Tablet mount in TJ?

[DAA]

So, it looks like I'm probably going to have to switch to a tablet for navigation. No idea which tablet or app I'll end up with, but safe to say it will be a 7" to 10" tablet.

Would like some mount ideas. Presume there is a Ram mount solution, but have not seen anything really TJ/LJ specific yet. If you have one, post up pics and part numbers! For my Jeep, I'll hard mount power and a GPS dongle if needed and want a good solid permanent mounting solution that hopefully lets me position the tablet where it's in the least way.

Would also like to be able to use it in my truck or my buddies truck. So, any "soft" or portable mounting setups would be good to see too!

- DAA

 

[Kevin B.]

I'll just say that I bought a 10" tablet computer with the idea that part of its job would be GPS navigation, and I'm thinking about buying another one in the 7" variety because 10" is bigger than you think once you hold it up to the dashboard.

Also, I don't know your preferences in operating systems, but I couldn't research a way to get a tablet with a mobile OS that wasn't cell enabled to take an external GPS. I went with a full 8.1 tablet-computer instead of an Android or Ithingy for exactly that reason. Toshiba Encore 2, walked out of Best Buy with it and two years of unlimited warranty for around $200. Probably going to grab a copy of Delorme Topo, which will take a bluetooth GPS.

Haven't figured out the mount yet, so I'll be watching this thread for that.

 

[rholbrook]

A great idea. I did a quick search and there are a lot of options. Here is one on Ebay. Lots of options here

 

[DAA]

I'll just say that I bought a 10" tablet computer with the idea that part of its job would be GPS navigation, and I'm thinking about buying another one in the 7" variety because 10" is bigger than you think once you hold it up to the dashboard.

Also, I don't know your preferences in operating systems, but I couldn't research a way to get a tablet with a mobile OS that wasn't cell enabled to take an external GPS.

Well crap... I was thinking smaller will be better, not a lot of room in a TJ, so 7" is where I figured I'd be going. But I just sorta figured any Android tablet could take either a Bluetooth or USB external receiver. You're saying "uh-uh" though. That will be a wrinkle to figure out, for sure. I've already got mapping apps that will run on a Windows device, don't mind going that route necessarily, but without having looked, I suspect those will all be of the bigger than 7" variety.

Guess I better get to looking.

A great idea. I did a quick search and there are a lot of options. Here is one on Ebay. Lots of options here

Thanks for some legwork Russ! That one on ebay is no Bueno for me. Can't be covering up my dash like that, for a couple of reasons. First glance, there might be one or two that could work on that other link though. One of the window mounts might be the way to go for portable, in other vehicles, but I want something more solid for the Jeep. One of those floor mounts might work.

Issues to work around include a manual transmission and a frequent passenger that is just rough on everything. If any part of the mount or tablet ends up in his space it will need to be pretty tough to survive. He wears crap out on that side of the Jeep like I can't hardly believe.

Thinking if I can find a 7" device, all I really need is some way to hold it onto a Ram ball bolted to the top of the dash. A bigger device and I'll have to be more creative though.

- DAA

 

[Skylinerider]

This one looks decent: http://www.arkon.com/tablet-accessories/heavy-duty-tablet-floor-car-mount.html But I'm always leery about the clamp setup and how well they stay clamped to the tablet on rough roads.

 

[nnnnnate]

I've been pretty pleased with my android 2012 Nexus 7. In fact I was just looking at some tracks it plotted last summer in Beef Basin to prep for an upcoming trip and am very happy with the info. I use Backcountry Navigator for the app with the free maps. There is the option to purchase different ones but I've been pleased with these.

I have an X-grip ram holder for my phone that hangs off a bar mounted to the top of my dash. I was going to buy one for the tablet but just didn't get around to it but if I wanted to get it mounted I would certainly buy another x-grip. Its done awesome with my Note4 and previous Nexus4 phones. I never bought one for the tablet because I've been more of a follower than a leader on the trips where I needed better maps.

Sorry I'm not more helpful with the mounting options. I think going with RAM would be a super solid choice though.

 

[DAA]

That X-grip looks promising. Looks like I could probably find a simple base for it to mount on top of the dash in my Jeep and get a separate windshield mount for portable use. The more I look at it and think about it, 7" is really how I'd prefer to roll. A 10" device is just going to be harder to package in the Jeep and is way more screen than I actually need for nav which is really all this device is going to get used for.

I need to start looking at devices I suppose. Don't like the 16:9 aspect ratio of most Android tablets for nav, ideally I'd find one in a 4:3 shape, 7", that will take both USB and Bluetooth external GPS. I have Backcountry Navigator and Gaia on my S5. Have mostly used the Gaia. It's okay. I like Terrain Navigator much better, but I'll need a Windows device to run it.

Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky and succeed in repairing my old Garmin when the parts finally get here. I'm thinking I better start planning for it's replacement though...

- DAA

 

[thefirstzukman]

From my experience anything with a joint in the mount that changes the direction of the tablet is not going to work for anything more than the highway. Even the ram mounts fail when you get to the rough spots, it takes something beefy or solid to handle much weight.

 

[DAA]

Good point and definitely something to consider! Thinking if I go the adjustable/ball route and the joint won't stay put, maybe adjust it where I want it and epoxy that sucker.

- DAA

 

[4wheelair.com]

www.proclipusa.com

Out of the way as far as passenger and driver. It does block your vents and radio though. Built in charger hardwired to Jeep. I haven't had any issues with the mount or tablet being loose.

-4wheelair.com

 

[DAA]

Yeah, blocking vents and radio is something I want to avoid if possible. Right now, I'm thinking X-grip, on a very short arm w/ball socket type deal, attached to a base which will be firmly mounted in the change holder on top of the dash. Ideally, it would be just barely in front of the dash, blocking not more than the top 1/3 of the vents. I don't have the actual part #'s figured out yet though.

Don't have a tablet picked out yet either. Still totally undecided between Windows or Android. Think I'm leaning towards Windows, because I think I like the nav apps better, but, not really decided on that yet.

Parts for my old Garmin circuit board should be here tomorrow afternoon. If that repair doesn't work, I'll be starting to move a whole lot faster on this...

- DAA

 

[nnnnnate]

From my experience anything with a joint in the mount that changes the direction of the tablet is not going to work for anything more than the highway. Even the ram mounts fail when you get to the rough spots, it takes something beefy or solid to handle much weight.

For what its worth I've never had my x mount that comes off my dash on a ram ball shift. I've run poison spider and hells revenge with my phone mounted in it as well as many miles on dirt roads without any issues.

 

[DAA]

So, just a quick update...

The circuit board repair on my GPS didn't fix it. So, a tablet it's going to have to be.

Leaving for a trip, tomorrow, got impatient/impulsive and just ordered an Android device - Galaxy Tab, 8.4", that has built-in GPS. Also ordered a Ram mount X-Grip w/suction cup mount for this trip and future portable use, but will see about a fixed/hard dash mount in the Jeep eventually.

I don't love any of the tablet nav/mapping apps that I've looked at, either Windows or Android. Basically, I think they all suck, for offroad, in-vehicle nav, compared to a good dedicated GPS. Unfortunately, it looks to me like all the currently available dedicated GPS units also suck, compared to my old 276C. But the ones that suck the least, are way expensive compared to a tablet which offers much greater overall functionality. So, I feel like my "new" fancy tablet nav setup is actually going to be a step down, for offroad nav functionality, but that appears to be the current state of the market.

For now, I already have both Backcountry Navigator and GaiaGPS on my phone, so they should both synch up on the new tablet. I've used both apps for hiking and prefer Gaia for that. But I think Gaia is "just okay", at best, for offroad vehicle nav. I mean, lets face it, raster maps bring the suck for vehicle nav... But, anyway, I'll download some maps for Gaia and BCN and try them both on this trip. I'm sure I can live with one or the other, lots of people do. I just can't get excited about this transition though.

- DAA

 

[Unimog]

Dave, I look forward to hearing how this works in practice. I'd like to go this way and I have for hiking. I briefly tried it a few years (make that many years) back with a dedicated Garmin Palm device in the vehicle - that really was an unimpressive experience. I'm hoping you find out its better than you think it will be.

 

[rholbrook]

On my Iphone I like GPS Hiker and All Trails. Its easy to upload your GPX track with GPS Hiker without any monthly fee.

 

[4wheelair.com]

I run the Samsung Galaxy Tab as well, I think you made a good choice. I have been running backcountry navigator with the AccuTerra maps. The AccuTerra maps run 19.95 a year.

 

[DAA]

I haven't used the AccuTerra maps yet, but investigating them is next on my list. If they look like a solid improvement over the free stuff in BCN and Gaia, I'll pay the $20 to give them a whirl.

I liked Gaia better than BCN for hiking and backpacking. But, at first blush, I think I'm going to like BCN better for in vehicle nav.

Question, on the AccuT maps though... Once you download them, you can use them even after you stop paying the subscription? I'd hope so. And I'm guessing I'll have downloaded all the ones I want in one year.

- DAA

 

[Kevin B.]

I like Accuterra for knowing when I'm on BLM land vs. Forest Svc vs State vs private. It's normally all I use, though sometimes I'll cache satellite maps too.

I'm not sure they're a subscription, I think you buy them and you're done. I know I only paid once, and that was a couple years ago. I also think that when you buy them through BCN, you're only buying them for BCN, I don't believe they'll follow you to another program. I could be wrong about that.

 

[DAA]

I looked at them online last night. Meh... Looks like the just add the color coded land use shading. Which, I don't care whether my GPS nav maps show that or not. Some of the time I'd rather they did not. Maybe they scale better too, which would be nice - it's one of my major gripes with all these raster map programs. They don't scale worth a crap. But when I read that these AccuTerra maps had layers, I had hope that maybe they had some vector like features at least. But, nope. Apparently, they aren't in layers for BCN, anymore, and even when they were, the layers didn't serve any vector like purposes, they were just image layers.

I'll probably spring the $20 and download some of them today so I can try them out and see for real though. Not really looking too promising though.

- DAA

 

[Unimog]

I'm using Trimble navigator for hiking. Their offline maps through paid subscription are pretty good, IMO, but I haven't compared them with others.