Should Mp3car have a boats section?

**riddle14** · 04-29-2006, 07:55 PM

Sure why, not...but i can see in the near future a section for every type of vehicle, whether it be a boat, 4-wheeler, bike, motorcycle, RV, and so on, so why not.....

**romul** · 04-29-2006, 08:49 PM

its mp3car but i mean ne method of transportation can be hooked up with a computer maybe get an "other vehicules" section

as the boats go i love boats most of them being made out of a fiberglass shell would prolly make a prettty sweet installation. EVen if you dont like boats you might want to do the same principal in your car (build a system that is very similar besides the waterproof speakers

)

go for it ; my 2 cents

Originally Posted by Fiberoptic

I am getting a list goign of Marine specific issues:

Brightness (look at your monitor on deck)
Ultra low power (for sailing across an ocean and only having wind electricity generation)
Dual monitors (Charting/Mapping/Productivity all on one computer)
Shock - High speed boats
Salt water corrosion problems
Marine Navigation/Charting Software

dont forget other inputs such as depth finders and the boat radios (forget hte name)

**scott_fx** · 04-30-2006, 02:08 AM

wow, i cant even imagine a harddrive withstanding all that shock. I think someone here will design a great shock absorber that doesnt introduce oscilation...i'm thinking gyro!

**TheLlama** · 04-30-2006, 04:21 AM

Yeah, we should rename the site transportationcar.com... erm, mp3transportaiondevice.com. mp3movingthings.com?

**lifeboat** · 04-30-2006, 12:32 PM

There are a lot of challenges to computing in a marine environment and there is a lot of interesting technology in use generally. Aside from the corrosion and vibration issues, reliability is key. If you lose your electronics, GPS and maps in a car you aren't going to have a collision or run off the road, but on a vessel you very well could. I think it would be very interesting to see some boat installs here, there are bound to be some ideas that have crossover application for our cars. Check out http://www.panbo.com/ for some marine electronics gadgetry.

**avengerki** · 05-01-2006, 12:19 AM

Speaking of cross overs I was thinking of the same application that would go torwards a boat would work with offroad vehicles. And I mean that as in you actually take your offroad vehicle offroad and bounce it off rocks, crawl through mud, and hydrolock.... I mean water crossings.

**TheLlama** · 05-01-2006, 12:36 AM

In spirit of my other Family Guy troll-posts.

"Hey Peter! Where's your boat!??!"

**scott_fx** · 05-01-2006, 12:51 AM

Originally Posted by TheLlama

In spirit of my other Family Guy troll-posts.

"Hey Peter! Where's your boat!??!"

haha.. you are now my favorite mp3car.com member!!!

Originally Posted by lifeboat

If you lose your electronics, GPS and maps in a car you aren't going to have a collision or run off the road, but on a vessel you very well could.

heh...i think your biggest concern should be why you are driving your boat on the road in the first place

**Rafster** · 05-01-2006, 02:36 AM

Haha... Now the site will have to be renamed....

mp3vehicles.com anyone?

Voted (B)

Peace,

Rafster

**TMH** · 05-01-2006, 06:47 PM

I have done several computers in boats, Custom cases, laptops, & shuttle's. They are great. I typically install one pc with dual monitor capability. One goes to small touchscreen for control and one to a lcd tv. For navigation I have been using Navsim (navsim.com), it has autopilot add on software. I use western digital drives. Most installs are usually in offshore race/poker run boats. Two have been around florida for while.

For navigation reliability, I dont think it is much different then a installed gps. The gps has just as good of a chance of failing. Also most still have a good ole fashion compass for backup. Basically if you lose all electronics your not moving anyway.

As far as corrosion, I don't really think there are issues. Although if you mount the pc out in the cockpit and mount the monitor on a un-protected dash you would be asking for trouble. The only time you may see this is with direct salt water spray. I have yet to see any corrosion problems with smart installs.

Vibration, has not been much of an issue either. My boat is a 30' offshore 97mph and run in lake MI (ruff) the first pc was a viewsonic tablet pc built into a wall in the cabin. The latest that survived last years beating is a epox motherboard from a shuttle pc. It has the audio and nvidia dual monitor video built in. It is in a custom aluminum case mounted in the cabin. I have a 10.4 ts mounted in the cabin door.

Biggest problem is seeing the monitor if mounted on or in the dash is readability. Most people don't want to spend the money a nice monitor so we put them in the cabin. Some have a second on the dash but are only used at night. Although one of my installs has the monitor on the dash and always defaults to a music control scene after a few minutes. It has the screen divided in 4, volume up down & next and previous song. That way you dont have to see the screen when in the cockpit.

I have been following the panel upgrade thread and will try that solution if the screen shots look good.

Todd