Best Mini Computer Ideas?

[hughgilhespie]

Hi,

My Pulsar observatory has just flooded and the chain drive I designed for the automatic shutter operation doesn't work, so to take my mind off current woes I am looking ahead to that rosy period when everything is dry and works as it is supposed to. So, in my dreams......................

I really like the idea of using a fanless mini PC mounted on the OTA to control everything. I have started looking at what's available and I'm a bit overwhelmed by the amount of choice. I don't have a definite spec in mind but say at least 6 USB ports including at least 2 USB 3.0. Then 4 or 8 Gbytes memory and a reasonable size SSD. Everything running under Windows 7 or 10. 

I am far from being a computer expert and I would love to get some ideas and comments from people who have done this or are contemplating doing it. If it's relevant, I have Cat 6 Ethernet in the observatory and mains and plenty of 14 VDC power. I am currently using a Fleabay Dell Latitude with Win 7 Pro that connects to my main desktop using Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol.

Thoughts, suggestions..........................

Ta, Hugh

[Zakalwe]

I have just finished installing on of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00YEGGV6I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

4 x USB2, 4 x USB3, 2 x HDMI (you can run dual monitors), WiFi and Ethernet. There's space inside for a second M-SATA and for a 2.5" HDD.

It is very happy running an ASI 174 and an ASI1600 at full tilt. Recommended. I threw a 1gig 2.5" hybrid drive in for the OS and DSO files. The 250Gb M-SATA SSD is for planetary/lunar/solar imaging....the ASIs need a SSD to keep up with them.

Budget for a legit Windows licence.

[Gina]

WOW!!  Now that is some beasty!!

[Zakalwe]

Its a ridiculous amount of power for something not much larger than a couple of paperbacks. You can actually  mount them behind your monitor on a VESA bracket, but i am mounting it on the pier below the mount. I want to shorten all of the USB3 leads and get rid of the USB hubs. I just have to be mindful that it doesn't cause a heat plume that would knacker the local seeing around the mount.

[Ibbo!]

Looking for something for the planetarium rather than the laptop and this may be the ticket .

Thanks for thread.

 

[Gina]

I bought this one but I have my doubts about its efficacy!  I haven't been having much joy with it - very much cheaper than that one above though so maybe I went too cheap!

[stash_old]

On 18/11/2016 at 16:43, Gina said:

I bought this one but I have my doubts about its efficacy!  I haven't been having much joy with it - very much cheaper than that one above though so maybe I went too cheap!

Hi Gina,

What sort of problems have you had with the Bolv?

Had been thinking of something along the same lines to reduce wires - especially USB.

Regards

Clive

[101nut]

Call that a mini computer? When I were a lad, this was a mini computer ... we had to switch it on before we went to bed ...

AndyG

 

 

[Gina]

That's a mini computer - I've used ones like that in the past   A mini PC is a different beasty - about the size of a medium box of chocolates.

Mine has Window 10 Home Premium on it and refuses to do what I want   Can't remember the details now - I've shelved it.  Probably get back to it when I've done a few other things of higher priority (at least in my mind).  The Win 7 laptop is working well enough for now.  A wired gigabit Ethernet connection has helped, with much faster downloads.

[SkyBound]

I bought an Intel quad core one from eBay, for £54 but you have to add your own RAM, hard drive and OS, cost £125 with all, 8gb RAM and 240gb Crucial SSD drive....its superb and very small, runs off 12v too.

comes with a stand and a vesa mount to mount on the back of a monitor, I have it at my pier and it connects wirelessly to my obsy PC, via teamviewer, which is how I control it....

[BlueAstra]

I bought one of these a few years ago to run my observatory systems. I got mine without memory and Hdd. I installed 2GB ram and a 64GB SSD. Its mounted on the pier and runs everything, TSkyX, weather sensors, focusser, cameras, filter wheel, two monitors, mount. Its obsolete now but you can get an updated version from Zotac.

 

[Astrofriend]

I have divided my computer system in two parts. One laptop where I remote control everything from and an another astroserver at the telescope that can run independently from outside world once it have been started. The astro server is a miniPC with Windows 8, no monitor or keyboard, just remote controlled over VNC.

I try to document most of what I do,  think it can be useful for others, at least you don't have to do the same mistakes I do from time to time.

You can see the details here:

http://astrofriend.eu/astronomy/projects/project-astro-server-and-powerunit/project-astro-server-and-powerunit.html

 

A couple of months ago I started a new project, this time I want an even smaller computer. It's build around a Raspberry 3. This computer take a lot of less power and it's very small. The plan is to have it mounted direct on the telescope with minimal length of cables. Here I use Linux as operation system which is the first time for me, don't be afraid of Linux, if I could learn to use it then you can learn it! It just took me 20 years for this first try. I don't have to install any Linux softwares on my Windows Laptop, only in the Raspberry. It has 1 GByte of RAM, a 16GB SD card as a harddrive, 4 USB ports, Wifi, LAN, HDMI. Even this computer doesn't have a monitor or a keyboard. It cost 40 Euro! You can have plenty of them if you come to the limit to overload them. You can read about that project here:

http://astrofriend.eu/astronomy/projects/project-kstars-indi-linux/project-kstars-indi-linux.html

Still a lot of work left before I can use it. But already now I can control my Canon 6D camera and the EQ6 mount.

 

/Lars