If anyone has used a Pulsar optic, then they know one of the best features is the Stream Vision app— available for free at Apple or Google app stores. But its viability has been both praised and cursed amongst its users. The features offered by the Stream Vision app are second to none in the industry. With it you are able to update an optics firmware, view and upload videos, change settings, and ballistic software… all in one app. So what if I told you the App was great, but maybe it’s the hardware you're trying to pair it to that’s the problem?
The needs of Hunter and Outfitters are similar but possibly different when factoring in geographical locations, game hunted, and/or customer needs. Here in Americus, GA we hunt primarily flat open farm fields at night. We hunt out of a Chevy AWD Explorer Van as a mobile hunting blind. A Pulsar Thermal Helion XP50 is mounted to the roof with a motorized pan/tilt system controlled via remote control. This offers us the ability to hunt in comfort and out of the weather, giving customers the ability to see what thermal technology can do. Best of all we are able to have conversations during the hunt.
#Southern-comfort Pig Problem Inc. Hunting Van
When pairing to a device it’s no secret it works best with Android based tablets or smart phones. I am saying it doesn’t pair with Apple IOS devices, as I have used my iPad with some success. I ended up purchasing the latest Android devices to see just what tablet worked best for my outfits application. The Samsung Tab A 10.1 (2019), Tab A7, Tab S6 lite, Tab S7, Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook, and my trusty AT&T iPad 6 LTE were all used for comparison.
The Samsung Tablets are all very similar, but some lack certain features like DEX, memory or display resolution. The Samsung Tab A series and Tab S6 lite do not support HDMI features or DEX, instead they use a smart view features that streams to a smart TV via WIFI. I could not get WIFI video to stream to the Tab A 10.1 with any consistency during this comparison. The Tab A 10.1 is also narrower and does not fit a Ram mount for 10” tablets.
Both the new Tab A7 and Tab S6 lite both work with the Stream Vision app perfectly and holds a video stream connection without issue. I could not see or tell a difference between either tablet outside of cost with the Tab S6 having higher specs but costing a bit more. Both do not support HDMI or Dex features to mirror the tablet onto a large monitor, but supports smart view for smart TVs. The edge goes to the Tab A7 if you need just a basic tablet to pair to the Stream Vision App.
The Samsung Tab S7 11" and Lenovo Chromebook are very similar and do almost everything you need. Both hold a connection without issue with excellent video resolution. They both can HDMI (DEX) via a smart adapter to a larger monitor for easier viewing. The Lenovo Chromebook comes with more features consisting of a nice case, keyboard, touchscreen display at a $299 price point. The drawback was the ability to charge while having a smart adapter plugged into the single USB-C. I could not get the Chromebook to charge and HDMI steam video at the same time. The battery life was great on the Chromebook, but sometimes I hunt 10-12 hours and need to recharge. The Samsung Tab S7 11” does it all but doesn’t come with any extras other than a stylus for $649.
So what did I choose?
I chose the Samsung Tab S7 11”. Although it is the most expensive, it was the only tablet that met all my needs. It rides securely in the Ram mount, pairs to the Helion’s WIFI, and streams video effortlessly. The Lenovo Chromebook would be my second choice out of the Android based tablets. Its features and scalability beat out all other tablet and only missed the mark when needing to recharge. One thing I learned when using the Stream Vision app is the hardware interface is more important than just pairing to any android based product. The night hunting community is constantly getting better with Pulsar and other manufacturers refining their products for the growing night hunting market.
