Android Tablets for use with Solo

[mike_kelly]

I thought I would start a thread where people could post positive experiences with Tablets that work with Solex.
I recently had problems with an old tablet running Android 4.4 with Solex, so I had to look for a new tablet. I am a real cheapskate and buying a Samsung Galaxy will never be in my cards.

I usually get no-name tablets on Ebay and generally I have had very good luck and saved a lot of money over the years. But I wanted to warn others of my recent experiences. I bought a new 6" smartphone and a new tablet for Solo. Great specs with a 2500x1900 screen 8 processor cores running 2.5ghz, 64 gb of storage and 4gb of ram and running Android 6 for $130. It was one of those "if it is too good to be true it probably is not true".

All of the specs where lies and I think they rig the roms to report specs that are not true. The most important problem to warn you about is that both units were rooted. Many people root phones and tablets to gain control and change things the vendor does not want you to change for marketing reasons. Like removing their bloat ware etc. But in this case the units were rooted in the roms, which means it can not be removed by erasing everything on the unit with a RESET procedure. So the unit can be remotely controlled everytime you are on the internet and your private and financial information stolen. Not good.

So since there is no way to detect this short of receiving it and running anti-virus, which you can't do easily with Android until you connect to the Internet and provide your credentials. Hence I will never take the chance of buying one of these off brands again. Which is a shame because all the ones I have bought over the years have been fine before this and they all go obsolete, performance wise, so fast that buying cheap made sense.

So being forced to buy a name brand that could be trusted to provide a safe device I needed to do some research because I will still not pay $800 for a tablet. I finally settled on a 10" ASUS Zenpad ZM500M. I have purchased Asus laptops for years and they are a bit better quality that the other low cost contenders. I found a used one on Amazon for $200 and it turned out to be in great shape and was running the latest version 7 of Android. It has hex-core processor that is much faster than my old one, it has 64gb of storage and 4gb of ram. Solex likes it fine. It also does not have a bunch of bloatware hiding the OS from me.

So just one positive data point for a Solo compatible tablet. Please if you have units that you can confirm work why not leave a note so others can get a picture of what is safe to buy for this purpose.

Desirable features in an Android Tablet
1. Newer version of Android OS for longevity. Some applications only work with newer versions.
2. GPS for follow me mode
3. HDMI output port for goggles with OSD data in goggles.
4. Faster processors and graphics co-processors always better. Quad, Hex or Octo cores.
5. 16gb ram minimum to store programs and video captured, more better
6. 2-4gb of ram to run programs in. More the better.
7. Higher resolution screens are easier to see live video,
8. Size of screen 10" tablets will require a mod to the Solo controller mount.
9. Wifi required
10. 3G or 4G nice for acquiring maps on location but not mandatory.
11. Google play store required, some off brands don't have it.


Cheers

PS > I think I will try to summarize to make it easier to see the options

TABLETS SUCCESSFULLY USED AND TALKED ABOUT BELOW.
ASUS ZenPad 3S 10 9.7-inch 4GB RAM 64GB Tablet (Z500M-C1-GR)-Glacier Silver - ASUS Store US
Yoga | Lenovo USA
Insignia - 8" - Tablet - 16GB - Black
10" Samsung Tab A
LG - G Pad 7.0 LTE - LG-V410
AT&T ZTE Trek 2 K88 tablet
Samsung Galaxy tab 3
Samsung Galaxy 4
Motorola Moto G3

 

[rickc]

Lenovo yoga tab 2and tab 3

 

[mike_kelly]

Thanks
Yoga | Lenovo US

 

[IrishmanPDX]

first of all, thanks for starting this thread! I also bought one of those "too good to be true" spec'd tablets.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DH1TWCK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Way too slow to use for the drone (solex or 3dr app, video stutters and lags) and far too dim to be used in outdoor sunlight.

I'm liking the look of that Asus that you recommended!

 

[Saijin_Naib]

Most devices with a MediaTek chipset will feel slow compared to a Qualcomm or Samsung EXYNOS chipset. Not to say all MTK are trash, but it is usually employed by whitebox OEMs, which, as noted, oftentimes ship rooted or otherwise less than stellar ROMs.

 

[IrishmanPDX]

Well the tablet I buy will be for drone usage only. Hence I don't want to spent hundreds on it and I need it to have fast video while being bright enough to view in the daylight.

 

[Saijin_Naib]

I can't speak for Solex (Use Tower), but I run two of these at work:
Insignia - 8" - Tablet - 16GB - Black

They could stand to be brighter and a bit faster, but they get the job done and for $50, I have no complaints at all.

 

[mike_kelly]

Mediatek makes a lot of different processors and yes many of the low end unit use low end processors from Mediatek. But that said my Asus is much faster than my old tablet and they both use Mediatek processors. So it depends on the processor used, how many cores and if it has graphics co-processors.

 

[mike_kelly]

I think having a newer version of Android is better just to not get in the situation where your tablet is fine but the OS will not support a new app because it requires XX.X version of Android and yours is two versions behind. Another feature, in that regard, is that some Tablets the OS can be updated and some are fixed where they are at when delivered.

 

[mike_kelly]

Also a GPS is important if you want to do follow me flights because the controller needs to know where the smartphone/table is located. Not all devices actually have a GPS and some claim to but only do triangulation from cell towers sometimes referred to as GPRS location.

 

[IrishmanPDX]

So I did see an external GPS receiver that was compatible with Android, then read to get it to work, you have to install extra software, don't know how good a solution like that is. But good point, need a tablet that's fast enough, bright enough and has GPS.

 

[Saijin_Naib]

Mediatek makes a lot of different processors and yes many of the low end unit use low end processors from Mediatek. But that said my Asus is much faster than my old tablet and they both use Mediatek processors. So it depends on the processor used, how many cores and if it has graphics co-processors.

Absolutely. But oftentimes, they're low-end chipsets by whitebox OEMs. Like I said, not all are trash, just something to maybe give you a moment's pause to review in greater detail before pulling the trigger.

I think having a newer version of Android is better just to not get in the situation where your tablet is fine but the OS will not support a new app because it requires XX.X version of Android and yours is two versions behind. Another feature, in that regard, is that some Tablets the OS can be updated and some are fixed where they are at when delivered.

Yes, and since MediaTek is oftentimes used by whitebox OEMs, updated firmware is very unlikely from the official 1st party source (OEM), and also unfortunately unlikely with CyanogenMod or LineageOS since oftentimes those same OEMs do not provide kernel sources. Again, something to look more closely at before pulling the trigger.

 

[David Boulanger]

I have a 10" Samsung Tab A. Works just fine

 

[KenMc]

I'm using an LG 7" pad - it's a little old in the tooth but seems to work OK with Solex - but I haven't used it with a GoPro yet (next week).
I had to expand the SOLO holder to use it - added a small piece of aluminum.

LG - G Pad 7.0 LTE - LG-V410
Android Version 5.0.2
Kernel 3.4.0+

Comes with Android 4.4.2(KitKat) - so mine must have been upgraded at some point
LG website has instructions to upgrade to Android 5.1 Lollipop

7”
$85 on Jet.com
7/14
1280x800
10.3 oz
8G storage - 1GB ram
microSD 32GB supported
QUALCOMM Snapdragon 400
1.2 GHz
Quad-core
GPS a-GPS/GLONASS

 

[skcolb]

On the cheap side of things, I have an unlocked AT&T ZTE Trek 2 K88 tablet. They've been as low as $50-60 but go for $80-90 now. Works wonderfully for Solo stuff. I've even had it out in extreme hot and cold.

 

[TheRedEyeBandit]

On the cheap side of things, I have an unlocked AT&T ZTE Trek 2 K88 tablet. They've been as low as $50-60 but go for $80-90 now. Works wonderfully for Solo stuff. I've even had it out in extreme hot and cold.

This is what I'm using too...LOVE IT. I paid $60.

This tablet has a 720p screen, 2gb of RAM and is carrier unocked 4g/lte device. I use my FreedomPop sim in it ( free cell and data plan. Google it) and am able to place calls and access the internet from it on the road...

Runs solex like a champ.

Only downside is that the bootloader is (still) locked, meaning no root.(if you don't know what I'm talking about then this doesn't matter to you)

2 thumbs up for the zte trek hd 2 as a super rad and cheap drone tabpet

 

[skcolb]

This tablet has a 720p screen, 2gb of RAM and is carrier unocked 4g/lte device. I use my FreedomPop sim in it ( free cell and data plan. Google it) and am able to place calls and access the internet from it on the road...

I've got a FreedomPop SIM in it too. It's great for when I've forgotten to preload maps.

I got mine for around $60 too. I don't know that there are any other tablets with similar specs for the price, plus this one has a cellular data modem.

 

[rickc]

I am surprised no one has mentioned he hdmi output ... !

 

[mike_kelly]

I am surprised no one has mentioned he hdmi output ... !

Why would you need hdmi output from a tablet? Are you hooking up a big screen LCD to your tablet?

 

[Saijin_Naib]

Why would you need hdmi output from a tablet? Are you hooking up a big screen LCD to your tablet?

Some FPV goggles have HDMI input so you could get some really laggy FPV action going on.