LCD displays

I'm looking to buy a couple of 15"-19" displays for my bridge. They will be used to display data from my Navnet system, FLIR, cameras etc. I have the black box and network for the radar, plotter and sounder. These displays would be replacing 2 15" Furuno displays. New Furuno or Raymarine displays are ridiculously overpriced, 5K-10K each. These are displays only, not dedicated units. I'm looking at units from Stealth, Kep, VarTech and Argonaut. Anyone have one of these or something similar that I should be looking at? Some of the nicer units are not DC so I would need a dedicated inverter or rely on the generator for power. Not a real issue since we run the generator when not at the dock and I have 2 so the likelihood of not having power is low.

Check out Comark, I've been through the same process and this is the direction I'll go when I change out mine. They mostly cater to the military and commercial market, but when I talked to them a year or two ago their pricing was pretty good compared tp the others. What you really need to consider is if you really need "sunlight viewable" with your enclosed bridge. Their 19" "pilothouse" unit for about a grand is a good deal for what it does. It can also be configured with a built in computer. I have a 19" 300 nit Acer on my flying bridge now which works fine for me, as i have it on a RAM mount so can angle anyway i want. However the elements and a spilled Diet Coke have begun to take their toll and sometime later this year I will put the Comark up there, and another to replace a 17" in the PH. I too have a dual unit Navnet system, one controller in the PH and one on the bridge, with an additional "slave" screen in the PH from the one upstairs. They make full day light viewable stuff too but the prices go up exponentially. Nice folks, give them a call.

http://www.comarkcorp.com/products/marine_displays.html

Thanks George. Have you seen the 19 in use? Looks like a great unit but a little limited input wise. The sunlight units have move inputs and can be AC/DC powered. Any idea how much the 17" units go for? I tried calling yesterday but I guess it was too late in the day. Not sure I need a sunlight display on the bridge. The console is never in direct sunlight but there are windows all around. definitely not as bright as an open bridge with an enclosure but still a fair amount of sunlight. I may stick a basic computer monitor up there as a test. If it's looks fine then I can go with something like the 19" pilothouse unit.

Yes, I have, on a down east style lobster and fishing boat, a commercial one that is fairly open to the helm. Looked good in the shade of the hardtop. Won't win any industrial design awards, but that's not their market. Lady I talked to awhile ago there says this type of commercial fish boat is a good market for them, including boats less protected than the one I saw. As I recall, 3 grand sticks in my mind for a a full daylight viewable 17" job for use outside, ie supposedly more water resistant. I remember whatever it was, it was about $1500 less than the Furunos and VEIs and those yachty brands. BUT, I could be off base on that so definitely check.

Let us know what you eventually come up with, as this is an item moving up The List as time goes by.

It would move a little faster if I'd quit finding stuff like aging, gently leaking, crushed muffler/exhaust hose fittings and fun stuff like that.