Thread: mini-map
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Old November 22nd 10, 04:08 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Darryl Ramm
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Default mini-map

On Nov 22, 4:29*am, Max Kellermann wrote:
Gaetan Trudel wrote:
The LX web site says that I can use the MIni-map kb with my LX 5000.
It is somewhat pricey at $ 1600 with Seeyou mobile at twice the price
of a OUDIE who is not really readable in the sun.
Anyone has use it and care to comment.


I saw the LX Mini Map yesterday at a conference, and I compared it to
my Altair (which Triadis donated to me for XCSoar development) - the
Altair has the brightest display I had seen so far, which makes it a
good reference.

LX Navigation Germany showed it side-by-side with an old iPaq, but
they configured a low brightness on the iPaq, which seemed like an
unfair trick to misguide potential customers.

Initially, the LX Mini Map looked a lot brighter than my Altair, but
it turned out the Altair dims down when its light sensor reports low
environment brightness, while the LX Mini Map was always at 100%. *May
be another trick to get potential customers to say "wow". *After we
pointed a flashlight at Altair's sensor, it became a lot brighter, and
in the end, both looked the same. *There was no direct sunlight in the
hall, but it is safe to assume that the LX does as well as the Altair.

The Altair's screen resolution is 320x240, while the LX has 800x480.
Naturally, the LX can show more details, which is very convenient.
And it has a touch screen, something the Altair lacks.

Technically, the LX is just a PDA with a better display (very bright
LED backlight).

After I inserted my own SD card, I could launch XCSoar 6.0, works like
any other PDA/PNA, as expected.

Max


Comparing "daylight" readable displays inside may just not be an
interesting comparison. The human eye will significantly reduce the
apparent differences and other things like resolution, color
temperature of the back-light etc. can skew the apparent results. I'm
reminded of how much better the iPAQ 310 often looks indoors next to a
iPAQ 4700 but in direct sunlight they are really close. Glossy screen/
anti-reflective coatings don't get judged either. Which is why several
of us at a recent seminar I was at asked to see the Mini Map outside
and Richard from Craggy Aero promptly walked outside with us with his
demo unit and a battery and we played with it in the parking lot. I'd
be interested in feedback from people who are flying with one today.

Lack of touch screen and low-resolution would make the Altair a non-
starter for me, so the question is is there a better daylight
readable, touchscreen display able to run popular soaring software?

Darryl