Wayne.B wrote:
<snip>
> On of the features of the Panasonic wireless touch screen that looks
> valuable is the ability to dim the screen to a low level. That is
> really important at night and I have yet to find a laptop display with
> sufficient dimming capability. I have to keep the laptop cover closed
> much of the time to preserve night vision.
Never underestimate the need for both good daylight brightness and also
equally good night dimming on those displays. The Raymarine C series
and E series have finally started getting it right as far as being
useful for both day and night use. But there are still some limitations.
When you have big 8", 10", 12", and even 14" displays at the helm, and
want to use them at night, you'll find that those will intrude on your
night vision some even at the dimmest settings that lets them be useful.
Last year, when I used the Raymarine C12 dimmed way down at night, I
still had to move to the side and lean forward over the dash (to get the
dimmed down screen below and out of my line of sight) to discern details
on the water when entering a port at night. It took three to five
seconds to make the transition from using the display to being able to
see much outside the boat.
It is almost essential to have two or more pairs of eyes at night and
have one person keep their eyes isolated from the display and helm area
and working the ambient light issues while the other works the dimmed
down chart plotter with a split screen or superimposed radar display and
the other instruments.
The spec sheet for the Toughbook Wireless Display says that it has the
brightness range of 5 NIT to 460 NIT and that will probably work well
for both day and night and maybe with direct sunlight on the display
too. But I have a hunch that direct sunlight on the screen may wash out
the visibility quite a bit. How good or useful it will be almost has
to be determined under the actual conditions of use.
Toughbook makes another model of the wireless display that is called the
PDRC (Permanent Display Removable Computer):
ftp://ftp.panasonic.com/pub/Panasonic/toughbook/specsheets/s_TBPDRC.pdf
That is a fixed mount tablet PC display and separate wireless keyboard
that will work as a companion with the Toughbook 19 or 30 models.
The PDRC display and keyboard are suitable for use in nearly any
environment. The PDRC display has a screen brightness of 1250 NIT.
That would, I assume, certainly be easily viewable under any daylight
conditions. Of course, at 1250 NIT, it would also be capable of welding
eyelids shut at night. But it is stated to be "fully adjustable" (for
brightness I assume) so it may dim down and still be good enough for
night use too. But it is quite an investment at $2,200 or more.
When you tot up the cost of a Toughbook laptop and one of the wireless
displays, you are getting into the cost range of one of the better
marine grade systems like the Raymarines.
Jack
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