SkyDemon mobile MD hardware

[Richard Mole]

I'm told that the unit will work in portrait mode, as well as landscape that seems to be used in all the reviews.

I would need to use Portrait orientation in order to fit it in my preferred panel location where it would replace an old Gamin.

Has anyone experience of using this hardware in portrait orientation?
If so, is it still easy to use the touch screen or are the screen areas for the buttons too small or on the small side?

What do users think about touch screen inputs when being thrown about in rough air? At least the Garmin has a physical button to press which is not always so easy to do precisely.

I'd welcome feedback from users of the SkyDemon MD

Thanks

[Gerry Holland]

Richard
In the SkyDemon Folder on a Windows Mobile device is a file called system.ini.
This file has all the parameters set and recorded when setting preferences in the software.
You can edit in a text editor outside of SkyDemon and one of the settings is as follows:

AutoStartGps=True
UseNativeGps=True
Landscape=True
Setting that field to false MAY have the desired effect.
I will try later on my own SkyDemon
Regards
Gerry

[Richard Mole]

Thanks Gerry - look forward to hearing about it

[Gerry Holland]

Richard
I gave you a bum steer. It didn't work!
Suggest you post a question on SkyDemon Forum giving details of Unit and Software in use.
Regards
Gerry

[Richard Mole]

Many thanks for trying Gerry.

[C Rule]

I use the SD MD in the portrait mode and the only problem I find is that it will only work in the North up rather than the Track up mode.
Hope that helps

[Richard Mole]

Colin, that's really helpful as I can only fly track-up !!

It's tempting to think that the latest generation of GPS must be better than the last. My old Garmin works well enough on the whole but the screen is tiddly and its getting progressively less easy for me to use. But I do like physical buttons as I would imagine that touch screens might be less than ideal in rough air.

One school of thought is to buy a general purpose 7" or thereabouts tablet (preferably with built-in GPS) and use SkyDemon or Runway HD or whatever in flight. But I hear some saying that the screens are not good enough under a bubble canopy in full sun, and others saying that the ipad for example can power down with little warning if it gets too hot. As the available space for the unit on my panel is only 105mm wide I don't really have this option open to me as 7" tablets are about 1" wider than that.

On the other hand, modestly priced dedicated GPS hardware doesn't seem perfect either. The screens lag the quality of the best tablets if anything and are hugely expensive in comparison, with appalling battery duration. Its the old battle between dedicated gear and general purpose units being taught to do particular tricks. The AP world is starting to win that one. If the SkyDemon MD was glitch free I'd be tempted but not otherwise. So your feedback may have saved me from a big mistake.

I'm told that 2013 is the year of the Phablet ie small tablet with a built-in phone (such as the Galaxy Note 2 which is under 90mm wide). So it might be best to keep my powder dry as android versions of the SkyDemon type of software must be just around the same corner as the choice of 5 or 6" phablets. And who knows but there could even be an iphad micro out soon.

[Richard Mole]

Hi Colin,

I have just been in touch with SkyDemon about track-up or North-up in portrait mode on their hardware and this is what they said.

It's not the case that using the device in portrait mode limits your chart orientation options. You should still find that you can switch to track up in portrait mode with no problems if you wish.
Regards, Hannah Hart | SkyDemon www.skydemon.aero

I thought in all fairness that I should post this here.