| Author | Message | ||
     Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 1018 Registered: 02-2002 |
Anyone had a laptop break off-road when mounted properly? I mean all that jolting around with the HD going? Not really concerned about the laptop itself, more the frequency of backing up trails and GPS records. Any opinions? thx | ||
| Curtis N (Curtis) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Curtis Post Number: 932 Registered: 05-2002 |
Dean, I would take a serious look at the Panasonic Toughbooks: http://www.toughonline.com/notebooks.asp?bigImg=Yes While I cannot verify thier current durability, when these things were introduced I personally saw them go through client tests that shocked me. At one time I had a client drive over one with a F350 Duelly with both rear and front wheels, On the third pass he mashed the brakes as the laptop went under the front wheel. It did crack the display; however, I sold a few thousand of these to Southwestern Bell by showing them that I could retrieve the data by attatching a keyboard and monitor. Oddly enough, the client that ruined the (at the time) $6000 laptop never bought any. -Curtis | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 1019 Registered: 02-2002 |
Curtis, LOL I wasn't planning to drive over it, but I'll certainly keep it in mind. Can I get one for $50? Seriously I'm thinking about the physical vibes rather than plain abuse and dropping, its mounted above the transmission tunnel. I'm concerned the hard drive will throw a fit if it bounces around all day thats all. | ||
| Walter Dent (Walter) New Member Username: Walter Post Number: 13 Registered: 11-2003 |
Most laptops are pretty delicate. There are however military versions that are hardened and can take a licking. Nothing likes to be shaken when it's hitting it's hard drive. | ||
| Eugene (Eugene) Member Username: Eugene Post Number: 113 Registered: 02-2003 |
Dean, How about running a USB hard drive that is kept somewhere else in the car? That way, only the CPU/display is mounted above the transmission tunnel. Once you boot up, read/write to the laptop's HD should be minimal. You could then store the GPS maps, etc. on the external drive. If HD space requirements are minimal, one of those key card drives may be an option. | ||
| Jamil Abbasy (Jamooche) Member Username: Jamooche Post Number: 179 Registered: 05-2003 |
Not sue if this will help, but i have one of those Archos 6gb mp3 hard drives that I go running with every day. I strap it to my left arm and it bounces all over the place when I swing my arms. Had it for a few years now and has had no problems. And my friend who is a cop drives with his gateway laptop almost every day with no problems. | ||
| Sergei Rodionov (Uzbad) Member Username: Uzbad Post Number: 204 Registered: 08-2003 |
There used to be (and i believe still is) russian company that was making laptops called "Roverbook" (as derived from notebook). They had models specially designed for seriously harsh conditions (temperature, bashing and alike). I have their model made back in 97 (its 150MMX weeeee..) and its been through a lot, and its still work. I believe they had parts from toshiba, fujitsu.. (yep - site is still up - http://www.roverbook.com/) Dunno if you can order it overseas though.. | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 1020 Registered: 02-2002 |
Ok thanks all, I have a laptop already that I bought for $50 and it works fine right now. Thanks for the feedback on what to expect. Dean | ||
| Axel Haakonsen (Axel) Moderator Username: Axel Post Number: 546 Registered: 02-2003 |
Curtis, am I going blind, or do those not have a internal cd or dvd drive? - Axel | ||
| Eugene (Eugene) Member Username: Eugene Post Number: 114 Registered: 02-2003 |
Axel, I think only certain models of the Toughbook have CD/DVD drives. The Toughbook 48 appears to have one: http://www.toughonline.com/features.asp?item=12 | ||
| Andrew Maier (Newman) Senior Member Username: Newman Post Number: 411 Registered: 04-2003 |
I looked at those some time ago, and I think they're modular designs where the CDROM drive replaces a floppy drive (or something, I'm a bit fuzzy). To echo comments made above, quite a few cops I know have laptops in their squads and those make it for years with no problems... Andy | ||
| Lewis Jones (Cutter) Member Username: Cutter Post Number: 137 Registered: 10-2003 |
my HP pavilion ze4145 has been beat on pretty bad and keeps working. I've dropped it hard enough to have the CD tray break away twice! And it just snaps back on. It's fell off the seat more times than I can count while using as a GPS. And over the weekend it snowed on the keyboard. I think they're tougher than most people believe. Of course one of the military ones are the best for taking off road with, but they are pricey! Get a cheap one and don't worry about it. | ||
| Curtis N (Curtis) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Curtis Post Number: 933 Registered: 05-2002 |
I just orderered an IBM ThinkPad R50p: http://www.workstationplanet.com/news/article.php/3099631 One of (many) features I liked was the data protection in the event of a drop. I am prone to be pretty rough on my equipment. Here is an excerpt if you don't want to bother with the whole article: "With more users taking their notebook computers into the field, these mobile systems are at risk of being dropped and damaged, whether on the factory floor, in the production trailer or on an airplane. IBM has developed a patent-pending hard drive protection technology to help protect people's data. The IBM Active Protection System, similar to the technology used in automobiles to deploy airbags, uses a microchip on the system board to detect system acceleration (such as in a fall) and responds by temporarily parking the drive's read/write head. This rapid response can help prevent some hard drive crashes that occur in some falls, helping to prevent total data loss and ultimately reduce downtime and warranty costs." I won't get it until Monday, but my mouth is salivating over this one... Curtis | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 634 Registered: 03-2003 |
Curtis, you too? LOL. | ||
| Curtis N (Curtis) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Curtis Post Number: 935 Registered: 05-2002 |
 | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 1022 Registered: 02-2002 |
That's got to be one freakin fast head-park mechanism! Wow! | ||
| Steve Cooper (Scrover) Senior Member Username: Scrover Post Number: 573 Registered: 09-2002 |
"Most laptops are pretty delicate" I gotta disagree Walt. I think most laptops are designed with abuse in mind. I think ALL their hard drives have to pass a certain drop test to make it into a laptop in the first place. However, I'm sure there are limits. I've beaten mine up pretty good and it's never missed a beat (byte?). It's solidly mounted to the dash and used mostly for GPS and the occasional movie for the kids (from the hard drive - no DVD). I do also have a 100GB USB external drive that I have yet to install in the truck - mostly for more movies and music. One day I'll get around to it. It's a Compaq Armada BTW. SC | ||
| Curtis N (Curtis) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Curtis Post Number: 936 Registered: 05-2002 |
Those old Armadas rock. Too bad they discontinued them with the HP buyout. My R50p is on backorder. Looks like a 3-4 week wait. Damn. | ||
| Doug Walker (Dougw) New Member Username: Dougw Post Number: 17 Registered: 08-2003 |
We used a 5 year old Micron to navigate in the last Nevada Trophy. Lots of banging around. We hit one washout so hard, it popped the rearview mirror right off the windshield like a rocket straight back. The Micron, however, didn't skip a beat. The computer has done two NVTRs now, total of more than 500 miles are hard, pounding abuse without a glitch. Knock on wood (in this case the cubby). | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 1027 Registered: 02-2002 |
Doug - thanks, I got a micron also, about that age. Nice display and its built very heavily, perfect for a gps system. Oh what's NVTR? Dean | ||
| Frank Rafka (Mongosd2) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Mongosd2 Post Number: 195 Registered: 02-2003 |
late to this, but I destroyed 3 Sony Viao laptops in 2 years...got a Panasonic Toughbook and the thing is literally indestructable...use the thing for work and play and it really does ROCK...used in the rain and snow, it doesn't bother it...if u want a gps machine, there are a couple of small toughbooks on ebay right now for about $700.00... | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 1029 Registered: 02-2002 |
Frank - what happened to the Viaos? Were they mounted well? Which part went wrong? | ||
| thom mathie (Muskyman) Senior Member Username: Muskyman Post Number: 432 Registered: 11-2002 |
Sony Viao laptops are the first crappy product sony ever built. the return rate on the Viao laptops was so high that many retailers stopped selling them. now the ones that do have them wont return them and make you sign a card at purchase that says you agree to return them straight to sony for service....SONY VIAO SUCK!!! I have beat the shit out of my dell latitudes for years in some really crappy harsh conditions. I have had a inspiron 8100 for about 2 years and it has never skipped a beat no matter what bumps and bruises it has suffered.It has been used as a gps plotter in small boats ,my disco,my scout and carted to all kinds of backcountry adventures...still no problems. As was mentioned above I think just about all Lap-tops these days are pretty well worked out for abuse...JUST NOT THE SONY VIAO>>>THEY SUCK SHIT! | ||
| Frank Rafka (Mongosd2) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Mongosd2 Post Number: 196 Registered: 02-2003 |
I had it mounted on a jotto desk...lot's of screen problems, battery compartment sucks, cd disk door broke...and dust just got everywhere...thom is right the vio suck ass... Frank | ||
| Perrone Ford (Perroneford) Member Username: Perroneford Post Number: 220 Registered: 02-2003 |
I've had laptops in vehicles for about 6 years now. First a Winbook, then a Dell, then and Acer, and now a VAIO. I've never had a problem with ANY of them. The Vaio was a POS before I put it in the truck, but it's been working fine in the truck for 2 years now. -P | ||
| Jamie (Rover_puppy) Senior Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 425 Registered: 05-2003 |
I've been using a Dell Inspiron and keep it in a Pelican Laptop Case. I did have to remove a bit of the foam in the pelican to fit it in, and have had no problems - case does a great job of protecting it. Mind you, I don't use mine while driving so it is not out and exposed. In most cases, I use it while standing at my rear cargo area and kind of balance it on the rear bumper. I use it in the pelican case by tipping my laptop up and back a bit in the case. I rigged a strap that secures to one of my cargo hooks that I just slip over the open back of case and my screen - kind of like a seatbelt - strap does a good job of protecting my computer from me since I would probably accidentally knock it off the rear bumper and break everything. IBM Active Protection System sounds awesome!! | ||
| Don Collins (Donc) Member Username: Donc Post Number: 116 Registered: 04-2002 |
Most laptop HDD (hard disk drives) are shock and vib tested to about 5 feet of drop to make sure they will survive. We had one sent back by a customer that had run over his Dell 7500 with his car. The case was trashed but the HDD survived enough that the info was extracted. Unless you drop the laptop itself on concrete from a fair height you will not have problems. My Dell C400 lasted me about 2 years in the disco (before I upgraded to a D400) and the new system is running in the Freelander with no problems (even off road) | ||
| Doug Walker (Dougw) New Member Username: Dougw Post Number: 18 Registered: 08-2003 |
Dean, NVTR is Nevada Trophy. Check the left menu at www.offroadexperience.com. It's the most exciting event you could possibly enter your LR in, anywhere in North America. 36 hrs of pure adrenalin -- it's timed geocaching on a 100-mile-square chunk of remote desert. Next event is at the end of April... Doug Walker | ||
| Jamie (Rover_puppy) Senior Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 432 Registered: 05-2003 |
Doug, Whatever that is, it sounds fun (except for the sleep deprivation that must accompany it). Just tried to follow the link and the page that came up said Yahoo! Website Services FILE NOT FOUND. Do you have another address for this event? Thanks, Jamie | ||
| Peter Sharratt (Gummikuh) Senior Member Username: Gummikuh Post Number: 258 Registered: 02-2003 |
Hi Getac is far better than the toughbook, but pricey. www.getac.com Pete | ||
| Doug Walker (Dougw) New Member Username: Dougw Post Number: 19 Registered: 08-2003 |
Jamie, Link is working for me now. Try again.... Sleep deprivation is part of the fun!! Doug Walker | ||
| Jamie (Rover_puppy) Senior Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 436 Registered: 05-2003 |
Thanks Doug, I'll try the site again. Sleep deprivation fun?? Not in my opinion - I'm not a great fan of anyone operating with impaired judgement - I've seen too many accidents caused by "pilot error". Sleep is one of the most underated weapons to keep in your toolkit at all times. Again, that's just my opinion - after all, I am the one who thinks more stickers = more fun Thanks, Jamie | ||
| Doug Walker (Dougw) New Member Username: Dougw Post Number: 20 Registered: 08-2003 |
'fun' was tongue in cheek. NVTR is a challenge -- a full test. We saw 2 non-competitor vehicles in 2 days/500 miles off-road last summer. So there no target victims to be concerned about. Navigators understand the risk they take, as do the drivers. 'The freedom to live a dangerous adventure' definitely fits the NVTR. Doug | ||
| Jeff Mclaird (Granitedisco) New Member Username: Granitedisco Post Number: 24 Registered: 08-2003 |
I've had 5 dells in the last 5 years - absolute garbage unless your a desk jockey. I'd recommend going for the panasonic toughbook though. Failing that if you can get a sniffer laptop (W&G) they are pretty bullet proof although kind of bulky. Jeff |
