12vdc Marine Computers

[bcn]

Petter,

this looks overly optimistic...

They claim 1cm PPK - post processed. Or 2cm RTK.
No spec of the receiver but as they are working with uBLox in the rest of the products the description looks like a uBlox M8. Now go and look what uBlox specifies. For the receiver.

This is a solution with differential corrections - one base station and a mobile unit - the "rover" - which has to be not too far away from the base station.
Emlid specifies 10km for a moving rover.

A L1 only solution requires very stable reception conditions. Very good sight to satellites and optimal sat distribution.

I think, you have one of their actual receivers and rovers. Over let's say 48 hours, how does the footprint look like? And if you move the rover, how stable is the track, how sensitive is it about disruptions? And dynamics in movement. GPS outages are not that important in marine environments (but in harbors or fjords) - but how fast does the rover recover after an outage and how does it drift (m/1min outage)?

Have you checked the reported accuracy against some benchmark? Accuracy, not what the internal Kalman filter is reporting as estimated error.

For the price of the systems a real-time 50cm (RMS) accuracy would be already sensational for a moving system.

Hubert

[rgleason]

Now I recall, Hubert it was you who posted some information about GPS accuracy I believe. Best device available, etc ??

[bcn]

The answer will depend always from

- your application. Surveying is different from bathymetry or mobile mapping. Or just sailing. Or sailing and racing. Or evaluating autonomous vehicles.
A 2.000$€ drone from a photogrammetry campaign at 3000m cruising altitude

- accuracy required
- just position or position and attitude
- you need velocities in X/Y/Z and angular? Again accuracies..
- update frequency
- robustness

- the budget

So never the same trousers for everybody.

And what I heard say people in Spain: "Miracles at Lourdes"

[Corsair63]

Hi all,

from my experience with computers on board, I had always used pure 12 volt devices.

• First one was Chuwi Larbox (really mini) Windows 10 x64 8 GB RAM 128 GB SSD Intel J4115 burnt in 4 months
• Second one another mini very similar to first one, also burnt in few months
• Third one XDO Pico pantera windows 10 x64 8 GB RAM 256 GB SSD Intel Intel J4125, has worked really fine and now I moved to my home for testing ARM on board
• Now is: APCsilmic Dot 1 Mini PC https://www.apcsilmic.com/products/dot-mini-pc
  I purchase the one with windows 11 ARM64 8GB RAM 128 GB SSD no modem as I have a router on board, otherwise I'd purchase the modem option.

Really fine and nearly no consumption of energy. Very well fit for using on board with OCPN and some other features.

To avoid undesired DC surges, etc. usual with the power produced on board I connected to: (attached picture) I use for PC, multiplexor & GNSS buffer it supports up to 65 w when PC max 2.5 A and consumption of the other two are only mA.
Shanqiu - Mini UPS (FX5-12Pro) - input 12 V DC - Output 12v 3.5A - 12v 3A - 9v 3A - 5v 3A - USB 5v 3A - Capacity 20000 mAh
I bought in Amazon last September but it seems not available this model and now is lower capacity and outputs one from the same brand.

For the modem/Router I use Teltonika RUT950 with external aerial Sea Connect Scout wideband 3G/4G/LTE.

For the screen I'm using the TV (Telefunken 19" 12v - L19H130X3D) on board connected via HDMI, it's not newest but making well its job.

at this time I'm searching for a monitor (12 Volt) good resolution better than HD also DTV capable and if possible touchscreen but still I didn't found any suitable.

[skipgundlach]

My apologies for butting in, as my comment isn't about this thread - but I was prompted here by the CF robot.

Not along the lines of what's being discussed, but if someone stumbled on this, perhaps something which, with upgrades over time, but the exact same setup otherwise, has lasted well over a decade might be interesting.

See this post, if so, for something mimicking a home computer in performance, but not size, other than the screen (which is either bulkhead or base mounted; we moved it from the Nav to the Shelf for movies), 12VDC or 120VAC (other than the laser printer, which is only 120VAC):

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...-a-272761.html

We now return you to your regular programming...

[wholybee]

I've got 30,000 miles on my $300 Windows laptop from office depot. I learned from my previous laptop to put dielectric grease in the USB (and other) connectors or they will corrode and not work anymore. I power it from a Targus 12V laptop adapter. It probably uses less power than your 19" TV does all by itself. About 20W if not charging the battery.

[Corsair63]

Originally Posted by wholybee

I've got 30,000 miles on my $300 Windows laptop from office depot. I learned from my previous laptop to put dielectric grease in the USB (and other) connectors or they will corrode and not work anymore. I power it from a Targus 12V laptop adapter. It probably uses less power than your 19" TV does all by itself. About 20W if not charging the battery.

Thanks your reply.

Noted about dielectric grease I'll start searching for it and I'll apply to my USB connections.

about TV consumption that's the thing I'm little concerned, for such reason I'm looking for low consumption screen with at least same features than I have.

I've been sailing for long time (as professional) and I remember to carry on board nearly a suitcase with laptop, printer and peripheral in the beginning of my career, so on every trip I reduced the amount of devices and size of laptop, my last one was a Lenovo, really small with GPS & modem (Gobi 2000) AMD E-450, still working, I gave to another sailor just some days ago.
Also sometimes is difficult to find 12v laptops because I don't use converter/inverters on board, IMO it's a waste of energy.

When I discovered Surface tablets I forgot the laptops and all their attachments.
I started with Surface Pro original (intel) after Surface Pro 4 (also intel) and now with Surface Pro X (ARM64) and really happy with its performance and I use on board as backup of fix one.
Now after some problem with drivers for Windows ARM64 I got everything working and the power consumption of Qualcomm computers is very well balanced, I think than much lower than Intel either AMD processors.

[Subtandard]

Originally Posted by Corsair63

Hi all,

from my experience with computers on board, I had always used pure 12 volt devices.

• First one was Chuwi Larbox (really mini) Windows 10 x64 8 GB RAM 128 GB SSD Intel J4115 burnt in 4 months
• Second one another mini very similar to first one, also burnt in few months
• Third one XDO Pico pantera windows 10 x64 8 GB RAM 256 GB SSD Intel Intel J4125, has worked really fine and now I moved to my home for testing ARM on board
• Now is: APCsilmic Dot 1 Mini PC https://www.apcsilmic.com/products/dot-mini-pc
  I purchase the one with windows 11 ARM64 8GB RAM 128 GB SSD no modem as I have a router on board, otherwise I'd purchase the modem option.

Really fine and nearly no consumption of energy. Very well fit for using on board with OCPN and some other features.

To avoid undesired DC surges, etc. usual with the power produced on board I connected to: (attached picture) I use for PC, multiplexor & GNSS buffer it supports up to 65 w when PC max 2.5 A and consumption of the other two are only mA.
Shanqiu - Mini UPS (FX5-12Pro) - input 12 V DC - Output 12v 3.5A - 12v 3A - 9v 3A - 5v 3A - USB 5v 3A - Capacity 20000 mAh
I bought in Amazon last September but it seems not available this model and now is lower capacity and outputs one from the same brand.

For the modem/Router I use Teltonika RUT950 with external aerial Sea Connect Scout wideband 3G/4G/LTE.

For the screen I'm using the TV (Telefunken 19" 12v - L19H130X3D) on board connected via HDMI, it's not newest but making well its job.

at this time I'm searching for a monitor (12 Volt) good resolution better than HD also DTV capable and if possible touchscreen but still I didn't found any suitable.

I have been using computers from Polywell (<http://www.polywell.com/>) for the past 13 years and have been very satisfied with cost/performance and customer service. I just replaced my old LG monitor with a new Mitsai (store brand) 12V 23-inch 1920x1080. It is rated at 18W but I suspect that depends on the brightness setting. The only way I know to find 12V monitors is to go to the store and look at the power supplies. Input voltage is rarely shown in the specs.


Also I have been running directly off the batteries for 13 years without any UPS/surge protector. The only condition being isolation from the starter circuit.

[Franziska]

Originally Posted by Corsair63

Hi all,



from my experience with computers on board, I had always used pure 12 volt devices.

• First one was Chuwi Larbox (really mini) Windows 10 x64 8 GB RAM 128 GB SSD Intel J4115 burnt in 4 months
  
• Second one another mini very similar to first one, also burnt in few months
  
• Third one XDO Pico pantera windows 10 x64 8 GB RAM 256 GB SSD Intel Intel J4125, has worked really fine and now I moved to my home for testing ARM on board
  
• Now is: APCsilmic Dot 1 Mini PC https://www.apcsilmic.com/products/dot-mini-pc
  
  I purchase the one with windows 11 ARM64 8GB RAM 128 GB SSD no modem as I have a router on board, otherwise I'd purchase the modem option.
  

Really fine and nearly no consumption of energy. Very well fit for using on board with OCPN and some other features.



To avoid undesired DC surges, etc. usual with the power produced on board I connected to: (attached picture) I use for PC, multiplexor & GNSS buffer it supports up to 65 w when PC max 2.5 A and consumption of the other two are only mA.

Shanqiu - Mini UPS (FX5-12Pro) - input 12 V DC - Output 12v 3.5A - 12v 3A - 9v 3A - 5v 3A - USB 5v 3A - Capacity 20000 mAh

I bought in Amazon last September but it seems not available this model and now is lower capacity and outputs one from the same brand.



For the modem/Router I use Teltonika RUT950 with external aerial Sea Connect Scout wideband 3G/4G/LTE.



For the screen I'm using the TV (Telefunken 19" 12v - L19H130X3D) on board connected via HDMI, it's not newest but making well its job.



at this time I'm searching for a monitor (12 Volt) good resolution better than HD also DTV capable and if possible touchscreen but still I didn't found any suitable.

For screens, look here, the OpenCPN have linked some good resources a little down that page:

https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...rdware:screens

[ian5142]

I am a bit of an outlier case. My family runs a boat tour. We decided to spend our money on a Panasonic Toughbook. If you want a rugged computer, there is nothing better. Ours is third gen i5, touchscreen, SSD, CF-31. We bought it refurbished from here: https://tuffbooks4less.com

[TheOffice]

Its been a while since I opened a Toughbook, but the components were all standard stuff. The case is tough, but a Samsung HD is just a Samsung HD.

On my last boat I bought a Dell mini and a 12 to 20 volt transformer and wired the power supply to it.

[Be Free]

There are multiple versions of the Toughbook line. Some are "tough" in name only. The CF-31 is not one of those.


In the last CF-31 I worked on the HD was wrapped with a heater, then foam, then a metal cage. The HD is standard, the install is not.

[OldManMirage]

I think my next boat computer will be one of these little jobs. I'm pretty impressed with it so far. 2.4ghz, 16gb ram, 500 gb hard drive, even has bluetooth.

[s/v Jedi]

Mac Mini. Just use a small inverter.

[Jamme]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Mac Mini. Just use a small inverter.

Thanks. I understand the basic version start at $600 in the US — nothing against them (to the contrary), but they seem to be on the (very) high ends of quality range and price range. Depending on use case, they may be an overkill for someone.
YMMV.