inverters

[alwaysared]

Spend a few months using a Lenovo Thinkpad that cost 60% of the cost of you Apple toys, then you'd learn how good Chinese made laptops can be.

:yeahthat: Lenovo Thinkpad, now there's a laptop Almost every corporate place I've done work for use these, even BT and the ones who don't use Dell business grade laptops which are also very good, I'm typing on one now

Regards,
Del

 

[jagmanx]

Yes Lenovo

:yeahthat: Lenovo Thinkpad, now there's a laptop Almost every corporate place I've done work for use these, even BT and the ones who don't use Dell business grade laptops which are also very good, I'm typing on one now

Regards,
Del

They seem to be the best for quality and price...

I found an HP Stream device which in a sense is a mini laptop.
I pondered a Lenovo but the HP does what I want in the MH

For use in the MH it is great.
Small but decent screen size (13in)
and at less than £200 very good value.

It is not my main device I have a good desktop PC for home use.
I backup transfer/use/synch my data on USB hard Drives(x2) and the cloud.
The laptop enables me to transfer Dashcam footage to the External HDD.

The local data (mainly SSheets and email) is synched with the cloud and the external HDD

 

[alwaysared]

My latest laptop is USB3 only so I cannot upload POIs to my TomTom as it is USB2 only.

What happens when you connect your TomTom?
Do you get any error messages?
USB 3 is meant to be backwards compatible, all my USB 2 things work in my USB 3 ports.

Regards,
Del

 

[trevskoda]

:yeahthat: Lenovo Thinkpad, now there's a laptop Almost every corporate place I've done work for use these, even BT and the ones who don't use Dell business grade laptops which are also very good, I'm typing on one now

Regards,
Del

Lenova and dell offer there products with linux installed these days at a £100 cheaper as no licence required from dick turpin m/soft

 

[jagmanx]

Hi Del

What happens when you connect your TomTom?
Do you get any error messages?
USB 3 is meant to be backwards compatible, all my USB 2 things work in my USB 3 ports.

Regards,
Del

In Thailand now.
Tom Tom, HP Stream, Safely locked in MH in UK.
I tried several times (and having managed a 400PC network in a school) I can usually get things to work.
however not this time ! Indeed when I loaded the sofware it seemed to "do funny things to my laptop configuration)

As I posted earlier I dropped my "minicamera" and it has gone to meet its maker.
My samsung Tablet (10in) is great but too big to use as a satnav and no screensuction mount
So new 5in smartphone (samsung) to do many jobs
1 Satnav with POI loaded (but also use TomTom) Mount alongside TomTom
2 Snapshot camera with GPS tagging
3 Hotspot to use my Tablet and laptop
4 Almost forgot .. a phone.
5 Dual sim so I can keep my Vodaphone no and use the second sim for Data (O2 or Three or EE or Giffgaff)

My existing phone is about 10 years old...just a phone !

 

[alwaysared]

In Thailand now.
Tom Tom, HP Stream, Safely locked in MH in UK.
I tried several times (and having managed a 400PC network in a school) I can usually get things to work.
however not this time ! Indeed when I loaded the sofware it seemed to "do funny things to my laptop configuration)

As I posted earlier I dropped my "minicamera" and it has gone to meet its maker.
My samsung Tablet (10in) is great but too big to use as a satnav and no screensuction mount
So new 5in smartphone (samsung) to do many jobs
1 Satnav with POI loaded (but also use TomTom) Mount alongside TomTom
2 Snapshot camera with GPS tagging
3 Hotspot to use my Tablet and laptop
4 Almost forgot .. a phone.
5 Dual sim so I can keep my Vodaphone no and use the second sim for Data (O2 or Three or EE or Giffgaff)

My existing phone is about 10 years old...just a phone !

I have a dual SIM Sony Xperia Z3 and it's a great phone. I've always had Samsung before but I struggled getting a dual SIM one.
Regarding your USB issue if you have access to a PC with USB 2 you could make sure that your Tom Tom firmware is up to date and check the HP website for a BIOS update and make sure you have the latest USB 3 drivers for your laptop. A search on Google would indicate that there seems to be an issue with Tom Tom and USB 3.

Regards,
Del

 

[alwaysared]

I would be very reluctant to use a smart phone as a sat-nav after reading the latest reports on the police cracking down on people using mobile 'phones whilst driving. What does everyone else think?

As Jagmanx pointed out it's okay to use your smartphone as a SatNav so long as it's mounted on the windscreen and not in your hand. It's all explained here

Regards,
Del

 

[Deleted member 9849]

I would be very reluctant to use a smart phone as a sat-nav after reading the latest reports on the police cracking down on people using mobile 'phones whilst driving. What does everyone else think?

An interesting point which seems to be a bit of a grey area.I think it's fine to use a smartphone when it's in a proper mount either on the dash or the windscreen,however as these navigation devices get progressively larger eg a phablet or tablet there may be a case of obstructing the windscreen.

Sat-nav positioning on windscreens a 'safety threat'

 

[Deleted member 13859]

Why bother with an inverter when the laptop runs of 12v all you are doing is adding to the complication and using far more power. CHEAP 12v Cigar sockets are to blame they are absolutely useless for powering equipment that needs a little extra power. Best one to buy is a Hella socket and plug to match they are rated at 10 amps which is more than enough. The nice thing about the Hella plug is its a tight fit and has multiple prongs round the side which give it a positive lock.

View attachment 51210

View attachment 51211

As for using a 2kw inverter to charge a laptop. It probably uses more power on standby than the computer uses. My IPad charges from a 5v USB 2.1A Socket.

Perhaps instead of using a computer you would be better spending your money on an Android or IPad Tablet. Not many things you cannot do with a tablet and they use far less power.

..

ive got two of these in my van, La Strada which I understand is a German Outfit, I have made up a pigtail with a female cigarette plug on the end so i shouldnt have any problems with overloading the normal cigarette lighter socket.
tranivanman

 

[installer]

This plug and socket may be better than a standard cigarette lighter socket.

Regards,
Del

Yes we have these fitted, a much more positive connection than the cigarette lighter type.

Also my BMW motorbike has two of the Hella/Din sockets fitted obviously you have to change the plug on the item to suit.

 

[Tezza]

Have used 1 of these for the last 3 years for our iPads. Suction has never let us down. And now we have the huge dashboard on the Hymer luckily the guy who had it before had a small Perspex plate fitted so it attaches to that and not the screen.


360°Dashboard Car Windshield Mount Holder Cradle Stand for iPad-2 3 4 | eBay

 

[delicagirl]

Hello everyone - i have had to focus on my penultimate uni essay for several weeks, hence my lack of time for van matters.... however as a result of all the advice on here and my research locally - taking the van round to a variety of auto electricians until i found a specialist 4x4 knowledgeable guyt who was keen to work on it, and i have decided to do the following :-

As you may all recall i have 3 leisure batteries (2 directly strapped together and one separate and all on a relay to the engine battery) and they are all difference voltages.


To start simply i am going to reduce the number of batteries and stay with my existing 100A solar panel for this summer and see how i get on.

i have bought a new laptop battery with 50% more power capacity and i will primarily use the laptop on its own battery whenever possible and will only charge the laptop when on the move.


I have also decided to replace the current three leisure batteries with two 110Am Alpha batteries and still retain the relay so that they are linked to the engine battery as well. My local auto electrician has taken on board many of the ideas presented here, and is going to tidy up the wiring from the solar controller using a better quality wire, and replace my USB socket with a better quality one, and hard-wire my laptop directly to the battery. AndyJanet has kindly replaced some of my older power-hungry lights.

Finally and especially for Alf... Andyjanet discovered exactly what the "big yellow transformer box" was for - it was, as Alf thought, a 110v transformer for the 240/110/gas fridge (the van was made in japan and originally wired for japanese 110 volt sockets which i have never used). I don't use my fridge hardly at all, and so I decided to have the yellow transformer box taken it out - (it weighs a ton so i have a bit more payload !!) At a later date if i do decide to use the fridge i can always use it on gas, or on electric if i stop at a campsite.

My long summer trip will test this new configuration, and if i find that i do need more solar energy coming in, then i can add a second solar panel and a third leisure battery in the autumn.

But, fingers crossed this new configuration will work a great deal more effectively than before.

Many thanks to all who, in spite of their frustrations at my slow learning curve on all this, have continued to offer advice and information.

 

[bentleysontour]

I've just read through all this thread, and I also now have a a headache.......c:

lol....me too, I'm going to bed goodnight!

 

[bentleysontour]

I am sorry but that is incorrect. Apple hardware is pretty much the best that money can buy. I have been a Mac user for many years and have never had one fail or wear out on me. Many five year old Macbooks are better than the laptops that you can buy today.

Apple products are at the cutting edge of technology. They make these innovations then others copy them.

Apple products also have a higher resale value.

My opinion is based on years of use of Apple product and being involved in the retail of secondhand technology.

Spot on. My oldest Mac Book is 2008, and it still works a treat , ive had a new drive for it and a new keyboard, and there customer service is second to none. Bought in the US and they still fix it in this country for free. I also have 2 x 27 inch desktops, an ipad, and of course an IPhone.Amazing stuff....And I think Steve Jobs was an amazing man!!! lol.....

 

[Tezza]

imacs along with Macbooks since changing to Intel processors share probably 90% of the computing hardware as PCs. Apple like adding a few propitiatory touches to this hardware whilst they may improve the hardware slightly they will improve Apple's profit margin. A lot of their products are not very 'green' as they are not readily upgradeable, try upgrading the memory and a lot of the time it will be soldered on.

Most people when comparing Macs to PCs never seem to compare like for like ie a macbook pro up against a £500 Laptop - no contest. The software is a lot better than

Microsofts offering if you can get on with it, personally I can't, but Win 10 might make me take another look.

I remember reading an article many years ago concerning the ipod, under $10 dollars of components around the same again in labour costs, $70 odd of profit to Apple.

As for being indestructible, a relative of mine who uses them for his business has had a couple Macbooks Pro break (repaired under warranty) and his imac died before Christmas at north of a £1000 to fix is now written off . Yes if they survive then they do have good resale value.

I dont think you can work out profit by just using using manufacturing costs. Last year Apple spent $10 billion on R+D .To stay ahead of the game takes a lot. And I don't think that includes the purchase of other companies. Siri for example.
Apple R&D Spending Up Nearly 30% | Time.com


edit.....plus the 20% vat.

 

[trevskoda]

Spot on. My oldest Mac Book is 2008, and it still works a treat , ive had a new drive for it and a new keyboard, and there customer service is second to none. Bought in the US and they still fix it in this country for free. I also have 2 x 27 inch desktops, an ipad, and of course an IPhone.Amazing stuff....And I think Steve Jobs was an amazing man!!! lol.....

Strange thing is they use a very old linux curnel ,unix,i would rather us a free up to date linux distro on any computor laptop etc.

 

[mark61]

Strange thing is they use a very old linux curnel ,unix,i would rather us a free up to date linux distro on any computor laptop etc.

OSX predates Linux by a few years.

 

[bentleysontour]

I would be very reluctant to use a smart phone as a sat-nav after reading the latest reports on the police cracking down on people using mobile 'phones whilst driving. What does everyone else think?

Ive got this thing in my van I cant even remember what its called, but it looks like a sat nav kind of thing, but when you connect your iPhone via bluetooth all your apps appear on the screen. I think its called Apple Car Play or something like that, so rather than just be looking at any of your apps on the iPhone they will be on a big screen infront of you...Great idea i think, so i can have maps.me , or messenger, WhatsApp anything !

 

[Tezza]

Not really



[FONT=q_serif]OSX is based on NeXTStep, the operating system for [/FONT][FONT=q_serif]NeXT Computer[/FONT][FONT=q_serif], a company Steve Jobs founded in 1988 after he left Apple. NeXTStep was BSD 4.3 Unix implemented on a Mach microkernel. When Apple bought NeXT and made Jobs the CEO again, he brought in the NeXT team to fix the badly broken Mac 9 operating system, which used cooperative rather than preemptive multitasking and was not fully 32 bit. They effectively virtualized the old Mac OS, implementing the Cocoa layer to deal with the system calls that weren't 32 bit clean and hiding the old-fashioned multitasking inside virtual boxes. [/FONT]

[FONT=q_serif]So not only does the core of OSX predate Linux by several years, it was more technically sophisticated and advanced for a long time as well.[/FONT]

 

[Tezza]

Strange thing is they use a very old linux curnel ,unix,i would rather us a free up to date linux distro on any computor laptop etc.

XNU - Wikipedia