Jump to content

Garage PC/Laptop


Wile E. Coyote

Recommended Posts

Hopefully won't get shouted at for posting here instead of external adverts, but thought folk might miss it in the latter.

 

Saw these mentioned over on PH and have no connection to the seller, but thought people tinkering with ECUs might appreciate the heads up on cheap (£65!) refurbed ToughBooks on eBay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CHEAP-Panasonic-ToughBook-CF-18-Laptop-1-2Ghz-Warranty-Office-SERIAL-PORT-WiFi-/370786041492

 

Not the most powerful of PCs by any stretch of the imagination, but for internet and ECU stuff they should be fine (I've got a "black box" PC of similar spec that works perfectly for that sort of thing).  And they've got proper serial ports.... which most laptops seem to be doing away with these days.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's a stonking price for a Toughbook; last time I looked, (a couple of years ago), you couldn't get a working one under £250/300, and even "for parts only" models were pulling a hundred plus.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My thoughts entirely, and it must be pretty much the perfect garage laptop.

 

We do quite a bit with touchscreen PCs, so wouldn't be surprised if it was simply a driver issue that's stopping it operating fully (we've even managed to get latest touchscreens working on Linux with a little tinkering).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Drop Mid Life Crisis a PM on here who can supply recycled laptop's for mapping ecu s (& more)!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

with that quantity i wonder if bt are having a clear out. shame the touch screen isnt working or i may be tempted

Link to comment
Share on other sites

with that quantity i wonder if bt are having a clear out. shame the touch screen isnt working or i may be tempted

Yep, we are all being upgraded,  got my Panasonic CF-C2 2 weeks ago.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

with that quantity i wonder if bt are having a clear out. shame the touch screen isnt working or i may be tempted

 

I'm 99% certain it could be made to work.  How complicated it would be I don't know, but we've got touch capabilities running on other kit with a bit of lateral thinking.

 

I am getting very tempted to buy one and see.  Just need to work out how to smuggle it past the wife.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So am I, though I think I'll have an easier job smuggling it past your wife!  ;)  :d 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmm... why didn't I think of it before?  They're second hand so won't have the unused look of a new one.

 

"that laptop?  It's Dave's!"   :d

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great bits of kit these Toughbooks, i've used them for the last few years at work. Used offshore, on the deck of boats out in wet muddy fields in absolutely torrential rain for hours. They've been kicked along the ground, banged around in the back of vans, stood on and NEVER had one of them fail on me.  With their metal casings, these things can take a helluva beating and would be the perfect garage laptop 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

damn you all, i will tell her it not my fault THEY MADE ME BUY IT ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,  coming tuesday :blush:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have one, it works a treat. Touch screen works as well.

Even has serial port

null_zps73469b82.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Always happy to be of assistance, Alladidn.  :d

 

Would be interested to know what you think of it when it arrives.  

 

Are you tempted to be a guinea pig on a touchscreen fix?  If so, I think I may have a solution.  Only proviso being that, if it works, details are kept quiet until anyone on here who then wants one has a machine on order.

 

Should have known that our resident TV personality would have one.  Part of yet another celebrity endorsement deal was it, Steve? :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hopefully mine should arrive on Tuesday or there abouts (ordered yesterday  :d )

 

A quick Google suggests they were available in at least two forms, one with a touchscreen, (which would have shipped with Windows XP Tablet Edition) and one with a simple digitiser instead, which should have shipped with a stylus.

 

I do vaguely wonder though whether such a big corporate order was simply customised to not use either. Or perhaps it's just because they've been loaded with the wrong version of XP. No biggie for me if the touch screen works or not, though be great if it did!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Apologies, checking something else on Google, it appears the touch screen does use regular XP, it's the digitiser versions that use XP for Tablets.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Please review our Terms of Use, Guidelines and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.