Electronics in the Outback
- Thread starter aaronb
- Start date
aaronb
New Member
I was gone for 2 weeks, i had a bit of gal sheet for the laptop to sit on, i had the sides bent up 10-15mm so it wouldnt slip off, barely moved with the rubbers under the laptop, plenty of ventilation because it was sitting on a flat surface. Like i said, it was sitting on the back seat the whole trip, it was turned on when I was moving because I was tracking with ozi explorer and saving my tracks daily. Turned off at night, never a problem. Would have done 2000-2500kms of dirt track. Anymore info required just let me know.
Cheers, Azza
Cheers, Azza
BUSHNUT
Well-Known Member
If your door seals are in good order and the bodywork instraight order, a goodway to minimise dust getting into your vehicleis to pressurise your vehicle as much as you can by having your windows all the way up and run your aircon on for about 30 seconds even if you are not going to have it running the rest of the time.
If you are going into some serious areas like over dunes everything must be secured down otherwise it becomes a missile .
Happy Trails - Bushnut
If you are going into some serious areas like over dunes everything must be secured down otherwise it becomes a missile .
Happy Trails - Bushnut
aaronb
New Member
Up at Mt Blue Rag last week, heading down the other side to the river, hit a very steep section of the track when the old laptop took a dive from the front seat onto the floor. I thought "shit, there goes 3000 odd photos of the kids and other miscellaneous photos we have taken the past 5 years."
It still fired up when I got to the bottom, but it just goes to show that maybe a back up of files every now and then might be on the agenda.
What does everyone else do, I was thinking maybe an external hard drive to back up the important stuff, or maybe DVD's?
It still fired up when I got to the bottom, but it just goes to show that maybe a back up of files every now and then might be on the agenda.
What does everyone else do, I was thinking maybe an external hard drive to back up the important stuff, or maybe DVD's?
Peter Pritchard
New Member
Need smart ideas in setting up laptop and GPS in my 4B...who does what??
billolga
4x4 Earth Contributer
Carried a Laptop for years (Updated from time to time) Never had a problem - I carry mine on a 55 ltr WATER BLADDER behind our set - It rides BETTER THAN US! - Dust? - WHAT DUST? (We do seem to have a special SUN TAN until it's washed off however).
Grumpy
Moderator
Hi there just wondering how much for the mount for the laptop and where did u get it, CHEERS
bmurray2250
4x4 Earth Contributer
I only use the laptop at night so the drive isn't in use while driving. The best way is to have a SSD installed into the laptop instead of the standard spinning disk design if you intend to use it while driving. This will give better reliability. Laptops are designed to be moved but not hammers on poor quality roads.
My laptop has lasted over 5 years on our trips. We use it to copy and burn photos to DVD and GPS plots.
My laptop has lasted over 5 years on our trips. We use it to copy and burn photos to DVD and GPS plots.
We don,t have any problems with our laptop or any other electronic gear.
We don't drive in dusty conditions with our windows down like some and we clean everything regularly.
As for shock to the harddrive, most laptops are designed for bumps and knocks and have come along way in the last 5 years regarding reliability.
We don't drive in dusty conditions with our windows down like some and we clean everything regularly.
As for shock to the harddrive, most laptops are designed for bumps and knocks and have come along way in the last 5 years regarding reliability.
GippsSurfer
Member
The tolerances involved require careful mounting of your laptop..... I wouldnt risk a $2000 or more laptop when you are driving over some of the roads the outback has... better off using one of those cheap $600 netbooks or similar and then transfering the data to the laptop each night....
SoulSeeker
New Member
Laptop Data Backup
What does everyone else do, I was thinking maybe an external hard drive to back up the important stuff, or maybe DVD's?[/QUOTE]
Don't bother with burning to DVD. Buy a portable Hard Drive. Harvey Norman have Western Digital (WD) 320 GB for $97. It's a good brand, plugs into USB, needs no external power and is quite small, pocket size, or a WD 1TB for $147 but is a bit bigger and needs external power to operate
What does everyone else do, I was thinking maybe an external hard drive to back up the important stuff, or maybe DVD's?[/QUOTE]
Don't bother with burning to DVD. Buy a portable Hard Drive. Harvey Norman have Western Digital (WD) 320 GB for $97. It's a good brand, plugs into USB, needs no external power and is quite small, pocket size, or a WD 1TB for $147 but is a bit bigger and needs external power to operate
If someone had proof that dust killed there laptop I would agree but most laptops are designed for outdoor environments and the knocks of every day use.
There are hundreds if not thousands of people using laptops in 4x4's that don't have a problem and when you look at how many laptops get used in hostile environments in the workplace I think they survive as expected.
Netbooks are OK for what they were meant to be used for but usually they are no match for a laptop.
Most people who are serious about using mobile computers for navigation and other things will only use a laptop, not a Netbook.
Have one friend who has done over 100,000 kilometers travelling in some of the remotest parts of Australia on no roads and the only problem they have had with there Toshiba is the USB GPS mouse would loose connection over really harsh ground....they have gone to a Bluetooth GPS now with no problems.
There are hundreds if not thousands of people using laptops in 4x4's that don't have a problem and when you look at how many laptops get used in hostile environments in the workplace I think they survive as expected.
Netbooks are OK for what they were meant to be used for but usually they are no match for a laptop.
Most people who are serious about using mobile computers for navigation and other things will only use a laptop, not a Netbook.
Have one friend who has done over 100,000 kilometers travelling in some of the remotest parts of Australia on no roads and the only problem they have had with there Toshiba is the USB GPS mouse would loose connection over really harsh ground....they have gone to a Bluetooth GPS now with no problems.
bmurray2250
4x4 Earth Contributer
I worked on the Toshiba laptops many years ago and they stronger than most laptops. IBM laptop is also good, they are designed for field work and last the distance. Still like the Solid State Drives (SSD) over any spinning disk in rough terrain
bmurray2250
4x4 Earth Contributer
Don't bother with burning to DVD. Buy a portable Hard Drive. Harvey Norman have Western Digital (WD) 320 GB for $97. It's a good brand, plugs into USB, needs no external power and is quite small, pocket size, or a WD 1TB for $147 but is a bit bigger and needs external power to operate[/QUOTE]
All Western Digital drives have failed for me and have stuck to Seagate. Had one them fail too but had a new drive in 1 week.
Have a look at prices from MSY-The Name you can trust-More than 10 years in IT industry-Nationalwide branches serve you & always offer the best up today IT price and Price Point Computers and you should be able to get a better price. Even Officeworks give better pricing than Harvey Norman in the computer area
Flying Circus
New Member
I would recommend - either a tablet PC or there are this touchscreen tablet like PC's as well ... some are very hard wearing ... i have known hot air balloon pilots to do quick landings dragging along bumpy terrain and the silly thing still works ... as long as its fixed there well ... with like a rubber/foam cusioning it will go to hell and back ..
im about to go down this avenue for both my troopie and balloon ... just need to get ahold of a couple old lappys to test a few theories first then ill look at spending a couple grand ...
im about to go down this avenue for both my troopie and balloon ... just need to get ahold of a couple old lappys to test a few theories first then ill look at spending a couple grand ...
Brisey
Member
When I first got into laptops I thought a second hand lappy would be the go as I was worried about damaging an expensive bit of gear as I go 4 wheeling at least once a month in all conditions & it would have to put up with a lot but it has done well over the last 5 years. It is crudely strapped to a piece of chipboard strapped to the passenger seat. The lappy runs for 8 to 9 hours on an average play day. Mostly through the summer here in the west it is dry & dusty & averages 38 degrees like in this pic
With no airconditioning in the jeep the laptop has to put up with the windows open & by the end of the day is covered in dust. I have to constantly wipe the dust off the screen to see it. It is still working well but I have just updated to a netbook mainly for the size.
Cheers
Bri
With no airconditioning in the jeep the laptop has to put up with the windows open & by the end of the day is covered in dust. I have to constantly wipe the dust off the screen to see it. It is still working well but I have just updated to a netbook mainly for the size.
Cheers
Bri