How To Choose and Configure Marine LED Displays
Advancements in technology require builders and owners to give careful consideration to properly fit LED displays on the bridge.
While displays with mechanical controls and dials on the unit are still available, more yacht builders are moving to the clean look of compact, all-glass displays with external remote keypads to control the functions.
For new builds and refits, builders and owners are choosing all-glass displays, like the Nauticomp Glass Bridge® thin edge displays with Multi-Display Commander external remote controls (shown above).
However, beyond the look and feel, there are a number of other things to consider when choosing and configuring LED displays for the bridge. Nauticomp has the following recommendations.
Choosing Displays
• Determine which inputs will be required (computer, Simrad or other nav system, cameras, television etc.).
• Determine the helm space available and how many display units you would require.
• Ambient lighting? The helm glass area in the pilothouse or open bridge application with bright colors surrounding the helm will dictate what brightness and contrast levels are required for the helm displays.
• Night Vision? If the vessel will be used at night, determine the dimming levels and features that will be require (typically dimming down to black is preferable). A dim-to-red screen feature is a bonus for the Captain that travels at night. It allows the user to keep brightness level a little higher without distracting the Captain’s forward vision.
• Equipment Redundancy? Ensure that all video sources are divided between the monitors on the helm; this way in the event of a failure, one of the other displays will show the pertinent information that will be require to navigate.
• Display mounting? Try to avoid mounting the unit on a flat (desk type) surface pointing straight up. The images are optimized when viewed straight on the display. Bonded Glass does improve side viewing angles substantially, but top and bottom angles are typically dependent on the type of LCD panel used in the display.
Configuring Displays
• Does the display need to be waterproof for an exterior application? Typically all marine applications will endure salt and corrosion- waterproof displays are protected from these elements and will last longer.
• Source video resolutions? Check the resolution from your sources to ensure that the display will show the resolution that your source outputs.
• Cable routing? To ensure that the video cables will not be susceptible to AC noise or signal loss from long cable runs.
• Power requirements? Typically DC (12V or 24V) is preferred, on a constant power source.
For more information about Nauticomp marine LED displays, visit www.nauticomp.com or call Ben Cosier from Invisible Communications on 0424 847 853.
