I have a Verizon Ellipsis Tablet already & i was not happy to find out it cannot be used for the Phantom 4..\

I'm not looking to make a big investment... What is the cheapest yet effective (non-lag) Tablet option for the P4?

Also, do i need to connect the cell service or can i just hook it up out of the box..

I did not pull the trigger yet on buying a Phantom 4.. I have the Phantom 1 right now & this is a BIG leap right now..

Some clarity might help!, thanks!

~ T-man

This is a difficult question to answer, because Best and Cost Effective do not go together. Firstly you should only get a tablet from the list of approved models, as then you will know that it has been tested by DJI and will work. This is very important, because lots of tablets/phones do not work.

Next, you mention 'non-lag'. Well, this is strictly a measure of the performance of the tablet's processor, so cheap tablets probably won't cut it.

One of the most reliable tablets in use is the iPad Air 2, and although they can be expensive, try looking for one in pawn shops, that's where I got mine.

And no, you do not need a cellular capable tablet, nor a cell account to use it.

I have 4th gen ipad and an iPhone 6s.  I find the 6s works best for me.  The P4 has to be initialized over the net, after that, other than for updates, no other connection is needed.  No, you don't need cell or data service.

I bought an Insignia Flex 8" Android tablet for mine.  It runs Lollipop 5.0 and has WiFi/GPS radios.  It has a HD screen resolution of 1280 X 800, good enough for a 720p feed.  Quad core & 16GB on board storage.  Does a Great Job running the DJI Go app and matches the P4 color in white.  $70 at Best Buy.  Don't bother getting the DJI 8" sunshade for it, though, it doesn't fit!  Will need a Sunshade at least 8.5 inches wide to fit it cleanly.

I have the Insignia Elite Flex 8" tablet. While the display is sharp and bright, the video is laggy on this tablet.
For lag-free display, Nvidia Shield works great (if you can live with the glare).
So far, I haven't found an android device that is lag free and has good bright display.

ArcticM39 Posted at 2016-6-23 08:47
I have the Insignia Elite Flex 8" tablet. While the display is sharp and bright, the video is laggy  ...

'So far, I haven't found an android device that is lag free and has good bright display.'

And you never will. The very process of MPEG encoding a video signal causes a degree of lag, but it should never be excessive. Their is no such thing as totally lag-free.

bengalboy69@gma Posted at 2016-6-22 12:28
I bought an Insignia Flex 8" Android tablet for mine.  It runs Lollipop 5.0 and has WiFi/GPS radios. ...

man I am not a fan of that white color

If you go with the ipad's and want GPS you must have a cellular model which is expensive, I went with a Android, most Android models have GPS built in, and to me size matters, I went with the Samsung S2 8" model the new T713 on sale now for $299 it has the marshmallow 6.1 OS. Remember the Phantom 4 is one of the top of the line units, if you were to buy a Ferrari sports car you wouldn't put cheap bias skinny tires on it.
So the moral of the story is don't go cheap on a expensive equipment, and I think the rest of the P4 flyers would agree.

Geebax Posted at 2016-6-22 16:56
'So far, I haven't found an android device that is lag free and has good bright display.'

And you  ...

Hey, I have a Samsung Tab S2 - No lag, amazing bright screen

I can even use it when flying my P4, sometimes. Sometimes it just won't connect, buy my Galaxy Note 4 always connects. Go figure.

I used to use a NVIDIA Shield K and it worked quite well and it also has GPS and built in screen recording.
Not bad for $200.

I do have a lenovo tab S8-50F. This runs quite well, it's inexpensiveand I haven't noticed a lag yet. I paid about 100€ for this unit and I'm satisfied. I also own an iPad air 1st generation and that works very good as well. But sometimes I prefer the lenovo tab because of its smaller size.

I am a bit confused about the lack of internet & GPS service.

How is the P4 app or third party app going to get the map data it needs if there is no active internet connection, assuming there is no wi-fi in the area?

Also, I thought we need a unit with built in GPS.

MD_Icarus Posted at 2016-6-23 13:44
I am a bit confused about the lack of internet & GPS service.

How is the P4 app or third party app  ...

I use my phones data and I set it up as a hotspot that my galaxy tab-e connects to. Works anywhere my phone works.

MD_Icarus Posted at 2016-6-24 03:44
I am a bit confused about the lack of internet & GPS service.

How is the P4 app or third party app  ...

If you want to have continous map service while you are flying, you need an Internet connection, either WiFi or cellular data. But most people will be out of range of WiFi while flying, so cellular is the only option.

However, you can also 'cache' the maps on your device before you fly, and then you will not need any form of Internet connection. Or just ignore the map display altogether.

As for GPS, the aircraft has GPS capability, the phone/tablet only needs to have GPS capability if you use the Follow Me function, or want to reset the Home Point to the location of the RC unit during a flight.

Geebax Posted at 2016-6-23 19:33
If you want to have continous map service while you are flying, you need an Internet connection, e ...

I did not know that maps can be saved; I assume it wont save the entire world, but the local area?  or country? I will look into this further.  Thanks

As far as changing the home at the current RC location sounds like a good option when I am moving on an auto or boat.

But it just occurred to me,
if someone makes a mistake and they make the aircraft the home point, and they lose RC connection, then they got a BIIG Problem! they will lose the aircraft!!  Maybe that is one reason some people say it flew away?

Nvidia sheild

MD_Icarus Posted at 2016-6-24 10:14
I did not know that maps can be saved; I assume it wont save the entire world, but the local area? ...

'But it just occurred to me,
if someone makes a mistake and they make the aircraft the home point, and they lose RC connection, then they got a BIIG Problem! they will lose the aircraft!!  Maybe that is one reason some people say it flew away?'

I never change rthe home point, I have no need to, and I would not do it anyway. It is one of those functions provided that I see no need for at all.

The good thing about an iPad Air 2 Cellular, is everything!! Hahaha
Plus the price has been slashed since I bought mine when it was still relatively new on the market.

RedHotPoker

The iPad Mini 2 is a good size and can be found used on eBay.........good resale also.