EEE netbook

[spuddy]

Nick described his 10" netbook used as a chartplotter. The refurbed ones are an attractive price. Before I splash out have you, Nick, or anybody else got a view on any pros and cons over an extended time ?

[Aja]

I have a Compaq Mini 110 which is perfect for my needs - caveat - as long as you have access to power. I can run mine from ac or dc but battery consumption is high. You can expect only about 3 hours max with this.

Other than that - I really haven't missed a cd drive. Use of pen drives is so common these days.

I am running Garmin charts on mine with a wee bluetooth GPS at a tenner.

Regards
Donald

[sahona]

I might be able to get you a robotic arm so you can connect the 'kin thing to the wheel, then you can start winning races!

[Nick]

.
For me one of the big pluses of my eee-PC is the solid state hard drive - WinXP loads in 20 sec or less and there's no whirry bit to go tits up when dropped or bumped. When not travelling it's mostly used as an MP3 player connected to my stereo and a portable USB hard drive with 300 albums on it.

[Old_Glow_In_The_Deep]

I made the decision to use a Netbook (Samsung N145) running Open-CPN with C-Map charts and a GPS dongle from Maplins….. works a treat.

The reasons I chose a Netbook are:

Smaller footprint,
Minimal power usage,
And around 10 hours battery life (apparently some can give you 14 hours).
Plus everything-else a new low-end laptop can provide with the addition of an external DVD drive.

PM if required

[Nick]

.
The only downside we found using the netbook alone when we ran out of charts for Norway a wee bit North of Bergen was that it is almost impossible to look very far ahead and get the bigger picture, but we got round this by using the maps on tourist leaflets for passage planning (don't try this at home folks) and the netbook for actual navigation. Otherwise it was excellent. If you feel the need the NASA AIS engine for around £100 makes an excellent addition - very comnforting in the oilfields in the dark on the way back across.

Our netbook doesn't have a great battery life (maybe three hours constant use) but the power drain through a car adapter is very low - much less than a laptop - so we left it plugged in a lot of the time.

[ash]

Back in October 2010, I was tempted by Currys sale to add a small amount to my Christmas 2009 money and splash out on a Packard Bell dot s2 netbook at £230. A wheezy, whirlly style storage of 250Gb, 6 cell battery for 7 hour life, and Windows 7 Starter 32 bit. From further research since, it would appear that despite the branding it is actually an Acer Nav50 but I have no reason to complain yet.

My grandson spent his 2010 Christmas money on a Samsung of similar spec, but with the advantage of built in Blue tooth, for similar money during Currrys Boxing Day Sale.

I've committed to an O2 £5 / 500 MB per month internet dongle but haven't used it in anger yet - I can't get a 3G signal at home and I couldn't get a signal when we stayed in the outskirts of Aberfoyle.

The plan is to take the netbook with me on my work travels.

I also plan to buy this GPS puck on a wire, and this 12 volt power supply, and Memory Maps £40 chart bundle so that I can make use of the netbook on board.

I wish that I could get a power supply that would cope with a 24 volt input so that I could use it in the truck, but I haven't found one at a reasonable price.

I like the netbook, and think that the only drawback is the 600 pixel depth - many login pages are designed for 800 pixel.

Ash

[ash]

but you have overspecced the 12v power supply, as a Netbook draws little power, so a 3a one will do the job nicely.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/universal-3a-dc ... ply-228639

Thanks for all the info.

I had already been to Maplins this afternoon - before reading your post - so I thought - Oh s**t, but then I noticed that 'your' unit only supplies up to 12 volt.

My netbook runs at 19 V and 2.15 A. I also have a laptop at 19.5 V and 4.7 A, although this is less likely to be run off 12 Volt.

I've read somewhere that the netbook / laptop doesn't need it's rated voltage to run ( but the battery wouldn't be recharged ) but I don't know.

I also thought that the USB / phone charging facility might also be handy.

I also remember Nick saying that his first 'cheap' unit blew up - he didn't provide any other info but I thought that I might be better to spend a reasonable amount.

I'll need to get myself a storage box as there's lots of bits.

Ash

[Old_Glow_In_The_Deep]

Back in October 2010, I was tempted by Currys sale to add a small amount to my Christmas 2009 money and splash out on a Packard Bell dot s2 netbook at £230. A wheezy, whirlly style storage of 250Gb, 6 cell battery for 7 hour life, and Windows 7 Starter 32 bit. From further research since, it would appear that despite the branding it is actually an Acer Nav50 but I have no reason to complain yet.

My grandson spent his 2010 Christmas money on a Samsung of similar spec, but with the advantage of built in Blue tooth, for similar money during Currrys Boxing Day Sale.

I've committed to an O2 £5 / 500 MB per month internet dongle but haven't used it in anger yet - I can't get a 3G signal at home and I couldn't get a signal when we stayed in the outskirts of Aberfoyle.

The plan is to take the netbook with me on my work travels.

I also plan to buy this GPS puck on a wire, and this 12 volt power supply, and Memory Maps £40 chart bundle so that I can make use of the netbook on board.

I wish that I could get a power supply that would cope with a 24 volt input so that I could use it in the truck, but I haven't found one at a reasonable price.

I like the netbook, and think that the only drawback is the 600 pixel depth - many login pages are designed for 800 pixel.

Ash

PM Sent.... hope I'm not to late!?

[ash]

I also plan to buy this GPS puck on a wire

Got it! Seems like a nice piece of kit. My only worry would be the mounting magnet which is built in - might not be very friendly towards compasses and magnetic storage media.

The unit comes with software on a disc, including a Serial to USB Driver and a program called GPS Information which allows you to control and get readings from the puck without any navigation software. I used this on the Sony. I went online to the Globalsat website and downloaded the software, manual, etc to the netbook.





You can get live readings on Google Earth, but I then can't get the zoom to work, and I get that annoying time line that GE seems to have introduced.

Typing in some readings from GPS Info into GE gives positions within 3 to 5 metres



Ash

[Old_Glow_In_The_Deep]

Hi Ash,

March I am over at Inverclyde, so I can drop-off the CD with the software etc.

Kip Marina office in a Jiffy-Bag addressed to Ash, or in the cockpit of Mistral?.

Will set-up and configure for the price of a cup of tea.

OG.

[DaveS]

I also plan to buy this GPS puck on a wire

Got it! Seems like a nice piece of kit. My only worry would be the mounting magnet which is built in - might not be very friendly towards compasses and magnetic storage media.

Ash

I don't know this unit myself, but sticking it on to a decent sized (esp. thickness) bit of ferritic material (soft iron for preference, mild steel more available) should significantly reduce external magnetic fields.

[Old_Glow_In_The_Deep]

Hi Ash,

March I am over at Inverclyde, so I can drop-off the CD with the software etc.

Kip Marina office in a Jiffy-Bag addressed to Ash, or in the cockpit of Mistral?.

Will set-up and configure for the price of a cup of tea.

OG.

Has the EEE got a CD reader?

Probably not, but as these files have been extensively checked, scanned and tested on XP, Vista & 7, Ash can safely transfer them onto USB, external HD or a network without any issue. I will also bring my N45P to have a look at (if req) plus an external for transfer just as long as there is a Tea involved.

[ash]

Hi Ash,

March I am over at Inverclyde, so I can drop-off the CD with the software etc.

Kip Marina office in a Jiffy-Bag addressed to Ash, or in the cockpit of Mistral?.

Will set-up and configure for the price of a cup of tea.

OG.

Sorry for the delay in replying - I've been working away from home (in Dusseldorf) so didn't have access to the internet.

I'm sure that a CD in a poly bag will survive fine in the cockpit. I'll be at the boat fairly often between now and beginning of April.

Has the EEE got a CD reader?

I can use the Sony Viao and a memory stick to get the files onto the netbook.

Probably not, but as these files have been extensively checked, scanned and tested on XP, Vista & 7, Ash can safely transfer them onto USB, external HD or a network without any issue. I will also bring my N45P to have a look at (if req) plus an external for transfer just as long as there is a Tea involved.

Mistral is bereft of supplies at the moment, but will be re - provisioned nearer the launch date. I would hope that I am able to set it up myself, but will keep your kind offer in mind if I get stuck, and will ensure that tea is available.

I don't know this unit myself, but sticking it on to a decent sized (esp. thickness) bit of ferritic material (soft iron for preference, mild steel more available) should significantly reduce external magnetic fields.

The unit is designed to be stuck on the roof of a car - or more likely, an off road ute.

A bit of mild steel, encapsulated in plastic to prevent rust, would be easy to arrange if I find that I have problems.

I still wince at the memory of the effect that the sea-searcher magnet had on the tiller pilot - viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2497

Cheers guys

Ash

[aquaplane]

So what's the consensus? Is one option significantly better or cheaper than the others?

I'm in the thinking about it stage of having a plotter and access to weather forecasts (internet) while on the boat.

I could get a dedicated plotter and rely on the Coast Guard for the inshore forecast, or find out what the number is to ring and pay for an inshore forecast those days where the CG is too busy working casualties to broadcast them.

It sounds like a laptop is more power hungry than I would be comfortable with. I'll need to find out the difference between a netbook and a tablet and a laptop first I suppose, then I have an idea what you are talking about. I know what a dongle is. How power hungry are plotters, I'm assuming the megga bucks ones with a wide screen telly attached use fantastic ammounts and the 5" display ones don't but are rubbish?

Chiron has 2x100ah batteries so there is some capacity to work with.

I suppose I could get a pencil out and plot the lat and long off the GPS onto those paper maps you can get so I can tell if Kiells or Danna rocks are near when I turn into Loch Sween, that doesn't get the forecast though.