My first post on here

I'm most impressed with the software, and will buy it when the trial period is over.

At present I use a 296 under my bubble canopy (no shade anywhere useful), and it is readable even in the brightest sunlight.

The 296 manual doesn't tell you it's brightness (in nits or any other unit); could anyone who has first hand experience of a 296 and the Skydemon hardware under a bubble canopy tell me how they compare?

I have read the threads on Navigons and cheaper hardware alternatives, and might be willing to take up one of those options for the sake of increased readability - or just keep the 296 for now.

Many thanks

Ican give some personal pointers. I think 296 is 400 nits as is navigon 8410/8450. Navigon is certainly as readable in bright conditions as 296. Cheap aware type 4.3" unit is nearly as bright but it is noticeable. Most larger 7" devices are significantly less bright. But as u may have seen a US sourced 7" unit by Navsgo is said to be 400 nits. .. Shd know in a few days as Screetch has ordered one.



I have 8410 but still use garmin as primary unit (nb u can send router from SD to 296) as it is dedicated aviation unit and v robust. But vertical nav, notam and other warnings plus the backup make use of SD mobile a real boon IMHO.



Cheers D

PS v responsive improvements from Tim and his team are xclt too!

Our own Mobile SD hardware is around 300nits and we don't advise it as suitable for use in bubble canopies. Later this year we should have some different hardware to offer, with a bigger and brighter screen.

Hi, can you advise when later this year? Also, what sort of hardware are you planning to offer? What about some guide price info?

I'm in the market for a portable GPS and I am in discussion with Aware with regards their Airbox 5 Plus, but if the news is good from SD, I might just hang on.

SF

Sussex Flyer

As soon as we have anything more concrete to announce, we'll do so on here. That's all the info I can currently give.

The original "aware" 4.3" unit is available from china (minus aware software) for £40 delivered. Same people do a 5" unit for v little more. Screetch is currently evaluating a 7" unit from Navsgo that claims 400nits.



SD does all that aware does and very much more besides. Lots of people are getting a cheap Chinese device while waiting for the bigger screens to be usable in bright conditions.



Cheers. David.

There isn't a great deal of point in comparing the NITS value of the 296 with touchscreen GPS units.



The 296 has a very high quality LCD module with a proper anti-reflective coating, and is far more readable in flight than a similarly 'bright' touch screen device.