echoing windows xp display to palm device ?

[whipper_snapper]

My primary electronic nav system is a win XP PC safely tucked away below. Is there any way to also show its display on a small PDA type display ? While the PC could drive 2 monitors, I don't want to mess about with permanently connecting VGA and power into a wet area. I have a vague recollection of this being tried via bluetooth. Or maybe wireless network could do it ? Is there a working system ?

Thanks

 

[Neraida]

Yup,

Panasonic Toughbook Wireless Display (CF-08) is what you need...

Here's a link to a factsheet

Not cheap mind you, you'll end up parting with 1200 squid. The only way to do it properly really, in use by quite a few racers. Good for programming any mobile ICBN's you may have lying about too...

 

[fflakey]

You could use a VNC server on the PC

Then you would have to get a VNC client for the cockpit, my choice would be some sort of tablet pc running a stripped down Linux OS which would automatically connnect on power on to the server

Putting the cockpit client in a waterproof box shouldnt be a problem, keyboard input would be a little trickier though but if you just want a repeater controlled from below that wouldnt be an issue

Hope this helps

 

[whipper_snapper]

Thanks both. The Panasonic Wireless Display looks great but I cannot justify the cost. But a quick google suggests that VNC clients are available for palms and PDAs so I will have a look at that approach. I don't at present have a PDA but I have been thinking about getting one for mobile email so this could be a god excuse.

cool. Just discovered there is a VNC client for the ipod touch!

 

[wotayottie]

Interesting post. Let us know, Whipper Snapper how you get on.

 

[whipper_snapper]

OK, with the magic 3 letters VNC....

As a start, I put tightVNC on the PC running Maxsea and I can view and control it on a Mac with absolutely no problems. The Mac actually needs no additional software at all. So already I think this is real progress - the XP laptop with all its connections to GPS, instruments and radio, could just sit in the corner, tied down, with its lid closed and its display off while I could use an ancient dumb PC in the cockpit to access it.

Perhaps a minimum spec Asus Eee would be a suitable 'cockpit client' for this purpose ? But a Linux tablet would be nicer - I will check ebay.


I put the MochaVNC lite client onto my itouch - free via itunes store. Connecting it to the PC was unbelievably simple. It works. I can zoom in and out on the PC screen. But the itouch screen is very small; I found it almost impossible to zoom in and out on the chart (as opposed to the PC screen) and change tools on Maxsea. There is a paid version of the Mocha client for all of £3.49, it seems to give you some extras including a right mouse button. But I guess that you would have to set the zoom and view on the host PC and then not attempt to change anything from the ipod - but it would still be very useful to keep an eye on your position.

Thanks for the suggestion of VNC - it looks perfect for this application. I will look out for a tough, cheap, thin, client.

 

[wotayottie]

Whilst you have been experimenting, have you used the www to communicate between computers or have you used a workgroup?

The remote system built into XP pro would seem to give the required facility to view on a windows CE PDA but its not clear whether this will work with workgroups or just the www.

Otter boxes (google it) are what bikers use to protect non waterfroof PDAs in use on bikes.

 

[whipper_snapper]

Good question. I have been using a local wireless router isolated from the web and connecting via the ip addresses it issues. I assumed it would be trivial to make a 'direct' connection but have not found out how to do it. I am sure there must be a way around this, but I am not familiar with Windows networking systems.

Of course, if necessary using a wireless router on board would not be a big problem. But any ideas on how to connect directly ?

 

[markdj]

I did this about 4-5 years ago with bluetooth echoing an XP machine to a Sony Ericsson P800 smartphone which used the Symbian OS.

I don't have the software now but, yes it is possible. VNC sounds familar but I don't know the name of the software I used. I think it was free too...

 

[wotayottie]

I'm not familiar with networks either which was why I was asking. as I understand it, xp pro will act as a server but not xp home which is designed for workgroups but not domain sharing. You wouldnt really want a wireless router on board in addition to a lappy and the pda, so I assume you would connect the lappy to the pda using the wireless bit on both. in effect thats what you would do with bluetooth if you chose that route.

quite which buttons you would push to do this I dont know, and I havent got a wireless pda to try out.