Panel Geography
I'm starting to think about wiring my plane, so I'm thinking about what my panel is going to look like and that brings up the idea of tablets.
I was around when we saw the exponential growth of microcomputers, and we are now seeing the same thing with tablets, which are actually thin flat microcomputers. Multi-processor, gigabyte, HIGH RES microcomputers.
Tablets are getting faster, more powerful, networked, sharper, have greater capacity in processor, memory and storage. And cheaper.
I believe that EVERYONE who is planning a panel today better plan for a panel mounted tablet.
* Cut a hole for the tablet? Nope. You will not know if your tablet will be 7", 8" 10" or even 12". RAM type mounts that allow the tablet to snap onto the surface and slide in and out. Remember, there is a good chance you will be replacing you panel tablet every three years!
* Power? the USB connector is becoming pretty universal, so you need to have an internal power source that a USB cable can plug into. Cigarette lighter outlet? Nah. Behind the panel is better, and these work today, like from Blue Sea Systems:
* Do I need wiring for a network connection? Nope, WiFi and Bluetooth will be the defacto standard for tablet devices. External GPS (if needed), ADS-B, AHARS and other devices we have not yet even thought of will be wireless. How about a high resolution camera that can see in the dark and in clouds?
The question is no longer "Should I buy a tablet?" but rather, "When should I buy my tablet?"
Tablets are the future. And that is when my plane will fly.
CC
I'm starting to think about wiring my plane, so I'm thinking about what my panel is going to look like and that brings up the idea of tablets.
I was around when we saw the exponential growth of microcomputers, and we are now seeing the same thing with tablets, which are actually thin flat microcomputers. Multi-processor, gigabyte, HIGH RES microcomputers.
Tablets are getting faster, more powerful, networked, sharper, have greater capacity in processor, memory and storage. And cheaper.
I believe that EVERYONE who is planning a panel today better plan for a panel mounted tablet.
* Cut a hole for the tablet? Nope. You will not know if your tablet will be 7", 8" 10" or even 12". RAM type mounts that allow the tablet to snap onto the surface and slide in and out. Remember, there is a good chance you will be replacing you panel tablet every three years!
* Power? the USB connector is becoming pretty universal, so you need to have an internal power source that a USB cable can plug into. Cigarette lighter outlet? Nah. Behind the panel is better, and these work today, like from Blue Sea Systems:
* Do I need wiring for a network connection? Nope, WiFi and Bluetooth will be the defacto standard for tablet devices. External GPS (if needed), ADS-B, AHARS and other devices we have not yet even thought of will be wireless. How about a high resolution camera that can see in the dark and in clouds?
The question is no longer "Should I buy a tablet?" but rather, "When should I buy my tablet?"
Tablets are the future. And that is when my plane will fly.
CC