Mini laptops !

[bensonsnuts]

Netbooks , notebooks , whatever you want to call them .
Short of space in the front of the Patrol so I decided one of these would be the perfect device to run Memory Map on .
Didn't realise how difficult it was going to be to get one of these to mount securely to the windscreen !
First of all it needs to use Windows for an operating system rather than the Linux which is on all of the cheaper models .
Ok , so I revised my budget from £200 up to £250+ and opted for a Toshiba NB100 .
Lovely little machine and ideal for purpose , apart from one thing ........ I can't find a screen mount to fit ! 99% of these mounts are the same two models sold by various retailers . They either clamp to the top and bottom of the screen or to the base of the notebook , holding the front two corners and a point at the back in the middle .
Due to the design of the Toshiba neither of these are suitable , to the point where I have returned it to the store !
So , now being the proud owner of both of these clamps I have toured the big shops looking for a notebook to fit . I've looked at over a dozen different models from several manufacturers and not felt that any of them would have lasted two minutes before being bounced out of the cradle of the mount !
I'm beginning to wish I'd never started :doh

 

[jims-terrano]

Don't know if it's of any use but I was looking at them and saw a Dell in my local Tesco's, they did have more but I took a liking to the Dell and I think it was £249. Don't forget they don't have internal DVD Drives so you either buy a USB device or use a shared drive on a home network.

Jim T

 

[Deleted account DD]

dont forget flea bay. The likes of an old toshiba portege NOTEBOOK (which I have) can be got for well under a ton. Its capable of running xp & w2000 both of which support mem map. It has built in bluetooth and wifi to link to your gps receiver (top performing holux bought off ebay for £25 a few months back)

You wouldnt mind drilling holes in, twisting and gluing bits at that price, get it right youve got a beaut, get it wrong so what

Ive had mine for a long time and its in the draw as a spare, the only downside of it being old is slower boot up than a more modern one, otherwise on an app like mem map no probs at all.

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

cant help thinking that even a 9/10 inch netbok is going to take up a lot of truck screen.

perhaps an in car pc using a touch screen ideally coming out of a head unit din would
be more paractical. just need somewhere to mount pc unit, under a seat perhaps.

what a shame tomtom dont do os mapping option, mind there is that other satnag which
offers it.

 

[Terranosaurus]

perhaps an in car pc using a touch screen ideally coming out of a head unit din would
be more paractical. just need somewhere to mount pc unit, under a seat perhaps.

Couldn't find an extrernal monitor touch screen in a head unit as that really would be ideal so I mounted my screen over the radio on a bracket like this

To access the radio you just tip the sceen up.

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

if a smallish laptop is still your option try looking at older IBMs i have a couple a T41 and a T42 either would run all your software, and they are built like 'brick outhouses' with titanium chassis and hinges and metal lid catches etc and are farily compact size.

i also find the reflection and glare fome the screen is minimal compared to our 3 newer toshibas and they are easier to use in the sun and bright lights.

They also have the IBM shock protection for the hard drive.

If you need any measurments etc for one of these let me know and I will measure one up, or pop round and try one in your brackets!

 

[jims-terrano]

Don't forget that a laptop will also run an external screen but you'll still have a problem with mouse n keyboard. Also a lot of laptops and mini laptops you can buy docking stations so could you use this option and may be butcher the docking station to mount it all safely. The other week I saw a Dell D410 on a docking station which looked fine and I've seen those on ebay too.

Jim T

 

[Deleted account DD]

cant help thinking that even a 9/10 inch netbok is going to take up a lot of truck screen.

youre dead right :bow, they will but we've been there with in car data systems @ work and only the newest best quality small ones (aka expensive) generally present a readable resolution. The larger ones are far more reasonable to read and although I havent done it yet I reckon far better for running the likes of mem map......................if youve got space of course the photos above tend that way.

The closest analogy I can think of is would you rather use your new tomtom or your normal size mobile screen to read off :thumbs

 

[Deleted account DD]

They also have the IBM shock protection for the hard drive.

good point :thumbs ironically when I upped the size of my hd in the portege I put a (whopping at the time!!!) 40gb ibm in...........wonder if that has it :nenau

 

[Terranosaurus]

Don't forget that a laptop will also run an external screen but you'll still have a problem with mouse n keyboard.

Keyboard and mouse aren't a problem with a touchscreen and you don't need a keyboard to run MM anyway. I've got a touchscreen keyboard loaded in case I do want to use one.

 

[Terranosaurus]

These mini laptops are a bit lacking in memory, MM itself if a fairly small application but the maps take up a lot of space, you may need to load trip specific maps rather than just have them all on the hard drive if using one of those.

 

[Deleted account DD]

Your "base unit" will presumably have bluetooth so if you don't run to a touch screen a keyboard is not a problem. there's some cheap and excellent mini keyboards (as well a big uns) out there. Some have built in roller ball or mouse functions.

Theyre aimed at the pda/mobile phone market but would be perfect for this job :thumbs

 

[Deleted account DD]

a 5 minute serch for budget kit of a decent spec (not necessarily the best, smallest or the cheapest) to get you up and running in car on mem map very efficiently:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Toshiba-Portege-2000-Ultra-Slim-2x-extra-batteries_W0QQitemZ200323173325QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_Laptops_EH?hash=item200323173325&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1690|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HOLUX-M1200-51-Ch-Bluetooth-GPS-Receiver-NAV-SAT-NEW-UK_W0QQitemZ370178800475QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CE_GPS_Accessories_Software_ET?hash=item370178800475&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1690|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mini-Wireless-Blk-Slv-Keyboard-Touchpad-540RF-HTPC-RF_W0QQitemZ150334563460QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_ComputerComponents_KeyboardsMice?hash=item150334563460&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1690|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318


add a bit of ingenuity for mounting brackets, shed loads of universal ones that can be bent twisted and riveted out there and you're on gas.

:thumbs

 

[Terranosaurus]

BTW - to anyone thinking of mounting stuff on top of the dash - that could well be an MOT fail - even normal Satnavs are technically - you'll probably be fine till you have an accident, then you never know what might get picked up.

 

[Deleted account DD]

BTW - to anyone thinking of mounting stuff on top of the dash - that could well be an MOT fail - even normal Satnavs are technically - you'll probably be fine till you have an accident, then you never know what might get picked up.

Definitely :thumbs thats why I take the missus along, she is a very efficient holding bracket (I was going to say mount but she does read some of these threads :lol:lol )

 

[jims-terrano]

Also don't get too carried away, think about some little scroat taking a fancy to all your goodies. Even if you don't keep anything in there if wires and brackets can be seen it is enough for some of em to break in for a look around.

Jim T

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

just ut of interest, as i can see the thread has moved on, but i dropped an IBM laptop (T40) down a flight of stairs onto a hard tiled floor, and yes it was in a state, the screen cracked etc etc.

But the hard drive was intact and it still fired up and loaded windows! the chassis was intact and the hinges and lid etc still worked and the cd/dvd still worked! I now have the hard drive in another machine. In fact i still have the whole thing if anyone needs any spares!

 

[bensonsnuts]

Also don't get too carried away, think about some little scroat taking a fancy to all your goodies. Even if you don't keep anything in there if wires and brackets can be seen it is enough for some of em to break in for a look around.

Jim T

Lots of good points made so far :clap

Security is important which is why I want a removeable mount and no permanent hardware in the car !
Space is at a premium and as rear gunner when we are laning my navigator needs to be free for gate duty :augie
I've probably got a budget of £300ish and whilst we aleady have a couple of laptops inc an IBM Thinkpad , I'd identified 8" to 10" as the optimum size for a device .
No running or memory problems with new notebooks as with a Gig of memory and 80GB + HD some of them are better specced than this laptop.
I either need it positioned above top centre of dash as there is an airbag on passenger side ...or possibly just in the passenger side footwell at the side of transmission tunnel ?
I,ve recently found this mount which may help ?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=350102890922

 

[lacroupade]

Not cheap and you'd need somewhere to fix the bottom to....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Wishbone-Desk...14&_trkparms=72:1683|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

but this is cheaper...stick a cheapo, small LCD screen to it connected to your laptop under the seat with a standard screen cable....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TFT-LCD-Monit...14&_trkparms=72:1690|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

 

[lacroupade]

just ut of interest, as i can see the thread has moved on, but i dropped an IBM laptop (T40) down a flight of stairs onto a hard tiled floor, and yes it was in a state, the screen cracked etc etc.

But the hard drive was intact and it still fired up and loaded windows! the chassis was intact and the hinges and lid etc still worked and the cd/dvd still worked! I now have the hard drive in another machine. In fact i still have the whole thing if anyone needs any spares!

my daughter fell out of bed on to her brand new Dell laptop, cost me 89 squid for a new screen but not that difficult to fit...