So I got this tablet...

[Ben Up North]

Picked up a tablet that was no longer needed (technically it was a trade in, along with 6 others, it's only a couple of years old)
Win10 machine, can take a sim card, ruggedised. 10" screen
Dug out my old Holux bluetooth GPS receiver. Still has charge in it! - I haven't used it since I first got GPS in a phone (gotta be 5-10 years old)
Paired the GPS to the tablet, Downloaded Mapfactor Navigator and Hey Presto! I've got a 10" Navigation device.

Questions are:

• How/where should I wire it into the car? It draws 12V 1.5 amp, so not a lot, but currently it's only got a 100-240V power supply, would be a bit tedious to have it running off the inverter! Battery in it is OK, but only for a couple of hours run time, so no good for a reasonable drive.
• Where should I mount it, and what should I use for a mount?It's quite heavy being ruggedised, has a sturdy hand strap on the back. I want to avoid blocking too much of the controls in the car and still have a passenger.Of course, I don't want it to obstruct vision.

Any suggestions/thoughts?

(edit for more detail)

 

[scalman]

could you shows pics of it maybe. so its not old tablet on win 10 , then they all charging just like phones i think from usb cable. . and why you need it ? do you need that old GPS there really ? so gps powers from cars 12v and tablet charges like phones from usb .. what other power sources you need there ?

 

[Ben Up North]

It's an professional/industrial tablet, not consumer. 12V power, not USB. Relatively big and chunky. GPS is bluetooth with battery, charge via USB, quite small, will fit in the storage box behind my UHF no problems, can charge it from the tablet when needed. although wouldn't mind putting power into the storage box. I guess I could tap into the UHF's Power for it that's coming straight from the battery.

Main reason is "because I can" plus a big fat screen is easier to see and I can run all sorts of applications on it, including Ozi Explorer (If I can find it and the maps I've got for it)

Bonus orchids because they're flowering.
Front:

Back:

It's about 10mm thick.

 

[Kevin]

There are mounts with arms that attach to the bottom of the passenger seat.

 

[Ben Up North]

There are mounts with arms that attach to the bottom of the passenger seat.

That's the sort of thing I'm looking at. Might end up making my own if I can find the parts. I reckon I could the do it for less than $250.00 (which is what seems to be the starting point for these beasts.
Shouldn't be too hard to do, as the strap is removable and has two solid screws holding the strap on. hardest bit will be sourcing the flexible goose neck part I reckon. I could go for something solid, but that would probably be bad in a collision.

 

[idw]

It draws 12V 1.5 amp

You'll need a regulated power source with short protection. Don't use a cheap 12v reg as the charge protection circuit won't be able to cope. Alternatively a cheap modified sine inverter in the dash a little 150watt unit takes basically no space. and is around the same cost

If you're looking for navigation check out Trekarta for android, besides the compass and backup maps I've been running it on an old tablet for the last few years mapping info is open source and generally far better than anything you can find for ozi these days.

 

[Ben Up North]

You'll need a regulated power source with short protection. Don't use a cheap 12v reg as the charge protection circuit won't be able to cope.

I might get the car sparky who fixed the air-con in the SVX to do it. Depending on cost...

 

[Ben Up North]

If you're looking for navigation check out Trekarta for android,

Not really keen on running an Android Emulator on a windows tablet, be a bit slow..
I'm actually pretty happy with Mapfactor. Their free version uses open street map for mapping, which google does too. You use Navigator to save and add your own tracks to Open Street Map. they then appear on Google (and mapfactor navigator) when they update their maps, which is reasonably often.

 

[scalman]

Not sure how to mount that heavy beast on panel without some drilling but there are those heavy duty window suckers that truck drivere on they trucks depends on area you live must be plenty them in local shops or just look online.

Robot or human?

www.walmart.com

 

[Ben Up North]

must be plenty them in local shops

Not where I am, at least not what I am looking for.

or just look online.

Mmm. the floor mounts I've been looking at start at around $250.00AU A bit expensive for me. Once I get the time, I'm going to look around for parts to make my own.
.

 

[GreenSuby]

In my hilux I have my hema gps unit attached to a gopro mount . The helmet part of the mount is attached to the dash with strong double sided tape. Might be an option for you.
Greensuby

 

[ABFoz]

I would go with RAM mounts because of ruggedness and customisability. Once you have the cradle, you can choose different mounting options based on your preferences.

Here's the cradle:



Here's the mount that goes onto the seat rail bolt:


Mounting Video:

Cup holder mount:


Here's the one that goes between the centre console and the seat:


They also have the usual windshield option. You will drown with options on their website: RAM Mounts - Mobile Mounting Solutions

I don't have any of their products yet but if I am going to replace my phone holder, It will be an X-grip. I still have my 2007 Nokia phone holder which fits my iPhone SE pretty well.

I first heard of the company from ALNSM Overland. Cheers.

 

[Ben Up North]

I would go with RAM mounts because of ruggedness and customisability.

I agree they're solid looking stuff. The price is out there though.
Because the tablet is going to be pretty much fixed (don't need it for anything else) I'll probably just remove the hand strap and use the hand strap mounting bolts to secure it to whatever I end up using as a floor mount. I'm pretty keen on not drilling holes into the car, so a floor mount attached to the seat rail is the go. Can't use the cup holders because I need somewhere to put my beer soft drink when browsing the passing scenery in the middle of nowhere.

(I'm one of those people that used to measure distance in cans in the old days.
In my defence, I was never been accused of driving too fast.. Often accused of being too slow and conservative.)

 

[Kevin]

It will be an X-grip.

I have the Ram X-Grip and tether in the Triton; excellent bit of gear

 

[scalman]

i duno but just look at what you got and you dont need to like mount it on floor or smt.. some holders can carry raly lots wieght there and not brake ... just look at whats in your car maybe some part can be like modified to carry more weight ...

 

[Ben Up North]

Yeah, I've had a bit of a look at where it could sit, it's got a cradle for desk mounting, but that's pretty chunky too..
I really think a floor mount is the go. I don't want to lose my cupholder

 

[scalman]

on floor mount you could get some 90's pc there i think haha. but you see things as they seems to you so go for it

 

[Ben Up North]

on floor mount you could get some 90's pc there i think haha. but you see things as they seems to you so go for it

I threw all of those out. My collection starts at around 2005 (one of the first consumer touchscreen all in ones. I think, still works - sort of.).