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It's once again time to get a new laptop, but this time I think I need one for the open waters. Can you recommend a good light weight one and what kind of internet service can you get cruising especially in the middle of the Pacific?
Micro desk computer? Nice big fan? 15" monitor? This does sound interesting, but big fans absorbing salt air into the components? How does it fair at anchor as far as energy consumption goes?
The one nice thing about some of the expensive Toughbooks is a "Sunlight Readable" display much like your GPS/chartplotter units. The regular notebook displays are backlit and when any amount of sunlight hits them they get washed out and cannot be seen, the strongest light source always wins out. I tried running my GPS through the notebook to get a much larger chart display but could not see anything while I had it in the cockpit so I tried putting it on a monitor arm attached to the companionway ladder to keep it under the hatch and out of the direct light but still there was too much external light to make it readable. My next plan is to try one of those 3M privacy screens that cover the notebook display for about $100.00 and perhaps that will make the notebook display readable from the helm seat. I find the GPS display a bit small & would like to see my chart on the notebook with live tracking without having to go below every time I want to look at it to see a bigger perspective of my position.
Actually, I already have it, (Christmas gift) but the ugly weather we've had has prevented me testing it. The wiz kid in the computer store said it would work and upon closer inspection there seems to be something built into this screen to stop light from comming in sideways since there is no way you can view the screen from the side. Even indoors you can only view straight on at the screen so my gut feel says the kid is right, I'll know for sure soon though. Funny thing is this screen is like paper thin and fits over the notebook screen like a custom glove, very surprising. I don't understand what technology can be imbedded into something so thin and make it work but it does. If I can view it on the monitor arm under the hatch while sitting at the helm I am in business. Looking forward!
On edit, indoors it really darkens the notebook screen substantially if that is an indication of the effectivenes.
I don't know if the 3M privacy filter, which is basically a polarizing filter IIRC, is actually going to help at all. Part of the problem is that only transreflective screens generally allow enough daylight in and out to make the screen clearly visible. The problem is that most laptops don't have sufficient backlighting for the screen to be read...which is why they use a transreflective screen. The polarizing filter is going to reduce contrast further, making the situation worse is my guess.
Sailingdog,
It looks like you are closer to the facts, my wife tested the 3M screen yesterday and was less than impressed. I will return it for a refund and put the cash towards a better remedy. I checked with a retailer on those transflective displays, (they don't know too much) and was quoted $200.00 for a NEC 17" LCD active matrix TFT display. Is this what I need? Is the "active matrix" and "TXT" the magic words/letters? I sent you a PM on it. I want to plug it in to a HP Pavilon notebook as an external monitor.
Thanks in advance.
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