install pc (1 Viewer)

sdc77

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Hi
I intend to install a micro itx pc in the garage of my van. Looking at kit like voom I see that I should be able to power it from 12v no probs
The intention is to mount it on the roof in the garage .. take 12v from the garage lights and have an external dvd drive in the living area .. bluetooth keyboard with pad and another monitor (in fact the old tv/monitor which I am replacing with a larger one.
Any obvious problems here?
 

Geo

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Hi
I intend to install a micro itx pc in the garage of my van. Looking at kit like voom I see that I should be able to power it from 12v no probs
The intention is to mount it on the roof in the garage .. take 12v from the garage lights and have an external dvd drive in the living area .. bluetooth keyboard with pad and another monitor (in fact the old tv/monitor which I am replacing with a larger one.
Any obvious problems here?

Will you have enough watts to run it from 12v:Sad:
 

scotjimland

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Hi
I intend to install a micro itx pc in the garage of my van. Looking at kit like voom I see that I should be able to power it from 12v no probs
The intention is to mount it on the roof in the garage .. take 12v from the garage lights and have an external dvd drive in the living area .. bluetooth keyboard with pad and another monitor (in fact the old tv/monitor which I am replacing with a larger one.
Any obvious problems here?

Geo hinted at it.. Power , More info needed.. ie .. total power of PC + peripheral device(s) in watts

The Voom (depending on model) uses 120 - 140 watt.. that would be 10 - 12 amps aprox. ....

This would overload the existing lighting circuit.. so I would advise to run a new 15amp fused power supply from the DC distribution box, or battery.. bear in mind the power used if using off EHU

Otherwise.. can't see any other issue.. except perhaps the wireless keyboard and pad.. they work fine with line of sight.. not sure about through a bulkhead.. if that were an issue you could position the usb receiver on the other side of the bulkhead with a usb extension cable.
 
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scotjimland

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What the rest said about power. Other issues bluetooth is very short range I can't see it working over that distance.

An external DVD drive on USB?

If so, usually a garage is under a bed? If so your lounge is likely to be a longer distance away from the computer than a USB cable would reliably work at.

I would actually look for somewhere in the lounge area to mount it to be honest.
 

hilldweller

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Hi
I intend to install a micro itx pc in the garage of my van. Looking at kit like voom

A quality solution. But you pay in ££££ and Watts.

A simpler solution.

I have an e-machine tiny PC attached to out main TV for watching Eurosport via the www. It is basically a laptop without screen or keyboard so low(ish) power and cheap. This one came with a bracket to mount behind a TV but just as good to mount on a wall. The laptop style power supply is 19v 3A, you can get 12V in 19V 3A out replacements. It's small enough to hide in the back of a cupboard. There are several of this tiny PCs around. It has VSA and HDMI out, WiFi, USB.

I had thought of fitting one in ours but then realised it's so limiting, I can hide in a corner or in the awning with laptop or tablet and let 'er indoors watch TV.
 
Apr 27, 2008
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At anything up to 15A its stoo much for the lighting circuit so you would have to run another power cable.

Wouldn't it just be simpler, though much less of a challenge, just to use a laptop :Smile:

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Don Quixote

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Not long enough, but a little common sense helps..........
I'm about to fit a mini PC to the MH. I will take photo's tomorrow ate upload to here.

It's a old Acer mini form factor with HDMI out so might use that to TV.

More details tomorrow

John
 

BwB

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Hi
I intend to install a micro itx pc in the garage of my van. Looking at kit like voom I see that I should be able to power it from 12v no probs
The intention is to mount it on the roof in the garage .. take 12v from the garage lights and have an external dvd drive in the living area .. bluetooth keyboard with pad and another monitor (in fact the old tv/monitor which I am replacing with a larger one.
Any obvious problems here?

What do you plan to use it for? If you only need internet access, email and media there are some tiny android based computers which will plug into a tv hdmi socket and are powered by usb. Get yourself a wireless keyboard/mouse and a wifi connection and you're away. Something like this . although there are smaller ones not much bigger than a usb thumb drive. The max draw on this unit is 10w at 5vdc so less than half that from your 12v supply (with converter).

I've been thinking about these as 90% of the time the laptop is just used for email and browsing and these little gadgets look like they'd handle that ok for very little power draw (or weight).

. has a few more features.
 

hilldweller

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I've been thinking about these as 90% of the time the laptop is just used for email and browsing and these little gadgets look like they'd handle that ok for very little power draw (or weight).

I'd never seen those before. So I said to myself "that's a tablet without the display" so logically moved on to "so why not buy a tablet, most have HDMI out".

With a tablet you can move around, you have keyboard/navigation and can plug in the TV when needed.

It all goes pear-shaped if you or OP needs bulk storage for use as a stored media player. Then you'd either find a tablet that can run a USB hard drive or you buy a hard drive with built in WiFi.

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BwB

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I'd never seen those before. So I said to myself "that's a tablet without the display" so logically moved on to "so why not buy a tablet, most have HDMI out".

With a tablet you can move around, you have keyboard/navigation and can plug in the TV when needed.

It all goes pear-shaped if you or OP needs bulk storage for use as a stored media player. Then you'd either find a tablet that can run a USB hard drive or you buy a hard drive with built in WiFi.

Wouldn't disagree with you Brian, but the original poster was after a fixed solution so thought I'd offer up these devices as an option as many people are unfamiliar with them (only spotted them for the first time myself a couple of weeks ago) and if web/email/media is mainly what they use then these devices might suit.

Personally, sticking something on the back of the TV for £30ish which will turn it into a smartTV could have benefits - a much bigger screen to use, for a start. ::bigsmile:
 

hilldweller

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the original poster was after a fixed solution

Personally, sticking something on the back of the TV for £30ish which ::bigsmile:

First, disregard anything asked on FUN, if they had any idea they wouldn't be asking, would they. We are here to educate, let the good ideas flow.

Agree with your set-back box. Although you say £30 and post links to £70.

Here is a tablet with decent spec that is cheaper
http://www.saverstore.com/product/2...75-Scroll-Plus-7-Android-41-Capacitive-Tablet

My TV solution is just a big USB hard drive. All our DVDs are there for the asking. These modern TVs are brilliant.
 

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