Question regarding TZtouch13xl and 16xl.

[Missinginaction]

I'm getting ready to order a TzTouch 13xl or a TzTouch 16xl. I travel primarily on the Erie Canal System out to the Great Lakes and am going to take a trip down the Intracoastal in the fall of 2025. I'm OK regarding the radar sensor and have talked with Airmar for suggestions regarding a transducer for shallow water anchoring. I have a DRS2DNXT in the shop and Airmar tells me I might get away with a P-79 transducer but an M-285 would be the best choice. Here is my question.....

I'll install the MFD at the lower helm out of the weather. My boat is only 25.5 LOA, but shes 10.5' in beam and has full dual stations. It's a restored 1973 Silverton sedan. I'd like to use a laptop or standalone display on the flybridge. Unless I purchase a laptop with an HDMI INPUT it doesn't appear that there is anyway I can do this. I'm not an expert with connectivity. Has anyone used an HDMI to USB capture card to display HDMI output on a PC using the PC's USB port? If there is another way to send the output from the MFD to a separate monitor I'd be grateful for the advice. The second issue seems much easier. I'd like to be able to send video from a laptop or phone to the MFD. In this case the TXtouch 16XL has an HDMI input. It appears a simple matter to connect the HDMI output from a laptop to the HDMI input on the MFD and have that ability. I believe I can also buy a cable that would output from my android phone.


It looks to me like the 13xl is not going to be able to perform the tasks I mention above. These two MFD's are almost identical in overall size. I'm OK with splurging on the 16xl, but maybe I'm missing something regarding the 13xl.

Thanks in advance for letting me know if my thinking is correct. I'll see if I can post a couple of photos below.

I'll keep the little Garmin as a back-up but move it. The Furuno MFD will take it's place. (the Garmin also controls an autopilot for the kicker)
The upper helm is exposed which is why I'd prefer a portable display up there. BTW, I do have proper seats! The photo was taken just after the flybridge was built.

 

[jp498]

Up on the flybridge in full/normal sunlight, a laptop is not going to read as nice as a fixed high brightness display. If you don't want to leave a MFD in the open, perhaps a triangular shaped fiberglass box with a hinged lexan window might protect a xl13 or high brightness computer display up there. You could have a HDMI output from the main MFD displaying up there, controlled with a furuno remote or a waterproof USB mouse.

 

[jp498]

One reason to get a 13x over a 16x is to have physical controls on the unit. 16x is all glass. Some people might prefer all glass, some people will value buttons and knob.

 

[Missinginaction]

One reason to get a 13x over a 16x is to have physical controls on the unit. 16x is all glass. Some people might prefer all glass, some people will value buttons and knob.

Thanks for the reply JP. I understand the issues with brightness up on top but these days I can find some pretty bright displays. As for the button/knob type controls you're right, that's a personal preference. I can go either way. I've run down from the Erie Canal to New Bern, NC, helping a friend bring his boat down. His Simrad has dual controls. Once he taught me how to use the touch screen I never touched the buttons.