sun.... I have the PRO 10.5 and never had a problem flying in the Texas sun in my Pitts or Eagle with the sun coming straight through the canopy shining on the ipad.
I did have problems at first with the cheap ipad I bought. The PRO series cost more for a reason.
I have had mine on every flight the last several years in all types of planes and never once had a problem seeing my screen.
The antiglere stupid screen protectors on the cheap ipads also make the problem worse.... I had friends tell me they can't see their ipad and I tell them because they are cheap and buy cheap junk. LOL :)
 
E
pigpenracing said:
The regular IPAD's suck....
Have you read the specs? Buy the PRO series and it has a nice antiglare screen that is readable just fine in the direct sun.... I have the PRO 10.5 and never had a problem flying in the Texas sun in my Pitts or Eagle with the sun coming straight through the canopy shining on the ipad.
I did have problems at first with the cheap ipad I bought. The PRO series cost more for a reason.
I have had mine on every flight the last several years in all types of planes and never once had a problem seeing my screen.
The antiglere stupid screen protectors on the cheap ipads also make the problem worse.... I had friends tell me they can't see their ipad and I tell them because they are cheap and buy cheap junk. LOL :)
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Even the Pro only has a 600 nit screen. And it’s not available in anything smaller than 11 inch.
 
Half Fast said:
E



Even the Pro only has a 600 nit screen. And it’s not available in anything smaller than 11 inch.
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What's wrong with 11"?
I have used my older 10.5 PRO in Cessna's, Bonanza's, Stearman's, Cubs, even a tiny S1 Pitts and never found it to big. I mount it in each plane with a RAM mount so it isn't on my leg or anything like that.
 
pigpenracing said:
What's wrong with 11"?
I have used my older 10.5 PRO in Cessna's, Bonanza's, Stearman's, Cubs, even a tiny S1 Pitts and never found it to big. I mount it in each plane with a RAM mount so it isn't on my leg or anything like that.
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Can’t make it fit without blocking my view of the panel. A Mini fits on my panel nicely just below the radio.
 
I want a rugged case...the only case for the new iPad mini is Apple's, and it's a piece of $60 garbage. Yes, it kinda keeps it from being scratched but that's all. I've contacted OtterBox and Targus - they won't have a rugged case until mid-December. Odd - they knew a new size unit was coming out, so why didn't they plan ahead?
 
Thinking out loud here. Maybe buy something like this. It is Android OS, so you could run the IFly App. Then again, if I was only doing this for in the cockpit use, the I Fly 740b is the same cost and is built to not over heat in the plane, is configured to be mounted, has a WAAS GPS built in, etc.

https://www.amazon.com/TRIPLTEK-Brightness-Processor-Construction-Brightest/dp/B08P2SG2NL/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=sunlight+readable+tablet&qid=1633438693&refinements=p_72:1248879011&rnid=1248877011&s=electronics&sr=1-3

TRIPLTEK Tablet 7" High Brightness 1200 nits, 4G LTE Unlocked, 6GB/128GB, Android 8.1, 8 Core Processor, Long Battery Life 10000mah, Rugged Military Construction,
 
murphey said:
I want a rugged case...the only case for the new iPad mini is Apple's, and it's a piece of $60 garbage. Yes, it kinda keeps it from being scratched but that's all. I've contacted OtterBox and Targus - they won't have a rugged case until mid-December. Odd - they knew a new size unit was coming out, so why didn't they plan ahead?
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The Apple iPhone cases are still garbage. Otterbox makes amazing cases, but several phone versions ago (I don't upgrade often) I got a brand new phone and the new Otterbox just released for it--and the port for the headphone jack was in the wrong place. So I assume they'd been given bad pre-release design info on the latest iPhone, rushed to build to that spec, and got burned. When I got my latest iPhone, I again rejected the Apple case and I had to wait two weeks or so for the Otterbox to be available.
 
WDD said:
Thinking out loud here. Maybe buy something like this. It is Android OS, so you could run the IFly App. Then again, if I was only doing this for in the cockpit use, the I Fly 740b is the same cost and is built to not over heat in the plane, is configured to be mounted, has a WAAS GPS built in, etc.

https://www.amazon.com/TRIPLTEK-Brightness-Processor-Construction-Brightest/dp/B08P2SG2NL/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=sunlight+readable+tablet&qid=1633438693&refinements=p_72:1248879011&rnid=1248877011&s=electronics&sr=1-3

TRIPLTEK Tablet 7" High Brightness 1200 nits, 4G LTE Unlocked, 6GB/128GB, Android 8.1, 8 Core Processor, Long Battery Life 10000mah, Rugged Military Construction,
Click to expand...


Might be a decent option. It would have much longer battery life than the 740b, too.
 
iPhone 12 max is something like 1500 max brightness…I’m guessing an iPad would at that brightness would suck the life out of the battery.
 
MooneyDriver78 said:
iPhone 12 max is something like 1500 max brightness…I’m guessing an iPad would at that brightness would suck the life out of the battery.
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Yeah, maybe, but you don’t have to run it full bright when you don’t need to.
 
WDD said:
TRIPLTEK Tablet 7" High Brightness 1200 nits, 4G LTE Unlocked, 6GB/128GB, Android 8.1, 8 Core Processor, Long Battery Life 10000mah, Rugged Military Construction,
Click to expand...
Their newest 8" model has a nicely upgraded screen, comparable to the iPad mini's (but heavier and thicker).
 
MooneyDriver78 said:
iPhone 12 max is something like 1500 max brightness…I’m guessing an iPad would at that brightness would suck the life out of the battery.
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Apple's website notes that the iPhone 12's maximum brightness is 625 nits whereas the iPhone 12 Pro's maximum brightness is 800 nits.
 
t3chiman said:
Their newest 8" model has a nicely upgraded screen, comparable to the iPad mini's (but heavier and thicker).
Click to expand...
Nice add - $200 more than the 7 inch tablet or the I Fly 740b, BUT it is larger, and specs show a large improvement in resolution (2560X1600 Pixels vs I Fly 800X480). Also a small NIT increase from 1100 to 1200.

How stupid would it be to have an I Pad AND pay ForeFlight annual AND buy this AND pay I Fly annual. No way. Nope. Now, how am I going to attach this to my RAM mount........
 
WDD said:
Apple's website notes that the iPhone 12's maximum brightness is 625 nits whereas the iPhone 12 Pro's maximum brightness is 800 nits.
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Since you’re getting nit-picky ;-), specs actually read:
800 nits max brightness (typical); 1200 nits max brightness (HDR)
I don’t know what HDR has to do with it.
 
MooneyDriver78 said:
Since you’re getting nit-picky ;-), specs actually read:
800 nits max brightness (typical); 1200 nits max brightness (HDR)
I don’t know what HDR has to do with it.
Click to expand...
I'm guessing that means you get 1200 nits when playing a video or looking at a photo.
 
OP may want to look at some of the IPad shades made for drone pilots. They just fit around the edge of the IPad and block most of the bright light. I bought one for IPad mini 4 but have not tried it out yet.
 
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