Chart Plotter: Touch Screen or not?

mikew4 · 21 September 2016, 19:15

I have a RIB on order, and as per advice from supplier, have currently opted for the Garmin Echomap CHIRP 75DV at about £800

I am minded to go upgrade the spec to a touchscreen chart plotter on the basis that anything not touchscreen these days is a bit archaic.

So that takes me to the more expensive Garmin GPSMAP 7407DV at about £1150, which is touchscreen.

I have been advised by the RIB supplier to stick with the cheaper unit and avoid touchscreen, as tricky to use whilst driving the boat. But then I am sure that any chart plotter is tricky to fiddle with whilst on the go...

Just wonder what the masses on here think? Touchscreen or not?

ShinyShoe · 21 September 2016, 19:20

Water droplets or wet fingers on the touch screen are prone to effectively disabling the touch. So unless its touch plus buttons you risk it being disabled by wetness. It doesn't kill it, but you can't control it even when stopped...

Bigtalljv · 21 September 2016, 19:37

I have a Lowrance HDS 9 Gen2 Touch. haven't had any issues with water being a problem, gloves are a bigger problem. It's cold enough, and I am old enough, that I drive in gloves all the time. For the most part you can operate my touch screen in a rudimentary fashion with the few physical buttons but there are a few things that are difficult. The biggest being I have to touch the screen to switch to the music control to change the volume or song :-) even with gloves once they get wet they seem to work but erratically. I went touch screen because I was tight on space and wanted to get the biggest screen I could, I wouldn't do it differently if I had to do it over.

Jason

willk · 21 September 2016, 19:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikew4

Just wonder what the masses on here think? Touchscreen or not?

I have both types fitted. Water hasn't been an issue (and yes, they get wet now and then) and I can't say the touchscreen is overly difficult to use underway. I say that because I'm not doing much with it when underway other than look at it. It would be difficult to place an accurate waypoint while bumping along but changing screens, zoom, etc., is fine. The button kit is more accurate for waypoint placing while moving but waaaay more frustrating to use for everything else. If I had to pick only one I would take a touchscreen. As I had space I fitted a cheap button unit as a backup and extra screen.

The advantages of having two plotters are many and I wouldn't be without either of them by choice. Before anyone comments on space or budget - it doesn't have to be expensive and I ran two on my 6m RIB as well.

willk · 21 September 2016, 19:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

Water droplets or wet fingers on the touch screen are prone to effectively disabling the touch.

You've found that? What model was this with?

Pikey Dave · 21 September 2016, 19:55

I have a Lowrance HDS 9 gen3. I was dubious about the touch screen initially, so went for the gen3 which is both touch & buttons. Absolutely no problem with the touch screen even in VERY wet conditions. My navigator prefers to use the touch over the buttons.

Don't panic! don't panic!

Maximus · 21 September 2016, 20:21

You have the option of locking the Screen on the Garmin touch screen models

Pikey Dave · 21 September 2016, 20:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maximus

You have the option of locking the Screen on the Garmin touch screen models

Yup, also on the HDS, not had to use the screen lock though👍👍

Don't panic! don't panic!

Last Tango · 21 September 2016, 21:25

And you don't mind your screen covered in fingerprints ?

I don't get on well with touch screens on any equipment and don't imagine I'd do any better with a plotter.

ShinyShoe · 21 September 2016, 21:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

You've found that? What model was this with?

The only one I've used wasn't mine and certainly wasn't the newest of models, and that wasn't that recently either. Thought it was a lowrance, but a google of lowrance units doesn't seem to produce anything vaguely similar, no idea of the model. But it seemed to suffer the same as my mobile phone does when it rains and the screen gets wet; it doesn't then seem to know I'm pressing elsewhere as I think it thinks the water droplet is a finger. Wipe the screen and its all wet and nothing works, dry it and everything works again.

I thought some of the Round Irelanders said similar, and suggested the screen lock options were the way to go so you could revert to keys if needed...?

stray · 22 September 2016, 16:05

I've got a Lowrance Elite 7Ti which I use in an F-rib. Touchscreen is way superior, navigation through the menus is faster and easier, even on the move with one hand on the tiller.
Never had any problems when the screen is wet, and that's a regular occurance when I'm fishing. If the screen gets a bit mucky I just put it on screenlock and give it a wipe with a cloth.

Xk59D · 22 September 2016, 16:18

i have both types on my rib and you can't win.

i would pick the one with the features you want in the budget you like and be happy.

there are pros and cons to each and wouldn't get hung up on it either way.

M.Thornton · 22 September 2016, 16:47

We did have problems with touch screen on round Ireland but the conditions were extreme.I think for normal ribbing touch screens are ok. To hedge our bets we have fitted a touchscreen Garmin backed up with separate joystick unit on Fast Forward ,this gives us the best of both worlds

WhiteShark · 22 September 2016, 16:55

I have the Garmin 7410xsv and the touchscreen is magic. It makes it very easy to scale the chart size in and out (you just "pinch" the screen like its a big iPhone or an iPad) and switching between different screens and functions is easy. It works fine when soaking wet so I am not sure where that comes from, maybe affects other makes more.

True it is difficult to operate accurately when bouncing along at 50 knots, but that would be true with small physical buttons as well. Should probably be watching the water ahead in that case anyway.

mikew4 · 28 September 2016, 18:24

To me having touch screen is a no-brainer, and counter intuitive to not have it these days.

However the touch screen units are still very expensive. So after much research, thought and agonising I went for a non-touch screen model; a Garmin echomap 95SV.

By all accounts I have seen the echomaps are awesome devices, as are the gpsmaps with touchscreen.

I simply could not justify the considerable extra money on the touchscreen versions and decided to keep the difference back for other essential stuff. I am already pushing the budget with the new boat which is starting to be built this week !

I did however pay the relatively small price premium to go for the Echomap 95 over the 75, giving me a 9" screen over 7".

I may well live to regret this decision....but....my reckoning is that in the next year or two the price premium for touchscreen plotters will plummet. So will review then.

Personally I wish Garmin would release a separate module that provides buttons, and the module plugs into back of touch screen plotter. The button module can then be mounted anywhere in the cockpit to suit.

I am however getting the Mercury Gateway which provides engine data over NMEA2000 for display on the plotter. This option was cheap and carries over to any plotter upgrade.

Xk59D · 28 September 2016, 18:27

there is no way prices are plummeting, the tech will simply get better and you keep paying top whack for the best kit. also, it is a boat, prices NEVER go down.

mikew4 · 28 September 2016, 18:32

Prices of tech always comes down in relative terms, regardless of market sector. Touch screens get cheaper all the time as they become more ubiquitous and commoditised.

Sure new models will come out with new bells and whistles and prices remain higher. But at the same time, the stuff at bottom end inherits the not so new bells and whistles...

Xk59D · 28 September 2016, 18:35

sure if you want 5 year old tech it will be less, but they have a habbit of discontinuing things to keep prices where they are.

B.O.A.T.....Break Out Another Thousand

not a chance we will be paying less for the best stuff in a couple of years, why....because it is the marine sector and not the volume of say a mobile phone (my new note was £750 btw so price not coming down there mores the pity)

mikew4 · 28 September 2016, 18:37

OK we'll see then. My money is on the higher end Echomap devices (75, 95) either getting touchscreens for similar money, or being replaced by GPSMAP, in the next 1 - 2 seasons.

Xk59D · 28 September 2016, 18:44

touch screens being better is very subjective. i have one of each and in good weather the touchscreen is good but in normal UK weather the buttons one is better. i don't think we are close to a full touch screen line up, certainly not in 1-2 seasons.

oh btw, both my plotters are garmin so i do have experience of them.