Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: Saltty on January 26, 2004, 10:05:46 PM

Title: AH on the road.....laptop or desktop for my Semi
Post by: Saltty on January 26, 2004, 10:05:46 PM

I spend 75% of my time in my truck (a 770 Volvo) pedaling auto batteries for Johnson Controls.

Many truckstops now either have wifi or ethernet ....I've been wanting a laptop but was thinking if i got a desktop i could get a tv vid card and replace my tv/vcr with a small monitor.
would a desktop hold up the vibration in the truck or would a laptop work for some occasional flying.

Wife is rolling eyes as she reads this...hehe

Any Ideas?

Saltty

Title: AH on the road.....laptop or desktop for my Semi
Post by: Estes on January 26, 2004, 10:38:29 PM

I would say laptop for that situation.

A squadie of mine flys on a laptop - Toshiba model of some sort.. 1.8 gig CPU with a 32meg card.

For AH1 anyway, it's not the greatest but it's playable.  YMMV

Title: AH on the road.....laptop or desktop for my Semi
Post by: Pfunk on January 27, 2004, 12:50:00 AM

This will work with AH1 and AH2 when it comes out, or for that matter any video game that is on the market, including the upcoming Half Life 2 and Doom 3.  This laptop is essentially and desktop scaled down, great gaming rig.  Great company to deal with, best in the business when it comes to laptops.

http://www.powernotebooks.com/specials.php3?model_id=286

Title: AH on the road.....laptop or desktop for my Semi
Post by: mipoikel on January 27, 2004, 01:10:44 AM

Good notebooks for playing:

HP NW8000
HP NC8000

I played AH with NW8000 one weekend and it was a blast. It is The best notebook I've ever tried.

Title: AH on the road.....laptop or desktop for my Semi
Post by: Maverick on January 27, 2004, 10:37:06 AM

Saltty,

Hi there. I'd recomend a laptop as well since the HD's have been designed to tolerate far more movement and vibration then any tabletop. Another consideration is the weight of a fan on the CPU. If it is a vertical tower then the mobo is on edge and the weight of the fan / cooler is hanging and placing stress on the chip every time the truck moves or hits a bump.

I figure to be on a laptop myself soon as I'm getting either a Volvo 610, 660 or a WIA64TTES in the next week to 90 days. Gonna RV accross the country with the truck and 5th wheel trailer.  :D

Get the highest powered and equiped laptop you can afford so it will last at least a couple of years for you. Unfortunately the vid cards are the weak spot in them for any gaming.

Title: AH on the road.....laptop or desktop for my Semi
Post by: AKCasca on January 27, 2004, 11:12:39 AM

Just picked up an Inspiron 8600 for work, it has a 128MB ATI 9600Pro in it, plays AH quite nicely   :)

Title: AH on the road.....laptop or desktop for my Semi
Post by: Pfunk on January 27, 2004, 11:29:30 AM

Quote

Originally posted by Maverick
Unfortunately the vid cards are the weak spot in them for any gaming.

Acutally there are lots of them out that come with a 128MB 9600Pro

Title: Trucker
Post by: Bingo on January 27, 2004, 04:58:46 PM

Get a real truck,,,,,,,,Peterbuilt!


Bingo

Title: Re: Trucker
Post by: Saltty on January 30, 2004, 11:23:58 AM

Quote

Originally posted by Bingo
Get a real truck,,,,,,,,Peterbuilt!


Bingo

Had a 96 379 3406 e model with a 13 speed and really liked it.

But i just drive what my work gives me.....got to say that this volvo is a dream to drive....not happy with the sleeper...not much storage

Title: AH on the road.....laptop or desktop for my Semi
Post by: FUNKED1 on January 30, 2004, 12:48:38 PM

Hey Saltty!
If you go with the laptop, I think this will work for TV/VCR:  http://www.hauppauge.com/html/usb_data.htm

Title: AH on the road.....laptop or desktop for my Semi
Post by: Ecliptik on January 30, 2004, 01:00:22 PM

Quote

would a desktop hold up the vibration in the truck or would a laptop work for some occasional flying

Laptop.  Most desktops don't travel very well, and run a significant risk of something eventually breaking, unless stowed very carefully.  (2-prong heatsinks on AMD chips are especially dangerous).   So while it's not a big gamble to drive your box around to lan parties, having it set up in your rig 24 hours a day would definitely decrease its lifetime.

Title: Trucker
Post by: Bingo on January 30, 2004, 05:27:00 PM

We are now switching over to Volvos ourselves,,,,,,but I get a choice,,,old man lots of senority,,,,,Volvo good truck,,,,,,like the Peterbuilts because i'm use to them

S!

Bingo:aok