Mini PC advice

[iamjulian]

I am looking for some advice please.

I have an observatory in the garden.  With the mount (HEQ5) connected to an old Vista laptop.  It still works, but the screen is getting temperamental when it gets cold. Bit like me!

My setup is a Canon 550d and a small QHYCCD hooked up to the finder scope.  I am running PHD2 for guiding, then APT and Cartes du Ciel.

I am thinking about changing to a mini PC that I can then wifi to from the house.  Given that the laptop probably has 2GB RAM and runs everything without a hitch, I shouldn't need anything expensive - is my thinking!?  Is there anything to look out for?  I have my power sockets and transformers in a sealed dry box, but the laptop just sits in the open.  Do these mini PCs cope well with frost and dew?  A couple of usb ports will be enough but anything else I need to consider?

Thank you.

[Stuart1971]

Hello,

I bought an older i3 Intel NUC mini PC from eBay for £90 with 4gb RAM and a 120gb SSD drive fitted, Wi-Fi and 2 USB 3 ports and 2 x USB 2 ports, and with win 10 pro, this is more than enough power to run all your software without issues, they can be powered from 12v just fine, although the mains supply that tends to come with them is 19v, bit they can run from 11v up to about 20v, also due to the heat they will produce when running, frost should not be an issue at all..👍🏻

Edited September 14, 2022 by Stuart1971

[ONIKKINEN]

In operation the mini-pc will be free of frost and dew, just due to the fact that it heats up a little bit in use and so keeps the casing above the dew point. Not sure how good of an idea it would be to leave the thing outdoors to attract frost and dew, but probably best to cover it up after use. As for the specs of the thing itself, pretty much all mini-pcs out there are good enough for astro use. With windows 10 and above you do need more ram though, preferably 8gb but most models have at least 4gb so it will probably be fine. I would be shocked if you can find a mini-pc out there with worse specs than your current vista laptop, so the only way is up.

[Stuart1971]

Here you go first one I saw £80

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/275460236589?hash=item4022b5a52d:g:xgkAAOSwnzhjIdrl&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoG16kZuLGsIwxzNCpm8hqGiW4JelJ%2BdPJgnKaZl4oVK0f5%2BDRuZgrW403eKHGawIGuMnT7%2BLqm1fDo5FKbj5wMdqsblacer5umWraEanGk5Ozub88wk2KeGLnMj3LOttD5PVp2sNl0537MKlLl%2FD66PblF0zTSGGlDibtYRRXXAvtpVBxxxG7w7Q6PaPaqzkqOSuWIIEW34vsLqtzbRACy4%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR_KxrNPnYA

 

and an i5 for the same price…

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265885134214?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D241915%26meid%3D548da8e8e9ff4148815e2ea989a6634c%26pid%3D101195%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D275460236589%26itm%3D265885134214%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DSimplAMLv11WebTrimmedV3MskuWithRevOptLambda90KnnRecallV1%26brand%3DIntel&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851&amdata=cksum%3A265885134214548da8e8e9ff4148815e2ea989a6634c|enc%3AAQAHAAABEPZqctS1aW2Gn1fMafrLrPa7%2BqLD2Pgo5GTgCDTJgIpBMBHaBHcFvdVGNBWeIytK8U7x8RargP9Bv5VZgW5ZIFPxp%2FlXkwdmCAiAzvT1lEn0QXTwt5%2Facer6h1rxQV9llDWx6lqKkJsjQl%2BBb8Dib%2BB2BC%2F2TuOvXUsq%2F%2B%2FgtN51hjZhXFG9ACMpWn11%2FSAOEXpMzYjh2CYc6Lj7Rji78KTDGOQbaGVLsGKjl9e6uc2JWgfYGiqOQIvapYUao%2FWsOM5HPrsvoMIT4%2FrEbScNBj4TWpMtyMhPBDNsDkrJ0aLGj%2BIWF18D6HLUMtPGLzwLo7ZkNXrpAjuHQklVm5%2BW3GZbPJqXvT6B3b9%2F9Ur%2BJixF|ampid%3APL_CLK|clp%3A2047675

Edited September 14, 2022 by Stuart1971

[Tomatobro]

I have three NUCs two in the observatory and one in the office.  All brought second hand, all with Win10 pro and have really good wifi range when using remote desktop. The two in the observatory run on 12 volts dc. 

[iamjulian]

Thanks everyone, all sounds reassuring, especially the heat they produce protecting them a bit from dew, makes sense. The computer will only stay out while in use. Computer, cameras and cables all get packed away indoors at the end of the session. The observatory is wind and rain proof, but not insulated. Or spider proof.  Thanks for the eBay links. 

I run an extension lead to the observatory then power the laptop from that. I'm guessing these mini PCs have something exactly like a laptop transformer brick for their power.

[Ratlet]

I run Nina and all the gubbins (guiding, etc) off a 2015 vintage i5.  I remote desktop from an even older laptop in my shed.

For me I would suggest that you try to get 8GB of ram if you can.  Ram will do more per £ spent than processor in my opinion.  However the speed limiting step will likely be the transfer from canon to mini pc.  The chances are it won't affect your workflow though. And it will all be good. I use a t3i and it is fine.

Make sure that the mini pc has a good signal and is setup to only connect to the one WiFi network. 

I keep all my stuff up the shed.  I use the really useful storage boxes from Hobbycraft and put those chemical desiccant boxes from Asda in them.  They will eliminate  any moisture well and are easy to change and monitor for use.  The wrapping paper storage one is even but enough to take the legs from my GEM28 Nd all the cables and desiccant box.  

If you are doing platesolving run it locally rather than online.  It'll be much quicker.  I use astap with Nina.