Off Road Notebook Computer

[big dave]

SteveS mentioned failures of screen hinges. I too want to setup an in car system, using one of our old HP Pavillion ZD7000 or ZD8000, or our new Sony Vaio CR. Jotto Deck carries laptop mounts with an accessory notebook mount screen holder to eliminate the pressures put on screen hinges, http://www.jottodesk.us/screen_holder.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.jottodesk.us/images/Videos/accessories.wmv" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[1leglance]

Since someone mentioned me I guess I should chime in here.....
I have been running a laptop in my FJC almost since the day I got is a bit over a year ago...
http://www.jeniko.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is the best mount for the money...I used the drill a hole model but they also have a universal seat bolt mount that works...the price is unbeatable!
I have run a toughbook...too heavy
I have run a Fujitsu lifebook....too small and slow (used older model)
Now I have a Toshiba U-205 and it rocks...bright screen semi rugged and runs great.....
Honestly after 2 laptop test I really don't think you need rugged laptop if you are willing to clean the dust after each run (inside the computer)

Software....
Oziexplorer has a complicated look but you really only use a handful of buttons and in normal use maybe 6 buttons out of everything...
Nice thing is the maps are free for the entire USA down to 24K (better than the 100K of Nat Geo), aerial photo and lots of other options...
Basically if you can scan a piece of paper and know 3pts then it is a map ozi can run.
I just down loaded all the maps for my Canada to Mexico Continental Dvide Expedition for free...11gb for the topo, and if I had to buy it per state like Nat Geo that would be $700 (7 states @ $100 ea)...

I would be happy to writeup how to download and setup the maps...once you have done it then it is nothing....seems complicated but not at all...
In use I run a globalsat gps puck for $40 that rocks...www.semsons.com is where I have bought my gps stuff for years now...

Lastly I use Iguidance for street nav...works well...
and then GPSgate to share my incoming comm port info between the 2 programs

http://blairsite.com/Gallery/Expedition-Ready" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
has a pic of my interior

[jeshua]

A little late to the party, but my buddy was going to change his carpc over to run solidstate, but his plan was to use a thumb drive to run the OS instead of a hard drive. But his mother board wouldn't support booting from a thumb drive. If you are still wanting to change over to a solid state you might want to look at going that route. Since you can pick up a a 16GB flash drive for +/- $70 or even a 32Gb now a days for +/- $140 compared to a 16GB solidstate hard drive for $250 up and I mean way up.

[cruiserlarry]

Since someone mentioned me I guess I should chime in here.....
I have been running a laptop in my FJC almost since the day I got is a bit over a year ago...
http://www.jeniko.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is the best mount for the money...I used the drill a hole model but they also have a universal seat bolt mount that works...the price is unbeatable!
I have run a toughbook...too heavy
I have run a Fujitsu lifebook....too small and slow (used older model)
Now I have a Toshiba U-205 and it rocks...bright screen semi rugged and runs great.....
Honestly after 2 laptop test I really don't think you need rugged laptop if you are willing to clean the dust after each run (inside the computer)

Software....
Oziexplorer has a complicated look but you really only use a handful of buttons and in normal use maybe 6 buttons out of everything...
Nice thing is the maps are free for the entire USA down to 24K (better than the 100K of Nat Geo), aerial photo and lots of other options...
Basically if you can scan a piece of paper and know 3pts then it is a map ozi can run.
I just down loaded all the maps for my Canada to Mexico Continental Dvide Expedition for free...11gb for the topo, and if I had to buy it per state like Nat Geo that would be $700 (7 states @ $100 ea)...

I would be happy to writeup how to download and setup the maps...once you have done it then it is nothing....seems complicated but not at all...
In use I run a globalsat gps puck for $40 that rocks...www.semsons.com is where I have bought my gps stuff for years now...

Lastly I use Iguidance for street nav...works well...
and then GPSgate to share my incoming comm port info between the 2 programs

http://blairsite.com/Gallery/Expedition-Ready" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
has a pic of my interior

I think we would all be grateful to you if you would be willing to set up a thread describing / itemizing a functional computer-based GPS/navigation/mapping set-up for the vehicle. You have had a substantial amount of experience with it already, and that hands on experience trumps hours of reading brochures and anonimouswrite-ups for those of us who are not experts....

[DaveK]

A little late to the party, but my buddy was going to change his carpc over to run solidstate, but his plan was to use a thumb drive to run the OS instead of a hard drive. But his mother board wouldn't support booting from a thumb drive. If you are still wanting to change over to a solid state you might want to look at going that route. Since you can pick up a a 16GB flash drive for +/- $70 or even a 32Gb now a days for +/- $140 compared to a 16GB solidstate hard drive for $250 up and I mean way up.

I haven't given up on the idea of an SSD, but until the toughbook craps out, its no longer a priority. I keep my ear to the ground though to make sure that I know how things are developing and I will probably make a move in the future. I think the idaa of a hard drive with no moving parts is the only way to go.

The next best thing for the kind of abuse I subject it to is a FULLY rugged laptop. The idea of a PC which is liquid proof (read coffee) shock resistant, dust proof and built like a tank should be rather apealing to off roaders. Anything less is uncivilized. I have made a stainless steel mount for the H2 which is both sturdy and secure. With the right mount, the Toughbook's size (which for a 12 inch screen is quite small) and weight is no problem. I checked out the market for mounts and everything I saw was a tad on the skimpy side. Thus the custom mount.

It would be great for anyone with current information (you) to keep us updated on SSDs.

[DaveK]

SteveS mentioned failures of screen hinges. I too want to setup an in car system, using one of our old HP Pavillion ZD7000 or ZD8000, or our new Sony Vaio CR. Jotto Deck carries laptop mounts with an accessory notebook mount screen holder to eliminate the pressures put on screen hinges

Dave:

Jotto's screen holder is a really good idea, especially for the type of uses to which we put the pc. I am adapting this holder to the notebook mount in my truck. Even with good hinges, things get wobbly on the dirt. If you set this up, please post some pics.

[Hardluck]

Would you mind sharing if I picked up the software? I have a IBM T40 I can put to good use...

No Problem. So far, I just got done downloading all of the 24k maps. Their sitting on my desktop computer and haven't been loaded into Ozi.

You can try Ozi out for free. Go to Ozi's website http://www.oziexplorer.com and download the trial version. Then go to http://casil.ucdavis.edu/casil/maps/drg ... d83_mosaic and download the 24k topo map for where you live. That way, you can play with oziexplorer and see if you like it before you buy it.

Fyi, the datum for the above maps is nad83 and the projection is Albers Equal Area (with Lat1: 34N, Lat2: 40deg 30' N, central Meridian: 120 W, Origin Lat: 0) (if this is greek to you, you'll understand when you load the map )

[DaveK]

Well.............................. I take back everything that I said about the manufacturers not sharing my zeal for a notebook computer with an SSD. On March 5, 2008, Dell hit a grand slam with the introduction of their Latitude XFR D630, a fully ruggedized note book, with, among other things, an SSD. See http://www.dell.com/xfr" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; . It has everything that a bouncing, jarring, dusty, wet and butter fingered wheeler could want. A little on the hefty side, but a small price to pay for the benefits of full ruggedization (if there is such a word). Ye-haaaa!

[DaveK]

The Notebook has taken on an entirely new function lately as a repository of manuals (pursuant to suggestions by taugust and SteveS). It is reassuring to not only have vehicle service manuals but the instructions for all the stuff that we carry, from cameras to radios.

Back when I purchased my dual band 8800, I popped for the radio programming software by RT Systems. See http://www.rtsystemsinc.com/index.cfm?c ... n=47355439" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; . It allowed a complete down load of all information in the radio to my PC. As time has passed, the RT software has proven to be even more valuable than just preservation of my rigs memory. It has also allowed two other important functions:

1. For those who have either ICOM or Yaesu radios, we can load repeater and frequency information into each others radios, thus making trip planning much easier. When one of us does the research to discover the repeaters and frequencies which serve the areas we are visiting, we can simply up load the information into every ones Ham rig and we are all working with the same info.

2. Now that I carry the lap top on all trips, the RT software is loaded up and I have entered all of the information from my radios. Now if there is a need to transfer this info back into my rig or the rig of another member of our group, I have the means to do so.

As always, I also save this info on a flash drive in the event of a failure of my PC.

[taugust]

Yep, having the ability to share info, (in this case, carefully and sometimes painfully, entered info) is a real benefit. I'm not familiar with the RT software, but I assume it is aftermarket usable with both makes of radio. For Icom's proprietary software, it is only good with a particular model radio. A generic solution is pretty cool.