Boat PC.

Allan said:
I'm still at the stage of deciding things like the processor speed and type. Once I've xorted that I can move on to PSU and HDD etc.
Allan
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With the greatest respect, there is a pressing need to work backwards on a project of this type: i.e. sort out the screen first - everything else is secondary.
There are a myriad choices surrounding motherboard, storage, processor and other toys - but it's ALWAYS the screen which stops otherwise viable projects dead in their tracks.

Which is the reason I've stayed with a steam-driven laptop, and haven't yet been tempted to go for more modern kit.
 
electrosys said:
With the greatest respect, there is a pressing need to work backwards on a project of this type: i.e. sort out the screen first - everything else is secondary.
There are a myriad choices surrounding motherboard, storage, processor and other toys - but it's ALWAYS the screen which stops otherwise viable projects dead in their tracks.

Which is the reason I've stayed with a steam-driven laptop, and haven't yet been tempted to go for more modern kit.
Click to expand...
As that is the case, are there any low power screens? In particular 12v would be good.
Allan
 
Allan said:
After reading about the Raspberry Pi recently, I started thinking of building a PC for the boat. At home I have a couple of old laptop screens and a waterproof keyboard.
I would like a simple PC which uses the minimum power and can run a chartplotter program with a usb input from my AIS reciever. A bit of internet access for email and surfing via wifi would be good.
Any suggestions on if this is possible or what parts to use?
Allan
Click to expand...

I thought about this route as well, but I'm going low power, much simpler tech.
Arduino Mega 2560. Shed loads of I/O , digital, 3 uarts, A-D capabilities etc .
I don't want to be thinking about hard drives while going upwind in a 1.5m sea, though one could go SSD. ;)

The screen is 8 x 24 - text... but I'm interested in the numbers anyway!

Programming stops your braing rusting..

Graeme
 
greenalien said:
. the ITX board (with processor, RAM and graphics chip) can be cased up with a solid-state hard drive and kept somewhere dry, with just the keyboard, mouse/trackball and screen 'out in the open'.

.
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This is exactly what my IT-wizzard nephew built for me, with a 12volt 17" screen fed through a 12v-12v converter for stability. Black box tucked away safely, keyboard a flexible affair.
Has been running for 3 years to my full satisfaction.
 
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