Hi from bonny Scotland

Anyone looked at connecting up a 12v lcd screen or equivalent to their
laptop /pc? I was looking at a chart plotter but the cost of one with
the functionality and screen size I want is pretty large and since I
already have a laptop with expensive digital charts and ais etc., etc.
on it and "only" require a repeat of functions to the cockpit. This is
mainly to avoid having to clamber below and back at critical piloting
points. The laptop is not marinised.

Looking at approx 12 inch screen eg:
http://www.vartechsystems.com/produc...s/VT121XAF.asp

Any ideas / alternative notions?

--
To email; just extract the urine.

As Salty just commented, the PC type LCD screen is not suitable for cockpit use. Not only for daytime viewing, but night viewing
as well. Marine screens will preserve your night vision because black is truly black. It is easy to test this by turning on an LCD
screen of your choice, do not display anything. Then turn off all sources of light. You will be amazed at how much glow there is.
Steve

"Gem" wrote in message ...
Hi from bonny Scotland

Anyone looked at connecting up a 12v lcd screen or equivalent to their laptop /pc? I was looking at a chart plotter but the cost
of one with the functionality and screen size I want is pretty large and since I already have a laptop with expensive digital
charts and ais etc., etc. on it and "only" require a repeat of functions to the cockpit. This is mainly to avoid having to
clamber below and back at critical piloting points. The laptop is not marinised.

Looking at approx 12 inch screen eg:
http://www.vartechsystems.com/produc...s/VT121XAF.asp

Any ideas / alternative notions?

--
To email; just extract the urine.

On 3/18/2010 12:50 PM, Steve Lusardi wrote:
As Salty just commented, the PC type LCD screen is not suitable for
cockpit use. Not only for daytime viewing, but night viewing as well.
Marine screens will preserve your night vision because black is truly
black. It is easy to test this by turning on an LCD screen of your
choice, do not display anything. Then turn off all sources of light. You
will be amazed at how much glow there is.
Steve

"Gem" wrote in message
...
Hi from bonny Scotland

Anyone looked at connecting up a 12v lcd screen or equivalent to their
laptop /pc? I was looking at a chart plotter but the cost of one with
the functionality and screen size I want is pretty large and since I
already have a laptop with expensive digital charts and ais etc., etc.
on it and "only" require a repeat of functions to the cockpit. This is
mainly to avoid having to clamber below and back at critical piloting
points. The laptop is not marinised.

Looking at approx 12 inch screen eg:
http://www.vartechsystems.com/produc...s/VT121XAF.asp

Any ideas / alternative notions?

--
To email; just extract the urine.

You folks may be surprised with an Acer Netbook Aspire one D250 -- 10"
screen, with a very bright LCD screen. Runs XP/WIN7. Cost about $200.
Very viewable outdoors -- try it!

On Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:43:37 -0400, hank wrote:

On 3/18/2010 12:50 PM, Steve Lusardi wrote:
As Salty just commented, the PC type LCD screen is not suitable for
cockpit use. Not only for daytime viewing, but night viewing as well.
Marine screens will preserve your night vision because black is truly
black. It is easy to test this by turning on an LCD screen of your
choice, do not display anything. Then turn off all sources of light. You
will be amazed at how much glow there is.
Steve

"Gem" wrote in message
...
Hi from bonny Scotland

Anyone looked at connecting up a 12v lcd screen or equivalent to their
laptop /pc? I was looking at a chart plotter but the cost of one with
the functionality and screen size I want is pretty large and since I
already have a laptop with expensive digital charts and ais etc., etc.
on it and "only" require a repeat of functions to the cockpit. This is
mainly to avoid having to clamber below and back at critical piloting
points. The laptop is not marinised.

Looking at approx 12 inch screen eg:
http://www.vartechsystems.com/produc...s/VT121XAF.asp

Any ideas / alternative notions?

--
To email; just extract the urine.

You folks may be surprised with an Acer Netbook Aspire one D250 -- 10"
screen, with a very bright LCD screen. Runs XP/WIN7. Cost about $200.
Very viewable outdoors -- try it!


I did, in fact I had one on, in the cockpit, the last trip I took.
Yes, you could see it..... as long as you shaded the screen with
something, but I'd hardly called it readable unless you shaded the
screen with something you couldn't see it enough to use it for
navigation.
Cheers,

Bruce

On 3/22/2010 6:17 AM, wrote:
On Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:25:21 +0700,
wrote:

On Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:43:37 -0400, wrote:

On 3/18/2010 12:50 PM, Steve Lusardi wrote:
As Salty just commented, the PC type LCD screen is not suitable for
cockpit use. Not only for daytime viewing, but night viewing as well.
Marine screens will preserve your night vision because black is truly
black. It is easy to test this by turning on an LCD screen of your
choice, do not display anything. Then turn off all sources of light. You
will be amazed at how much glow there is.
Steve

wrote in message
...
Hi from bonny Scotland

Anyone looked at connecting up a 12v lcd screen or equivalent to their
laptop /pc? I was looking at a chart plotter but the cost of one with
the functionality and screen size I want is pretty large and since I
already have a laptop with expensive digital charts and ais etc., etc.
on it and "only" require a repeat of functions to the cockpit. This is
mainly to avoid having to clamber below and back at critical piloting
points. The laptop is not marinised.

Looking at approx 12 inch screen eg:
http://www.vartechsystems.com/produc...s/VT121XAF.asp

Any ideas / alternative notions?

--
To email; just extract the urine.

You folks may be surprised with an Acer Netbook Aspire one D250 -- 10"
screen, with a very bright LCD screen. Runs XP/WIN7. Cost about $200.
Very viewable outdoors -- try it!


I did, in fact I had one on, in the cockpit, the last trip I took.
Yes, you could see it..... as long as you shaded the screen with
something, but I'd hardly called it readable unless you shaded the
screen with something you couldn't see it enough to use it for
navigation.
Cheers,

Bruce

How did it fare when green water hit it, and knocked it across the
cockpit?

The $200 Acer is no substitute for a blue water chartplotter. It has
saved me countless trips to the nav station while motoring in Hawk
Channel or the ICW. I have a full Bimini and is very viewable. For US
based folks, you can't beat OpenCPN & free charts. And WIFI. Run any
programs, including land-based navigation. I bought mine for $200.

I like Raymarine, but I'm holding off on any new purchases until their
financial issues stabilize.

On Mon, 22 Mar 2010 06:17:06 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:25:21 +0700, Bruce
wrote:

On Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:43:37 -0400, hank wrote:

On 3/18/2010 12:50 PM, Steve Lusardi wrote:
As Salty just commented, the PC type LCD screen is not suitable for
cockpit use. Not only for daytime viewing, but night viewing as well.
Marine screens will preserve your night vision because black is truly
black. It is easy to test this by turning on an LCD screen of your
choice, do not display anything. Then turn off all sources of light. You
will be amazed at how much glow there is.
Steve

"Gem" wrote in message
...
Hi from bonny Scotland

Anyone looked at connecting up a 12v lcd screen or equivalent to their
laptop /pc? I was looking at a chart plotter but the cost of one with
the functionality and screen size I want is pretty large and since I
already have a laptop with expensive digital charts and ais etc., etc.
on it and "only" require a repeat of functions to the cockpit. This is
mainly to avoid having to clamber below and back at critical piloting
points. The laptop is not marinised.

Looking at approx 12 inch screen eg:
http://www.vartechsystems.com/produc...s/VT121XAF.asp

Any ideas / alternative notions?

--
To email; just extract the urine.

You folks may be surprised with an Acer Netbook Aspire one D250 -- 10"
screen, with a very bright LCD screen. Runs XP/WIN7. Cost about $200.
Very viewable outdoors -- try it!


I did, in fact I had one on, in the cockpit, the last trip I took.
Yes, you could see it..... as long as you shaded the screen with
something, but I'd hardly called it readable unless you shaded the
screen with something you couldn't see it enough to use it for
navigation.
Cheers,

Bruce

How did it fare when green water hit it, and knocked it across the
cockpit?


Well... I usually do my damndest not to have green water in the
cockpit :-) We got knocked down once and my wife's comment was, "stop
doing that!"

But, from just owning the little thing for a while I doubt very much
that it could withstand a heavy dew, never mind the green water. They
are cheap, both in price and manufacture.

This one got to shutting down every once in a while and then the
frequency got shorter and then it died. When I got back I fooled with
it for a while and then took it down to the shop - short in the
keyboard. Easy to fix, just snap in a new one, but my "real" laptops
usually last at least two years. This one was about a year old and I
think I used it twice and one trip was in an airplane.

Cheers,

Bruce

On 3/22/2010 9:57 AM, Bruce wrote:
On Mon, 22 Mar 2010 06:17:06 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:25:21 +0700,
wrote:

On Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:43:37 -0400, wrote:

On 3/18/2010 12:50 PM, Steve Lusardi wrote:
As Salty just commented, the PC type LCD screen is not suitable for
cockpit use. Not only for daytime viewing, but night viewing as well.
Marine screens will preserve your night vision because black is truly
black. It is easy to test this by turning on an LCD screen of your
choice, do not display anything. Then turn off all sources of light. You
will be amazed at how much glow there is.
Steve

wrote in message
...
Hi from bonny Scotland

Anyone looked at connecting up a 12v lcd screen or equivalent to their
laptop /pc? I was looking at a chart plotter but the cost of one with
the functionality and screen size I want is pretty large and since I
already have a laptop with expensive digital charts and ais etc., etc.
on it and "only" require a repeat of functions to the cockpit. This is
mainly to avoid having to clamber below and back at critical piloting
points. The laptop is not marinised.

Looking at approx 12 inch screen eg:
http://www.vartechsystems.com/produc...s/VT121XAF.asp

Any ideas / alternative notions?

--
To email; just extract the urine.

You folks may be surprised with an Acer Netbook Aspire one D250 -- 10"
screen, with a very bright LCD screen. Runs XP/WIN7. Cost about $200.
Very viewable outdoors -- try it!


I did, in fact I had one on, in the cockpit, the last trip I took.
Yes, you could see it..... as long as you shaded the screen with
something, but I'd hardly called it readable unless you shaded the
screen with something you couldn't see it enough to use it for
navigation.
Cheers,

Bruce

How did it fare when green water hit it, and knocked it across the
cockpit?


Well... I usually do my damndest not to have green water in the
cockpit :-) We got knocked down once and my wife's comment was, "stop
doing that!"

But, from just owning the little thing for a while I doubt very much
that it could withstand a heavy dew, never mind the green water. They
are cheap, both in price and manufacture.

This one got to shutting down every once in a while and then the
frequency got shorter and then it died. When I got back I fooled with
it for a while and then took it down to the shop - short in the
keyboard. Easy to fix, just snap in a new one, but my "real" laptops
usually last at least two years. This one was about a year old and I
think I used it twice and one trip was in an airplane.

Cheers,

Bruce
Sorry to hear about your problems. Mine came with a 2-year warranty and
works great! Hank

On Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:35:10 -0400, hank wrote:

On 3/22/2010 9:57 AM, Bruce wrote:
On Mon, 22 Mar 2010 06:17:06 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:25:21 +0700,
wrote:

On Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:43:37 -0400, wrote:

On 3/18/2010 12:50 PM, Steve Lusardi wrote:
As Salty just commented, the PC type LCD screen is not suitable for
cockpit use. Not only for daytime viewing, but night viewing as well.
Marine screens will preserve your night vision because black is truly
black. It is easy to test this by turning on an LCD screen of your
choice, do not display anything. Then turn off all sources of light. You
will be amazed at how much glow there is.
Steve

wrote in message
...
Hi from bonny Scotland

Anyone looked at connecting up a 12v lcd screen or equivalent to their
laptop /pc? I was looking at a chart plotter but the cost of one with
the functionality and screen size I want is pretty large and since I
already have a laptop with expensive digital charts and ais etc., etc.
on it and "only" require a repeat of functions to the cockpit. This is
mainly to avoid having to clamber below and back at critical piloting
points. The laptop is not marinised.

Looking at approx 12 inch screen eg:
http://www.vartechsystems.com/produc...s/VT121XAF.asp

Any ideas / alternative notions?

--
To email; just extract the urine.

You folks may be surprised with an Acer Netbook Aspire one D250 -- 10"
screen, with a very bright LCD screen. Runs XP/WIN7. Cost about $200.
Very viewable outdoors -- try it!


I did, in fact I had one on, in the cockpit, the last trip I took.
Yes, you could see it..... as long as you shaded the screen with
something, but I'd hardly called it readable unless you shaded the
screen with something you couldn't see it enough to use it for
navigation.
Cheers,

Bruce

How did it fare when green water hit it, and knocked it across the
cockpit?


Well... I usually do my damndest not to have green water in the
cockpit :-) We got knocked down once and my wife's comment was, "stop
doing that!"

But, from just owning the little thing for a while I doubt very much
that it could withstand a heavy dew, never mind the green water. They
are cheap, both in price and manufacture.

This one got to shutting down every once in a while and then the
frequency got shorter and then it died. When I got back I fooled with
it for a while and then took it down to the shop - short in the
keyboard. Easy to fix, just snap in a new one, but my "real" laptops
usually last at least two years. This one was about a year old and I
think I used it twice and one trip was in an airplane.

Cheers,

Bruce
Sorry to hear about your problems. Mine came with a 2-year warranty and
works great! Hank

I wasn't complaining about the service, it was simply a comment on the
construction. The cheap computers are really cheap although I would
certainly admit that old computers may well have been over built,in a
sense, if for no other reason then the manufacturers hadn't learned to
make the parts as cheaply as today. Laptops appear to be very much
"throw-away" devices as frequently one discovers that a repair is
nearly as much as a new computer.

I remember calling Toshiba about a new battery for my year old laptop.
The guy on the other end of the phone scratched around for a bit and
then said, "Oh, you have one of the old ones". A year old computer is
one of the old ones? And of course they didn't have a new battery for
it either :-)

Cheers,

Bruce