Good morning, Ray. Jared Gillis did what I think is a very good review of the TireMinder Smart TPMS and it's available on his YT channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXBzXAGkBnY In part, I liked the review because he points out what a TPMS can and can not do for on-road safety. Jared goes into some detail about why they chose that brand - very helpful, I thought.

Jack
Prescott AZ

We just bought the TST system with flow through valves. Still in the box and needs to be set up and the repeater installed. Fortunately I have already brought 12v power into the front compartment for the jack and slide controllers.

The TST seems like a good quality product. However...

Looking at Jareds video immediately I like that there is an app for the tire minder product that allows the cell phone to replace the on dash monitor. The cell is always affixed to the dash anyway. I probably would have gone for that instead of the TST but at least the TST monitor is small and doesn't need a power cord plugged into it all the time. I need to build a little cradle for it to sit up on the dash more securely.

Thanks, Jack :)

Yeah, I think the app may have the advantage of using a better phone display.
One dislike I see already with the i10 is the display though it is color it is backlit and a shiny surface I find it a little dark in sunlight and really reflective.
That's a plus for the EEZtire it uses a simple Liquid Crystal display, I just have it tucked in the lower left-hand corner of the windshield with a suction cup mount and just use the rechargeable battery, no wires. People say you don't need to be looking at the TPMS it will do an audio alert, but I like to be able to glance at it to check temps and make sure it's working.

Just an only somewhat related thought: I find it a bit fascinating how the last 10 years of new technologies has had the same ripple effect in tow vehicle 'cockpits' and the cockpits of small aircraft. It used to be that both vehicles displayed what a manufacturer chose to put in front of you, and ancillary indicators were either few in number (perhaps a transmission temp gauge for the tow vehicle) or non-existent. Then came GPS-everything, several ubiquitous, inexpensive wireless technologies, the iPhone and iPad, inexpensive video cameras (both facing forward and behind) and much more. Quite rapidly, multiple displays got hung right and left for the driver/pilot to be monitoring, cable runs (or regimented battery charging schemes) became the norm, and one wonders how the driver/pilot can find time to scan what's in front of him or her and control the vehicle.

In aviation, the next iteration of all this technology became the integrated flight display. One screen now offers the same aeronautical instruments (bank angle, airspeed, heading and so forth) along with the navigational picture and all its relevant details AND all the engine instrumentation that allowed one to estimate whether the plane would stay in the air all the way to its destination. Something similar has now taken shape with new trucks, but the degree of integration is less. I like Jared's approach - one phone, with all the nav/entertainment/TPMS/whatever data being centralized in one location and not encumbering the view of the road - but such an arrangement works better for me if it's on the iPad rather than the smaller phone. If only hanging something bigger off the dash and solidly placing it near to hand in our TV was as easy as it was to do in the smaller aircraft cockpit.

Jack

My truck has an OEM center display that shows Oil, Tranny, and Water temps then I like to have three things all displayed and can be looked at with just a glance.
TPMS with tire temp and PSI tucked in lower driver corner of dash, very small screen doesn't block road view and has liquid crystal display for easy viewing in bright light, next is my rearview camera mounted to the rearview mirror so natural to look there and doesn't block the view and then my 7" Garmin RV GPS on the center of the dash, don't have to look down and it blocks no part of the road view, also very bright with matte display no reflections. Easy to read.

Personally, I find that phones are hard to see with my older eyes and reflect the light and you are taking eyes off-road to look down or having to monkey with it to switch between apps. Also if the phone freezes or quits all things quit. I do have a tablet on the floor tranny hump pulling my exhaust temps via Bluetooth off the OBD2 port, but not a thing I need to look at much, it's mainly there for shutdown so I don't turn off a hot diesel engine and pulling steep grades so I don't overdo it. I can see how the phone would be good if you RV only part-time and not too often, but we are on the road for months so nice to have it all set up for extended travel.

Also, many places are getting hardcore against smartphones. In BC they issue big fines.
Drivers caught emailing, texting, or using an electronic device while driving face a first-time offence fine of $368 and four points ($210) in their ICBC penalty point premium. That's a total of $578 in fines.
Having it mounted helps but if a cop sees you messing with it he may think you are texting rather than just changing/adjusting apps.

Or 'changing/adjusting apps' may be a good reason for the cop to stop us in any case.

You described my last GA cockpit, Ray. No integrated display, so careful thought given and some kind of logic developed for arranging multiple displays despite the fact that ongoing Job One is to monitor what's outside the windshield. However, I will confess that my analogy only goes so far and things become very different once your aircraft enters the goo and outside visibility disappears. The closest car/truck driving to this is in dense fog or very heavy rain, where real serious concentration - non-stop, if you please - is needed to track the centerline and keep a wary eye out for slower traffic just outside the visual range. That can be very challenging driving if it also occurring at a critical point in the vehicle's navigation or if you get a TPMS alarm. In flying, hands-on IFR flying is an uninterrupted scan, in a structured sequence, of 6 instruments non-stop while hoping to find a little residual brainpower to handle comms with ATC and anticipate the weather ahead, traffic and GPS nav. I think it's why pilots usually feel great fulfillment in instrument flying (after a successful landing of course) and I've felt something similar when towing our Lance through tough weather and safely arriving at our destination.

Jack

Highway 101 on Oregon/Wash coast and northern California is a great test. Lots of winding/hilly highway and often foggy or pouring rain and/or strong winds. Usually, trafficwise it's not too busy but lots of large trucks and people meandering along the centerline in curves plus possible landside rocks on the road or blown down tree limbs. Parts are always under construction with sunken grades and rough temp pavement patches being normal.
Got to really pay attention or end up in the ditch. It's one spot I really find the rear camera helpful, when the rain is pouring hard the side mirrors are almost useless but the rear camera view stays clear.