Mini pc

[Vroobel]

On 18/06/2024 at 18:57, TiffsAndAstro said:

Occasionally but my Virgin media router is 🐕 💩 

It's not like I'm gaming on it

I experienced plenty of times disconnecting all devices at night, of course my RPi with Astroberry outside as well. It looked like the Virgin uses a DHCP server which is located on their side. As a former IT pro, I know how DHCP should work: even if the Internet access is lost, the devices should see each other based on a DHCP server located on the LAN side. I investigated it a bit widely and bought a well-featured semi-pro WiFi 6 router in result, so the sh.tty Virgin router works as a modem since then. No more IP loses, WiFi transfer is literally twice faster across all the house. Highly recommended, works 1.5 year flawlessly. 

 

Edited Thursday at 13:18 by Vroobel

[TiffsAndAstro]

49 minutes ago, Vroobel said:

Cuiv showed how to set Win Pro to log in without typing the password each tine, he uses an RDP. I made the same and it works in my my case, the AstroPC is ready to work in a few seconds after powering it on. I used Win 10 as the client earlier, now I use Ubuntu. The RDP client works great, but I have to type the password before I join the RDP server. It's OK anyway, Linux is faster. I hope I solve it on one day. 

gonna try this out with my laptop. logging into it annoys me anyway

[TiffsAndAstro]

30 minutes ago, Vroobel said:

I experienced plenty of times disconnecting all devices at night, of course my RPi with Astroberry outside as well. It looked like the Virgin uses a DHCP server which is located on their side. As a former IT pro, I know how DHCP should work: even if the Internet access is lost, the devices should see each other based on a DHCP server located on the LAN side. I investigated it a bit widely and bought a well-featured semi-pro WiFi 6 router in result, so the sh.tty Virgin router works as a modem since then. No more IP loses, WiFi transfer is literally twice faster across all the house. Highly recommended, works 1.5 year flawlessly. 

 

yeah i considered something like this, but my wifi is ok enough. just not good. 

[Martyn87]

There are loads of Mini PCs listed on ebay from Dell, HP, Lenovo etc that could be picked up refurbished from around £70. This would give you the option to run Windows if you wanted to, or go down the Linux route. As others have mentioned though, you'll almost certainly need a powered USB hub to get the number of USB ports you need. 

Some of these Mini PCs will have VESA mounting holes. I'm sure some clever person with a 3D printer could knock up a VESA - Vixen mount to hold the PC on a dovetail...

[Martyn87]

2 hours ago, TiffsAndAstro said:

Anyone using a nuc or mele, can you set it to to use no login and boot to its desktop, no login screen?

I don't think chrome remote desktop works until after logging into windows.

Seems there is via a local account and some other stuff

@TiffsAndAstro Here you go, a tool direct from Microsoft https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autologon

AFAIK you don't have to use a local account either, it will still auto-login if you use a linked Microsoft account. If you wanted to get really clever, you could set up a login script to launch all your software too.

[Stuart1971]

3 hours ago, TiffsAndAstro said:

Anyone using a nuc or mele, can you set it to to use no login and boot to its desktop, no login screen?

I don't think chrome remote desktop works until after logging into windows.

Seems there is via a local account and some other stuff

Yes mine does all the time and across Remote Desktop too..👍🏻

[TiffsAndAstro]

48 minutes ago, Martyn87 said:

There are loads of Mini PCs listed on ebay from Dell, HP, Lenovo etc that could be picked up refurbished from around £70. This would give you the option to run Windows if you wanted to, or go down the Linux route. As others have mentioned though, you'll almost certainly need a powered USB hub to get the number of USB ports you need. 

Some of these Mini PCs will have VESA mounting holes. I'm sure some clever person with a 3D printer could knock up a VESA - Vixen mount to hold the PC on a dovetail...

Yeah only problem is some are relatively heavy. The latest nucs mele weigh 260g or 500g.

Flo even have a nuc adapter plate

[TiffsAndAstro]

39 minutes ago, Martyn87 said:

@TiffsAndAstro Here you go, a tool direct from Microsoft https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autologon

AFAIK you don't have to use a local account either, it will still auto-login if you use a linked Microsoft account. If you wanted to get really clever, you could set up a login script to launch all your software too.

Ty for this having a read now. I'm not too bothered about startup scripts because I only run synscan then Nina and let it run phd2. 

[Martyn87]

Yep, can't argue with that. Just had a quick look and the Lenovo Mini PCs are about 1.2kgs. Not sure it makes a huge difference when most mounts are over 20KGs though 

[TiffsAndAstro]

3 minutes ago, Stuart1971 said:

Yes mine does all the time and across Remote Desktop too..👍🏻

Crd doesn't work on login screen and I need windows pro for win remote desktop ;(

[Stuart1971]

Just now, TiffsAndAstro said:

Crd doesn't work on login screen and I need windows pro for win remote desktop ;(

Are you sure you need windows  pro, for RD, I think it’s just hidden isnt it…?

[TiffsAndAstro]

Just now, Martyn87 said:

Yep, can't argue with that. Just had a quick look and the Lenovo Mini PCs are about 1.2kgs. Not sure it makes a huge difference when most mounts are over 20KGs though 

My mount is one of the smaller but juicier types

I can probably save 2kg with shorter usb cables thoigh

[TiffsAndAstro]

Just now, Stuart1971 said:

Are you sure you need windows  pro, for RD, I think it’s just hidden isnt it…?

It was hidden enough for me to not find it easily. I have win10home activated on my desktop but win10pro (I think) inactivated via bootcamp on my astromac. 

I'm only asking cos I was thinking how do I log into (a future scope pc) after bootup if no keyboard/mouse/monitor ....

[Martyn87]

3 minutes ago, Stuart1971 said:

Are you sure you need windows  pro, for RD, I think it’s just hidden isnt it…?

Unfortunately the Pro version is required for RDP on Win10 and Win11. A total con, as this is not even close to being an enterprise feature. 

[StevieDvd]

1 minute ago, Stuart1971 said:

Are you sure you need windows  pro, for RD, I think it’s just hidden isnt it…?

Any windows version can use the MS Remote Desktop Connection (the client) but only Windows Pro can run the MS Remote Server (the server). Though you can install other server software and clients.

[TiffsAndAstro]

1 minute ago, StevieDvd said:

Any windows version can use the MS Remote Desktop Connection (the client) but only Windows Pro can run the MS Remote Server (the server). Though you can install other server software and clients.

So if my scope pc has win pro I can connect to it from my win10home desktop?

[TiffsAndAstro]

52 minutes ago, Martyn87 said:

@TiffsAndAstro Here you go, a tool direct from Microsoft https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autologon

AFAIK you don't have to use a local account either, it will still auto-login if you use a linked Microsoft account. If you wanted to get really clever, you could set up a login script to launch all your software too.

Will test this on my Mac now ty

[StevieDvd]

Just now, TiffsAndAstro said:

So if my scope pc has win pro I can connect to it from my win10home desktop?

Yes, you need to enable the server feature. I have used this extensively at work before I retired and use a Win 11 laptop to connect to a Win 11 Pro server for home as well.

[Martyn87]

1 minute ago, TiffsAndAstro said:

So if my scope pc has win pro I can connect to it from my win10home desktop?

Yep From Microsoft: 

"Note: While a Remote Desktop server (as in, the PC that you are connecting to) needs to be running a Pro edition of Windows, a client machine (the device you are connecting from) can be running any edition of Windows (Pro or Home), or even a different operating system altogether."

[Stuart1971]

51 minutes ago, TiffsAndAstro said:

It was hidden enough for me to not find it easily. I have win10home activated on my desktop but win10pro (I think) inactivated via bootcamp on my astromac. 

I'm only asking cos I was thinking how do I log into (a future scope pc) after bootup if no keyboard/mouse/monitor ....

Yes, I have mine set on “boot on power on” in the BIOS, then goes straight to desktop, then I can turn it on and off from in the house with a smart plug, and don’t even have to go outside.

[Stuart1971]

51 minutes ago, StevieDvd said:

Any windows version can use the MS Remote Desktop Connection (the client) but only Windows Pro can run the MS Remote Server (the server). Though you can install other server software and clients.

This must have been what I was thinking of…👍🏻

[TiffsAndAstro]

2 minutes ago, Stuart1971 said:

Yes, I have mine set on “boot on power on” in the BIOS, then goes straight to desktop, then I can turn it on and off from in the house with a smart plug, and don’t even have to go outside.

yeah that sounds nice but atm i leave my astromac plugged in next to telescope then access that from my desktop inside.