More on laptops

[Tom Lathrop]

I have a similar request to Oyster about laptops. We use the computer quite a lot in our house and often find one or the other waiting to get to it. That is not such a big deal since there are other things that need doing.

I would like a unit that would also serve as a TV and DVD player on trips/cruises in either the boat or camper as well as a second computer at home. I understand that such laptops are available but don't much more about them.

On a recent trip to New England to pick up a partially built airplane, my friend had a laptop that he had added a Delorme GPS navigation package to. The antenna and software was less than $100 and it was very impressive with the moving chart on the big screen.

This computer is slowing down with only 512mb RAM so I am going to add more.

[capt jake]

That GPS nav system is avalable at Costco. A friend of mine has it and says it works extremely well.

I have heard that the battery life of a laptop is only about 4 hours; wouldn't that create a problem on a trip?

Other than that, I no nothing about this topic any longer. My laptop I bought about 6 years ago is in a box and selsom gets used. I'de like to find a use for it.

[Charlie Jones]

Tom - we have a Dell Inspiron 2200. I have no idea what is installed on it ram wise- Laura handles that stuff.

But, we have all the charts for the gulf coast downloaded onto it, and can connect either our Garmin 72 or 76 to the laptop via a cable so we can use it as a chart plotter. Laura found a power cable/data cable combination so we plug the GPS into ships power via a cigarette lighter plug, and the laptop in using a small inverter..

We've used it on several cruises with quite good results.

Oh- and it has a DVD player and there is a tuner available so you could use it as a regular television. Laura doesn't recall the name, but we can find out for you.

Now that the regular NOAA charts are available online ( NOT the ENC ones- those suck) it becomes quite simple to use the laptop as a nav computer.

[Howard]

I have an Apple laptop I inherited from my oldest kid. It has a wireless card in it. I've used it for travel, to surf the net and check email. At hotels where wireless is available, one only has to turn it on......and start the web browser. It configures itself to the wireless network all by itself. In fact, all you have to do is pull into the parking lot of a hotel that has wireless and you can normally start surfing in the parking lot. You don't have to be a guest.

I understand a lot of truck stops have wireless setups and some marinas might too. Then there are the coffee houses. Seems like some of them place wireless Internet service over the coffee as a must have to attract customers.

[Tom Lathrop]

No matter how I might go about this, it will be in baby steps because of my amazing skill at screwing up computer stuff. Yeah, I have a master's degree in engineering but my brain works in analog and computers are universally unimpressed with the diploma.

[Frank Hagan]

Tom, most of the laptops now can come with a DVD-CD player so you can pop in a movie and watch it. Battery life is an issue; you usually can get from 2 - 4 hours with one if you are playing a DVD. That's the easy part.

Powering it can be harder. You can always run a computer off an inverter, doing the 12V (car) -> 120v (inverter) -> 12V (laptop) thing with the included adapter. I haven't seen direct car plug ins that would work for a laptop, but that might be worth looking for. Surely they have them?

My other observation is that if you have a laptop and desktop at home, you will use the desktop. Even wait until someone else is done with it. Laptops have horrible keyboards, so if you're semi-permanent with it, you plug in a regular keyboard. Like boats are to homes, they are a compromise in comparison to a desktop.

[capt jake]

My other observation is that if you have a laptop and desktop at home, you will use the desktop. Even wait until someone else is done with it. Laptops have horrible keyboards, so if you're semi-permanent with it, you plug in a regular keyboard. Like boats are to homes, they are a compromise in comparison to a desktop.

That's why mine in still on the shelf.

[Tom Lathrop]

Powering it can be harder. You can always run a computer off an inverter' date=' doing the 12V (car) -> 120v (inverter) -> 12V (laptop) thing with the included adapter. I haven't seen direct car plug ins that would work for a laptop, but that might be worth looking for. Surely they have them?

.[/quote']

This part boggles my mind Frank. 12VDC to 110AC to 12VDC :roll: What could be the reason a regular 12VDC plug and cord would not work? 12VDC is 12VDC isn't it? I had assumed that the laptop could just be plugged into a normal car 12V outlet. If that is not true, then the usefulness of the whole thing makes no sense.

[mrthethird]

Laptops must be able to be plugged into the "cigarette lighter" in your car. All the cops do it that way.

[ChrisObee]

Yes you can plug laptops into a 12v accessory recepticle. All you need is the right adaptor. Many laptop companies do not make such devices because of liability issues.

Many new cars have a 120v plug built in. This will work for a laptop.

Please do not operate a motor vehical while checking your email as you keep pace with a bus with wireless internet.

[Frank Hagan]

Sorry! I should have Googled it first!

I never noticed that Dell or Gateway sold the car adapters, but at least Dell does. As you're going through the "build online" thing, they list one made by Duracell in "Power Options". Its a little pricey at $100, but found I did find a site that sells aftermarket ones for about $25.

http://www.laptop-battery.org/Adapter/Replacement-adapter-for-DELL.htm

Some things are less expensive to do at "configuration time", like add extra memory or a faster harddrive, because you are paying the difference between two items. Things like accessories, extra batteries, cases, etc., can usually be found in the aftermarket cheaper.

[openboater]

Most laptops are not 12 volt, this one is 24.5.

I think my DELL at work is 18v.

plugging it in to 12v ain't enough.

[Frank Hagan]

The adapters go from 12V -> (whatever) for the model of the laptop. I have seen people use a 12v -> 115v inverter, and then plug their stock power supply into that 115v plug on the inverter. Their stock power supply then takes it from 115v -> (whatever).

But you're right ... you definitely need the right adapter.

[ChrisObee]

The idea of using an inverter to get a 110 plug in your vehical is probably the best and cheapest solution. Especially as you will allready have a 110v. adapter for your laptop. You can get the inverter anywhere.

[jan nicolaisen]

We live off the grid with power from solar panels. All our juice are stored in a 12v battery bank, just like a larger cruising boat.

Since it is far more efficient to use the uninverted 12v power as is, most of our appliances are DC direct. To do this with the laptop, and echewing the odd 12v>110v>12v deal that was mentioned earlier, we use an adapter from these guys:

http://www.lindelectronics.com/

It is super high quality, and has been in constant use for 3 years now.

Off course it will work with any 12v system in your vehicle or boat.

jan

[Frank Hagan]

Jan, I'm impressed! Are you completely off the grid, or are you selling back excess power?

The idea appeals to me because I have a large south facing roof that I think would be perfect for solar power.

[jan nicolaisen]

Frank,

We are completely independent.

Our system is very small by all standards. This is not an issue from march thru october, but in the wintertime we have come to accept some compromises, such as LED lighting, limited computer time, etc.

If the sun doesn't shine for days on end, we run a small generator 10-15 min/day.

We have powerlines marching across our property, some 200 yds from the cabin. Back when I was building the place, we got a quote from the power company of almost $4500 to hook up. That proved to be about the same as a micro solar set-up, with no monthly bills. The choice was clear.

I think the sell back option you're talking about would take a lifetime to return your investment. Off course, there's an immidiate karmic, feel good bonus, which cannot be measured in cool cash.

[ChrisObee]

You might consider adding a windmill to your setup. The wind is often up when the sun is not adding power to your life.

[Tom Lathrop]

Jan,

That is what I suspected. They are surely converting the 12VDC to AC and back to whatever level of DC is needed. All in one box makes it attractive. I have even designed equipment that does this back when the world was young.