Recommend a mini pc for the mount ?

[skybadger]

Seem to have sparked some input. Many thanks to everyone who posted suggestions. I was aware of the brix and the nuc, one looking slightly under powered and the other expensive as spec increases. 

The kingdel I have seen - how big is it really ?

The z8350 - what is the performance of the smaller, lower frequency but multi core devices compared to say an i5?. I run a mini server indoors for the internal network , it was meant to be an ESX server but with dual CPU, dual core 1.6, turned out not to be fast enough, and as a desktop isn't brilliant.n

For the windows haters , I'm equally at home on both win and Linux but prefer to code on my windows laptop and have an investment in ascom, so no R PI , although I have three, along with Arduino, pic and Esp8266 devices.

I suspect I'll be using a RPI for the rotating component of the dome controller or it might just be dumb wireless i2c.

The PC will host the entire obbo management system and Alexa endpoint, so node, Mqtt and ascom are the essential components, along with properly supported set of camera drivers.

My current PC has run in the obbo for a fair few years without major issue. Using a 12v supply means I can reboot it using my IP relay box. Having it fanless means no cooling issues, I prefer it to run slightly warm to prevent humidity issues.

Finally, my experience on multiple laptops and PC is that usb3 does not support usb2 devices well at all. so if a PC has not many ports, I need some of them to be usb2 , and some of them will need to be direct to devices that don't like hubs.

I'll check out the PC links in some more detail now.

Cheers

[Jkulin]

Thanks Steve, that looked a very good deal, unfortunately he doesn't have anything else.

As I only have a permanent pier and not an Obsy I need to make sure my Wi-Fi will work via it to my phone so I can PA with TightVNC for iOS, it would be great to just run my cables out and then nothing else to connect just PA and start, I'm fairly computer savvy so there's no problem installing W10 64Bit on it.

[Kaliska]

16 hours ago, skybadger said:

The z8350 - what is the performance of the smaller, lower frequency but multi core devices compared to say an i5?. I run a mini server indoors for the internal network , it was meant to be an ESX server but with dual CPU, dual core 1.6, turned out not to be fast enough, and as a desktop isn't brilliant

I'm setting up the whole system over the weekend and planting it on top of my mount. I'm only running the software needed to image from the scope, so that will be SG Pro, Stellairum, PHD, Polemaster, Sharpsky and Teamviewer. How it compares to an i5?, we will have to see when i eventually get some clear skies in my neck of the woods.

I've also got a 64gb micro SD card installed as I only have 12gb free on the main internal storage (32gb) after win10 pro and other softward has been installed. This should be enough for a nights imaging (I presume), but you can get up to 256Gb micro SD cards, so there is always an option to increase it if needed.

[Jkulin]

How are you planning to use the Polemaster, as you'll need a screen to align?

[adyj1]

On 4/12/2018 at 08:24, Kaliska said:

I have one of these running all my hardware/software on the mount (Win10 pro installed so i can turn off the auto updates) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Computers-X5-Z8350-Bluetooth-802-11AC-Ethernet-Minix-Neo-Z83-4-PRO/dp/B074MB3GR2

 

 

If you are on a budget, a 2-cpu version of  what you are using should be enough (for the hardware control side of things - we're not talking picture processing ?), and only £90 on Amazon at the moment: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Windows-Alfawise-advanced-X5-Z8350-processor/dp/B0772TN1ZY 

I use something like this (much, much older though) and offload the photos via WiFi. 

Ady

[Kaliska]

6 hours ago, Jkulin said:

How are you planning to use the Polemaster, as you'll need a screen to align?

I can either just take the laptop outside and link the mount PC to it via Teamviewer or on my iphone/ipad...both work ok.

[Jkulin]

On 4/12/2018 at 13:08, RayD said:

I think using a NUC indoors as a static server and using one outside in the cold, warm, dew, sun and other elements are very different things.  Many mini PC's fall over when used externally, same as hubs etc.

Yep I think you are right Ray, I seriously thought about switching over to one like @kirkster501 has and have been looking quite heavily today....but, the worry is that if I secured it to my mount and there was a heavy dew, then it may be fried!

Looking at the Primaluce Eagle2 it really does look well sealed but at nearly 2K€ I just can't justify it. I need to try and find other variations to evaluate.

The Pegasus and HitecAstro boxes might be the answer but it still means having my laptop outside.

One option might be to mount a mini PC within a waterproof case and secure that to the pier, only problem would be heat!

[kirkster501]

1 hour ago, adyj1 said:

If you are on a budget, a 2-cpu version of  what you are using should be enough (for the hardware control side of things - we're not talking picture processing ?), and only £90 on Amazon at the moment: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Windows-Alfawise-advanced-X5-Z8350-processor/dp/B0772TN1ZY 

I use something like this (much, much older though) and offload the photos via WiFi. 

Ady

Looks good.  Issue I see with that one is that it does not have many USB ports.  The one I have and link to above has 10 x USB2 ports and i use all of them in my side-by-side rig.  It is not diffuclt to really rack up the USB port count with all the imaging buts and bobs you accumulate.  I wanted to do away with USB hubs as I have found them an ongoing source of frustration.

[skybadger]

I attach my obbo system view for a chuckle.

(and wholeheartedly agree with usb hubs issues)

 

[skybadger]

So I am now looking at these - largely driven by the balance of cost v performance, number of io connectors and physical size/weight.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XJJNJRL?m=A3NZXFKJ0Y59OU&ref_=v_sp_widget_detail_page

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B078S4HGX8/?coliid=I3DYG24OOV3P23&colid=W7T5NST6YA60&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Sadly this one is rather large :https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01AT394A4/?coliid=I29N809WDRX28U&colid=W7T5NST6YA60&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

This one looks good barring ssd size and lack of clarity over Wifi or not 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0757XBTGH/?coliid=I2NX2R4U5N5OID&colid=W7T5NST6YA60&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

and this one has a fan but it would be god to know whether it shows any vibration:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B0788DJQR9/ref=psdc_428651031_r1_B073DTMDY4?_encoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

 

 

[adyj1]

5 hours ago, kirkster501 said:

Looks good.  Issue I see with that one is that it does not have many USB ports.  The one I have and link to above has 10 x USB2 ports and i use all of them in my side-by-side rig.  It is not diffuclt to really rack up the USB port count with all the imaging buts and bobs you accumulate.  I wanted to do away with USB hubs as I have found them an ongoing source of frustration.

That's a fair point - when I said budget, I guess meant shoestring; I really do have to get the cheapest of everything... I've just built an AstroEQ to convert my 2nd-hand EQ5 to goto, and was lucky enough to find the old 2-cpu miniPC I had was just about man enough for the job of controlling it. I'm using a USB hub out of necessity... 

Here's to the eventual return of a Clear Sky ? 

Ady

 

 

[Jessun]

I've used little Shuttles for some time and as I'm downsizing my rig I'm experimenting with bolting one up by the OTA.

The big fail vs. your wish list is the 12V. My particular ones run off 19V... Something I overlooked at the time of purchase to be honest.

Apart from that this it's another route perhaps. My one runs a Celeron 1037U dual processor at 1.8GHz. A decent amount of RAM and an SSD helps with performance.

I run TheSkyX Professional and other bits and bobs in this with ease.

/Jesper

[animal666]

Intel NUC, i use 7th Gen i3,

the Fat Version with an SSD and a 2Tb HDD

runs on anything from 12-19v,

plenty enough power to run my Mount, CCD’s and store lots of images.

only uses 6-12w when running.

[Kaliska]

Just thought I'd leave this here from someone who's using a Minix mini PC (same as mine). I've not see the video yet, but looks like he has everything needed up and running on it.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66Usl6MccS0

 

 

[skybadger]

Thanks for this. 

It's great to get data on the chart...

 

[solwisesteve]

After struggling like hell to get any decent performance out of the USB ports on my Dell laptop which, despite being an i5, could give no more than 2fps from my camera, I've bitten the bullet and gone for an i5 mini-PC with 8Gig RAM and 240Gid SSD. £240 from aliexpress with 4xUSB3 ports and 2xUSB2 plus the usual wifi/lan etc... I reckon it'll also cope with the outdoors better than my laptop because it's fan less and should stay warm so less issues with dew: At half past 2 the other morning the screen and case of my laptop were streaming with dew. Plus I should be able to sit in my relatively warm stable with a cup of cocoa using windows remote desktop :-) Can't wait! Of course the actual dark period at night will be so short by the time the new PC arrives that it'll probably be the autumn before I try it out in anger :-(