Best small windows computer for opencpn on the boat

[jbinbi]

I have B&G new instruments at the helm, but I would like to have opencpn running in the cabin. I already have a 27" monitor mounted on a bulkhead wall that we use to watch videos etc.

I have played around with rasppi opencpn, works greats, but very few people i know can use linux and it would just be easier to run opencpn on a small form factor (SFF) windows computer.

I have used NUCs at work, but these are way too power hungry. Are there any SFF boxes running windows or windows embedded etc. that are close to the size and more importantly the power draw of a pi? Average power consumption of a pi is 10W +/- 5W

[fregata]

You could checkout the LattePanda Delta. It’s effectively a laptop cpu in a single board form factor. Power consumption same order of magnitude as the Pi. It’s x86 and can run Windows or Linux.

[Corsair63]

I'm using this on board with windows 11 (8GB RAM & 128 GB SSD)

for the use on board very useful and in case that haven't mobile data there is the option to purchase with it.
also 12 volts max 3.5 amp
https://www.apcsilmic.com/collection...ts/dot-mini-pc

[nohal]

Those numbers are not achievable with x86 hardware as there are no CPUs with TDP under 10W. The closest to that you can probably get with an ODROID-H3 or H3+. Of course it is very close to a low spec NUC as it is the same hardware, there is no magic trick to make it consume less energy.
Windows can run on RPi4 (not on the new 5, at least not yet), how pleasant that experience would be I have no idea.

[Corsair63]

Originally Posted by nohal

Windows can run on RPi4 (not on the new 5, at least not yet), how pleasant that experience would be I have no idea.

I've tried win 10 & 11 ARM64 and you could but there are some drivers not yet available, as Wifi and restricted video support, not a problem to run OCPN windows version, but depending of peripherals and installing on a SSD USB could be some blue screens either power shortages and restarts.
I'm not too confident for using it with windows, I do not consider stable platform RPi4 & Win FTB. (IMO)

[jbinbi]

Originally Posted by fregata

You could checkout the LattePanda Delta. It’s effectively a laptop cpu in a single board form factor. Power consumption same order of magnitude as the Pi. It’s x86 and can run Windows or Linux.

Fantastic! Thank you. I did not know about this product at all, looks great. The alpha looks great at $105 but not sure if 2/32gb will be enough to run anything. Will look at getting the 4/64.

Here is the link for those who are interested as well.

https://www.dfrobot.com/product-1404.html

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by jbinbi

Fantastic! Thank you. I did not know about this product at all, looks great. The alpha looks great at $105 but not sure if 2/32gb will be enough to run anything. Will look at getting the 4/64.

Here is the link for those who are interested as well.

https://www.dfrobot.com/product-1404.html

You will probably not be happy with the performance of only 4GB of RAM. If I were looking to buy a small as possible PC for OpenCPN, I would look at this:
https://www.amazon.com/Windows-Compu...904010ad0&th=1

I have used them before, and I was surprised how well it works. Stick it on the back of a TV, and add a wireless KB and mouse.

[jbinbi]

Just to follow uo on this thread, I found this stick PC, not sure they are still in production, but it seems like a great solution that just plugs into a monitor, and only needs a USB connection to power it.

https://www.amazon.com/AKLWY-Windows...CFXMVF18/?th=1

[rgleason]

How about a Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro 10.1" resolution of 1,920 x 1,200 good compromise between performance and image quality. "decent average maximum brightness of 574 cd/m², which should often be sufficient for outdoor use"


Is this sufficient?

[thomm225]

Any 15" Windows Laptop would work fine and for a larger picture you could run the OpenCPN video to your 27" Monitor if the 15 wasn't enough.

Also once the Raspberry pi is setup it's pretty easy to use and you could also run the video from it to your 27" monitor.

[rgleason]

What copilot says about average maximum brightness of 574 cd/m²


The average maximum brightness of 574 cd/m² is a decent level, but its readability in bright sunlight depends on the specific environment. Here are some considerations:

Sunlight Readability:
Typically, an LCD brightness of 800 cd/m² or higher is considered sunlight readable.
Most sunlight-readable displays reach around 1,000 cd/m² or more1.
For very bright environments (e.g., direct sunlight at noon), values exceeding 300-350 cd/m² are recommended2.
Context Matters:
Consider the specific lighting conditions where you’ll use the device.
If you frequently work outdoors or in direct sunlight, higher brightness levels are beneficial.
HDR Content:
Keep in mind that HDR content may have different requirements.
While brightness matters, other factors like contrast and color accuracy also play a role.


In summary, while 574 cd/m² is decent, if you often use the device in bright sunlight, consider displays with even higher brightness levels for optimal readability


I don't think it will be legible enough in bright sunlight on the water.


What is a nit? Nits are the units of measurement used to quantify the brightness of displays. One nit is equivalent to one candela per square meter, a standard unit derived from the luminous intensity of a single candle


mobile phone which you can use outside (sometimes), has between 300 and 400 nits brightness, on average.


For good visibility in daylight conditions, a monitor needs to possess a brightness level of 400-700 nits.


However, for optimal sunlight readability, especially in direct, bright sunlight, a display requires at least 1,000 nits or more. So, when you’re out in the sun, look for screens with higher brightness levels to ensure clear visibility!



1000 nits converted to candela/meter squared 1000 nits is equivalent to 1000 cd/m².

[Tin Tin]

Had a Lenovo Yoga 3, 5 years full time cruising from 2015 still works fine today. It could be used as tablet but also flipped to act like a normal screen with keyboard and mouse.

[jbinbi]

Originally Posted by rgleason

What copilot says about average maximum brightness of 574 cd/m²


The average maximum brightness of 574 cd/m² is a decent level, but its readability in bright sunlight depends on the specific environment. Here are some considerations:

Sunlight Readability:
Typically, an LCD brightness of 800 cd/m² or higher is considered sunlight readable.
Most sunlight-readable displays reach around 1,000 cd/m² or more1.
For very bright environments (e.g., direct sunlight at noon), values exceeding 300-350 cd/m² are recommended2.
Context Matters:
Consider the specific lighting conditions where you’ll use the device.
If you frequently work outdoors or in direct sunlight, higher brightness levels are beneficial.
HDR Content:
Keep in mind that HDR content may have different requirements.
While brightness matters, other factors like contrast and color accuracy also play a role.


In summary, while 574 cd/m² is decent, if you often use the device in bright sunlight, consider displays with even higher brightness levels for optimal readability


I don't think it will be legible enough in bright sunlight on the water.


What is a nit? Nits are the units of measurement used to quantify the brightness of displays. One nit is equivalent to one candela per square meter, a standard unit derived from the luminous intensity of a single candle


mobile phone which you can use outside (sometimes), has between 300 and 400 nits brightness, on average.


For good visibility in daylight conditions, a monitor needs to possess a brightness level of 400-700 nits.


However, for optimal sunlight readability, especially in direct, bright sunlight, a display requires at least 1,000 nits or more. So, when you’re out in the sun, look for screens with higher brightness levels to ensure clear visibility!



1000 nits converted to candela/meter squared 1000 nits is equivalent to 1000 cd/m².

All good info. But I am looking for using this in the cabin so a regular monitor would do.

[ZeroInn]

I'm trying a Minux Z100 here. 16Gb ram,, 512Gb SSD HDD, fanless.


Comes with Windows 11 Pro, although I'm using it with Xubuntu 24.04, and upgraded to 4Tb SSD. Easy to make dual boot Windows + Linux if you want to.



Idles around 8.5 watts. with browser + OpenCPN running. Zooming on OpenCPN it will go momentarily to about 12 watts. Doing heavy lifting such as file transfer etc it maxes out at about 25 watts. It has a 12 volt input, so should be easy to run on a boat (not tested that yet).



It is built like a brick. A solid lump of aluminium, bigger than a Pi, but still small enough to tuck almost anywhere. Comes with a VESA mounting bracket. No fan means no dust or moist sea air circulating in it.


I was using a Pi4 previously. Loved it for what it was, but needed something with a bit more oomph, specifically for video via Jellyfin. I also wanted something more robust than a lot of the SBCs out there. Pis are great and seem good value, but adding a solid enclosure, SSD, and a reasonable way to power it add a lot to the cost, time, and complexity, and I don't think would end up as integrated, and uses a similar power at idle.

[rls8r]

I run OpenCPN on my Dell Latitude 7220 Rugged Extreme tablet under Windows 11 Pro. I got a ruggedized tablet so I could use it below deck or take it into the cockpit without (much) worrying about getting it damp or dropping it. It also has a maximum screen brightness of 1,000 nits and the touch screen works when it's damp and when I'm wearing gloves.

I also like the Latitude because of the (reasonably) long battery life and the ability to hot swap batteries. I get about 8 hours of use when running OpenCPN during the day. When under way I have one battery charging while the other is in the computer. That way I can have it running full-time on extended passages.