Best tablet to use in the boat for Google Earth and Aqua-Vu

[Rumour2u]

In an open bass boat? None of them.

[Tk_duluthbass]

I made another thread asking about the quality of the Lakemaster satellite imagery and someone mentioned using that sas planet. Apparently the quality is still less than Google earth on a laptop and it seems pretty tedious to do. I’ll probably stick with getting a rugged tablet. Being able to access the imagery without a ton of prep work before going to the lake is what I want.

edit: nvm that was you and one other guy on that thread ha

[Mike2718]

I made another thread asking about the quality of the Lakemaster satellite imagery and someone mentioned using that sas planet. Apparently the quality is still less than Google earth on a laptop and it seems pretty tedious to do. I’ll probably stick with getting a rugged tablet. Being able to access the imagery without a ton of prep work before going to the lake is what I want.

edit: nvm that was you and one other guy on that thread ha

I’m guessing from your post in the Humminbird section that you are wanting a tablet so you can view historical images while you are on the water. You will NOT get historical images on a tablet or phone version of Google Earth. A “Tablet” that runs Windows may let you get historical images but I’m not sure. You will just get the default image that Google Earth displays for that area. Yes, it is VERY tedious to get SAS images to a Hummingbird unit. You will also need AutoChart Pro and not just AutoChart. The process isn’t quite as bad for a Lowrance unit. The maps for Humminbird’s chart select do include multiple years but THE most important issue is WHEN the images were made that year. I downloaded some images for a lake that was almost 13’ low one year BUT the Humminbird images for that year were taken when the lake level was normal. The images didn’t help me at all. Luckily, they were very inexpensive.

[Tk_duluthbass]

Yeah, I know the app won’t show historical. A tablet with windows and Google Earth Pro will show historical images.

[danieljanse]

I read things like, "It will never stand the sun or rain...even morning condensation..." and really have to wonder if most of us are waaayyy overestimating the "delicate" nature of tablets, laptops and cellphones. Buy an average tablet, put a weatherproof case on it and you're good to go. Don't overthink things. Teenage and twenty something college students put their electronics though a hell of a lot more than any of you can imagine they would. $600 for some exotic, tactical tablet...for fishing??? Are you kidding me? I don't even get wet 95% of the time I go fishing much less my electronics. Be smart, take precautions but unless you try the inexpensive, simple options you are DOOMED to always overthink and overspend.
NoCal..."just buy another head unit". Oyvay. Here's a reason to buy a tablet rather than a MFD. It can do other things! They have cameras, they have internet browsers, they have VERSATILITY.
Sorry all...this topic just gets me going. I'm only on my first cup!

[Tk_duluthbass]

Yeah, the tablets you are talking about are exactly like my iPhone, but with a bigger screen which I have used for years now. Yeah, water damage isn’t a significant issue especially with a case, but I can’t see the screen in sunlight, it overheats very quickly, and it can’t show historical imagery. I’m sure with a bigger more expensive tablet waterproofing would be a concern simply because the size and cost. I’ve messed up a couple phones already by getting them wet.

[Haughton]

I use a cheap 10" tablet and it does ok. I usually use it till around 11am or noonish on sunny days. Issue is same as above, when you turn up brightness it heats up and then add the sun and it will eventually stop charging or shut down due to over heating. I have a gallon freezer bag I put over it when its raining. Works well on cooler cloudy days or fishing in the rain and mirrors my Lowrance HDS 3 screen.

[MCIPinkie]

Can't resist no more !! No one else is going to say it, so I will.

I generally look at where I am going, or where I am casting.

I do my computer stuff at home before I hit the water.

Guess I'm just a 20th Century guy.

[alpine4x4]

Can't resist no more !! No one else is going to say it, so I will.

I generally look at where I am going, or where I am casting.

I do my computer stuff at home before I hit the water.

Guess I'm just a 20th Century guy.

Good for you

[ZethKinnettFishing]

Have you looked into getting that imaging on your unit? You can use SAS planet in conjuction with a google earth cache and create raster files your unit will read as an overlay. I have a couple custom made low water imaging satellite views for one of my local lakes that I can view on ky Lowrance which should also work on humminbird. Its a bit of work to make, but cheaper than a tablet.

trying to figure out how to see historical data and then download that and put that on the graph. need that historical data to fish potholes.

[alpine4x4]

trying to figure out how to see historical data and then download that and put that on the graph. need that historical data to fish potholes.

I did it for May, August, and September. Just gotta change the files on the card as the water level changes.

[ZethKinnettFishing]

I did it for May, August, and September. Just gotta change the files on the card as the water level changes.

i dont see how to use it at all yet. mine looks a bit different than the video and i have no idea how to select the months in SAS.

[ZethKinnettFishing]

I did it for May, August, and September. Just gotta change the files on the card as the water level changes.

Yeah definitely not working for me. wouldn't wanna share those potholes files would ya?

[Mike2718]

i dont see how to use it at all yet. mine looks a bit different than the video and i have no idea how to select the months in SAS.

You don’t pick the months in SAS, you pick your historical months in Google Earth. SAS is just used to “save” your Google Earth images. You “MUST” also use Humminbird’s AutoChart Pro. The standard version Autochart will NOT work. AutoChart Pro is what converts the images saved in SAS to work on a Humminbird unit. One tip is you have to close Google Earth before using SAS Planet. Converting images for a Lowrance unit is a little different. I will say the software “Google Earth Images Downloader” is much easier to use than SAS Planet. Again, will will still have to use AutoChart Pro to process and convert the images. It is still tedious work and the images when they are converted are less than spectacular. The images I have seen on Lowrance units are very good. The Lowrance images still aren’t quite as good as they are on a computer monitor but are very good. Those units use a different format than the Humminbird units. You also have to use a software other than AutoChart Pro to process and convert the images for a Lowrance unit.

[crazyju]

There is a version of google earth pro that is web based now. You can view it from any device.

https://earth.google.com/web/

[Tk_duluthbass]

There is a version of google earth pro that is web based now. You can view it from any device.

https://earth.google.com/web/

not working on my iPhone. Redirects me to the App Store to Download the app. Maybe it works on android?

[ZethKinnettFishing]

You don’t pick the months in SAS, you pick your historical months in Google Earth. SAS is just used to “save” your Google Earth images. You “MUST” also use Humminbird’s AutoChart Pro. The standard version Autochart will NOT work. AutoChart Pro is what converts the images saved in SAS to work on a Humminbird unit. One tip is you have to close Google Earth before using SAS Planet. Converting images for a Lowrance unit is a little different. I will say the software “Google Earth Images Downloader” is much easier to use than SAS Planet. Again, will will still have to use AutoChart Pro to process and convert the images. It is still tedious work and the images when they are converted are less than spectacular. The images I have seen on Lowrance units are very good. The Lowrance images still aren’t quite as good as they are on a computer monitor but are very good. Those units use a different format than the Humminbird units. You also have to use a software other than AutoChart Pro to process and convert the images for a Lowrance unit.

[bassburch]

not working on my iPhone. Redirects me to the App Store to Download the app. Maybe it works on android?

Nope. Same on android, even with 'desktop site' selected.

[danieljanse]

Anything with an onboard storage system can show historical imagery. Just figure out a way to download the info you need when off the water and convert it to a form usable on the water. I bought a cheap fan for my dog that runs on a 20V Kobalt brand battery. This would keep you and your laptop cool. Again, it is very sunny and hot at football games. I never see the QBs switch back to looking at printouts while they are on the sidelines. Nor do I see them struggle to see the image. I suppose you could go Cam Newton and drape a towel over your head for a shade tent. My point is that the tech is there if you just get a little more creative about using it.