SkySafari Pro on the Nexus 7

[AG Hybrid (Adrian)]

Well got myself a nice Nexus 7 today. Gave my iPad2 to my mum.

I purchased SkySafari Pro and put it on there. I have to say when I first started using it, my head nearly exploded! It rivals Starry Nights Pro for features. However, the gem is the deep sky database - very impressive catalogue indeed. With the free credit from Google I only paid $15.

I knew it would be better then the Lite version I did have on my HTC phone but, its light years ahead.

I recommend this highly. Certainly makes finding some of those tricky and more interesting objects easier to find for sure!

Oh yeah. The N7 is awesome too. The IPS screen is gorgeous.

[RobF (Rob)]

Hi Adrian

I'm just downloading to my new Nexus 7 too. I see the pro version is on sale for a few days ($10 US off) as a "Mars Curiosity Rover special" at the moment. With the $25 free credit you get for the Google Play store, that makes it $4, which is hard to beat....

Hope it lives up to comments and reviews here.

[AG Hybrid (Adrian)]

Well seeing that you paid $4 for it I'd say its worth it lol.

[alexV]

Adrian hw does sksafari talks to your go to
Thanks

[2stroke (Jay)]

Did you guys root your nexus 7's and change sdcard size and have it uncompressed there? Read something about it on cloudynight being kept compressed because of the way google apps distributes there apps. Just running there std edition atm and seems just as smooth as the iphone 4 but was wondering if un-compressing it would make it pure silky smooth. Nexus 7 16gb here

[RobF (Rob)]

Hi Jay

I don't keep a lot of video and music on my (16gb) N7. I just installed it and ran, and has been fine - very smooth. Hardest thing was making a red gel shield for it when out under the stars

[04Stefan07 (Stefan)]

Nice choice mate! I chucked on the Plus version on my Nexus 7 as soon as I got it.

I wrote a review about it if you would like to read it.

Check out my blog in my signature below

[Steffen]

Originally Posted by RobF

Hardest thing was making a red gel shield for it when out under the stars

Sky Safari has a night vision mode, that's what I use.

Cheers
Steffen.

[gb_astro]

Originally Posted by Steffen

Sky Safari has a night vision mode, that's what I use.

Cheers
Steffen.

Steffen how's the color behave at acute viewing angles with Sky Safari in night vision mode on the Nexus 7? I have an aging 3GS phone that goes almost blue when viewing night vision from the side.

Thanks,
gb.

[Steffen]

I don't know as I haven't got a Nexus 7. On the iPhone 5 it works well, there is a slight greyish bleed at very shallow angles but the red stays intact all the way through, and there is no danger to one's night vision.

Cheers
Steffen.

[gb_astro]

Steffen, thanks.
Anybody else comment on the Nexus7 with regard to night viewing angles when in red light mode say with Sky Sarfari?
gb.

[2stroke (Jay)]

What do you mean by angles? The lcd can be viewed on nearly any angle, the sensors preform pretty great to. The night vision overlay works prefect can't really fault anything, though to have it pure silky smooth would be great but its just as good as on the iphone 5. Viewing it on the nexus 7 is way better then the iphone 5 in terms of screen glare and a much better size screen. Will be using it flat out for goto star syncs with eqmod which pays for its self just for that purpose alone. Will have to get plus for scope control of sw12" dob , lol need a cheap Bluetooth to serial now

[RobF (Rob)]

Yes, any view angle is fine. Night mode would be fine most of the time, however at Qld Astrofest with the expectation of very low levels of escaping light I found minimum brightness and night mode far too bright to be whipping it out (i.e. Star Party use).

Back yard use - Fine

[kustard (Simon)]

The best thing I have found for preventing erroneous light from coming from your tablet etc is to use some of rubylith. It works with all touch screens I have used so far (Apple and Dell Streak) and adds an extra layer of night vision protection for those times you accidentally quit out of your astro app.

Cheers,
Simon

[2stroke (Jay)]

What bluetooth adapters are you guys using with your scopes and the nexus 7 with skysafari? Rooted and opened mine up the other day and was thinking of even going the skyfi with Hoc but that's an expensive adapter

The cheapest i can see so far is a setup with a $40 ebay bluetooth to serial atm, is anyone doing anything with the cheaper arduino ones? Will only be using in close range of the scope and thats it.

[ad602000 (Pete)]

Hardest thing was making a red gel shield for it

and how did you do that?

[RobF (Rob)]

Originally Posted by ad602000

and how did you do that?

Hi Pete

I experimented with a single red gel sheet, but in the end used a piece large enough to wrap right around the Nexus and overlap at the back. Attached stick on velcro surfaces to the overlaps. Easy to get it firm (and loose) enough to slip on and off without even undoing the velcro.