Got tablet working with Spark

[I B Spectre]

I have a Lenovo TAB 2 that I thought would be nice if it could work with my Spark and RC. It's not on DJI's list of compatibles, but hey, it's raining and I thought I'd download Go 4 and see if it worked. Eureka, it worked! I configured it for OTG and it prompted me to do a Precise Safe Fly update, which I did, then I fired up the Spark and was very pleased to see the camera video. I've got a couple of skylights in my great room and was able to get GPS indoors, so we went on a very cautious local tour. Shortly before it started raining, I had taken the TAB outside and maxed-out the screen brightness to see if it was visible and even in bright sun, it looked good. If it continues to function as well as initially appears, the larger display will be a welcome sight to my aging eyes.

Guess I need to start shopping tablet holders now. Overall dimensions of The TAB 2 are 6.75"h x 9.75"w. Any suggestions?

 

[Spark 317]

I've seen this pop up here in the past with positive reviews.

Skyreat tablet holder

Purchase a neck lanyard too.

 

[I B Spectre]

Thanks, Michael. I've been looking at several and can see the strengths and weaknesses in the various designs. It looks like they pretty much all block your view of the RC buttons, but that shouldn't be insurmountable. I did see one that put the tablet at the top of the RC, but I'm not sure how it would impact the antennae. Is there anything a seasoned tablet user can share that I might not have thought of?

 

[Dragonfly Joe]

Happy you have it working IB Spectre. I originally was using a Galaxy Tab A with a pad holder that covered the sticks. Although I could get use to that I kept experiencing video lag. I now use an iPad mini 4. It did not fit in my RC but after doing a mod to the controller it fits perfect and I have access to the buttons on the iPad. Not sure if will work on the Lenovo tablet, depending on it's size.
It was a simple mod to do and you can see it HERE.

 

[I B Spectre]

Thanks, Dragonfly Joe, that looks like a handy mod easily done if close attention and a steady hand are used. The TAB 2 in landscape orientation has an overall width of of 9.75" and height of 6.75" as compared to the iPad Mini 4's 8" x 5.3", so I'll need another solution. Tomorrow is forecast to be sunny and clear, so I'll be able to see if the TAB can handle the Spark without lag. If not, I'll uninstall Go 4 and chalk it up to a worthwhile experiment and go back the cell phone/OTG. If it does work, the search for a holder continues. Keeping my fingers, eyes and ears crossed

 

[jimlips]

I agree with Spark 317, the SkyReat tablet holder is a great choice. It is very strong, folds down to a pretty thin package, and is easy to deploy.

 

[I B Spectre]

Just did a short flight and the results are: at max brightness, had to stand in shade to see the screen (didn't expect Crystalsky, but gotta be able to see the display), latency (lag?) was not too bad, but picture quality was not very impressive. I know the monitor resolution is not 1080p and maybe it doesn't look any better on my phone, but is just more obvious on the larger screen. The rendering looks like what many call "jello". You can still see what's going on, but not as clearly as would make me comfortable. I'll try it more than once to get a better feel before making a decision. I'm sure a newer tablet with faster processing would make a difference, but at this point I'd rather spend money on more batteries.

 

[DerekL]

Thanks for your post I have the same tablet, always wondered if it would work but was always worried about the memory limitations as I use a lot of video cached. I bought my drone in the Philippines and purchased a tablet mount. I haven't really used it much but it works well.

 

[ThePara]

I've seen this pop up here in the past with positive reviews.

Skyreat tablet holder

Purchase a neck lanyard too.

This is what i got, came with lanyard and handy storage bag when not in use. This along with the Samsung Tab A 9.7 and sun shade make for the dogs dangles when flying. The position frees the antenna enabling a signal booster to be added too. It's constructed of aluminium & plastic, so light but strong.