uAvionix SkyPlay: Huh? I don't get it.

If you can’t read the iPad because of glare, this is the expensive solution vs tilting the iPad.
 
If it's cheaper than a RAM mount... well hmm... yeah I have no idea who this is for other than the "I dunno what to put in the 3" remaining on my glass-festooned panel" set. Here's a quick $1500 filler that also satisfies the "yo dawg I heard you like foreflight" peeps?
 
X3 Skier said:
If you can’t read the iPad because of glare, this is the expensive solution vs tilting the iPad.
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I think it's more for presenting a panel mounted nav view so you don't have to be handling your tablet during takeoffs, approaches, bumpy air, etc. It also sorta competes with the GI-275 capability as an MFD, but allows you to stick with FF.

In theory you could cobble together a poor man's glass panel. With two AV-30's, SkyPlay, and and a tablet running FF, you would have digital ADI, HSI, and MFD moving map for under $10K.

I dunno, we'll see if it catches on.
 
I would be interested to know is the Skyview RUNNING a copy of FF or just acting as a remote display. The former is a big deal, the latter, meh.

FF wants off the iPad? uAvionix wants to go deeper into software? I get the alliance, but not the form factor.
 
UAvionix will probably be releasing a larger MFD/engine monitor soon.
 
Personally I certainly like the idea, whether it's a remote display or not.
 
So this is for people that don't want to attach a piece of Velcro to their panel and the back of their iPad mini? I'm still scratching my head. :dunno:

The company would have really done well with a video showing it in action.
 
asicer said:
So this is for people that don't want to attach a piece of Velcro to their panel and the back of their iPad mini? I'm still scratching my head.
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Could be ForeFlight asked them to do it. They already manufacture the Sentry devices for FF.
 
This
Instead of a touchscreen, the three-inch display uses a rotary knob and tactile controls for changing the screen settings. ​
is appealing. Touchscreens suck in bumpy conditions.

I didn’t see any mention of brightness, though. My iPad’s display is much too dim. If this device has brightness similar to other panel devices, that would be a nice benefit.
 
Half Fast said:
This
Instead of a touchscreen, the three-inch display uses a rotary knob and tactile controls for changing the screen settings. ​
is appealing. Touchscreens suck in bumpy conditions.

I didn’t see any mention of brightness, though. My iPad’s display is much too dim. If this device has brightness similar to other panel devices, that would be a nice benefit.
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I wonder if using one of these would help in turbulence.
 
By itself, kinda weird. But if they see this as the first string of a suite of certified products to put ForeFlight in the panel, as the article notes, it makes a bit more sense. I’m guessing that ForeFlight and uAvionix realize their common enemy is Garmin, and since Garmin is in their business, they need to be in Garmin’s.
 
The biggest issue with Foreflight is its dependence on iOS hardware that regularly fails due to overheating. This product seems to introduce new hardware (a good thing) but without replacing the old, overheating hardware. What I would hope for is that future developments allow Foreflight without dependence on iOS hardware that overheats. If this is actually that already, its moving in a good direction.
 
I found this quote on another site, which is interesting.

1784050160008.png
However a press release on the product also says “Rather than replacing your mobile devices, Sentry SkyPlay Mini complements it” I guess the actual level of independence from temperature sensitive iOS devices will be figured out by potential buyers soon.

The Sky-Play website is here and addresses the iOS overheating issue.
 
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Tusayan said:
The biggest issue with Foreflight is its dependence on iOS hardware that regularly fails due to overheating. This product seems to introduce new hardware (a good thing) but without replacing the old, overheating hardware. What I would hope for is that future developments allow Foreflight without dependence on iOS hardware that overheats. If this is actually that already, its moving in a good direction.
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But it lets you put the iOS hardware somewhere cool, out of the sun, and turn the display off, which presumably will significantly reduce problems with overheating.

Pretty clever, really. Will be interesting to see if it picks up some steam from the hands on showing at Oshkosh.

No word on price.

I hate that uAvionics has decided the VSI is superfluous.
 
Ed Haywood said:
But it lets you put the iOS hardware somewhere cool, out of the sun, and turn the display off, which presumably will significantly reduce problems with overheating.

Pretty clever, really.
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Maybe, but if this
1784056730672.png
is correct, and it really is an Android version of FF, I'd rather just run it on an Android device in the first place. I'd prefer not being locked into iOS and having a broader choice of HW platforms with brighter screens and without the overheating problems.

I'm sure Garmin is their primary competitive target, but they may also be thinking about iFly and their new X7 tablet. https://www.iflyefb.com/Store/Product/ifly-efb-x7-aviation-tablet Daylight readable, rugged, and has a variety of mounting options. $600.

At the moment, I have no need to replace my 740b, but when the time comes I'll be more likely to go with the X7 than an Apple product.
 
Ed Haywood said:
Innovation is good. Not everything will be a hit. But I like the small guys trying to take on the Garmin imperium.
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One reason we went Dynon. The other reason being physical buttons and knobs the hdx has the G3x touch doesn't. Also my a&p being able to work on it if needed instead of being hamstrung to a Garmin dealer.
 
If I was going to use something like this I'd want a bigger display... and that point it might as well just be a dock for an ipad mini. But I like the idea of having non-touch controls

Ultimately in my current family hauler IFR platform I don't really see why I'd want this. However, if I was building an EAB to fool around in VFR I could see a use case.
 
Ed Haywood said:
I hate that uAvionics has decided the VSI is superfluous.
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The AV-30 has a VSI. It's not "primary" but since the VSI is not required at all, one could use that as a reference. Like the non-primary altimeter, it's very accurate.

Have not had iPad overheating issues with a fan cooled mount (XNaut I think it's called). Of course it costs one USB port of for the powered mount, but IMHO worth it.
 
Steamflyer said:
The AV-30 has a VSI. It's not "primary" but since the VSI is not required at all, one could use that as a reference. Like the non-primary altimeter, it's very accurate.
Click to expand...

Yes, having two AV-30's, I know that. But they seem to have seized on "replace the VSI" as the answer to everything. Personally I think it's a mistake.
 
Ed Haywood said:
Yes, having two AV-30's, I know that. But they seem to have seized on "replace the VSI" as the answer to everything. Personally I think it's a mistake.
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Why a mistake? Seems to work just fine via the AV-30. For everything including approches where the vertical speed required is a function of ground speed. Read gs and set vs to half of it. Seems to work.
 
Ed Haywood said:
Yes, having two AV-30's, I know that. But they seem to have seized on "replace the VSI" as the answer to everything. Personally I think it's a mistake.
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it sells more units and adds redundant displays if needed. your pimary ifis goes down you have another. think '12 pack' for a few ounces of weight.

i don't like the certified aspect. release an experimental version first... also FF o. android is a game changer and i would even consider the cost if they had a recommendation for tablet.
 
pfarber said:
it sells more units and adds redundant displays if needed. your pimary ifis goes down you have another. think '12 pack' for a few ounces of weight.

i don't like the certified aspect. release an experimental version first... also FF o. android is a game changer and i would even consider the cost if they had a recommendation for tablet.
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Weren't you the guy complaining about too many screens?
 
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Steamflyer said:
Why a mistake? Seems to work just fine via the AV-30. For everything including approches where the vertical speed required is a function of ground speed. Read gs and set vs to half of it. Seems to work.
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Too much info on that instrument, hard to scan the VSI scale. Just IMO.
 
Ed Haywood said:
Too much info on that instrument, hard to scan the VSI scale. Just IMO.
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Not perfect, but if you put the VS like here, works well enough. Groundspeed is on the navigator and on the iPad, so was about 70 kts in this case.
IMG_0804.jpeg
 
pfarber said:
it sells more units and adds redundant displays if needed. your pimary ifis goes down you have another. think '12 pack' for a few ounces of weight.

i don't like the certified aspect. release an experimental version first... also FF o. android is a game changer and i would even consider the cost if they had a recommendation for tablet.
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I'm confused about FF on Android; their (FF) website seems to indicate there are no plans for same.
At the moment I'm undecided between Garmin Pilot and FF, which would determine which new tablet to buy.
 
Kenny Phillips said:
I'm confused about FF on Android; their (FF) website seems to indicate there are no plans for same.
At the moment I'm undecided between Garmin Pilot and FF, which would determine which new tablet to buy.
Click to expand...

I don't think FF is on Android. I think the uAvionix instrument display runs Android and they came up with an App to display limited FF data on it.
 
Kenny Phillips said:
I'm confused about FF on Android; their (FF) website seems to indicate there are no plans for same.
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FF has always whined that developing on Android is too hard because of device diversity. Maybe they decided that developing for one specific device was acceptable...especially if there was a customer (uAvionix) paying them to do so.
 
I've been running FF for the past five years on a Mini 5 which runs about $200 on Amazon refurnished. That's all the iPad is used for - stays in plane 100% of the time. Cheap easy robust solution. Their whining about Android is real - it's a diverse ecosystem even if they all run some version of Android.

I think what UAvionix is saying about Android and their MFD is that they needed a free OS, so grabbed it.

Tried GP the other day under the mistaken impression that could update nav data wirelessly through it since have a connext embedded navigator. Found the interface so-so, but then 16 years of ingrained FF use probably didn't help. Couldn't do the wireless anyhow (no 210 or 510, doesn't use BT apparently) so deleted it.
 
Steamflyer said:
Tried GP the other day under the mistaken impression that could update nav data wirelessly through it since have a connext embedded navigator. Found the interface so-so, but then 16 years of ingrained FF use probably didn't help. Couldn't do the wireless anyhow (no 210 or 510, doesn't use BT apparently) so deleted it.
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FYI, wireless database updates require WiFi. For some files, I wouldn't want Bluetooth anyway (would be too painfully slow).
 
Racerx said:
Weren't you the guy complaining about too many screens?
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6 v 2? Do you even math bro?

Also the screens in my original question were all displaying the maps. So more correctly I was questioning the need for 6 GPS screens

Nice try, but still a fail. Better luck next time.
 
Ed Haywood said:
I don't think FF is on Android. I think the uAvionix instrument display runs Android and they came up with an App to display limited FF data on it.
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So ipads can cast to a monitor using the expensive apple hardware (not the COTS intel based older widi hardware). A blutooth button pad gets you screen inputs. Seems that this could be replicated without certified hardware unless you really really wanted it 'installed' on the AC.

FF should pick a tablet ($500-750 range) brand it and sell it as its own. Apple sucks and has no place in the cockpit IMHO.
 
pfarber said:
So ipads can cast to a monitor using the expensive apple hardware (not the COTS intel based older widi hardware). A blutooth button pad gets you screen inputs. Seems that this could be replicated without certified hardware unless you really really wanted it 'installed' on the AC.

FF should pick a tablet ($500-750 range) brand it and sell it as its own. Apple sucks and has no place in the cockpit IMHO.
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Respectfully disagree. 16 years of Apple, more specially iPad in the cockpit, since the day FF came out. A used iPad on Amazon is in the $200-400 range. High quality hardware with a locked OS ecosystem, which is what I want in a flight oriented piece of hardware.

Prior experience with digital flight chart systems included Motion tablets (both hard drive and early SSD version, each stupidly expensive), and then a Samsung tablet. All of these were running a now long gone Jep app for charts and plates under Windows OS. None of these could hold a candle to Apple and FF.

For the average person, it is very hard to beat the Apple ecosystem. It just works. And it's fairly elegant HW. If the price is an issue, buy a year old whatever, iPad, phone, Mac.

All that said, I don't really see the need to have FF echoed onto a 3" screen, but what do I know.
 
OK, I kinda get what they were aiming for now. iPhone:CarPlay::ForeFlight:SkyPlay.

However I still think their thinking is flawed, being that CarPlay is a 6inch iPhone on a 10inch display and SkyPlay is a 8-10inch iPad on a 3inch display. They do make vague references to "ecosystem" hinting that this is one of the starter pieces, so we'll see.

 
That makes sense.

From a bigger perspective, I think uAvionix is trying to provide a budget alternative to Garmin/Dynon glass panels and multi-GI275 panels. Their big shortcoming is lack of a moving map. This is a quick and dirty way to accomplish that, and a clever approach to leverage the most popular mobile nav app on the market. Why spend the dev $$ to replicate FF on a panel device when you can just mirror it?

It may not be a big hit, but I love how these guys think outside the box.

Another great uAvionix trait is they make their stuff easy to install at reasonable cost, unlike Garmin. Anyone with an IQ above 100 and a Dsub crimper should be able to install an AV-30 or one of these. That provides an alternative to the Garmin model of an approved shop charging one install dollar for every device dollar, especially as MOSAIC LSA aircraft and LSRM proliferate.

Hot tip for Oshkosh attendees: go to the uAvionix presentation, ask a question, get a free T shirt.
 
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CarPlay for GA. I wish I'd thought of that. Too bad it's uavionix :fingerwag:
 
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