Laptop at the Nav table

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fireball

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For all you nay sayers that insist on keeping a paper chart up to date ... the problem I've found with laptop navigation is that whilst the laptop is ok and the software works - it takes up too much room so you can't get the paper chart out !!

Well - with our forward facing chart table I think I have a solution ...

laptopnavtable.jpg


The laptop is held open at 180 degrees, and I'll use an external keyboard and mouse - the keyboard in the photo is a standard one - I'll source a small keyboard later ... not that it'll matter too much as it doesn't tend to get used...

The bracket, made from 3 strips of stainless, 8 spot welds and a few bends, is bolted on to the underside of the chart table.

This way I get to see the online chart and still have complete access to the nav table!! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Now all I need is a waterproof, daylight visable screen to mount in the companion way.....
 
Looks ingenious - but if you are intending to use it underway then you need to give more thought to the screen support.

The screen hinges are one of the week parts of a laptop and certainly not designed to take any strain. I would recommend that you extend the bracket upwards to hold the screen rigidly and not rely on the hinges to hold it in place.
 
Nice idea for your chart table, but of course many tables are athwartships.
How do you cope with the power drain, I find this the biggest problem when using a laptop. In fact this summer I took a laptop sailing but for the first time for several years I didn't use it, merely plotting GPS on paper charts allied with good old eyeball navigation. I preferred to use battery power for windlass, fridge and DVD etc.
 
You can also use a Telephone "arm" designed to get telephones of the desk ... it will then swing / lock / move where you want.
 
I've upped the RAM, set the processor to minimum speed, set the disk to spin down after 5 minutes idle, will take out the battery so that isn't being charged and dim the screen to the best for the conditions with it going black after a period of idle (yet to be defined and will depend on location and usefulness of the chart).

Power hungry bits are really the screen and disk access followed by processor ... I've just put in a new 110Ah leisure battery so I'll see how it goes - I'm running it through a 300w invertor rather than DC-DC so I expect it to be reasonably power hungry. But then I don't have a fridge (just electric cool box), certainly no windlass (I just need 3 weetabix in the morning!) and DVDs don't get watched too often - and usually on shorepower when we do... (got to get that 5.1 surround sound! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif)
 
[ QUOTE ]

Now all I need is a waterproof, daylight visable screen to mount in the companion way.....

[/ QUOTE ]

Let me know if you find one at sensible prices. Been looking for a while now. There ought to be some available given the price at which plotters complete with charts and software sell for, but the best I've found is about £1k.
 
Hi Fireball

I did some current consumption tests with my last Dell laptop and a 300W inverter. I found that when the laptop was initially turned on the Inverter would draw 5-6A for a short while before dropping to about 180mA thereafter. That was with an older Dell PII machine. I now run a new(er) machine with 2 batteries plugged in which would give me about 3 hours continuous use of the laptop should the main boat supply ever fail. Using what I discovered with the old laptop I always keep the batteries fully charged keeping the current draw to a minimum.
I would be wary of taking out the battery for long periods as Laptops do have very advanced power control features built in which are designed to have a battery fitted. It also means that if the supply were inadvertently turned off it would kill the laptop and any programs running.

Just my thoughts...

Andy
 
Quote "I would be wary of taking out the battery for long periods as Laptops do have very advanced power control features built in which are designed to have a battery fitted."

Acer in fact advise to take out the battery in the manual .... eg > Acee Aspire 1360 as I'm using now User manual page 32 ....if using on mains / external power for extended periods.

The wording is :

the useful lifespan of the battery is adversely affected by the following usage patterns:
* Using the computer on constant AC power with the battery inserted. If you want to use constant AC power, you are advised to remove the battery pack after it is fully charged.
 
Thanks Andy & Nigel - I work with computers all day ... and the laptop I've got has a reasonably knackered battery - so no point charging it!! Intermitant loss of power is not going to be an issue - the inverter has it's own connection to the battery and after all it is a secondary method of navigation!! But thanks for the input!!
 
Couple of other points. I use a Logitec roller trackball and the unit is screwed in position. 3 SS self tappers with bent washers hold it in place. I have a full size keyboard and its mounted vertically on a near by bulkhead. Held there with self tappers. Very little keyboard use with Seaclear. On the dash in front of me I have a Benq 17 inch lcd screen. This is mounted in a timber frame, the lcd screen has a nice square edge which is easily fitted into a timber groove. This holds the screen from any movement.

The trackball is a true delight. Bit expensive, mines a refurbished unit off Ebay but just transforms the whole experience.
 
Ta - we have some1 who uses a trackball at work - I can't get on with it ... this one is an optical mouse - no moving parts to clog up, if I get on ok with this setup I'll probably make a mousehouse to put it in whilst not in use!

I don't need the large keyboard - far to big for the minimal use - seen the waterproof flexible ones - they should stay on the chart table and not get in the way - then stow easily ...

Looked at the possibility of seperate computer and screen - but when I can get the whole laptop for 1/2 the cost of a cheap LCD screen I can't see the point! Perhaps next time ...
 
Acer in fact advise to take out the battery in the manual - when on mains power for extended periods

Hewlett Packard/Compaq also give the exact same advice.

Another marina legend bites the dust /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif!

John
 
I use a wireless notebook sized mouse for which parking is easier not being bounded by a cable.

Have a mouse holder beside my knees under the chart table to drop it in if needed but actually find that without it being on a cable I just stick it anywhere handy such as on the book shelf or even if sat on a piece of that non skid rubbery cloth/mat stuff it tends to stay put.

John
 
Funnily enough - i have a notebook wireless mouse in my bag to try ... but the USB ports are quite tightly packed so may not be room for the USB dongle .. might even use less power ....

I suppose with a wireless mouse I could control it all from the companion way - don't even need to go down below! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
go bluetooth young man. Bluetooth trackball or mouse - trackball better suited to nav stations I suspect, and even bluetooth keyboard, would give great range and usability on board, while taking little space, and if you have on board bluetooth in the laptop, no usb adapters?
 
Bluetooth ...

having changed my Mobile phone - after dropping the last and breaking it .... I am really pleased with bluetooth .... ok still having set-up niggles with BT - GPRS settings ... but doesn't detract from obvious advantages already.

I was considering WiFi on board ... as the WiFi hubs I have seen are all 12v powered via mains units ... so could be plugged into domestic 12v supply on board. But Bluetooth makes more sense ...

I have an ITX mini PC ready for on-board mounting ... mmmmm making me think again !

But so far Thinkpad has it by a head !!
 
Ah - the problem with bluetooth is that when old codgers (like you!) come zipping past with your bluetooth setup my mouse zips across the screen ... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

No bluetooth built in - this is a very basic laptop approx 3yrs old, high enough spec to run the nav software at a reasonable speed without (I hope) taking up too much juice.

Used to be able to get external trackpads - not seen them around for a while ...
 
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