"Doug Dotson" wrote in message ...
Laptops tend to be a bit more rugged, but using a small desktop and
a flat panel display will keep the power consumption down.

Doug
s/v Callista

wrote in message
...
Im not a sailor but I have a question out of curiosity.

Is it possible to use small form factor desktops on boats with DC
systems rather than use laptops?

Bottom line.... can one use and modify a desktop to run off 12 vdc
boat system..... or is one just stuck using and buying laptops that
are already setup to use battery DC power?

I would like to use a desk top for the following reasons:
1. Lower cost than Laptops
2. Can be readily adapted to fit my needs by adding cards etc
3. If a drive goes BO it can be changed.

So, how can I get a desktop that maintains the above advantages, but
uses 12 V power and low amps.
I don't want to buy a specialty desktop, then I might jsut as well buy
a laptop.
The suggestion to use a Flat panel screen is good. But what about the
PC itself. How should I confugure that.
Are 12 V power supplies available for a desk top?
One reply said that a 1 GHz Celeron processor uses the same amount of
power in as a laptop.
Wat about drives? I think I would need a hard drive and a CD reader.
Are they the culprit for high power consumption?

What about Cards I need the mother board plus a modem.